No Disruption for Bears

According to Pro Football Talk, HBO's Hard Knocks will no longer consider the Bears as subjects for this year's program.

USA Today

George McCaskey may have gotten his wish.

The Bears board chairman didn't want the Bears on HBO's Hard Knocks and Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reports they won't be on it.

"I'm told (the NFL has) moved on to other teams that aren't in that short list of four that can be forced to do it," Florio said during a spot he does on AM-670's The Mully and Haugh Show.

The Bears, Commanders, Saints and New York Jets were the four teams eligible because they were the teams who hadn't been in the playoffs each of the last two years, haven't been on the program in the last 10 years and they don't have first-year coaches.

Florio and others had reported the search is being expanded beyond the four teams that qualify. The league can make a team do it but the Bears, Jets and Saints have said they are not interested and the league may not be interested in the Commanders due to their ownership situation.

The program provides a behind-the-scenes look at training camp as the HBO crew is given access to locations where media normally are not allowed.

McCaskey made it very clear how he felt about HBO crawling all over Halas Hall during the March owner meetings.

"We feel there are a number of teams that have compelling stories to tell on 'Hard Knocks,' " McCaskey said. "Thirty-one others."

The Detroit Lions were on it last year.

There has also been a regular-season version of the show and Pro Football Talk has reported the Commanders also are under consideration for the in-season version.

The Bears report for training camp July 25 with the first practice July 26 and first practice open to the public on July 27.

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