Dallas Cowboys quarterback coach Doug Nussmeier talks with quarterback Dak Prescott (4) and quarterback Cooper Rush (10). Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Is 'Hard Knocks' appearance a bad sign for the Cowboys?

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated 7/2/21

The Dallas Cowboys are going to have more cameras around than usual during training camp this year, and that may be a cause for concern for superstitious fans.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Friday that the Cowboys have been chosen to appear on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” this year. The series will premiere on Aug. 10 and run for five episodes.

The Dallas Cowboys are expected to be selected to appear on this season’s five-episode series of HBO’s “Hard Knocks”, per a source. An official announcement is likely to come as early as today. pic.twitter.com/37qbIrBgTZ

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 2, 2021

Teams typically are not thrilled to appear on “Hard Knocks,” as the added attention can create a distraction from preparing for the season. It’s unclear how Jerry Jones will feel about having HBO around as Dak Prescott works his way back from a major injury and the Cowboys look to rebound from a 6-10 season. Should he be worried?

This will be the Cowboys’ third appearance on “Hard Knocks.” The first time was in 2002, and they went 5-11 that year. The second time was in 2008. While Dallas had a winning record of 9-7 that season, they still missed the playoffs. As Dov Kleiman notes, only five teams that were featured on “Hard Knocks” have reached the postseason since the show began in 2001. Three of those teams won a playoff game.

The #Cowboys also appeared on Hard Knocks in 2008, also missed the playoffs with a 9-7 record.

Overall, since Hard Knocks started in 2001, only 5 teams made the playoffs and only 3 of those won a playoff game the season they featured on the show. None made the Super Bowl.

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) July 2, 2021

That’s not a good sign, though it should be noted that teams that have made the playoffs the last two seasons cannot be chosen for “Hard Knocks.” That’s why there are rarely good teams featured on the show.

The Los Angeles Rams were chosen for “Hard Knocks” last year, and head coach Sean McVay was not shy with expressing his feelings about it.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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