Do NFL players get paid for featuring on Hard Knocks? Breaking down incentives for HBO's football documentary

Yes, NFL players are compensated for their appearances on "Hard Knocks." Back in 2001, Steve Sabol, the president of NFL Films, disclosed that veterans Shannon Sharpe, Tony Siragusa, Ray Lewis, and Rod Woodson received $8,000, while rookies Todd Heap and Reggie Waddell received $2,000. It's likely that today's superstars command higher fees, although recent official sources discussing the pay have been scarce.

Over the past fifteen years, Hard Knocks has become a favorite among casual NFL fans, providing a glimpse into the inner workings of league locker rooms. It offers a comprehensive look at how an NFL franchise prepares for the demanding regular season. So, which team will be featured in 2023?

What team is featuring in Hard Knocks in 2023?

The New York Jets will be the feature team for the 2023 edition. Despite their apparent reluctance to do so, it now seems that Aaron Rodgers and his teammates will be appearing in HBO’s hugely popular preseason reality show, which focuses on the inner workings of teams in the NFL.

According to Adam Schefter, HBO's special will feature the New York Jets next. The show, an annual spectacle for NFL fans, featured the Detroit Lions in 2022. What's interesting to note is that Jets head coach, Robert Saleh, had previously indicated that his team was not open to the idea of allowing HBO and NFL Films to document the franchise's preparation for the 2023 season; however, as things stand that will now, in fact, be the case.

The rumors about the Jets' appearing in Hard Knocks 2023 have been loud in the past few weeks. They were among the four teams eligible according to the league's criteria. Unsurprisingly, they were chosen ahead of the Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, and Washington Commanders. The Jets will be making their second HBO appearance, as the franchise featured in 2010.

Is the 'Hard Knocks' curse real?

Absolutely not. No matter how hard Twitter analysts choose to argue, there's no such thing as a "Hard Knocks" curse. A "Hard Knocks" curse is mostly a false perception, like the Madden curse. Eighteen franchises have participated in the preseason version of the program; eight of those teams have gone on to post winning records, while seven have made the playoffs.

Those numbers may not seem significant, but it's important to remember the NFL's criteria for selecting a "Hard Knocks" participant. Among the most important is that any team that has made the playoffs in the last two seasons can opt out of the program. That means that the league's most successful teams have been able to avoid participating in the program.

As such, it's pretty impressive that seven teams have made the playoffs. And while no participant has gone on to win a Super Bowl, an HBO assignment won't be what keeps a team from reaching the mountaintop of the NFL.

Let's not forget the last time the Jets were featured on the show; they made it to the AFC Championship Game in 2011 after their appearance in 2010, marking the furthest progress by an HBO participant. Now, let's see if the 2023 Jets can take another step forward.