‘Hard Knocks’ Captures Tyson Bagent’s Message to Caleb Williams

Getty Bears backup quarterback Tyson Bagent.

The Chicago Bears already seem to have a brotherhood forming in their quarterback room between first-round rookie starter Caleb Williams and second-year backup Tyson Bagent heading into the 2024 NFL season.

During the August 27 episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears,” the camera crew captured the highs and lows of the Bears’ final preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Bagent even delivered one of the game’s highlights when he dove for the pylon and scored a 7-yard touchdown during the team’s opening drive.

One of the most insightful parts of the episode, though, occurred when Bagent went to the sideline after two drives. Williams found him to congratulate him on his scoring effort, leading to a brotherly exchange that shed light on their dynamic.

“My man,” Bagent told Williams as they fist-bumped and embraced on the sideline. “Hey, I appreciate you this whole camp, dude. I’ve learned a lot from you, seriously.”

Williams tapped his fist on Bagent’s pads and emphasized: “I learned a lot from you.”

While it is not an earth-shattering revelation that two quarterbacks on the same roster get along with each other, Bears fans will likely appreciate seeing the camaraderie that Williams and Bagent have built in just one offseason and training camp together. It is also refreshing to see both quarterbacks are humble enough to say they’ve learned from one another.

Tyson Bagent Wanted to Be ‘Another Set of Eyes’ for Caleb Williams During His 2024 Season for Bears

The Bears made a significant quarterback change during the 2024 offseason, moving on from former starter Justin Fields and selecting Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. The shakeup also created a unique situation for Bagent, who showed some promise as an undrafted rookie in 2023 but was now, at best, the No. 2 option again.

Bagent, however, never seemed to let the situation bother him much. He trained hard during the offseason to come back sharper and better than ever for the Bears, but he also understood his role as the presumptive backup for a No. 1 overall-picked rookie.

Bagent even explained how he intended to help Williams develop for the Bears during his May 3 interview with NBC Sports Chicago shortly after the team drafted Williams.

“Obviously, he’s a superstar of an athlete, and I think a lot of people know that, which is why it is so exciting,” Bagent said. “But I think outside of that, [I’m] just trying to keep it as normal as possible, understand that he’s just a normal human being like everybody else. He’s going to go through good things, bad things, everything in between.”

“So, [I plan on] being able to be another set of eyes for him so I can help him be the greatest resource that he can possibly be for the Bears.”

The proof will be in the performances during the 2024 season. But based on the vibes between Williams and Bagent, it seems they are off to a great start as a Bears duo.

Austin Reed Also Had Words for OC Shane Waldron

The August 27 episode of “Hard Knocks” also showed off one other aspect of the Bears’ quarterback competition: the fire and personality of Austin Reed.

Reed, an undrafted rookie out of Western Kentucky, spent camp and the preseason competing with veteran Brett Rypien for the No. 3 quarterback spot on the Bears’ depth chart. Initially, Rypien seemed to possess the advantage due to his prior NFL experience and overall command of the offense, but Reed made things more interesting down the stretch with a strong performance in the preseason finale against Kansas City.

Reed played the entire second half against the Chiefs, completing 8 of his 10 passes for 63 yards and throwing a 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tommy Sweeney on the first of his five drives. Though the Chiefs scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, Velus Jones Jr. iced the game with a 33-yard run that led into the two-minute warning.

That’s when Reed took what could have been his final opportunity to say thank you to Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron for his guidance throughout his first camp.

“I’m gonna say one thing: No matter what, I appreciate you investing in me,” Reed told Waldron on the sideline before walking back onto the field, breaking the huddle and taking a knee out of the victory formation to run out the clock on their 34-21 win.

Ultimately, the Bears picked Reed over Rypien as their third-string quarterback, releasing both during the 53-man roster cutdown before re-signing Reed to their practice squad. His humility and gratitude should serve him well as his development continues.