Latest news with #StJohnFisherUniversity
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
James Cook sits out practice; contract issue now a concern
James Cook played nice for the first week of Buffalo Bills training camp, but that wasn't the case Sunday as the team held it's lone late morning/early afternoon practice at St. John Fisher University Before the session began, Sean McDermott met with reporters and as he does each time, he started off by reading the list of injured players and what their status for the day's practice would be. Cook was not on that list, but when the workout began, he was not in uniform. Instead, he was wearing an all-white sweat suit with a knit hat. Everyone assumed that it was a veteran rest day for the running back, but afterward it became clear that it was not. When he was asked what was up, he told a knot of reporters, 'Business.' And for each question that followed, he repeated the word 'Business.' The Bills had no comment on the situation, but this obviously bears watching. Cook skipped all of the spring sessions and only reported for the mandatory minicamp in mid-June. However, when he came into training camp on time and practiced with the team, the assumption was that he understood the situation with his contract and why he has not yet received an extension, and he was willing to play out the season and then hit unrestricted free agency in March. How long his stance lasts is unknown. Maybe be it was just a one-day protest, but maybe this is the start of a contentious period that ultimately affects not only his preparation for the season, but even his availability. Cook did say when he showed up for minicamp that he did so because he likes his money. Because he reported to training camp, he can sit out practices without incurring daily fines, but obviously that's not something is going to endear him to coach Sean McDermott or general manager Brandon Beane. Here are some other observations: Maxwell Hairston in same situation as Cole Bishop Last season, the Bills had high hopes for second-round draft Cole Bishop as they were going to give him every opportunity to win a starting job next to Taylor Rapp. Instead Bishop suffered a shoulder injury early in camp at Fisher, and all the time he lost sabotaged any chance he had of beating out Damar Hamlin. Bishop spent the rest of his rookie season playing catchup and he was only just starting to find his groove late and then into the postseason. The same thing has happened to Hairston, the team's first-round pick. The cornerback suffered a non-contact knee injury last week and while it was the less serious LCL strain, it still has him on crutches and he's going to miss at least a month, and that all but makes it a certainty that Tre'Davious White - assuming he stays healthy - will be starting Week 1 against the Ravens. 'It's going to take some time, he's week-to-week,' McDermott said. 'This is probably going to take, I couldn't even tell you. It's similar probably to what Cole went through last year; not the same injury but maybe a similar window of time and it's here's (at camp), a young player that is not only missing just the moving around but also the part of the experience you get through the reps. There's no way to avoid it, he's going to be behind when he comes back.' With Hairston down, White and Christian Benford are the two starters getting almost all the first-team reps, while veterans Dane Jackson and Ja'Marcus Ingram and rookie sixth-round pick Dorian Strong are battling for second-team reps. Jackson Hawes showing off full skill set When the Bills picked the former Yale and Georgia Tech standout in the fifth round, the book on him was great blocker, not so great pass catcher. Since he arrived in Buffalo for OTAs, and continuing through Sunday's practice at Fisher, the blocking piece is obvious, but he is opening some eyes with his ability to get into pass patterns, get open and make catches. 'He's done a real good job, he really has,' McDermott said. 'In the absence of both Dawson (Knox) and at times Dalton (Kincaid), he hasn't blinked in terms of it being too big for him. He's gone out and not only blocked well but he's performed well overall, so he's off to a good start.' Hawes said he was counting down the days to when the Bills put the full pads on for the first time because as someone who excels at blocking and the physicality part of the sport, that was his first chance to really show it. 'Yeah, absolutely, I just love the physical part of it, so that practice five, when I looked at the schedule and saw we had full pads, I was fired up,' he said. 'He's an Ivy League guy, brilliant, but you put the pads on and he's as nasty as they come,' said offensive coordinator Joe Brady. 'I've enjoyed working with him. I enjoy his approach, his mindset, and I've loved everything I've seen so far.' The 6-foot-4, 253-pound Hawes caught 35 passes in three seasons at Yale, and in his lone season at Georgia Tech he caught 16 for 195 yards. He said he had no qualms about the draft profiles that were written about him because they were true, he needed to work on receiving at the NFL level. 'I didn't really look at it in a salty way, but more so just, yeah, I mean, that's kind of what I put on tape,' he said. 'They watch the tape and they kind of come out with those for a reason. So I kind of looked at it and saw that this is an opportunity for me to go two ways. Either be pissed about it, or I can look at it as, hey, I want to grow in that facet and take it more serious.' Jalen Virgil is making a nice push When camp began, the wide receiver depth chart seemed all but set, especially if the Bills were going to go with five on the 53-man roster. Now, with all the injuries that have decimated the position, the latest being the high ankle sprain for Khalil Shakir, the competition has really ramped up. The Bills may have to keep six out of necessity and the battle for that last spot is wide open. You can count Virgil, Tyrell Shavers, Laviska Shenault, Christian Wilkerson, Stephen Gosnell and Deon Cain as players who have had some nice moments. But Virgil is really an interesting case because he joined the Bills' practice squad at the end of 2024 training camp and wound up getting activated for seven straight regular-season games and played 37 offensive snaps and 83 special teams snaps. 'I was impressed with the way he handled his role last year, especially for not really being with us the whole season,' McDermott said of Virgil, who had one great rep Sunday when he burned Strong for a 40-yard touchdown on a fly route. 'He embraced it, took a lot of pride in it, took ownership of it. 'So now it's a full playbook, full role in terms of the dual role offensively and special teams. When you're not in the top one or two, then you're called on to play special teams as well. So balancing that is always interesting to see how that unfolds and how a player can handle that. So I like Jalen, I really do.' Sal Maiorana has covered the Buffalo Bills for four decades including 35 years as the full-time beat writer for the D&C, he has written numerous books about the history of the team, and he is also co-host of the BLEAV in Bills podcast/YouTube show. He can be reached at maiorana@ and you can follow him on X @salmaiorana and on Bluesky @ This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: James Cook sits out due to contract situation Bills training camp: Day 8 observations
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bills training camp observations: Kickers auditioned as injuries continue to take a toll
There have been times during his first six seasons with the Buffalo Bills when Ed Oliver has not quite played to the lofty expectation of a former No. 9 overall draft pick, but that's not to say he hasn't been and impactful and key member of the defense. When you're drafted that high, fans expect Pro Bowls and splashy performances and Oliver has not delivered on that front, but there's still plenty to be said for a player who has started 83 of his 92 career NFL games and racked up 27 sacks, 231 tackles and seven forced fumbles. We'll see how season No. 7 goes for the defensive tackle who is one of the mainstays of a revamped Buffalo defense, but if the offseason program and the St. John Fisher University portion of training camp are an indication, this could indeed be a big season for Oliver. 'Walking around campus, I have these thoughts and my biggest one has been about Ed and his development. It gets me emotional,' coach Sean McDermott said Thursday before the Bills practiced for the final time this summer in Pittsford. 'Ed Oliver came in here (in 2019) and was this wild horse rider. No pun intended, he loves horses, but on the field, he would drive the offensive line crazy, our own offensive line, because he would just go 100 miles an hour in practice and he would scare me because he would get near Josh at times and I would have to warn him. 'I would kick him out of practice, and that has not happened one time this year. It doesn't mean he's not as intense, not as competitive - he's actually playing better and then he's just matured and grown and become more and more of a professional every season including this training camp. That again is one of the joys of coaching and teaching, I'm sure for a lot of teachers out there. You watch these young people develop in more ways than one and it just, it's emotional.' The Bills made a big investment at the defensive tackle position this year by drafting TJ Sanders in the second round and Deone Walker in the fourth, and signing free agent Larry Ogunjobi to join holdovers Oliver, DaQuan Jones and DeWayne Carter. And there was a good reason for that. The Bills' defensive line across the board was underwhelming in 2024 and the entire defense took a step back as a result, particularly in the final game when a Kansas City offense that enjoyed its highest scoring output against the Bills in its 32-29 AFC Championship Game victory. 'He brings the juice, man, the knowledge and just experience,' Sanders said of Oliver. 'I'm always in his ear. There ain't no question that I've asked him that he didn't have an answer to. He's just been a great vet for me just to lean on and get a lot of experience from.' With Jones in the final season of his contract and Ogunjobi on a one-year deal during which he can't play in the first six games, Oliver has to start getting in tune with players like Sanders and Walker who hope to become the Bills' future at the position. He believes he's equipped to become a mentor to those young guys because he learned important lessons from the departed Von Miller. 'How he was, if it was anything on his mind that he thought could help you be better, he would tell you,' Oliver said. 'So I kind of feel like that with the younger guys. And I think that's kind of like, carried me into a leadership role, or the role where guys could come ask me different things. So I think that's just kind of how that happened.' Mitch Trubisky gets start against Giants With Josh Allen sitting out the preseason opener, and perhaps all three games, the competition between Trubisky and Mike White for the backup spot is on full throttle. Trubisky, now in his third season with the team, gets the first crack Saturday at Highmark Stadium. 'Just trusting what coach is saying, what he's thinking,' Allen said. 'He's the guy in charge, so following what he is saying.' To that end, Trubisky was given several reps with the first-string unit Thursday because McDermott said most of the starters who are healthy will play a little, perhaps as much as a quarter. 'The thing I love about Mitch is he's mobile, he's played varsity snaps,' McDermott said. 'I have a lot of trust in Mitch, a lot of belief in him. He's faced a ton of adversity already in his career, in his journey, and he remains steadfast in his belief in himself. He showed he's got good skill, and the players respect him and trust him.' White also saw his reps increased with the second unit, but it remains unclear what the usage will be in the game because Shane Buechele may also be factored in. Bills need to add a kicker Tyler Bass missed his eighth consecutive practice as he continues to deal with a pelvic injury, so on Wednesday the Bills auditioned two kickers, though McDermott did not say who, and as of Thursday morning no one has been signed. However, it's clear that Bass won't be kicking against the Giants and he's the only kicker in camp, so they'll have to sign someone. 'We had a workout last night, we'll see where that goes,' McDermott said. 'We have our eyes on one of the two that we worked out there. We've got to get someone that can kick this weekend here for us.' Of course, running back Ray Davis is willing to give it a go. He attempted three short kicks last Friday in the Blue and Red practice at Highmark Stadium and made two. 'He may, a little bit, I don't want to give away any secrets, strategy-wise, at this point,' McDermott said with a wink. 'You know, New York's probably listening. I think it's good for Ray to get a little bit as an emergency kicker during the season, to get maybe a little small warm-up or maybe an extra point. See if we can score and get an extra point there for him.' The James Cook situation lingers on McDermott said that he expected Cook to be practicing Thursday, but he also admitted, 'I expect every player to practice every day. That remains to be seen whether or not he's going to be here or not. But I'm hopeful he will at some point here.' Cook was not at practice, skipping a fourth straight session as he protests his contract situation. McDermott did say that Cook has been present at all the meetings and the afternoon walk-through sessions which is a good sign. But clearly, as he awaits a resolution on a possible extension, he's not going to risk getting hurt in a full practice. 'We move forward,' McDermott said. 'It's an opportunity for somebody else to step up, show us what they've got, and the team moves forward. That's the nature of the business. You get these reminders from time to time that it is a business. But at the same time, we've got to move forward as a football team. And that's on an individual basis and a team basis. We care for Jimbo, we care for him and his family and we look forward to having him back.' Obviously, Allen wants Cook back, but he also recognizes what's at stake. 'It's no doubt that we all want him out there with us,' Allen said. 'At the end of the day, there is this huge business piece to this game, it's the hardest part. A lot of people don't understand it. But hey, this is generational stuff, it is wealth for you and your family. It's not a small chunk of change and sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, and that's kind of where it's at.' Safety injuries preventing defense from coming together The lengthy Bills' injury list has created a problem for the defense, which has added several new players this season, from gaining the communication and cohesiveness it needs. McDermott specifically pointed at the safety position where both starters, Taylor Rapp and Cole Bishop, are currently sidelined. 'We do everything we can to fill the gaps, right? Walk-throughs, extra walk-throughs, making sure that he's ready to go,' McDermott said of Bishop, who also missed a big chunk of training camp last year which in many ways sabotaged his rookie season. 'The hard part here is we feel like Cole's starting to come back, and it sounds like Taylor's going to be out for I think roughly a week, give or take. You've heard me say before, like Micah (Hyde) and Jordan (Poyer), they're glue, they're, 'Hey, I saw it this way. Yep. I saw it that way as well.' Kind of that invisible language, I guess, and that connectivity is not there yet. And we're losing time here with those two in particular. That said, Damar (Hamlin) has been playing extremely well, so we'll see where that goes.' Sal Maiorana has covered the Buffalo Bills for four decades including 35 years as the full-time beat writer for the D&C, he has written numerous books about the history of the team, and he is also co-host of the BLEAV in Bills podcast/YouTube show. He can be reached at maiorana@ and you can follow him on X @salmaiorana and on Bluesky @ This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Bills training camp observations: Injuries take a toll
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Who needs to stand out to grab a roster spot? What to watch for in Bills preseason opener
Sean McDermott recalled walking off the turf at Highmark Stadium last Friday following the annual summer practice there and thinking that his Buffalo Bills still had a long way to go before becoming a fully functional unit. That is no longer the case and after the Bills closed out the St. John Fisher University segment of training camp Thursday, McDermott said the growth the team enjoyed over the final few days in Pittsford - even with the continually mounting spate of injuries - was noticeable. 'I think the whole team has grown,' McDermott said. 'That's not a cop-out, a canned coach answer for you, coachspeak, but I really do. I think we've had a good camp. I didn't think we were where we needed to be at the Red and Blue a week ago and these guys have focused in and made some huge progress this past week, these last three, four practices.' This has been no small chore because McDermott and his coaching staff have had to adjust from practice to practice, sometimes from period to period within a practice, due to all the injuries that have slowed the building of cohesiveness that every team needs to experience at training camp. Here are the three position groups I'll be focusing my attention on Saturday when the Bills open the preseason by hosting the New York Giants. Quarterback: Who will be Josh Allen's caddie? In the end, it probably doesn't mean a whole lot who wins the backup job between Mitch Trubisky and Mike White. If Allen were to get hurt and miss significant time, the Bills are going to suddenly turn into a slightly above average team. If an Allen absence was short-lived, could Trubisky or White keep their heads above water and a win a game or two? Yes, but if it was a long-term absence, unless the defense played out of its mind and really carried the team, I think the Bills would be in significant trouble. That's how much Allen means to the offense. That said, someone has to win the job so I'll be paying attention to how Trubisky and White fare. My guess is the Bills are leaning toward keeping Trubisky because he brings a little more athleticism to the position, but White has won games in the NFL and he certainly has a chance to win the job. 'Everything's a competition,' offensive coordinator Joe Brady said. 'I want guys to go out there and take it, and I want the competition. I want guys to push each other, so there's a competition in the QB room just like there is in every other position room.' McDermott did not share his usage plan beyond saying Trubisky would start. I would be in favor of each quarterback getting an entire game to himself, and then splitting the third game in Tampa Bay while also giving probable practice squad QB Shane Buechele some work. Wide receiver: It's a crowded depth chart The consensus all summer has been that the five receivers who will make the 53-man roster are Khalil Shakir, Josh Palmer, Keon Coleman, Curtis Samuel and Elijah Moore. Typically, the Bills have only kept five so that would lead you to believe everyone else is vying for practice squad spots. The only way that changes is if the injury bug cuts deeper than Shakir and Samuel in the next few weeks, or the Bills pull a real surprise and cut Samuel or Moore, but that's unlikely. Samuel's contract would leave a bitter pill of dead cap to swallow, and Moore has looked good so far and seems like he could be an intriguing chess piece for Brady to utilize, especially if Shakir is still hampered by his high ankle sprain early in the year, or he aggravates it and has to miss time. What if one or two spots open up, though? Who might sneak in and grab one? Tyrell Shavers is right at the top of the list. He was one of the standouts at Fisher, overcoming an ankle injury to push through and have a big camp and drawing high praise from McDermott. 'That guy is tough as nails … and he's a true Buffalo Bill in that regard,' McDermott said. 'He continues to make progress, continues to make plays. The trust factor with him just goes up and up every year.' Right behind Shavers are players like Jalen Virgil, Deon Cain, and Kristian Wilkerson, all of whom have NFL experience. Veteran Laviska Shenault's future may hinge on whether he can lock down the kickoff return job, but he really hasn't been noticeable on offense. Undrafted rookie free agent Stephen Gosnell probably caught more passes than anyone in camp, but he's a practice squad candidate and nothing more, at least right now. The Bills can't keep them all, and while they'd love to get a few back onto the practice squad, chances are some of them could get scooped up by other teams. Safety: Good thing Damar Hamlin returned Do you think McDermott misses the days when Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer patrolled the deep end of the Buffalo defense for seven years? He mentioned them again the other day as if they were long lost sons when lamenting the injuries to presumptive starters Cole Bishop and Taylor Rapp. The Bills need those two back because they have to start taking reps together. It's the only way to build trust and confidence with each other and to make sure they are seeing plays develop in the same way. Hamlin's presence has helped ease the crunch a bit because he has four years of experience in the Bills' defense, and suddenly, his re-signing as a free agent when everyone thought he'd be gone looks pretty important. Is he the ideal starter? No, but he's more than adequate if he has to play. The same goes for Cam Lewis. He's a really nice player to have coming off the bench, but you'd prefer not having to start him. However, free agent signing Darrick Forrest really hasn't shown much, and rookie fifth-round pick Jordan Hancock is still raw and probably is not ready to start, and maybe not even be an active game-day player. Sal Maiorana has covered the Buffalo Bills for four decades including 35 years as the full-time beat writer for the D&C, he has written numerous books about the history of the team, and he is also co-host of the BLEAV in Bills podcast/YouTube show. He can be reached at maiorana@ and you can follow him on X @salmaiorana and on Bluesky @ This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Bills roster spot battles: What to watch for in preseason vs Giants
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
When does 'Hard Knocks' with the Buffalo Bills start? How to watch, stream episodes
It's going to be a hard knock life for the Buffalo Bills. For the first time in franchise history, the Bills are taking center stage on Hard Knocks. Episode 1 premieres Tuesday, Aug. 5 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max. The five-part "Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills" will air weekly, following a team with Super Bowl aspirations through training camp at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford. Each episode will also be available to stream on Max. HBO's schedule lists multiple re-airings throughout the week, including on HBO Latino and HBO2. The Bills were selected for the training camp series after the NFL eliminated a previous provision that allowed playoff teams to decline the league's request to be featured on the show. "It was quite a surprise," Bills quarterback Josh Allen told USA TODAY on July 14, adding that he found out the news on his 29th birthday, May 21. "Typically, teams that make the playoffs are never a part of that conversation. "I probably, initially, didn't react too great to it. But I do think it's a cool opportunity for people to see some of the great men we have on our team and some of the great women we have in our staff as a whole." An NFL Films crew of about 35 people is stationed at St. John Fisher through the end of August. 'Hard Knocks has a larger, casual fan base than most other NFL programming,' executive producer Ken Rodgers told The Athletic. 'It's a workplace drama, and it's about the characters. I think the nation is going to get to know these people in a way that they haven't experienced from just watching them play on Sunday.' The in-season edition of "Hard Knocks" will follow the NFC East in the second year of division-wide coverage. This is the 21st edition of the "Hard Knocks" training camp series, which began in 2001. When does "Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills" air? HBO and NFL Films have confirmed a five-episode run, airing weekly at 9 p.m. ET. Here's the expected schedule: Episode 1: Tuesday, Aug. 5 Episode 2: Tuesday, Aug. 12 Episode 3: Tuesday, Aug. 19 Episode 4: Tuesday, Aug. 26 Episode 5: Tuesday, Sept. 2 How to watch "Hard Knocks" on HBO and Max Live on TV: Airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO. HBO subscriptions are available through cable providers. Streaming: Episodes will stream at the same time on Max, HBO's streaming platform Subscription required: Watching on Max requires a subscription, which begins at $9.99 per month. Replay options: Episodes will re-air throughout the week on HBO, HBO2, and HBO Latino. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Buffalo Bills on 'Hard Knocks' 2025: Schedule, how to watch, stream
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hard Knocks with Buffalo Bills: Josh Allen, Tre'Davious White star in first episode
Hard Knocks is here. The premiere episode of "Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills" airs at 9 p.m. on Tuesday. Dozens of NFL Films crew members have been at training camp at St. John Fisher University since last month. The-five part documentary series directed by a Penfield High School graduate gives an inside look at the Bills organization as it ramps up preparations for the 2025 season. Each episode will air on HBO and Max, and stream live on HBO Max. This page will be updated during the show. 'Return of the Blue & Red' plays to 'Mr. Brightside' Buffalo's annual "Return of the Blue & Red" practice at Highmark Stadium opens to their unofficial anthem, The Killers' "Mr. Brightside." A montage of scrimmage highlights and player comments ends with players signing autographs after practice. "Last season's heartbreak is gone," the narrator Liev Schreiber says as the show closes. "These smiles are as genuine as the Bills' prospects. Every team wants to win it all but that's a long way off. Right now, it's enough to put one foot in front of the other." Josh Allen and Terry Pegula tour New Highmark Stadium Owner Terry Pegula and quarterback Josh Allen take check out New Highmark Stadium. Allen says it's his second time at the stadium and Pegula says he's only been there five times because he trusts people in charge and doesn't need to micromanage. Pegula explains the science behind how the stadium was built to protect from the wind. "You remember that from your thermodynamics classes at Wyoming, don't you?" the owner jokes to the star quarterback. A.J. Epenesa catches a snake with his hands Defensive end A.J. Epenesa is getting his hair cut and the barber asks if he did anything exciting in the offseason. "I caught a snake this offseason with my bare hands," Epenesa says. "Want to see it? Eleven foot." Epenesa explains he goes out in the Everglades in Florida with a dog trained to find pythons. Then he grabs them with his bare hands. Maxwell Hairston injures his knee Cornerback Maxwell Hairston goes down with a knee injury. Cornerback Christian Benford walks up and says a prayer with Hairston before the rookie is helped off the field. First day of full pads Things get more intense on the first day of full pads. Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas attends. Allen is flushed out of the pocket but makes a throw on the run to wide receiver Keon Coleman. He throws another strike at the sideline to Joshua Palmer. All the cool kids have electric scooters A scene shows players zipping around campus on e-bikes and e-scooters to "Ridin'" by Chamillionaire. Wide receiver KJ Hamler mistakenly ordered a kids scooter but makes do by squatting down and riding it past his teammates. Tre'Davious White and Maxwell Hairston compete at cornerback Owner Terry Pegula asks head coach Sean McDermott about defensive backs. McDermott says he's excited to see rookie Maxwell Hairston compete against veteran Tre'Davious White. White was the Bills' first-round pick in 2017, Hairston in 2025. They're battling for a starting cornerback spot. Hairston is shown breaking up a pass intended for wide receiver KJ Hamler. White locks down multiple wide receivers and a tight end as the show compares the pedigrees of both players. White then picks off quarterback Josh Allen at the goal line. "For me to come back to this team and see the same faces I saw for the past eight years, I could've pass that up," White said, before he takes his helmet off to greet Dion Dawkins' kids with hugs. White's wife, Ikea Perrier, watches as the veteran runs hills after practice. Bills players head to Pittsford Dairy Pittsford Dairy got its closeup. Cornerbacks Christian Benford and Tre'Davious White head to the ice cream shop near St. John Fisher University. White makes a custom ice cream sundae with warmed up chocolate chip cookies and hot fudge and gets 10 to pass out to customers hoping to coin a new "Tre Day Sundae." Dion Dawkins goes drifting It's the Bills' first off day and the veterans head back to Buffalo. Dion Dawkins is getting his hair cut at home and asks his kids what they want to do. "I want to get in the drift car," Dawkins' son says. Dawkins has taken up drifting as a hobby in Buffalo and the 320-pounder takes his kids one-by-one spinning and doing donuts in his custom Shnow Motor Sports drift car. Josh Allen is chasing a Super Bowl Buffalo's stretch of four straight Super Bowl appearances without a title - along with shots of Jim Kelly and the 1990s Bills - was finally mentioned 15 minutes in. "Got married, May 31. I don't know if people know that but it was the best night of my life, honestly," Allen said about his marriage to actress Hailee Steinfeld. "And my wife's life, at least that's what she said." General manager Brandon Beane says Josh Allen would easily trade his MVP trophy for a Lombardi Trophy. "A big reason why I'm sitting here is because of Josh Allen," offensive coordinator Joe Brady said. "He makes all of our lives easy." Narrator Liev Schreiber says Allen's first order of business is building a rapport with new wide receiver Joshua Palmer. Everybody loves Josh Allen Head coach Sean McDermott and general manager heap praise on Josh Allen, the reigning NFL MVP. "He went from a kid to a grown man! offensive tackle Dion Dawkins said. "Simple as that." "When you walk through that little tunnel and there's a few hundred or a thousand of Bills Mafia screaming you see the field and it's hard not be romantic about it," Allen smiled. Moving in to St. John Fisher University The Bills are one of five teams that still go away to a training camp. The show interviews Josh Allen, who says he loves attending camp at a college. Linebacker Joe Andreesen has a Yoda blanket, cornerback Taron Johnson brings his own toilet paper, center Connor McGovern makes it work by pairing two dorm mattresses side-by-side and Damar Hamlin makes sure to bring his devotionals. "Look at this view," jokes Knox from his dorm room. Dion Dawkins and Dawson Knox pack their hats and underwear The show starts with Josh Allen sitting down at the bleachers at St John Fisher University as a crew members congratulates him on his weddding. Offensive tackle Dion Dawkins gets the spotlight next with his kids helping him pick five hats to pack. Then it's tight end Dawson Knox's wife assisting as he loads underwear into his carry-on back. She can't believe that he's only using one small suitcase for two weeks. "Kick their butt," Dawkins' kids chant as he drives off. When does "Hard Knocks" premiere? The first episode of "Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills" airs at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 5. How many episodes is Hard Knocks? The training camp edition of "Hard Knocks" is five episodes. The in-season edition of "Hard Knocks" will follow the NFC East in the second year of division-wide coverage When does "Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills" air? HBO and NFL Films have confirmed a five-episode run, airing weekly at 9 p.m. ET. Here's the schedule: Episode 1: Tuesday, Aug. 5 Episode 2: Tuesday, Aug. 12 Episode 3: Tuesday, Aug. 19 Episode 4: Tuesday, Aug. 26 Episode 5: Tuesday, Sept. 2 How to watch "Hard Knocks" on HBO and Max Live on TV: Airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO. HBO subscriptions are available through cable providers. Streaming: Episodes will stream at the same time on Max, HBO's streaming platform Subscription required: Watching on Max requires a subscription, which begins at $9.99 per month. Replay options: Episodes will re-air throughout the week on HBO, HBO2, and HBO Latino. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Hard Knocks with Buffalo Bills: Josh Allen stars in first episode
