The 10 Best Seasons Of HBO’s Hard Knocks, According To IMDb

As entertaining as sports are on their own, it’s always even more intriguing to get a look into the behind-the-scenes antics of the teams on the field. That has proven to be especially true when it comes to the National Football League, with their teams being focal points on Hard Knocks.

The HBO documentary series has been running for more than two decades, with each season centering on a different team. Most seasons have been well-received but a few have stood out above the rest due to the high drama, personalities involved, popularity of the team themselves, or any other number of aspects.

10 Season 1 (8.61)

Sometimes, it’s difficult to top the original and Hard Knocks got off to a strong start with its debut season. Right from the start, the narration by actor Liev Schreiber proved to be one of the best parts, which it continued to be throughout the rest of the series.

This season focused on the Baltimore Ravens, which was automatically interesting because they had just won the Super Bowl the previous year. Audiences were captivated by the team struggling to adjust to a season-ending injury to a key player and the arrival of rookie Todd Heap, who would become the franchise’s all-time leader in touchdown receptions.

9 Season 9 (8.62)

One of the most intriguing eras for any team to see unfold is when they’re in the process of rebuilding. They typically feature young players who are potential stars and some veterans thrown in who can act as leaders, which always makes for good television.

That was what was going on with the Atlanta Falcons during season 9 of the show. The team was a few years away from a Super Bowl appearance and this season saw them attempt to toughen up following a rough season, while also showcasing rookies trying to make the squad.

8 Season 5 (8.62)

In a lot of ways, TV shows are often measured by the accolades they rack up and the most prestigious award is arguably an Emmy. Hard Knocks picked up its first two Emmy Awards in season 5, winning for Outstanding Edited Sports Series or Anthology and for Outstanding Post Produced Audio / Sound.

That is enough to understand why season 5 was such a success but it goes further than that. The story of the Cincinnati Bengals was highly entertaining given that it included the endlessly charismatic Chad Ochocino and the comeback attempt of quarterback Carson Palmer.

7 Season 12 (8.64)

By season 12, it could be said that Hard Knocks had fallen into a pattern. Audiences knew to expect tales of injury returns, rookies trying to establish themselves, and both up-and-coming and veteran players attempting to make the roster.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the stars of season 12 and they did feature all of those expected stories. Of course, being formulaic doesn’t mean bad, as audiences enjoyed these storylines thanks to some of the fun personalities involved. The acquisition of players like Nick Folk and Ryan Fitzpatrick were enough to pull in viewers.

6 Season 3 (8.70)

Liev Schreiber has handled the narration for every season of Hard Knocks except one. That was season 3, which instead was voiced over by charismatic actor Paul Rudd, who is an avid Kansas City Chiefs fan. It made sense since it was the Chiefs who were the subject of this season.

Of course, this was way before the Patrick Mahomes era of the franchise, coming way back in 2007. This season saw Priest Holmes attempt to come back from a career-threatening injury, an Arena Football player trying to make it in the NFL, and a player trying a new position, which was all great to see unfold.

5 Season 10 (8.72)

A frustrating time for a team can be when they’re close to making the playoffs only to just miss out on it. That’s the unfortunate situation that the Houston Texans found themselves in when they were on Hard Knocks, though it helped make for a great reality TV.

The season was boosted by the notable personalities to appear on it including megastar J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney, who was returning from injury. Throw in a quarterback battle and David Quessenberry’s emotional comeback attempt from cancer and you had a winning formula.

4 Season 11 (8.74)

One year after the Houston Texans were showcased, the series shifted to center on the Los Angeles Rams. This was interesting on the surface because it was the first season for the Rams in California after spending decades in St. Louis.

That made it instantly something to check out as you could see the way the transition was being handled. The quarterbacks also played a pivotal role, with veteran Super Bowl winner Nick Foles getting cut over the phone during an episode and rookie Jared Goff being given the reins of the franchise.

3 Season 8 (8.76)

It makes sense that the Dallas Cowboys were the first team to be featured on the show twice. They are “America’s team” and are known as the most popular (and most hated) franchise in football. Interestingly, the second team to make two appearances was the Cincinnati Bengals.

Both Bengals’ seasons rank near the top, showing how engaging they are to watch. James Harrison was notable in this season for disliking the camera crew, which was a new angle for storytelling. Other than the expected plot points, there was the tale of a linebacker who wanted to pursue painting instead of football.

2 Season 6 (8.80)

There’s almost always something of intrigue happening in New York, so making the Jets the stars of a season was bound to produce some entertainment. The season earned Hard Knocks a second consecutive Emmy for Outstanding Edited Sports Series or Anthology.

The Jets were so good as the focal point that they were actually offered the spotlight for the following season but declined. This was a year when the Jets made the AFC Championship game, making them one of the best teams in Hard Knocks history. The season also featured the boisterous Rex Ryan, the contract holdout of star Darrelle Revis, and the oddly hilarious moment where Antonio Cromartie failed to name all nine of his children.

1 Season 13 (8.84)

The Cleveland Browns have been in football headlines for several years now and this was where it all began since this was the arrival of number one draft pick Baker Mayfield. The quarterback was an obvious big star in this season but he was far from alone in that department.

The season featured plenty of fun personalities from Carl Nassib teaching players about finances to Devon Cajuste’s relationship with his father to Jarvis Landry assuming the role of team leader to Hue Jackson trying to keep his job after winning just one game in two years. It made for a fantastic season.

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