Bears chosen for ‘Hard Knocks’ 2024: Why NFL picked Chicago and rookie QB Caleb Williams for HBO show | Sporting News Canada

HBO’s hit NFL series “Hard Knocks” is heading to Chicago.

The Bears have been selected to serve as the team to feature in this year’s edition of the docuseries, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Thursday.

Believe it or not, this marks the first time in franchise history Chicago will star in the show, which documents the preseason journey of one franchise each year. The network picked the right year to cover the Bears, who transformed their franchise with the selection of No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams.

For more information on why Chicago was selected as this year’s “Hard Knocks” team, The Sporting News has you covered.

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Why were the Bears chosen for ‘Hard Knocks’?

The Bears are the perfect team to put under the “Hard Knocks” microscope in 2024, and the NFL and NFL Films saw that potential. Chicago was one of the NFL teams not yet featured on the show in its 23-year run.

The big-market franchise has gone three seasons without a playoff appearance and 13 seasons without a playoff win. In an attempt to re-establish a winning culture, the Bears made significant personnel changes all over their depth chart this offseason.

Chicago traded former franchise quarterback Justin Fields to the Steelers, then drafted USC Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The Bears also acquired former Chargers star wide receiver Keenan Allen via trade, signed former Eagles running back De’Andre Swift and former All-Pro safety Kevin Byard and drafted Washington star wide receiver Rome Odunze with the No. 9 overall pick.

The Bears’ new-look offense will attract plenty of interest heading into the season, and NFL fans will get to watch it all unfold on television.

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NFL’s ‘Hard Knocks’ criteria, explained

The NFL’s criteria for “Hard Knocks” is simple. The team cannot have a first-year head coach and must have missed the playoffs in either of the previous two seasons.

The Bears check both of those boxes. Bears head coach Matt Eberflus is in his third year with the Bears, and Chicago failed to qualify for the playoffs in the last three seasons.

Teams can also be excused from “Hard Knocks” selection if they have appeared on the show in the last 10 years. But as the Bears are new to the show, they couldn’t turn down the appearance — despite the noted distaste of team chairman George McCaskey for the program.

MORE: 5 NFL teams most likely to have big turnarounds in 2024

When does “Hard Knocks” start?

The Bears will make their “Hard Knocks” debut on 9 p.m. ET Tuesday, Aug. 6, on HBO. The series also will stream on Max.

New episodes will run each Tuesday through Sept. 3 — the final week leading into the season.

You can find Chicago’s complete “Hard Knocks” schedule below.