The 2024 NFL season is in full swing, with the push for the playoffs picking up steam and each game mattering a little bit more. In particular, there are plenty of storylines in the AFC North, which fans are going to get some incredible access and insight to as the division is going to be the focus of the latest edition of HBO’s Hard Knocks series — Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North.
What had previously been reserved for NFL training camp, Hard Knocks has grown to where there are iterations that cover the offseason (the first was last summer’s Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants) and in-season. Previous iterations of the in-season version just focused on one team, but this year all four teams in the AFC North are giving the Hard Knocks team access, allowing rare looks at their weekly preparations and during games.
Get everything you need to know about Hard Knock: In Season with the AFC North right here.
Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North next episode
Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North airs its next episode on Tuesday, December 17, at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO and streaming simultaneously on Max. This week's episode is expected to cover the division's week 15 action.
In order to watch this edition of Hard Knocks you must have access to HBO or be signed up for Max. HBO is a cable channel available through traditional pay-TV providers or is available as a premium add-on channel with live TV streaming services like DirecTV, Hulu with Live TV or YouTube TV. To access it through Max, you must be signed up to the streaming service either as a stand-alone service or as an add-on channel through Prime Video, Hulu or YouTube TV.
Past seasons of Hard Knocks are streaming on Sky TV, but at this time there is no word on when Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North may premiere on the UK streamer.
Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North premise
Here is the official synopsis for Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North:
“Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North will document the battle for the AFC North crown during the final six weeks of the NFL season, as well as a playoff run for the division-winner and any AFC North Wild Card teams.”
That should offer plenty of storylines. As it stands entering week 12 of the regular season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a game and a half lead over the Baltimore Ravens for the division, but both teams have looked among the best in the league this year and there is one more matchup between them set to take place that Hard Knocks will be on hand to cover. Meanwhile, the Bengals are entering desperation mode as they attempt to turn their season around (4-7 as of November 19) and rally for a playoff spot. For the Browns, the playoffs may be too far out of reach, but they would like few things as much as playing spoiler for their division rivals (and they’ve already beaten the Ravens once this year).
It should be pretty fun as episodes should recap the teams’ most recent games and see their preparation for their next opponent.
Worth noting, this is the first time the Pittsburgh Steelers will have been featured on any version of Hard Knocks.
Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North narrator
While not officially confirmed in any of the press materials, all expectations are that Liev Schreiber will continue as the narrator for Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North, just as he has done for all iterations of Hard Knocks in recent years.
Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North trailer
Check out the trailer for Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North right here:
