Aug 18, 2020; Thousand Oaks California, USA; A HBO Hard Knocks film cameraman shoots video footage at Los Angeles Rams training camp at Cal Lutheran University Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Bills awkwardly silent in wake of NFL's 'Hard Knocks' announcement

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI
By Ralph Ventre | Last updated May 23, 2025 9:13 AM ET

The Buffalo Bills have yet to break their silence, and it's feeling kind of awkward.

While the NFL and HBO both shared the news on Wednesday afternoon, as of Friday morning, the Bills have yet to publicly acknowledge the fact that they will be hosting the long-running summertime documentary series Hard Knocks.

Publicizing Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills throughout the day on Wednesday, the NFL issued a press release and used its wide array of social media accounts to promote the announcement. HBO did the same.

Not a peep, however, from the Bills. No official X post or news sharing on Instagram, just an odd radio silence.

Right here, right now.

Join the @BuffaloBills for Training Camp as they prepare for their biggest season yet. #HardKnocks returns August 5 on HBO Max. pic.twitter.com/h3jA5yEL58
— Max (@StreamOnMax) May 21, 2025

It seems strange to surmise that the league did not collaborate with the Bills' organization, ahead of time, to maximize the impact of the announcement. Even if the Bills were truly caught off guard by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's reveal, they could have surely prepared a statement by now.

The Bills hosted a press event promoting the organization's involvement in a Hallmark holiday movie on Thursday in Orchard Park, but there was no formal mention of the day-old Hard Knocks news. While it's not appropriate to publicize an HBO production during a Hallmark press conference, a simple acknowledgment that Hard Knocks is coming to town would not have been out of line.

The question that arises from all of this is why? Why have the Bills completely ignored the Hard Knocks news for almost 48 hours and counting?

Is Buffalo trying to show defiance in the face of the NFL's decision to saddle the organization with unwanted summertime distractions?

Like it or not, Hard Knocks provides a tremendous opportunity to promote the organization and its people. The series is essentially a five-part advertisement for the Bills with no other NFL team receiving that benefit this year.

The Buffalo Bills should embrace the opportunity to showcase their program and set the tone for the season ahead. Maybe, they plan on doing so, but their lack of initial response suggests otherwise.