NFL Announces Los Angeles Rams, Chargers Will Be Featured on HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’

The new season of HBO’s Hard Knocks is set for a premiere later this year. On Thursday, the NFL announced the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers will be featured in the documentary series. Fans will be able to get an all-access look at both teams as they get ready for the 2020 season. Hard Knocks: Los Angeles will kick off on Aug. 11 with five hour-long episodes. The final episode will air on Sept. 8.

This will be the first time Hard Knocks will look at two teams at the same time. The Rams and Chargers are getting ready to share a new 70,000-seat SoFi Stadium, which should be done before both teams play their first regular-season game. Back in April, ESPN reported both teams were in discussions to be on the show. However, at the time, it was unknown there would be training camps due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That was one of the reasons why the NFL didn’t announce at the time, but HBO still was anticipating Hard Knocks would not be delayed.

For the Rams, this will be the second time they have been on the show. Their first appearance was in 2016, and it focused on them making a move from St. Louis to L.A. For the Chargers, this will be their first appearance on the show that began in 2001.

“We are looking forward to having Hard Knocks in our camp this year,” Rams Head Coach Sean McVay said in a press release. “Hard Knocks always offers a rare opportunity for our fans to see our players’ hard work to prepare for the season, as well as gives them a peek behind the curtain to observe these guys off the field, too. This year will be special because the show will also get an unprecedented look at SoFi Stadium, Stan Kroenke’s vision for professional football in L.A.”

“Having been part of Hard Knocks before when I was with the New York Jets, my biggest takeaway from that whole experience was that you get out of it what you put into it,” Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said. “There’s a reason that season was probably the most popular Hard Knocks ever. If you’re going to do a show, do it right. You can’t fake it.”