The Chicago Bears were featured on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” during training camp. It had mixed reviews for a variety of reasons, but it was entertaining overall. In a year when the Bears are looking to take a big step, the show gave a great behind-the-scenes look at how special this group can be.
There were lots of great stories both on and off the field to remember. They also focused in on a few players and their stories. We got to know more about a lot of people both in the game of football and their lives away from the field.
With all five episodes in the books, here are three players who got the extra spotlight and were made to look good on “Hard Knocks.”
1. Caleb Williams
Of course, the Bears selected Caleb Williams at No. 1 overall to be their new franchise quarterback. He has expectations of being a generational superstar. A guy like that was most definitely going to have the cameras around him on “Hard Knocks.”
Williams is one of the people that made the Bears an easy choice for HBO. They didn’t miss with their coverage of him either. He proved to be a wonderful leader in addition to being a great football player. Whether it was his weekly meetings with head coach Matt Eberflus or building a rapport inside the quarterback room or his strong on-field impressions, Williams was one of the stars.
If Williams plays as well as he has in the preseason once the regular season starts, the Bears will be a contender in no time.
2. DJ Moore
In the same trade that landed the pick that turned into Williams, the Bears also acquired star receiver DJ Moore, who is arguably the best player at his position on the team. Moore is coming off a career year, where he totaled 96 receptions for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns — and that was with Justin Fields throwing to him. If Williams thrives as a rookie, Moore will be even more prolific this time around.
Hard Knocks” also gave us a look into his personal life, where it’s clear he’s a wonderful human being with a great family. There were several instances where we got to spend time with Moore and his family, including standout Ari, his young daughter. Moore is a great dad, and it showed every time they showed him with his kids.
HBO did a good job allowing Moore to make himself look wonderful to such a big audience. He will be remembered as an all-time Bear when it’s all said and done.
3. Ian Wheeler
Unlike Williams and Moore, rookie running back Ian Wheeler didn’t come into training camp expecting to be a superstar in the NFL. He had to do everything he could just to even have a chance at making the team. Wheeler, an undrafted free agent out of Howard, chose to defer medical school to take a chance at playing in the NFL.
Honestly, he was on track to make the team. Unfortunately, Wheeler tore his ACL in the final preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs, and he is now out for the year. The good thing is that he gets to stay with the Bears on injured reserve, and he’ll have a chance to make the team again next year. If he’s as good as he was this preseason, he will make the team.
“Hard Knocks” showed all of this. They showed him and his story before he got hurt and spotlighted his strong performances during the exhibition season. All along, they made him incredibly easy to root for. They also made it hit home when he showed his injury and how he found out the extent of it. Even his mom was devastated, and HBO captured that perfectly. Wheeler is one of the main beneficiaries of this series being focused on the Bears this year. We can only hope that he picks up the pieces after his injury and has an NFL career.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: ‘Hard Knocks’: 3 Bears players who shined this season
