PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Detroit Lions have endured their share of hard knocks over the years, and now the franchise will be featured on the reality series by the same name.
The NFL announced at its annual meeting Monday that the Lions will appear on the HBO show “Hard Knocks” this summer.
The five-episode series, which provides a behind-the-scenes look at training camp and the preseason, is scheduled to run Aug. 9-Sept. 6.
The Lions have never been featured on the show’s previous 17 seasons, but were one of three teams — along with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers — who could be compelled to appear this summer.
Teams with returning head coaches who have not made the playoffs the previous two seasons and have not appeared on the series in the past 10 years are eligible to be selected, though others can volunteer.
The Lions, coming off a 3-13-1 season and four straight last-place finishes in the NFC North, were an attractive selection this year in part because of head coach Dan Campbell.
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Campbell had an entertaining introductory news conference as Lions coach last winter, when he vowed to field a team that would figuratively “bite a kneecap off,” and connected with players and fans last season as he led the Lions to three wins in their final six games.
He previously appeared on “Hard Knocks” as an assistant with the Miami Dolphins in 2012.
Several Lions players, including quarterback Jared Goff, defensive tackle Michael Brockers and fullback Jason Cabinda, also have appeared on the show. Cabinda was featured prominently in 2019, when “Hard Knocks” chronicled Oakland Raiders camp and Cabinda was cut at the end of the preseason.
According to a news release, a 30-person NFL Films crew will capture Lions’ training camp in Allen Park this summer, shooting more than 1,750 hours of footage. Typically, cameras have access to practices, some areas of player living quarters and many meetings during filming.
Last year, the Dallas Cowboys appeared on “Hard Knocks” in the preseason, and the Indianapolis Colts appeared on an in-season version of the show.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.