The Jets premiere of “Hard Knocks” is Aug. 8 on HBO, but the whole show is already in the hurry-up offense.
Since the Jets did not want to be the subject of the long-running HBO series, they were only officially announced as the main attraction on Monday with training camp set to kick off Wednesday. The selection of the team is usually announced by May.
So everything is a bit in overdrive to set all the boundaries and put it all together.
Even with all that, the man who had perhaps the most famous line — about snacks, as it was — in the 18-year history of the Sports Emmy Award-winning show said the Jets are going to “kick ass” this season and being on the program won’t be that big of a deal.
“No coach wants to do ‘Hard Knocks,’ ” Rex Ryan, the former Jets coach, “Hard Knocks” 2010 star and now ESPN NFL analyst, told The Post. “Nobody wants to do it.”
The 2023 Jets really didn’t want to do it, which is why it took so long for them to be named. Sources said the Jets are hesitant to allow cameras in meetings or have player cuts filmed, which are annual “Hard Knocks’” elements.
While the Jets and NFL Films declined to comment for this column, we were assured they will be professional. NFL Films has a history with the team and its players, which could smooth things out rather quickly. The Jets do have experience with their own cameras with the local Emmy-winning YouTube series, “1 Jets Drive.”
The Jets in-house program will come out on Mondays during camp, while “Hard Knocks” will be every Tuesday for five weeks.
Even for “Hard Knocks,” teams have the opportunity to review episodes before they air, but we were told that is mainly to make sure there were no technical aspects left in that opponents could exploit.
To that point, Rams Super Bowl winning coach and another “Hard Knocks” veteran, Sean McVay, said at a recent Sportico event that he thinks being on the show is a competitive disadvantage.
That may or may not be true, but what is pretty clear is most teams do not want to participate. The Jets were one of four teams eligible to be picked, if no one volunteered.
Teams that have a first-year head coach, made the playoffs the past two years or have been featured on the program within the last decade don’t have to do it.
The Commanders, also eligible, reportedly wanted in, but the NFL was wary with the sale by owner Dan Snyder ongoing, while the Saints and Bears also apparently objected. Anyway, the Jets were the obvious choice with Aaron Rodgers on the scene.
Last week, Rodgers said the NFL “forced it down [the Jets] throats.” Ryan batted away the notion that Rodgers will be difficult because he’s comfortable in his own skin.
“I think Aaron Rodgers is going to be freaking great,” Ryan said. “Aaron Rodgers is extremely confident in himself. Yeah, he’s different, but so what? He embraces it. He ain’t a guy that is going to run from anything. He could care less. He’s going to be him and I think that’s great. I think people will enjoy it.”
Rodgers and NFL Films have a long history. They have worked together countless times over his legendary career. So maybe he will be amenable. If not, Sauce Gardner or Garrett Wilson could be the star of the show.
Whatever they do, it will be hard to have as memorable a performance as Ryan. His most lasting moment was a fiery speech to his team and then ended it with, “Let’s go eat a goddamn snack!”
The 2010 Jets were the gold standard of “Hard Knocks.” Ryan didn’t want to do it initially, but then quickly decided he and the team had nothing to hide.
Robert Saleh, you’re up.
