The Chicago Bears might finally have a franchise quarterback after wandering the NFL desert without one for more than 100 years. It took an incredible string of luck for Chicago to land Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, a process that started with a stunning Houston Texans win in the last game of 2022. Williams will likely take his lumps as a rookie, but his natural talent is undeniable, and has the Bears set up for what should be a long period of contention.
HBO’s “Hard Knocks” is following the Bears around training camp this season, and the spotlight has naturally been on Williams. With the pressure to be a franchise savior resting on his shoulders, the young QB is learning the ropes in the NFL with a cable TV audience watching his every move. Of course, HBO has a brilliant team of editors at its disposal, and it’s helped create some tremendous moments of television.
This edit of Williams in the fifth episode of the series on Tuesday night is some of Hard Knocks’ best work yet.
The editing on this is just perfect, and the throws from Williams aren’t bad, either.
The first pass in the sequence is classic Caleb: making a play outside the pocket and delivering a dart on the run. Williams has already made two passes in the preseason that most Bears quarterbacks throughout history couldn’t dream of completing. His rookie year will have rough patches, but the expectation is he will have more highs than lows.
It’s been so cool to see Williams go through his first NFL training camp with the TV cameras rolling. Wherever he goes from here, NFL fans will always remembering being able to watch the start of his journey on HBO.
