‘Hard Knocks’ to feature Bears, top pick Williams

CHICAGO — The Bears will continue to live in the spotlight this offseason and be featured on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” throughout training camp, the team announced Thursday.

The Bears have never been featured on “Hard Knocks,” which has followed NFL teams during training camp since 2001. Chairman George McCaskey has long been opposed to allowing HBO access to the Bears as they prepare for the season opener and said that his stance on appearing on the program had not changed during league meetings in March.

“We’re told there is some interest in other teams being on the program and we welcome that interest,” McCaskey said.

Still, the appeal of quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 pick in the draft, and a team on the rise after a 7-10 finish in 2023 made the Bears an easy choice for HBO and NFL Films.

The Bears are the first team to be selected for “Hard Knocks” with a rookie quarterback selected No. 1 overall since the Cleveland Browns were featured in 2018 with Baker Mayfield.

“We are honored to feature such an iconic NFL franchise on ‘Hard Knocks,'” NFL Films senior director and supervising producer Shannon Furman said. “The Chicago Bears have a talented roster, coaching staff and front office all determined to match the expectations of a hungry fan base. We are thankful to the entire organization for opening their doors to us for what is sure to be an exciting training camp this summer.”

The Bears will be the first team to report to training camp in late July ahead of playing the Houston Texans in the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio on Aug. 1. The first episode of “Hard Knocks” will air at 9 p.m. ET on Aug. 6.

“The 2024 training camp will be big for us in preparation for achieving our season goals, and we look forward to bringing the fans at home along for the journey,” Chicago general manager Ryan Poles said.