It turns out that NFL Films and HBO’s Hard Knocks will have to find a new team to follow this offseason.
Reports last week indicated the show’s offseason edition would follow Bill Belichick and the collegiate North Carolina Tar Heels—a first for the show, which normally follows NFL franchises. But that is no longer the case.
Bill Belichick, North Carolina Reverse Decision, Opt Out of Hard Knocks
Hard Knocks: Offseason was scheduled to follow new North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick and general manager Michael Lombardi in their entrance to the college football universe.
The show was scheduled to follow the Tar Heels’ spring portal period, spring practice, and fall camp, giving fans insight into the operations of a Power Four program.
The move followed last year’s Hard Knocks: Offseason debut, which included New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen’s failure to re-sign star running back Saquon Barkley. Barkley, of course, went on to have a spectacular season for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles while the Giants fell flat, finishing the season 3-14.
According to Front Office Sports, the disastrous Giants debut led to a lack of NFL volunteers for this year’s edition and a pivot to college football.
UNC would have been the first collegiate program featured on Hard Knocks, but the deal fell through Tuesday, according to a CBS Sports report.
“NFL Films had discussions with Coach Belichick and UNC about appearing on Hard Knocks this offseason but couldn’t reach an agreement,” a spokesperson for NFL Media, which includes NFL Films, told CBS Sports Tuesday.
The news comes after Pro Football Talk reported that some NFL owners “weren’t thrilled” with the decision to feature a college football program on an NFL platform.
But viewers may still get to witness behind-the-scenes at UNC regardless. CBS Sports reported that “there is still a desire” within the Tar Heel program to manufacture an all-access series.
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“There are a lot of conversations going on right now about [Hard Knocks],” Lombardi told Pat McAfee last week. “We’ve had offers. I don’t think anything’s yet been official or signed.
“When you’re dealing with the university and the brand that we have at North Carolina, which is incredible, you’ve got to make sure that everything’s done right, all the T’s are crossed.
“Bill has been talking to different people that contacted all of us here and been sorting it out. I don’t think it’s official. If we do it, the idea is to let people examine what we’re doing, take a look at the 33rd team in the NFL, and see how we’re building this program and what we’re trying to accomplish. It’ll give an accurate portrayal.”
UNC begins spring football practice on Tuesday.
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