Episode 3 of Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills finally gave fans a deeper look at Sean McDermott's team, both on the field and behind closed doors.
With more coach-player interaction, meaningful football moments, and glimpses of personal connection, this week's episode was the most substantial yet.
Here are seven takeaways from the show, which airs Tuesdays on HBO and Max.
Defensive tackle Ed Oliver gave fans a glimpse of life outside football. He took teammate Ty Johnson to a local stable and shared stories about growing up an "urban cowboy" in Houston.
Oliver now owns 30 horses, a passion that started with a gift from his dad at age 8. He used to ride horses through town in Orchard Park.
As "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" by Shaboozey played, Oliver and Johnson rode side-by-side, a reminder of how players decompress when not on the field.
James Cook's contract saga came to a close, and the cameras captured every beat of it.
General manager Brandon Beane walked into his office and told his assistant Andrea Gosper: "I got James done. Let's f------ go."
Cook entered Beane's office moments later then sat down to sign his four-year, $48 million extension.
"Going through the whole process, having to hold out knowing I love football and want to be out there, speechless," Cook said. "It's a blessing."
He returned to the field to cheers from his teammates. Ty Johnson joked, "They look like new money legs right there."
Cook responded with sharp cuts and crisp work in drills.
Linebacker Jimmy Ciarlo and cornerback Ja'Marcus Ingram earned screen time for all the right reasons.
Ciarlo, a former Army captain, was highlighted for his perseverance. After tearing his ACL last preseason with the Jets, he thought football might be over. But a big special teams tackle got him praise from McDermott: "That's playoff-caliber work."
Ingram, 27, is one of the most mentally dialed-in players fighting for a roster spot. He talks to himself on the field to stay focused and walks solo laps with the team's sports psychologist after every practice.
Together, they captured the heart of Episode 3 as underdogs doing the work when no one's watching.
In one of the lighter moments, the Bills gathered at their Chicago hotel for an improvisation session with specialist Steve Shenbaum. Players competed in a rapid-fire call-and-response game using the phrase "bibbity, bibbity bop!" and followed by a fast-paced posing contest
K.J. Hamler's energy stole the show early. Josh Allen made it to the finals before kicker Caden Davis won. Shenbaum praised Hamler: "You're like a warm, soft brick wall. Don't lose that."
From the opening team meeting, head coach Sean McDermott set the tone: last season's success means nothing now. He demanded urgency, energy, and hunger.
"We need to feel you," McDermott told his players.
Defensive coordinator Bobby Babich echoed that fire after a flat defensive practice: "That was garbage. It's a f------ mentality every day."
Episode 3 leaned harder into football than either of the first two. From joint practices to the 38-0 blowout loss to the Bears, fans saw a real glimpse of roster building and accountability. Josh Allen looked sharp in red-zone drills, Ed Oliver battled Bears linemen, and the coaching staff evaluated not just execution but effort.
Coaches reviewed tape, praising hustle and camaraderie. McDermott's in-game frustration during the preseason loss was unfiltered:
"Make some substitutions and find somebody who is going to get the job done," he said through his headset.
Three episodes in, one of the team's quietest stars finally breaks the silence. On the sideline after the first-half shutout loss against Chicago, Milano summed it up in four words:
"Bro, 27-donuts, crazy."
A rare mic'd-up moment from a player who rarely speaks publicly.
After camp wrapped at St. John Fisher, center Connor McGovern hosted teammates for homemade pizza. His wife, Delaney, revealed that Josh Allen had already texted the group: he missed the guys and wanted to hang out.
Allen's movie night invite, McGovern's pizza, and casual kitchen chatter with England native Travis Clayton (comparing British and American food) showed the team's off-field bond.