© Bob Donnan/Imagn
Oh, what could have been…
After several NFL teams reportedly turned down the opportunity to be the subject of HBO’s Hard Knocks this offseason, it appeared that the network had found their huckleberry in the form of Bill Belichick and the North Carolina Tar Heels. The legendary former New England Patriots coach is now working at the college level for the first time in his career and would have been a fascinating subject for the show.
Unfortunately, any dreams of that happening seem to have gone out the door. CBS Sports reports that UNC, Belichick and HBO were unable to come to an agreement and that the show will not document the Tar Heels this time around
“NFL Films had discussions with Coach Belichick and UNC about appearing on Hard Knocks this offseason but couldn’t reach an agreement,” a spokesperson for NFL Media, told CBS Sports.
That leaves HBO in a bind. NFL teams are reportedly hesitant to do the show after the New York Giants and general manager Joe Schoen, who were the subject of last year’s offseason edition of the show, caught heat for their decision not to re-sign superstar running back Saquon Barkley. Of course, Barkley then went on to have the best season of his career and win the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles.
With the NFL Draft fast approaching, HBO is now facing a scenario where it’s unlikely to find anyone willing to take part in the offseason edition of the show. It could continue to search the college ranks for a willing partner, with spring practice right around the corner. But even that could be difficult as more and more college teams become secretive about how they handle business.
One thing is clear, however. We won’t be seeing behind the scenes footage Belichick and the Tar Heels, which is a bummer for college football fans everywhere.