The AFC North is prepared for its close-up.
The division finest identified for heated rivalries and star quarterbacks might be featured on the in-season version of HBO’s “Exhausting Knocks” TV collection this season. It is the primary time the Emmy Award-winning collection has chronicled a complete division.
Final season, the AFC North’s 4 groups — the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers — all completed with profitable data.
With quarterbacks Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson, who was traded from the Denver Broncos to Pittsburgh within the offseason, there are many storylines within the North together with a status for tight, testy video games.
“Exhausting Knocks: In Season with the AFC North” will debut Dec. 3 and run via the remainder of the common season and playoffs.
Editor’s Picks
2 Associated
Final season, the AFC North turned the primary division to have each staff end with a profitable file for the reason that 1935 Western Division. The Ravens, Steelers, Browns and Bengals mixed for a file of 43-25 final season, which was the best win share (.632) of any division in 2023. No different division mixed for greater than 35 wins final 12 months.
“We do not suppose — we all know — that is one of the best division in soccer,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor stated in an announcement. “I perceive why it is a horny decide for ‘Exhausting Knocks’ and it is an honor to be a part of a division that folks suppose so extremely of. We now have an thrilling staff with lots of actually proficient gamers and good staff guys. They’re gamers that the league is worked up about, so this publicity is a constructive.”
Jackson is coming off a second MVP win however got here up wanting a primary Tremendous Bowl journey. Burrow performed simply 10 video games final season earlier than present process wrist surgical procedure. Watson is getting into a make-or-break third season in Cleveland, and Wilson is hoping to restart his profession with Justin Fields in his shadow.
The Ravens have been the primary staff featured on the unique “Exhausting Knocks” in 2001. The Bengals’ coaching camp was featured in 2009 and 2013, and the Browns’ camp in 2018.
This would be the Steelers’ first look on the favored present that takes followers deep contained in the locker room, huddle and internal workings of NFL groups.
On “The Adam Jones Podcast” earlier this month, Ravens coach John Harbaugh stated he doesn’t watch “Exhausting Knocks.”
“Every thing’s placed on,” Harbaugh stated. “You bought to place a microphone and a digital camera in your face, folks aren’t the identical. In the event that they wish to deliver ‘Exhausting Knocks’ in right here, it would not hassle me one bit, simply because I do know what I would inform our guys is, ‘All proper, this is what we will do. We’ll simply be us. We’ll say what we are saying. We’ll do what we do. We’ll deal with it the way in which we deal with it as a result of we have nothing to be ashamed of.'”
Harbaugh added that his staff wouldn’t “placed on a present” for anybody and made the purpose that the Ravens would have “remaining enhancing energy” on the present.
The collection has expanded to spotlight the league’s offseason, coaching camp, common season and postseason. The New York Giants’ offseason would be the first chronicled, and the Chicago Bears might be featured in coaching camp as they attempt to break in rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 decide on this 12 months’s draft.
ESPN’s Jamison Hensley and The Related Press contributed to this report.