George McCaskey’s wishes might get tested this year.The Bears board chairman was asked about his team appearing on Hard Knocks last year and famously said, “There are a number of teams that have compelling stories to tell on Hard Knocks.”
When asked if the Bears were one, he said, “31 others.”
It’s possible McCaskey’s powers of persuasion with the league will be tested because they are one of only three teams who can’t say no to Hard Knocks, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.
The other two teams this year who can’t say no to the revealing program are the Denver Broncos and New Orleans Saints.
There is a partnership between HBO and NFL Films, and for marketing purposes a formula to determine who can’t avoid doing it.
The formula is teams without a first-year coach, teams that have made the playoffs in the last two years and teams that have done Hard Knocks in the last decade are able to say no. Teams can volunteer to do it.
The Bears haven’t been in the playoffs since 2020. There are only four teams with longer postseason berth droughts: the Jets, Falcons, Panthers and Jets.
It might be time for the Bears to let the cameras in at Halas Hall for a behind-the-scenes close-up look at their training camp.
Especially if they have a new quarterback, it could make them a desirable draw. Being one of the league’s legacy franchises does this, anyway.
The Bears, Jets, Saints and Commanders were the four teams who couldn’t say no last year and it wound up being the Jets doing it. Now the Commanders will have a new coach, so they are allowed to turn down the program.
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