Proof Bills hate Hard Knocks selection

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott looks on from the bench against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

For the first time in franchise history, the Buffalo Bills will be featured in the 2025 offseason edition of ‘Hard Knocks.’ As has become the recent trend around the NFL, the Bills loathe the designation more than they celebrate it.

The Bills have never been advocates of the show, according to The Athletic’s Tim Graham. Instead, Graham reports general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott agree that it is “at best” a distraction and at worst a complete disaster. Thus, when it was selected as the featured team, Buffalo did nothing to promote the upcoming release.

“Did you notice the Bills posted nothing on their website or social media accounts about being the ‘Hard Knocks’ team for 2025 training camp?” Graham wrote. “When the NFL announced its mandate Wednesday, there was no huzzah from the Bills or any attaboy quotes attributed to owner Terry Pegula, CEO Pete Guelli, face-of-the-franchise Josh Allen, Beane, McDermott, nobody.”

Since Beane and McDermott took over in 2017, they have done everything in their power to avoid ‘Hard Knocks,’ per Graham. The show used to avoid teams with new head coaches or those that made the playoffs within the previous two seasons. However, it changed its qualifications in 2024 by scrapping the playoffs clause, making the Bills a viable target.

Whether they want to or not, the Bills will be featured in the 2025 NFL offseason edition of ‘Hard Knocks’ that debuts on Aug. 5.

‘Hard Knocks’ painful 2025 selection process

Proof Bills hate Hard Knocks selection — Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Since the show’s infamous fiasco with the New York Giants in 2024, ‘Hard Knocks’ has had difficulty nailing down NFL teams to feature. Practically every general manager and owner rejected the show’s attempt at another 2025 offseason edition after the way the Giants were portrayed a year ago.

Before eventually bailing on the offseason edition, ‘Hard Knocks’ was briefly linked to Bill Belichick and the North Carolina football team. Had it followed through, the season would have marked their debut in college football. However, even that attempt fell apart.

The HBO program’s struggles continued with its annual training camp season, forcing the Bills to bite the bullet. Aside from Josh Allen’s 2024 MVP campaign and his subsequent engagement to actress Hailee Steinfeld, there is nothing particularly interesting about Buffalo’s offseason. Regardless, ‘Hard Knocks’ needed a season, and the Bills are fresh meat.