‘Hard Knocks’ is back and is headed to South Beach to cover the Miami Dolphins. Is this the best choice for the HBO docuseries?
HBO recently announced that Hard Knocks will return sooner than you think, as the Emmy-winning series will deliver its signature all-access coverage documenting Mike McDaniel and the AFC East-leading Miami Dolphins.
This is an excellent decision for the well-renowned docuseries, as McDaniel has become immensely popular over the last couple of seasons. He epitomizes the underdog mentality, and that’s one of the main appeals of the 40-year-old.
Not only has McDaniel gained quite a following, but so have the Dolphins as a whole. They are doing some great things this season with their fast-paced and electric offense, and now we’ll all get to enjoy some behind-the-scenes footage of how this franchise has been coming together during this 2023 campaign. What can we all expect from the third edition of in-season Hard Knocks?
Hard Knocks has been going strong for more than 20 years
For those unfamiliar with the show, Hard Knocks chooses one NFL team to follow during training camp so the fans can see the ins and outs of the NFL instead of just the usual on-field action on game days. The show debuted in 2001 with the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens and is still going strong more than two decades later.
Hard Knocks is a great way for viewers to get to know these players and coaches on a more personal level as it conveys what these athletes do both on and off the field, while also taking a deeper look at the business side of the game. The NFL is not all glam and glory, and Hard Knocks depicts that beautifully. The last team the show followed was the New York Jets in 2023 training camp.
In 2021, Hard Knocks gave viewers an in-season edition for the first time with the Indianapolis Colts and then followed Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals as they navigated through the challenges of an NFL regular season in 2022. This was another well-thought-out choice by HBO as last season marked Cardinals defensive end and future Hall of Famer J.J. Watt’s last in the league.
Now, one year later, they’re back for their third in-season edition. Camera crews began to follow the Dolphins in real-time ahead of their November 19 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, and viewers will get an intimate look at Mike McDaniel’s exciting squad for the remainder of this regular season.
The 2023 Miami Dolphins have been fun to watch
It’s already been quite a season for the Miami Dolphins. Currently with one of the best records in the league at 7-3, the Dolphins started 3-0 before they took their first loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 4. But Week 3 was the real story early on.
Miami took on the Denver Broncos in the third week of the regular season, and if you don’t know how that game went yet, then you haven’t been paying attention to the NFL this year, as the Dolphins put up a ridiculous 70 points.
Running back Raheem Mostert had a career-high four touchdowns in the slaughter, and Miami was only three points away from breaking the record for most points scored in an NFL game. In 1966, the team now known as the Washington Commanders dropped 72 on the New York Giants.
The Miami Dolphins aren’t only gaining attention because they’re winning, but because they’re seemingly having an absolute blast at the same time and winning with flair. Regardless of how this season turns out, this 2023 campaign will go down in the history books. And to be able to see that on camera week after week will be special for the fans and the organization as a whole.
The Dolphins appeared on Hard Knocks once before, in 2012, when Joe Philbin was in his first year as head coach. One of the main storylines featured 2009 first-round pick Vontae Davis being told he was traded to the Colts. Another was newly-acquired wide receiver Chad Johnson being informed of his release.
And let’s not forget about the quarterback battle between veterans David Garrard, Matt Moore, and rookie Ryan Tannehill, who ultimately won the job. Now, HBO is back in South Beach with an entirely new team and a much more entertaining head coach.
Everybody wants to be like Mike
This year marks Mike McDaniel’s second season with the Dolphins and his second year as an NFL head coach. His chill and nerdy demeanor has made him popular with the younger crowd and even with those who aren’t football fans.
McDaniel simply seems like a regular guy, and the world has gravitated toward the casual way he presents himself both on and off the field. And that’s not to mention that he’s unintentionally hilarious.
His popularity has soared so much that some even decided to dress themselves or their kids as McDaniel for Halloween. Is there anything cuter than a baby in a Dolphins hoody and a headset? McDaniel himself was actually the most surprised when he found out this news.
When notified of the phenomenon during an interview, he stated, “That does not compute; that doesn’t make any sense,” and his only question was if he ran faster than the kid.
What seems to attract fans to McDaniel the most is that he is doing his job well and making it look super easy at the same time. So, the question on everyone’s mind is: how does he do it? That’s where Hard Knocks comes into play, as we’ll be able to see it all unfold every Tuesday.
The new season will debut on HBO on November 21, 2023, and will run until January 9, 2024, two days after the regular season wraps up.
