Aaron Rodgers Isn’t Happy About Filming ‘Hard Knocks’ With the New York Jets: We Were ‘Forced’

The next season of HBO's Hard Knocks will focus on the New York Jets, but the team's new quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, is less than thrilled about the situation.

"They forced it down our throats, and we’ve got to deal with it," the athlete, 39, recently told KPIX-TV at the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe. “I understand the appeal with us. Obviously, there’s a lot of eyes on me. A lot of eyes on our team. A lot of expectations on our squad."

Rodgers was traded to the Jets in April after 18 years with the Green Bay Packers. Earlier this month, ESPN confirmed that the Jets would be the subject of season 20 of Hard Knocks, which follows one team through training camp or the regular NFL season.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Rodgers wasn't the only member of the Jets who was unhappy about the Hard Knocks news.

"The Jets fought it all along," Schefter claimed on a recent episode of the network's Get Up. "They met with NFL Films and told them clear as day, 'We don't want to do this.' And while you're all talking about the last time the Jets did it with [former Jets coach] Rex Ryan and [former general manager] Mike Tannenbaum, they were along for the ride. This group is not along for the ride."

Schefter went on to say he thinks the new season of Hard Knocks will "not be the same" because of the team's alleged reluctance to participate.

"They're not gonna be given the same access," he claimed. "The Jets don't believe it's humane to show players being released, so it would surprise me if we see them this summer. ... They're gonna go in there because it is, as Aaron Rodgers says, being forced down their throats. But the Jets are not going to provide the level of cooperation that the Lions provided last year or that other teams have provided in other years."

Rodgers, for his part, said there's one part of Hard Knocks he actually does enjoy: the narration. Liev Schreiber has narrated the series since it began in 2001, with the exception of a 2007 season that was helmed by Kansas City Chiefs superfan Paul Rudd.

“[I like] the voice of God, who narrates it,” Rodgers told KPIX-TV. “Liev. I hope I get to meet him.”

Before Rodgers joined the Jets, many fans were concerned he would retire ahead of the 2022 season. In March of that year, he confirmed that he would return to the Packers for his 18th season with the team. He signed a three-year, $150 million contract with the Wisconsin team, but one year later, he was traded to the Jets.

"Obviously, we're comfortable with how this deal shaped," Jets general manager Joe Douglas said in April. "Our goal from the beginning was to add Aaron to the team, so we were able to get that. We agreed to terms yesterday and we're just excited to bring him here."