Raiders, Antonio Brown chosen for HBO's 'Hard Knocks' this season

The NFL sideshow that is Antonio Brown will play out on subscription television this summer.

The Oakland Raiders, who acquired the mercurial wide receiver in March after he forced a trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers, will be this year’s participant on HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” the NFL announced Tuesday night.

The award-winning show, which chronicles a team’s training camp highlights and lowlights each summer, airs its first of five episode about the Raiders on Aug. 6. It is Oakland’s first time appearing on “Hard Knocks.”

#HardKnocks with the Oakland @Raiders ☠️

Coming to @HBO on August 6! pic.twitter.com/DsiOG9LT8s

— NFL (@NFL) June 11, 2019

The Raiders were chosen from among five teams that were eligible to be portrayed the show this season. The others were the Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants and Washington Redskins.

“Everybody wants to be a Raider. Now they’ll find out what it takes to become one,” Raiders owner Mark Davis said.

A 30-person NFL Films crew will be in Raiders’ training camp in Napa Valley, shooting more than 1,750 hours of footage, according to a press release.

Maybe Brown can impress the production crew by showing up for training camp in a helicopter, which he did last year when he reported to Saint Vincent College with the Steelers.

The Raiders were an obvious choice and not just because of Brown and his off-the-field antics. Coach Jon Gruden is entering the second year of his second stint with the Raiders, and general manager Mike Mayock will enter his first as an NFL executive.

Tell your friends. #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/DG4a6pZ1FX

— Oakland Raiders (@Raiders) June 11, 2019

In addition to Brown, the Raiders also added former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict and guard Richie Incognito – two players with checkered pasts.

The training camp will be the last for the Raiders in Oakland before the franchise moves to Las Vegas for the 2020 season.