Hard Knocks ( TV series ) Hard Knocks is a reality sports documentary television series produced by NFL Films and HBO . First shown in 2001 , there have been seven seasons , with the most recent airing in 2012 . Each season has followed a single National Football League ( NFL ) team through its training camp and covered the team ' s preparation for the upcoming football season . The series has shown the personal and family lives of the players , coaches and staff , as well as competition for places on the roster , and inside jokes and pranks . It has particularly focused on rookie s ' adjustments to playing in the NFL , usually with emphasis on the team ' s most recent top draft pick , and on undrafted or journeyman players trying to secure a job . The series has been narrated by Liev Schreiber since 2001 , with the exception of the 2007 season , which was narrated by Paul Rudd . The NFL and HBO have called " Hard Knocks " " the first sports - based reality series " . Seasons . Baltimore Ravens ( 2001 ) . Some of the issues covered in the 2001 Ravens season include : Dallas Cowboys ( 2002 ) . Some of the issues covered in the 2002 Cowboys season include : Kansas City Chiefs ( 2007 ) . The series returned on August 8 , 2007 , featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and their preparations for the 2007 season . It was narrated by actor Paul Rudd , a Chiefs fan . Some of the issues covered in the 2007 Chiefs season include : Dallas Cowboys ( 2008 ) . The Dallas Cowboys were chronicled for the second time on the television series ' fourth season , which premiered on August 6 , 2008 . Some of the issues covered in the 2008 Cowboys season include : Cincinnati Bengals ( 2009 ) . The Cincinnati Bengals season premiered on August 12 , 2009 . Its ratings were higher than any previous season of " Hard Knocks " , and it won two Sports Emmy Award s : one for " Outstanding Edited Sports Series or Anthology , " and one for " Outstanding Post Produced Audio / Sound . " Some of the issues covered in the 2009 Bengals season include : New York Jets ( 2010 ) . The New York Jets were chronicled in the series ' sixth season . An official announcement was made on March 25 , 2010 , and HBO began airing it on August 11 , 2010 . It won the series ' second consecutive Sports Emmy Award for " Outstanding Edited Sports Series or Anthology " . The Jets declined another opportunity to appear in the series in 2011 . Some of the issues covered in the 2010 Jets season include : 2011 . At the end of July 2011 , NFL Films announced it would not be producing " Hard Knocks " for the 2011 season . No team wanted to commit to the series due to uncertainty with the NFL ' s labor situation . A retrospective on the series titled " Hard Knocks : A Decade Of NFL Training Camps " was made featuring clips from every episode made to that point , and including comments looking back on the series from Brian Billick , Shannon Sharpe , Mike Westhoff , and others . Miami Dolphins ( 2012 ) . On May 29 , 2012 , Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin announced that the Dolphins would participate in the 2012 season of " Hard Knocks . " Some of the issues covered in the 2012 Dolphins season include : Similar productions . Inside Training Camp : Jaguars Summer . In 2004 , NFL Films produced a series similar to " Hard Knocks " that featured the Jacksonville Jaguars . Called " " Inside Training Camp : Jaguars Summer " , " It covered the Jaguars ' training camp in preparation for their 2004 season . It aired only on the NFL Network and was narrated by frequent NFL Films narrator Robb Webb . Some of the issues covered in this series include :