The fifth and final episode of “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears” aired on Tuesday night as the revamped team shifts focus from training camp and preseason to the upcoming NFL season in 2024.

Caleb Williams, the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, emerged as a central figure in the series, showcasing his potential as a franchise quarterback.

The series also highlighted Bears safety Jonathan Owens on FaceTime with Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles in Paris (Episode 1) and spending time with Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever (Episode 5).

Here are some of the main takeaways from this season’s docuseries about the Bears aired on HBO:

Caleb Williams Impresses as QB1

Chicagoland fans are pinning their hopes on Caleb Williams, who demonstrated franchise quarterback qualities throughout “Hard Knocks.” His performance might signal a change for the Bears, who have historically struggled at this position.

Bears fans are all too aware that Chicago is the only NFL team without a quarterback ever exceeding 4,000 passing yards or throwing 30 touchdowns in a season. Erik Kramer was the closest to setting this record back in 1995 with 3,838 yards and 29 touchdowns. In contrast, their rivals, the Green Bay Packers, have seen 18 different seasons of 4,000-yard passers from five quarterbacks.

While the first episode of “Hard Knocks” depicted some challenges for Williams during training camp, the mood improved dramatically when he took to the field for preseason games.

Williams saved his best performance for last, orchestrating a thrilling eight-play, 90-yard touchdown drive that included an impressive 45-yard pass to fellow rookie Rome Odunze and capped off with a touchdown run.

As the focus intensifies on Williams, he will be under even greater scrutiny when the Bears kick off the season against the Tennessee Titans at Soldier Field this Sunday.

Ryan Poles Constructing a Winning Team

A general manager’s legacy is defined by draft picks and trades.

This year, with significant investments in the draft and free agency, both the Bears and general manager Ryan Poles are gearing up for a pivotal season following a notable roster transformation.

Poles executed a trade that could be one of the biggest in league history, sending the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft to the Carolina Panthers for their 2024 first-round pick and star wide receiver D.J. Moore. While Moore had a breakout year with the Bears, the Panthers capitalized to secure the top pick for Chicago.

During training camp, Poles explored another major trade, as NFL Films and HBO captured his attempts to acquire pass rusher Matthew Judon from the New England Patriots. Ultimately, Judon was traded to the Atlanta Falcons, as the Bears sought a contract extension before proceeding with the deal.

Though that trade fell through, Poles has assembled a squad that could vie for a playoff position, with two of seven YSL News Sports experts predicting Chicago will secure a wild-card berth.

Poles’ honesty and openness added depth to his character this season on “Hard Knocks.”

Bears in a New Spotlight

With Williams in tow, Poles, head coach Matt Eberflus, and the Bears’ leadership group seem positioned to have a franchise quarterback for the long haul.

During Tuesday’s “Hard Knocks” finale, Poles was seen scouting talent at the significant Georgia-Clemson match-up, where he bumped into familiar face Joe Schoen, general manager of the New York Giants, known for “Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants.” Schoen’s quarterback situation is precarious, particularly with starter Daniel Jones recovering from knee surgery, and the previous series revealed the Giants had contemplated trading up in the draft to acquire a top quarterback.

“Must be nice,” Schoen remarked to Poles, “not to have to focus on the, um…”

“Quarterbacks?” Poles replied. “Let’s hope that stays the case for a long time.”

Where Were the Profanities?

In contrast to last year’s “Hard Knocks” with the New York Jets, which was filled with expletives, particularly from head coach Robert Saleh, this year brought a notable absence of such language.

If you sensed something different in the Bears’ “Hard Knocks,” you were not alone.

The last f-bomb on the series was uttered five episodes ago.

Unlike previous seasons that featured fiery rants from coaches like Saleh, Jon Gruden, Jeff Fisher, and Rex Ryan (who delivered the infamous “Let’s go eat a (expletive) snack” speech), this season refrained from such outbursts.

In 2018, Jarvis Landry’s memorable 1,080-word tirade during a meeting with the Cleveland Browns included 23 f-bombs.

That’s quite an impressive number of f-bombs in under two minutes.

In fact, it was 23 more f-bombs than the Bears dropped. Why was that the case?

It turns out, HBO chose not to include any profanity out of respect for the McCaskey family, the owners of the Bears. Additionally, it seems the Bears generally refrain from swearing.

“Honestly, this team curses significantly less than any other team I’ve been around, largely due to respect for the McCaskey family,” said “Hard Knocks” director Shannon Furman in a CHGO podcast. “They prefer not to swear, and we wanted to honor their wishes while they welcomed us into their space.”

Emotional Impacts of NFL’s Cutdown Day

Last year, the Jets limited HBO and NFL Films by not allowing interviews with the head coach and general manager as they made tough personnel decisions.

This year, the Bears fully embraced the emotional process of NFL’s annual player cuts, with the intense drama depicted in the season’s final episode, aired a week after the cut deadline of August 27.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles experienced the cutdown day himself as a training camp cut back in 2008 when he joined Chicago as an undrafted offensive lineman from Boston College. He finds the process to be quite challenging: “To me, it’s one of the toughest days in this job. It’s painful to inform so many individuals that their dreams are coming to an end.”

“Having been in their shoes, I strive to communicate with empathy, as these players have invested considerable time and effort into trying to make the team,” Poles stated. “I aim to provide thorough feedback so they understand the reasons behind our decisions and can continue refining their skills, hopeful for future opportunities.”

The Bears bid farewell to some well-known players on cutdown day.

One by one, players met with the Bears’ leadership – including wide receiver and Hall of Fame Game standout Collin Johnson, “Canadian Eagle” Theo Benedet, and quarterbacks Brett Rypien and Austin Reed, along with the thoughtful defensive back Adrian Colbert.

It was Colbert’s release – and the emotional impact it had on Poles – that resonated with “Hard Knocks” viewers. After Colbert took a seat in the GM’s office, an emotional Poles momentarily stepped away to regain his composure, leaving silence as Colbert patiently awaited the news.

“I truly appreciate you, man. There’s something unique about you,” Poles told Colbert, whose touching childhood story was highlighted in the previous week’s episode of “Hard Knocks.” “I hate having to do this. Certain players just stand out, and you are one of them. You’re a great teammate. This aspect of the job is difficult for me. I’m grateful for our time together.”

“Some people have an extraordinary quality about them, and you possess that. Wherever your journey leads from here, I wish you tremendous success.”

Colbert expressed his gratitude for the opportunity with the Bears, marking his 10th team in the NFL. After they embraced, Colbert stepped out into the uncertain world of professional football.

This moment was truly one of the most poignant in the history of “Hard Knocks.”