In mid-December, HBO began looking ahead to determine which team might appear on the 2019 edition of “Hard Knocks,” and the New York Giants were among the candidates.
While the Giants, led by co-owner John Mara, have done an excellent job avoiding the HBO reality documentary-series to this point, they fall well within the parameters established by the league several years ago.
A team is exempt from appearing on the show if:
- It has a first-year head coach.
- It has made the playoffs in either of the previous two years.
- It has appeared on “Hard Knocks” over the previous 10 seasons.
Given the dwindling number of teams who fit that bill, the Giants now find themselves firmly in the crosshairs to appear on the 14th season of “Hard Knocks.” In fact, Dan Hanzus of NFL Network believes they are the favorite.
The Giants are one of the NFL’s signature franchises, and as such, they’ve always seemed to be above the fray of — gasp — reality television. Then again, it’s not like we’re talking about a “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”-style production ambushing team employees in monocles and white gloves sipping out of diamond-encrusted flutes. Unless that is the scene, in which case, the Giants have to be the choice. In addition to the team’s big-ticket appeal, there are some great stories to track, chief among them the looming end of the Eli era. We could have a young hotshot to push the old QB, which would be extra spicy. There’s also reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Saquon Barkley plus that Odell guy everyone loves to talk about. Sign me up.
There’s no real question why Mara hates the idea of appearing on the show, right? The above “preview” of what the show would feature is exactly why he’s previously stated the Giants would only appear over his “dead body.”
However, it’s reached the point where Mara and the Giants are running out of time. The league and HBO may very well come calling this year, and if they do, there’s really nothing Mara or the organization could do.
