HBO Announces the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as This Year's 'Hard Knocks' Team

HBO will be taking its hit documentary Hard Knocks to Tampa Bay to spotlight the Buccaneers leading up to the 2017 NFL season. The Buccaneers were one of eight teams eligible to be chosen on Hard Knocks this year, with the New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans among the others. Hard Knocks: Training Camp With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will debut on Tuesday, August 8 at 10 p.m. EST and will feature five episodes culminating the week of the team’s regular-season opener. NFL Films’ Mark Dissinger was joined by Peter Nelson of HBO Sports at the team’s facility for the announcement. Dirk Koetter, head coach of the Bucs told ESPN:

“We’re not trying to hide anything over here. I think there [are] some great stories to tell. I think the players have some great causes they’re behind outside the building. … I think that’s the thing you try not to do. I think it’s corny if guys are faking it. So we’ll probably go with the ‘no faking it’ rule.”

#HardKnocks MOOD! pic.twitter.com/vbKJQmdXtV

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@TBBuccaneers) April 19, 2017

Video: Jameis Winston likes that Hard Knocks would “show the whole world” what Bucs are, but wouldn’t change his focus on football. pic.twitter.com/xqwU5NTiDS

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) April 17, 2017