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Jacksonville Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen, left, Owner Shad Khan, second from left, new General Manager James Gladstone, second from right and Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tony Boselli, right, pose for a picture during a press conference Monday morning February 24, 2025 at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]2025 Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

How New Hard Knocks Rules Impact the Jaguars

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By Michael Canelo | Last updated Apr 4, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The Jacksonville Jaguars are heading in a new direction this offseason. They have made a lot of moves that will put their franchise in the best position to turn things around next season. Owner Shad Khan has hired a new regime.

Khan has brought in Liam Coen as the new head coach and James Gladstone as the new general manager.

Coen and Gladstone got to work on finding the right players who would fit their team and get things turned around in the right direction for the 2025 season.

The fans in Jacksonville are excited to see what the new regime brings into the building. They support their team and want to see them be successful. The fans can potentially see the back on "Hard Knocks" in the future and see what Coen and Gladstone are all about with the franchise. But under the new rules the Jaguars are not eligible for the 2025 season.

This past week, as teams gathered for the NFL annual meeting, there were some changes on what teams are allowed to come on "Hard Knocks."

"In theory, teams are meant to volunteer for the August show, but that is not often the case. In the past, teams were essentially required to participate if tapped by the league, so long as they hadn't appeared on the program in the last 10 seasons, have a first-year head coach, or have made it to the postseason in either of the last two years," said Brigid Kennedy of Sports Illustrated.

Has not been featured on the Hard Knocks: Training Camp edition for the previous eight seasons (2017-2024).

Does not have a first-year head coach.

Is not exempt from from selection based on club participation in "Hard Knocks" or a similar access show prior to 2024 pursuant to parameters that existed at the time of such club's prior participation.

"NFL chief media and business officer Brian Rolapp mentioned on Monday how the league has liberalized its rules for Hard Knocks," said Sports Illustrated senior NFL reporter Albert Breer. "Here is the full rule—the "non-playoff" requirement has been removed to compel a team. This really opens up the NFL's options for HK this summer."

NFL chief media and business officer Brian Rolapp mentioned on Monday how the league has liberalized its rules for Hard Knocks. Here is the full rule—the "non-playoff" requirement has been removed to compel a team.

This really opens up the NFL's options for HK this summer. pic.twitter.com/2T2j0GIPNS
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 2, 2025

Since the Jaguars have a first-year head coach, they do not have to worry about being a Hard Knocks team until the show comes around to the AFC South. The NFL just did an in-season version of Hard Knocks with the AFC North.

The Jaguars will likely be eligible in 2026, however, and the team could be featured on hard knocks for the first time in close to two decades.

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This article first appeared on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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