Bears Most Likely to Own the HBO Hard Knocks Camera
![Will Matt Eberflus emerge as a star in HBO's Hard Knocks like Rex Ryan and Jon Gruden did? It's possible, but someone will. Will Matt Eberflus emerge as a star in HBO's Hard Knocks like Rex Ryan and Jon Gruden did? It's possible, but someone will.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2199,h_1236,x_0,y_43/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/bear_digest/01hz7hpj7wp0rvg6hzvw.jpg)
With HBO's Hard Knocks coming to Halas Hall for the first time this training camp, everyone potentially becomes a star of the small screen.
Players, coaches and even fans attending camp can wind up on television.
Quirks pop up, like Rams defensive end William Hayes not believing in the past existence of dinosaurs but believing in mermaids, 325-pound Vince Wilfork kicking field goals and wearing cowboy boots with bib overall shorts and no shirt, Harry Douglas and his women's deodorant and Tim Johnson imitating Shannon Sharpe to the delight of Ravens teammates.
Some star players become show their personalities, like Chad Johnson and Sharpe did, while completely unknowns like John "The Terminator" Conner, Riley Bullough, Charles James II and Margus Hunt are transformed from names at the bottom of a roster to players fans live and die with on a weekly basis as they try to make the cut.
Here are Bears most likely to become stars, whether they like it or not.
THROWBACK.. The time Steve Smith Sr. asked Cam Newton if he should start John Brown over DJ Moore, while standing inches away from DJ
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) May 20, 2024
💀💀💀 pic.twitter.com/KZaoRs0tcE
1. Caleb Williams
He already is the star, as the No. 1 pick of the draft and the Heisman winner, but he'll probably log more air time now than Walter Cronkite. The bearclaw, his arm, his personality and status as a possible savior of the Bears organization are made for HBO.
2. DJ Moore
The Bears already showed off Moore's personality themselves with their schedule release video, when he starred as a sort of DJ Bueller at a fictitious Halas Hall school. Moore always has media laughing at some point Wednesday through Friday each week or after games. It only makes sense they'll capture this on Hard Knocks.
3. Jaylon Johnson
Brutally honest and always willing to express himself, Johnson almost might seem too obvious a target for the cameras but they'll soon find they can't avoid him. They might need a few bleeps in there, but it is cable. Will his big contract and All-Pro status change him? Tune in and find out.
#HardKnocks with the Jets is off to a good start, but it will never beat Antonio Cromartie trying to remember the names and ages of all his children.
— Funhouse (@BackAftaThis) August 9, 2023
He now has 14 kids, four of them coming AFTER he had a vasectomy. 🤕 pic.twitter.com/OVwY1Nz8dU
4. Matt Eberflus
Considering Jon Gruden and Rex Ryan were two of the most popular coaches on the show, Eberflus' personality doesn't quite seem like a fit. But here is where the benind-the-scenes aspect will work. Eberflus is always the one giving nicknames to players and stirring things up with challenges. He'll naturally be on camera a lot anyway, as the head coach. It's a chance for him to show what he really brings to the franchise as the boss on field.
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5. Teven Jenkins
In a sport when offensive linemen get labeled as a "faceless" group, Jenkins' personality can't be hidden by a facemask. He's self-critical almost to a fault, humble but funny, and will generate excitement in film sessions with pancake blocks.
Hard Knocks premieres tonight.
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) August 9, 2022
Which means it’s time to look back on one of the best scenes in TV history.
Bob Wylie’s stomach moving every time he said, “Set Hut!” pic.twitter.com/6bmJdaGF37
6. Jaquan Brisker
Their third-year safety is always talking and hollering anyway. The cameras will naturally focus on this. Brisker has been trying to assume a leadership role over the last year and with Eddie Jackson now gone he might be the leader in the secondary even though Johnson is there.
#Jets QB Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) said @HBO ‘forced’ #HardKnocks down our throats & ‘we gotta deal w/ it’ 😳 ‘one of the only things I like about Hard Knocks is the voice of God, Liev Schreiber (@LievSchreiber), who narrates it. I hope I get to meet him’ 🤣 🎥 @vernKPIX pic.twitter.com/7ucVmP1Qr7
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) July 14, 2023
7. Jonathan Owens
When HBO sees he's Simone Biles' husband, they'll love this. The only problem is Biles will be in France for the Olympics when much of the show is taped, but should be around at some point either before the Olympics or after they end.
8. Cole Kmet
He has the look of a TV star, and the personality.
Finally catching up on Hard Knocks from last year, this may have been the zenith of the entire series... pic.twitter.com/vA5xgPu6nz
— James Light (@JamesALight) July 5, 2020
9. Keenan Allen
He'll be treated with reverence by teammates after 11 NFL seasons and what seems like a Hall of Fame career, and this is going to be picked up right away by the cameras.
10. Rome Odunze
The whole Moore and Allen mentoring the rookie scenario might appeal to Hard Knocks, especially if it means Allen helping train Odunze to take his job for 2025. As Williams' sidekick, he's going to get into plenty of video anyway.
my favorite ever Hard Knocks moment was when deangelo hall talked shit to deandre hopkins and so then hopkins turned hall’s ankles into soup as retribution pic.twitter.com/gQF2jxUbkn
— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) August 23, 2023
11. Tyler Scott
If they get around to listening to the wide receivers, they'll find he could do as good a job as a Hard Knocks narrator as Liev Schreiber does.
12. Kyler Gordon
His whole Spider-Man shtick seems made for cameras.
The dedication from the #HardKnocks crew is next level💪#HardKnocks airs tonight at 10pm ET on @hbomax pic.twitter.com/DM5TZVeXil
— NFL (@NFL) August 16, 2022
13. Keith Randolph Jr.
The camera always looks for a player fighting for a roster spot and Randolph is facing an uphill battle. It will be a numbers game at defensive tackle, as 2023 seventh-rounder Travis Bell found out last year. An undrafted player with some talent but small chance at making it could be their choice to follow. Other potentials for this cut/interest story include Kevin Sweeney, trying to be the third tight end in a comeback from injuries and a COVID-related heart ailment, or a total unknown like undrafted receiver Peter LeBlanc.
14. Kerry Joseph
The Bears quarterbacks coach is going to be in numerous shots just by being around Williams all of the time. He can't help being on screen.
The Bears will be on "Hard Knocks," play in the Hall of Fame Game and go to London for a home game.
— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) May 31, 2024
It's cool for fans. As for the team?
“The Bears have landed the trifecta of stuff teams don’t want," @BradBiggs says. "They’ve got it all."
Listen: https://t.co/8T91iFLYZY pic.twitter.com/wOBCIt84v8
15. Kevin Warren
The Bears president is always one to find the cameras anyway. When you're looking to build a new stadium it helps, just like shaking a few hands does.
Would you rather... Ice Bath Edition ❄️ #HardKnocksNow: Training Camp with the Cleveland @Browns on @HBO pic.twitter.com/rwCNYn5hPl
— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) August 15, 2018
16. Tony Medlin
The long-time equipment manager. Everyone loves Tony.
17. George McCaskey
The fact he didn't want them on HBO is an open invitation for cameras to get him on there. McCaskey comes to enough practices to be found easily. If they do follow him, they might actually find out how funny he can be. Who could be better for TV than a former TV reporter who was an assistant state's attorney and owns the team?
Bear down. Hard Knocks is going to Chicago.#HardKnocks Training Camp with the Chicago Bears premieres August 6 on Max. pic.twitter.com/groYOw7DOU
— Max (@StreamOnMax) May 30, 2024
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven