The Chicago Bears, one of the NFL’s oldest and proudest franchises, are clawing their way back to contention. The Bears took quarterback Caleb Williams (pictured above with head coach Matt Eberflus), the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner from USC, with the No. 1 overall selection at the NFL Draft. Eight picks later, they took Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze.
And now the NFL is taking notice. The Bears will make their first appearance on HBO’s Hard Knocks training camp docuseries when the new season debuts August 6 and airs on Tuesdays through September 3.
The Bears help kick off the NFL preseason on Thursday, August 1, when they face the Houston Texans in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, airing on ABC and ESPN.
Pads are poppin’ pic.twitter.com/vLznRJy8B4
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) July 28, 2024
On Saturday, August 3, the Bears will be well represented when the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024 is enshrined on ESPN and NFL Network.
Kick returner Devin Hester (who returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown in Super Bowl XLI) and defensive tackle Steve McMichael (of the famed ’85 Super Bowl team) will don their gold jackets. Defensive end Julius Peppers, who played with Chicago for four seasons, enters the Hall as a Carolina Panther.
Others receiving a bronze bust this year are Dwight Freeney, Randy Gradishar, Andre Johnson and Patrick Willis.
The regular season kicks off Thursday, September 5, with the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Baltimore Ravens in an AFC title game rematch on NBC.
2024 NFL Preseason National TV Schedule
All times Eastern/Central. NFL Network airs replays of games not televised nationally.
Thursday, August 1
Pro Football Hall of Fame Game: Houston vs. Chicago, 8/7c, ESPN/ABC
Saturday, August 3
Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony, noon/11a c, ESPN/NFL Network
WEEK 1
Thursday, August 8
Carolina at New England, 7/6c (NFL Network)
Detroit at New York Giants, 7/6c
Friday, August 9
Atlanta at Miami, 7/6c
Houston at Pittsburgh, 7/6c (NFL Network)
Philadelphia at Baltimore, 6:30c
Saturday, August 10
Washington at New York Jets, noon/11a c
Chicago at Buffalo, 1/noon c (NFL Network)
Las Vegas at Minnesota, 4/3c (NFL Network)
Green Bay at Cleveland, 4:25/3:25c
Tampa Bay at Cincinnati, 7/6c
Kansas City at Jacksonville, 7/6c (NFL Network)
San Francsico at Tennessee, 7/6c
Seattle at Los Angeles Chargers, 7:05/6:05c
New Orleans at Arizona, 8/7c
Sunday, August 11
Denver at Indianapolis, 1/noon c (NFL Network)
Dallas at Los Angeles Rams, 4:30/3:30c (NFL Network)
WEEK 2
Thursday, August 15
Philadelphia at New England, 7/6c (NFL Network)
Saturday, August 17
Atlanta at Baltimore, noon/11a c
Cincinnati at Chicago, 1/noon c (NFL Network)
New York Giants at Houston, 1/noon c
Detroit at Kansas City, 4/3c (NFL Network)
Minnesota at Cleveland, 4:25/3:25c
New York Jets at Carolina, 7/6c
Arizona at Indianapolis, 7/6c
Washington at Miami, 7/6c
Buffalo at Pittsburgh, 7/6c (NFL Network)
Seattle at Tennessee, 7/6c
Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Chargers, 7:05/6:05c
Tampa Bay at Jacksonville, 7:30/6:30c
Dallas at Las Vegas, 10/9c (NFL Network)
Sunday, August 18
Green Bay at Denver, 8/7c (NFL Network)
New Orleans at San Francisco, 8/7c (Fox)
WEEK 3
Thursday, August 22
Indianapolis at Cincinnati, 8/7c (Prime Video)
Chicago at Kansas City, 8:20/7:20c (NFL Network)
Friday, August 23
Jacksonville at Atlanta, 7/6c (NFL Network)
Miami at Tampa Bay, 7:30/6:30c
San Francisco at Las Vegas, 10/9c (NFL Network)
Saturday, August 24
Carolina at Buffalo, 1/noon c
Pittsburgh at Detroit, 1/noon c (NFL Network)
Baltimore at Green Bay, 1/noon c
Los Angeles Rams at Houston, 1/noon c
Minnesota at Philadelphia, 1/noon c
Los Angeles Chargers at Dallas, 4/3c (NFL Network)
New York Giants at New York Jets, 7:30/6:30c (NFL Network)
Cleveland at Seattle, 10/9c (NFL Network)
Sunday, August 25
Tennessee at New Orleans, 2/1c (NFL Network)
Arizona at Denver, 4:30/3:30c (CBS)
New England at Washington, 8/7c (NBC)