NFL teams have generally not done well in seasons that they appeared on Hard Knocks

It’s time for the Cowboys to break that trend.

Just before last weekend truly got going it was announced that the Dallas Cowboys will be the team featured on this season of HBO’s Hard Knocks. In case you are unaware, this show follows an NFL team throughout training camp and the preseason, serving as a fly on the wall to show you what life is like for the team. Certain players, generally ones at the bottom of the roster, are featured to a more detailed degree and ultimately many of the roster cuts are even shown near the end of the program.

Oftentimes fans worry that this show can serve as a distraction for NFL teams considering the NFL Films crew is around training camp meaning that there are a number of cameras present at all times. On the latest episode of Jersey Boyz on the Blogging The Boys podcast network (subscribe on Apple devices right here or on Spotify right here) the guys debated just how concerned they are about all of this.

While there are examples to support just about any claim with regards to most sectors of life, it is hard to dispute the fact that teams who have been on Hard Knocks have generally not performed well during the seasons that they were on it.

It is important to remember that the show naturally connects itself to teams in unique situations as there are certain stipulations that can render a team exempt from appearing on the show. If a team is in the first year of a new head coach, has a playoff appearance in the last two seasons, or if they have been on the show in the previous decade they are allowed to abstain from being chronicled. This naturally eliminates a number of teams, obviously successful ones, which plays a role.

Still, though, the history associated with the show isn’t great. Consider that of the nine previous teams to appear on Hard Knocks that only three have made the playoffs in that same season.

• 2013 Cincinnati Bengals……………………… 11-5, Playoffs
• 2014 Atlanta Falcons…………………………… 6-10
• 2015 Houston Texans………………………….. 9-7, Playoffs
• 2016 Los Angeles Rams………………………. 4-12
• 2017 Tampa Bay Buccaneers……………….. 5-11
• 2018 Cleveland Browns……………………….. 7-8-1
• 2019 Oakland Raiders………………………….. 7-9
• 2020 Los Angeles Rams………………………. 10-6, Playoffs
• 2020 Los Angeles Chargers…………………. 7-9

In the interest of full context, of these teams were facing some very particular circumstances. The 2016 Rams were in the first season back in Los Angeles which was a huge theme of the show, plus they had the draft’s number one overall pick in a quarterback (Jared Goff) to serve as a center for the show much like the Browns would two years later in Baker Mayfield.

At the opposite end of the spectrum of the Rams, the 2019 Raiders were chronicled because it was their last season in Oakland before moving to Las Vegas. These are challenges that the Cowboys won’t be facing with a roster that features all of last year’s intended starters on offense returning, the only new-to-Dallas is on the defensive side of the ball, and while there is a lot, it is hardly as drama-inducing as what other teams were facing.

Speaking of storylines, we broke down a number of them that we could in fact see on Hard Knocks next month in one of the latest videos on the Blogging The Boys YouTube Channel. Make sure to subscribe to our channel (which you can do right here) so you don’t miss any of the videos that we do!