Bears HBO ‘Hard Knocks’ 2024: Best fan tweets, memes from episode 1 | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumours

The rookie quarterback was the star of the first episode, which included montages of him learning the offense during practices and meetings, as well as the team getting quite the reaction when he told them his signing bonus was 25 .5 million dollars.

But that didn’t stop them from booing him for a poor performance while performing during the rookie talent show.

Williams is a star, but she wasn’t the biggest star to come out.

Bears defensive back Jonathan Owens is married to Olympic legend Simone Biles, and the team granted him permission to travel to Paris to support her at the Games. The gymnast, who won gold medals in the team competition, individual event and vault plus silver in the floor exercise, was missing her dogs when she was overseas.

The star power didn’t stop with Williams and Biles.

Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban, who coached Eberflus at Toledo, toured the team’s facility and spoke with his former player about how to best prepare Williams to live up to sky-high expectations. Considering Saban won seven national championships in college, there are far worse people to turn to when looking for advice on how to maximize young talent.

Eberflus also got some advice from his wife, Kelly, who told him to grow a beard and get a haircut. She was bright enough for the head coach.

It wouldn’t be an episode of Strong blows without some of that off-field material, and Tuesday’s show also featured tight end Cole Kmet throwing out the first pitch at Wrigley Field, team members riding a boat around town, a pool party at his house Eberflus, a practice slip and slide, and Jaylon Johnson’s little car.

However, the most memorable moment probably belonged to rookie offensive lineman Theo Benedet, who is from Canada and chose to honor the United States by singing God bless the USA in front of the team.

That wasn’t all as he also ripped off his trousers to reveal a bald eagle speedo.

It wasn’t all good news for Benedet, who suffered an injury in the Hall of Fame game against the Houston Texans that was included in the episode. Chicago won 21-17 in a game that was stopped early due to weather conditions.

Williams did not play, but Brett Rypien played in the backup contest, going 11-of-15 for 166 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. Collin Johnson also finished with two touchdown catches.

But if all goes according to plan for the Bears this season, there will be bigger names than that making plays. The playoffs are the expectation, with Williams leading an offense that also includes DJ Moore, Kmet, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, D’Andre Swift and Gerald Everett, and the team isn’t shying away from that reality.

Not if Strong blows was there any indication.