Rams, Chargers will reportedly be featured on 'Hard Knocks' if training camps happen
The Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers plan on moving into the still-under-construction SoFi Stadium later this year, and that might not be the only experience they share in 2020.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Rams and the Chargers will both be featured on HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” which is set to be filmed this summer. This would be the first time more than one NFL team is featured on “Hard Knocks,” which follows the trials and tribulations of a team as the players, coaches, and staff go through training camp and prepare for the regular season.
The team chosen for “Hard Knocks” is usually a franchise that struggled in the previous season, and both the Rams and Chargers fit the bill to some degree. The Chargers fell to a 5-11 in 2019 a year after making the playoffs, and recently parted ways with longtime quarterback Philip Rivers. The Rams did better at 9-7, but that’s a major disappointment after making it to the Super Bowl just one season earlier. They also unexpectedly cut running back Todd Gurley, a talented star who struggled with knee issues in 2019.
This new, “supersized” version of “Hard Knocks” could be entertaining, but there’s a big “IF” hanging over everything now. There’s no guarantee that training camps will happen this summer. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sports leagues are shut down not just in the United States, but around the world. The Chinese Basketball Association has attempted to restart its suspended season, but has been forced to delay due to the continuing spread of the coronavirus. Japan set dates for the opening of the Nippon Professional Baseball season, but was also forced to delay.
In fact, according to Schefter, the announcement about “Hard Knocks” was pushed back due to the coronavirus. It was scheduled to be revealed at the NFL’s annual spring owners meetings, which was supposed to happen a week ago, but that was canceled.
There’s no way to predict what the situation will be in several months when training camps are scheduled to open. For now, everything is moving forward as planned. According to Schefter, the official announcement about “Hard Knocks” is being further delayed as the NFL and NFL Films prepare for the upcoming virtual draft.
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