Editor’s note: Spoilers ahead from Episode 1 of “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears.”
The first episode of the Chicago Bears’ first appearance on “Hard Knocks” starts with a phone call.
Matt Eberflus, sitting in the Bears draft room in a gray suit, places the call to quarterback Caleb Williams that both parties knew was coming for weeks.
“This day is going to go down as an iconic day in Bears history, my friend,” Eberflus tells Williams. “And we’re going to turn this cycle on its head.”
“You ready?” Williams responds.
The camera tracks Williams, dressed in his navy and silver suit, as he walks down the hallway to the draft stage and then lets out a primal scream at becoming the No. 1 pick.
And the new season’s intro begins, with current Bears players riding on the Architecture Tour on the Chicago River. The buildings they’re admiring flash images of Bears greats on their sides. Williams’ image on draft night is the last one shown on the side of a building.
The hope the Bears are placing on Williams this season is one storyline among several during the opening of the five-episode season, which will air Tuesdays on Max. Here’s our breakdown of the first episode.
Best behind-the-scenes look
A visit from Nick Saban, who coached Eberflus when he played at Toledo, produces the most interesting fly-on-the-wall moment. Saban talks through the challenges Williams faces as a rookie quarterback in Chicago — and how Eberflus can manage them.
“Here’s my theory on why NFL quarterbacks fail at such a dramatic rate,” Saban says to Eberflus. “To me, expectations are a killer. This kid you’ve got has so much media, so much hype, so much expectation on doing well. And he has to develop so quickly to meet the expectations that everybody has for him. It’s almost impossible.”
Eberflus asks Saban for advice on handling quarterbacks.
Saban says he always stands behind the quarterback in practices so he can hear their version of what they saw. He never is negative with the quarterback in front of the team. He finds it more effective to show than tell. And he talks about instructing quarterbacks to get the most out of the players around them by being a transformational leader — not a transactional one.
He also gives interesting insight on the nature of motivating athletes.
“Human nature is to be average,” Saban says. “It’s to survive. It’s not to win championships. It’s not to be the best you can be. We think as coaches that just because a guy is a good athlete he wants all that. Now, every now and then, you get a guy who’s got all the right stuff, who’s a great leader, who does everything right. You were that way as a player. But there’s not very many guys like that. You’ve got to make them that way.”
Williams watch
The episode shows several back-and-forths between Eberflus and Williams, including one in the coach’s office in which he tells Williams that he has made “leaps and bounds” in the first seven practices. Eberflus says they’re getting 213 reps offensively and defensively that day, a setup to make sure Williams is getting the work he needs.
“It takes a strong mind to be able to wire in,” Eberflus tells him.
Later in the episode in a quarterbacks meeting, the subject of sliding comes up. Williams, who says he didn’t play baseball, shares what he believes is the proper way to do it, and coach Kerry Joseph brings up how he used a Slip ‘N Slide to practice at a previous stop.
That leads to all of the quarterbacks working on their slides on a Slip ‘N Slide on a practice field.
A couple of interactions between Williams and his teammates are featured, including running back D’Andre Swift talking to the quarterback about taking ownership of the team.
“If something’s wrong, voice it,” Swift says. “You’ve got the keys to this, bro. Use it. Drive.”
A mic’d-up moment in practice also shows Williams coming back from a mistake to the huddle and promising his teammates he’ll get it. “I’ll be better,” he says. “I’ll be better. Let’s go. Let’s focus in. I’ll be better.”
The camera then cuts to Williams hitting DJ Moore with a long pass.
Makeover story
At a pool party at Eberflus’ house to open the episode, the coach is dressed in white pants and shoes and a short-sleeved tan sweater. That matches the outfit of offensive assistant Ryan Griffin, who is a couple of decades younger than Eberflus.
“There’s a new sense of style in town,” narrator Liev Schreiber breaks in. “From fashion to fast rides, the Bears are changing things up.”
Eberflus’ wife, Kelly, explains later that she initiated Eberflus’ offseason makeover. Eberflus grew his beard out for a few days in the offseason and she told him she liked it. She came up with the idea for a new haircut, sending photos to popular Bears barber Lawrence Funk, including one of Ryan Reynolds.
“He thinks he looks cool now,” Kelly says. “I think he looks cool too.”
Funniest moment
Eberflus likes to give nicknames to players, and we now know why he calls offensive lineman Theo Benedet “The Canadian Eagle.”
The episode shows Benedet doing the rookie tradition of singing karaoke in front of the team. Benedet, who is from Canada, begins a rendition of “Proud to be an American,” with rookie Kiran Amegadjie behind him playing mini cymbals.
Midway through, as he gets to the refrain, Benedet tears off his pants to reveal a speedo with an eagle on it, creating pandemonium in the Bears meeting room.
Later in the episode, in a not-funny moment, Benedet suffers a hamstring strain on an extra point in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game that will keep him out four to five weeks.
Williams also sings karaoke in the episode but almost immediately gets heckled by teammates, who boo him and throw paper his way. Williams laughs and then puts the lyrics on the big screen.
“You don’t have to be able to carry a tune to carry a team,” Schreiber narrates.
Best celebrity appearance
Eleven-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles makes an appearance via FaceTime with her husband, safety Jonathan Owens.
Owens received Bears permission to go to the Olympics last week to watch Biles, who won three gold medals, including the all-around title. Biles says hi to their three dogs and gives advice to Owens about packing for international travel.
The show features emotional clips of Biles and Owens during Biles’ performances in Paris, but an end-of-episode clip of Owens watching Biles compete in her last two events from his couch at home is also poignant.
He grimaces and sends her text messages of encouragement when she falls off the balance beam, saying he’s proud of her.
“Obviously not the outcome she wanted, but at least she gets to bounce back on floor,” Owens says after the beam routine. “I’m pretty excited to watch her do that. Because she always does the best when she gets mad.”
He then breaks into a big smile and takes a photo of the TV when she wins silver on the floor.
Feel-good moment
General manager Ryan Poles pulls wide receiver DJ Moore from a walk-through to complete his four-year, $110 million contract extension. The wide receiver hugs his agents and Bears staff after signing, then quietly returns to practice. Word begins to spread among his teammates, who give him big smiles.
Poles explains to his staff why he gave Moore the extension before going over it with President Kevin Warren.
“The why behind it is the dependability, the durability, the production has been so consistent,” Poles says. “We feel really good about this. So that he can just play free and take care of his family. That’s what it’s all about.”
Best family moment
The Hall of Fame Game footage from Thursday night features the big performances from third-string quarterback Brett Rypien and wide receiver Collin Johnson.
It also captures the reaction of undrafted rookie quarterback Austin Reed’s family as he enters the game in the third quarter.
His mom, Jen Reed, says, “I’m like shaking,” and later claps giddily.
Reed’s night ended early because of storms in Canton, Ohio. Tom Reed, his dad, groans when an announcer notifies the crowd that severe weather suspends the game.
“And there it is,” he says.
More, perhaps, from the Reeds — and from Halas Hall — will come next week.
