Editor’s note: Spoilers ahead from Episode 3 of “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears.”
There was no streaming delay this time, no social media meltdown from those not getting the latest episode of “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears” right on schedule. Instead, promptly at 8 p.m. Tuesday, viewers on both HBO and the Max app were treated to 51 more minutes of behind-the-scenes color and on-the-field action from the Bears on their runway to the regular season.
Naturally, the newest episode offered much more of quarterback Caleb Williams, more karaoke in team meetings and an extensive introduction of rookie punter Tory Taylor.
And with the Bears now crossing the bridge from their lone preseason home game — a 27-3 defeat of the Cincinnati Bengals over the weekend — to their preseason finale Thursday in Kansas City, there is plenty to unpack from the recent goings on at Halas Hall and Soldier Field. Here’s our snapshot of Episode 3.
Best behind-the-scenes moment
The Bears’ pursuit of a possible trade for New England Patriots pass rusher Matthew Judon was well-known before Tuesday night. What wasn’t as clear was just how aggressively general manager Ryan Poles pushed to land Judon, getting the Bears to the doorstep of a union with the 32-year-old veteran last week.
A quick peek inside the general manager’s office offered some of the most compelling content of the series to date as the Bears worked to acquire Judon.
Most attention-grabbing? An on-field exchange between Bears coach Matt Eberflus and senior director of player personnel Jeff King with Eberflus asking “You think we’ll get it over the finish line?”
“I do,” King replied.
With a well-documented need for more pass rush help, Poles explained his attraction to Judon behind closed doors to Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren, even talking through the season-ending biceps tear Judon suffered in 2023.
“We believe he would help us get better,” Poles told Warren. “Just his style. Having the biceps (injury) rather than a lower-body injury, he still would play with the same intensity and explosion that he did before.”
In trade talks with the Patriots, Poles offered a 2025 third-round pick — compensation the Patriots accepted. But the deal was contingent on the Bears wanting certainty that they could finalize a contract extension for Judon to keep him with the team beyond this season. Alas, that didn’t materialize. Instead, the Patriots dealt Judon to the Atlanta Falcons for their 2025 third-round pick.
Tuesday’s episode showed Poles’ raw disappointment.
“I’m tormenting myself,” he said.
The Bears GM has always prided himself on being disciplined with his roster maneuvering and his out-loud push for closure on missing out on Judon proved striking.
“If you have your own guardrails that we put up to help us stay in the lane, we surely pressed up against them to acquire the player,” Poles told director of football administration Matt Feinstein. “But when it comes to losing all flexibility (with a future contract), I don’t think that would be smart. Even if he has success. Now, if he has 20 sacks or something? Yeah. It would make me sick.”
Getting to know you
Viewers learned several things about rookie punter and native Australian Tory Taylor on Tuesday night.
He rejected a reporter-proposed nickname of “The Crocodile Punter” during a news conference earlier this month at Halas Hall. “I definitely don’t want that one,” Taylor said. “How original.”
Taylor had at least some difficulty navigating from the team hotel to Soldier Field for his first-ever home game as a Bear.
He continues to leave the jaws of teammates and coaches on the floor with his leg strength and unique punting skill set. Commented offensive coordinator Shane Waldron during an offensive meeting: “Those punts? I don’t know if you guys have ever just stopped for a second and watched him. It’s damn unbelievable. Like that ball is going out at the 2-yard line. Different spins. He had every club in the bag working out there today.”
Taylor is also doubling as the holder for placekicker Cairo Santos and coming along quite nicely. On Saturday, amid drizzly conditions in the second half against the Bengals, his ability to provide a clean hold for Santos’ 51-yard field goal was notable and acknowledged by a couple of teammates and coaches. “People don’t understand how hard that is in the rain, bro,” Taylor said.
Oh, and yes. Taylor has a quick wit about him too. After Caleb Williams sent him a humorous text on draft weekend welcoming him to the team but letting him know there were no plans for punting from the Bears offense in 2024, Taylor waited four months for a timely clap back.
It came Saturday after the Bears needed him early and often against the Bengals after failing to pick up a first down in the first quarter. “Yo,” Taylor called to Williams, “I thought you said no punts. We had three in the first quarter, man.”
Best hypothetical
As part of what has seemingly been a nonstop merry-go-round of local and national interview obligations during training camp, Williams sat down with Barstool’s “Pardon My Take” podcast last week. The best clip lifted from that episode? Podcast host, Highland Park native and lifelong Bears fan Dan Katz (aka Barstool Big Cat) and co-host Eric Sollenberger (aka PFT Commenter) dropped a big-time “Would you?” hypothetical into Williams’ lap.
PFT Commenter: If you had a button and if you pushed it one Bears fan would die but you would win 10 Super Bowls, would you press the button?
Williams: Whooooo! Ten Super Bowls?
Big Cat: I’d do it.
PFT Commenter: I feel like most Bears fans would be like, “I’ll throw my name into the hat.”
Williams: You think they’d sacrifice? Wow. That’s love.
Big Cat: It is love. So do you press the button?
Eventually, the Bears quarterback gave the decisive gesture. He pretended to emphatically plunge the button.
Liev it up
Cheesy? Cringe? Brilliant? At this point, who really cares? These are the three most memorable lines delivered by “Hard Knocks” narrator Liev Schreiber in Episode 3.
(Full context not required.)
“A defense with fast flow is good. A defense with cornerback Jaylon Johnson is a whole lot better.”
“Tory Taylor, the rookie punter from Down Under, has another job: holding on extra points and field goals. Looks like he has it down pat.”
In an interlude between Velus Jones Jr.’s lengthy description of his relationship with his late pet ferret, Crash, and a look-in on one of Eberflus’ favorite hobbies: “The Ferret King isn’t alone. No one weasels out of a nickname here.”
Celebrity cameos
Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, the NFL’s MVP in 2016 and a college roommate of Ryan Poles at Boston College, stopped through Halas Hall last week. The “Hard Knocks” crew caught him in conversation in Poles’ office, complimenting the growth of second-year quarterback Tyson Bagent. “I think this kid has come a long way since last year,” Ryan said. “To have that for the future, if you ever needed him for that week or two to get through something … I mean, he looks better. You can’t put a price on that. Because they’re so hard to find.”
Gymnast Simone Biles was back again reciprocating the support her husband, Bears safety Jonathan Owens, gave her at the Paris Olympics. Biles was cheering Owens on at Saturday’s game at Soldier Field. Only one small problem: she arrived wearing a jacket with a montage of Owens photos. A montage of Owens photos from when he played for the Green Bay Packers. In some ways, that may register as one of Biles’ “Welcome to Chicago” moments with a bit of social media hullabaloo mushrooming during the game. As a friend of Biles’ told her on the sideline at Soldier Field, “I would be taking that jacket off if I were you.”
Chicago rapper Lil Durk made a stop through Halas Hall last week wearing a No. 12 jersey with his surname “Banks” across the nameplate. Lil Durk took the opportunity after practice to break down the huddle for the Bears quarterbacks.
Funniest quote
Travis Bagent, the always energetic father of backup quarterback Tyson Bagent, responding to a question at Saturday’s game about how he likes Caleb Williams: “He’s a great guy. All them dudes are. They’re all rich. They all look great. All their girlfriends are hot.”
Mic drop moment
This week’s installment of “Karaoke Night” inside the Mugs Halas Auditorium came courtesy of undrafted rookie quarterback Austin Reed, who introduced himself as a byproduct of both the University of West Florida and Western Kentucky University with a signing bonus — “$5K” — a little bit smaller than the $25 million Williams got.
Reed treated his teammates to a rendition of Keyshia Cole’s “Love.” And while Reed’s vocals were out of tune, off-key, off everything — and that’s putting it kindly — his performative passion won the entire room over.
Reed was given a standing ovation at the end of his performance. And, unlike “Canadian Eagle” Theo Benedet a few weeks back, he didn’t even need to strip down to a Speedo.
Mic drop moment II
Episode 3 ended with Williams talking to reporters in the postgame news conference following the Bears’ preseason defeat of the Bengals. After a victory in which Williams and the first-team offense overcame three consecutive three-and-outs to deliver two highlight-filled scoring drives late in the first half, Williams spoke with his usual combination of perspective and enthusiasm.
“We’re going to get better. We’re going to keep growing. And we’re going to have a lot of fun doing it. We’re here to win games for the Chicago Bears.”
It felt like an optimal stage-setter and theme for the 2024 season.
