Bears ‘Hard Knocks’ premiere was almost all about Caleb Williams — with some ironic insight from Nick Saban

Early in Tuesday’s season premier of “Onerous Knocks” that includes the Chicago Bears, Nick Saban made a cameo.

The lately retired Alabama teaching legend received his head teaching begin in 1990 with Toledo. Bears head coach Matt Eberflus performed linebacker at Toledo that season. He invited Saban to Bears coaching camp to seem in entrance of “Onerous Knocks” cameras and supply up a few of his knowledge.

Eberflus finds himself within the midst of a high-stakes alternative with appreciable upside and the draw back of derailing his profession. The third-year Bears coach enters the season with the promise of a No. 1 decide quarterback in Caleb Williams who’s already being hailed as a savior for a quarterback-starved franchise that is by no means produced a 4,000-yard passer.

It is a scenario that comes with scrutiny for each Eberflus and Williams, who will each face intense strain to succeed — maybe sooner than is cheap for a group beginning a rookie quarterback. Saban provided up this angle to Eberflus.

That irony that Saban doled out this knowledge throughout an hour-long episode of HBO’s annual coaching camp mini-series devoted nearly singularly to Williams wasn’t misplaced.

How will Williams, Eberflus reply to strain?

The load of Chicago is on Williams’ shoulders. It is a level that was hammered dwelling on “Onerous Knocks” repeatedly because it devoted the overwhelming majority of the hour to Williams. As a result of what or who else would it not give attention to?

The episode began with a telephone name from Eberflus to Williams on draft day that pointed its cameras behind Williams’ shoulders as he made his method from the inexperienced room to the Detroit draft stage to present commissioner Roger Goodell a hug.

It then adopted Williams by way of his first coaching camp conferences and practices and a few mild rookie hazing that included a failed karaoke rendition of John Legend’s “Bizarre Folks” that drew good-natured jeers and laughter from his teammates within the Chicago movie room.

Williams took the ribbing with a smile, certainly endearing himself to his teammates. He then spoke with “Onerous Knocks” about his preparation and his early experiences as an NFL professional.

It is the best reply for a rookie quarterback set as much as and anticipated to succeed. The Bears have invested closely round Williams, together with securing a powerful trio of vast receivers in DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and fellow first-round rookie Rome Odunze. It is a robust group that offers Williams a leg up that the majority No. 1 total quarterbacks do not get. Thus exacerbating the already excessive expectations.

Jonathan Owens, rookie OL get some digicam time

The episode did not spend all of its time on centered on Williams. It veered off into protection of security Jonathan Owens’ excused absence from coaching camp to journey to observe his spouse Simone Biles compete within the Paris Olympics.

It additionally gave some shine to undrafted rookie signing Theo Benedet. The Canadian import made his mark with a speedo-clad rendition of “God Bless the USA” to ingratiate himself along with his principally American teammates. His speedo featured an American flag and a picture of a bald eagle on the entrance.

However in the long run, the episode was about Williams, very similar to what’s to be anticipated of the Bears’ season. How Williams and Eberflus carry out underneath that highlight can be one of many greatest tales of the NFL season.