Will Mayo Hire Finally Get Patriots On 'Hard Knocks'?

Hiring a new head coach kept the New England Patriots off the NFL and HBO's shortlist for the long-running docudrama series.

The New England Patriots will more than likely welcome many new faces at training camp this summer but cameramen from HBO won't be the guest list.

Hiring Jerod Mayo kept the Patriots off one of the NFL's most dreaded lists: the grouping that can't say no to a visit from "Hard Knocks." The long-running HBO docudrama series, produced in conjunction with NFL Films, has offered fans unprecedented behind-the-scenes looks at training camp activities over 19 editions. 

While well-received by fans, the invasive nature of "Hard Knocks" and its production crew has left NFL teams wary of getting the premium cable treatment. To protect its lucrative television investment, the NFL has since generated a list of criteria that will exempt teams from appearing on the program. All others, however, face mandatory participation. 

The departure of Bill Belichick and the hiring of Mayo allowed the Patriots to slip onto one of the exemption lists: teams that hire a new head coach are granted that sliver of immunity, as are squads who made the playoffs in either of the past two seasons or have appeared on "Hard Knocks" at some point in the last decade. Entering this summer, only three teams (Chicago, Denver, New Orleans) are up for mandated participation.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and head coach Jerod Mayo / Cred: WJAR-10, Providence, RI

Had the NFL forced the Patriots' hand, it would've been blessed with several storylines that would've fit right in with HBO's drama slate: beyond the now-null subplot of Belichick attempting to recapture his former glory, the Patriots will no doubt stage a quarterback competition as the search for Tom Brady's heir continues. New England also features several young talents looking to make names for themselves, such as Demario Douglas, Christian Gonzalez, and Rhamondre Stevenson.

Jets Take 'Hard Knocks' Jab at Patriots?

"Hard Knocks," which debuted in 2001, has been particularly honed in on the AFC East in its most recent outputs: last summer's outing took over New York Jets camp while the third version of the in-season spin-off ventured to South Beach to focus on the Miami Dolphins.