Months after facing off in Super Bowl LX, the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots are back in the spotlight, but this time, it’s off the field. In a surprising move, the NFL has announced that both teams will be featured in an upcoming reality sports documentary series produced by NFL Films for HBO. The unexpected decision brings fresh attention to the two franchises, offering fans a behind-the-scenes look at their journeys following one of the season’s biggest showdowns.

“The Seahawks will be featured on this summer’s Hard Knocks. The Patriots will be featured on the 2027 summer Hard Knocks.” Adam Schefter posted on X, “The two teams in this past season’s Super Bowl will take center stage again the next two summers.”

The Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks are set to make their first appearance on Hard Knocks this summer, while the runner-up is expected to be featured next year. It is believed that this is the first time the league has announced the “Hard Knocks” team more than a year in advance.

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HBO’s “Hard Knocks” will take fans inside training camp with the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks this summer.

As the Seahawks approach 2026, there are many intriguing storylines, starting with the big question of how to replace Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III after the team moved on from him in free agency, along with key losses at safety, linebacker, cornerback, and wide receiver. The biggest focus is on running back.

Seattle now has to choose whether to go with featuring Emanuel Wilson, who was recently signed from Green Bay; George Holani; and Kenny McIntosh, or wait for injured star Zach Charbonnet to recover from an ACL tear and step back into the lead role once he is fully fit.

The NFL’s behind-the-scenes series is now in its 26th year. It first aired in 2001 with the Baltimore Ravens and usually follows a National Football League team through training camp, offering a closer look at how they get ready for the upcoming season.

Last season, HBO gave fans a five-episode “Hard Knocks Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills.”

The Seahawks did not have to appear on “Hard Knocks” for several years because of a rule that granted teams the option to opt out if they made the playoffs in each of the last two years.

The eligibility criteria for “Hard Knocks” have been updated by the NFL in 2025. The updated criteria do not include previous exemptions for playoff teams, first-year head coaches, and teams that have made an appearance in the last ten years.

Like the Seahawks, the Patriots are also making their first appearance on ‘Hard Knocks’ in 2027.

The Patriots’ Long‑Awaited Debut in the Series

It will be the first time the Patriots have been featured on the reality show since it started in 2001. The Patriots had previously declined to be on the show after legendary quarterback Tom Brady left the team to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and won the Super Bowl with them in 2020.

Following Brady’s departure, former head coach Bill Belichick’s nearly two-decade dynasty quickly fell apart. He has never liked extra attention, so he shut down any chance of HBO cameras coming to Gillette Stadium.

Now, with Brady working as a broadcaster for FOX Sports and Belichick coaching college football at the University of North Carolina, the Patriots have a new era that fans are curious to see up close, led by head coach Mike Vrabel and quarterback Drake Maye.

In recent years, the NFL has changed the eligibility rules for “Hard Knocks” to increase the likelihood of featuring playoff teams while continuing to exempt teams with first-year head coaches from mandatory participation.

As a result of these changes, the Patriots have not been eligible for “Hard Knocks” in the last two years due to the hiring of Jerod Mayo and Mike Vrabel in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

The combination of Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye has helped the Patriots reach Super Bowl LX last season in Santa Clara, California, where they lost to the Seahawks by a score of 29-13.

However, it looks like a new contender is rising in the NFL, and football fans will have a chance to see a team that could be in the spotlight for years to come.