There has been a fresh vigour among Chicago Bears fans, coaches, and media following the NFL Draft on April 25.
With potential star wide receiver Rome Odunze and new franchise quarterback Caleb Williams, it looks like a happy marriage.
Since then, optimism has persisted, despite occasional obstacles. Odunze has returned from a hamstring ailment that sidelined him a couple weeks ago, and Williams has bounced back from a dubious start to OTAs.
But a fresh rival appears. HBO said that the upcoming season of “Hard Knocks” will centre on the Bears, who will also be the topic of the NFL’s yearly training camp documentary series, a la “Big Brother.”
But Odunze isn’t overjoyed.
Odunze told Bears Wire, “I think personally, I’d definitely be more comfortable not having the ‘Hard Knocks’ in the building just because we’re all learning the new offence as rookies.”
“Learning the offence, developing within the facilities, and laying the groundwork for ourselves are important since Blake already has a lot on his plate. That being said, in the event that it materialised, we would accept it, move forward, and do our best. However, I believe that it could serve as a minor diversion from our goals.”
He is not by himself. Players and teams are not often pleased with the arrangement, which is most frequently viewed as an embarrassing bequest.
Only teams that meet the following requirements—not having a rookie head coach, not making the playoffs the year before, and not having featured on “Hard Knocks” in the previous ten years—are permitted to explicitly say no.
These circumstances left the Saints, Bears, and Broncos exposed. Chicago was an obvious option, with a roster on the rise and a rookie quarterback who is somewhat controversial.
The former Washington standout is probably not alone in his feelings; they simply happen to be at odds with what team president Kevin Warren and general manager Ryan Poles have said in public.
This is directly from the group’s webpage: “The 2024 training camp will be big for us in preparation for achieving our season goals and we look forward to bringing the fans at home along for the journey,” Poles stated.
A firm statement from the leadership is what will calm worries expressed by Odunze and others. As the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts in 2021, when the in-season premiere of “Hard Knocks” took place, head coach Matt Eberflus experienced the rigmarole of the show.
According to The Athletic, Eberflus stated, “We knew we had really good people in the building and our message was going to be, (this is) who we are and how we operate.” Nobody modifies their behaviour or their actions.
We just concentrate on our work, and they’ll be working on special-interest articles, some of which, in my opinion, are really good. And I’m happy to see it because there are a lot of them in our building.
What produces good TV is something that Odunze and his sympathisers cannot influence. The Bears are notorious for having never had a quarterback that is worth a thorough documentation. His attractive appearance calms any possible unpleasant pub.
Odunze has a major role in that. Make it work for you, even if there is some scepticism involved.
Be the first to comment