Atlanta Falcons To Be Featured On HBO's Series 'Hard Knocks'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- As fans, the closest we get to going inside an NFL locker room is the HBO original series 'Hard Knocks'. The good news is, the anticipation for which team will be followed this summer is over. The bad news is, it won't be Johnny Football's team.
The Atlanta Falcons announced on Thursday afternoon that they will be featured as the 2014 'Hard Knocks' team.
"We are excited about the opportunity to give our fans a behind the scenes look at what it takes to prepare an NFL team for the rigors of a 16-game regular season and beyond," said Falcons Owner & Chairman Arthur M. Blank. "This marks the first time that our franchise will be featured on 'Hard Knocks' and we look forward to showcasing our great players and coaches to football fans all across America."
We will likely see a lot of Falcons quarterback, Matt Ryan, who is from Exton, Pennsylvania.
The original series has grown in popularity since its creation in 2001. In 2013, the NFL announced that one team will be required to participate in the award-winning documentary each season. The series contains five episodes per season and last year--featuring the Cincinnati Bengals--the show averaged 3.6 million viewers per episode.
The Cleveland Browns, featuring the polarizing rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel, were reportedly asked to be featured in 2014, but declined the offer.
Other teams that have participated in 'Hard Knocks' include: Baltimore Ravens (2001), Dallas Cowboys (2002, 2008), Kansas City Chiefs (2007), Cincinnati Bengals (2009, 2013), New York Jets (2010), Miami Dolphins (2012).
'Hard Knocks' featuring the Atlanta Falcons premieres on August 5th, on HBO.
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