Chicago Bears Don't Use Profanity on This Season of HBO'sHard KnocksOut of 'Respect for' Team Owners

Mar. 15, 2025

Viriginia and Michael McCaskey after Bears win 2007 NFC Championship.Photo:Al Messerschmidt/Getty

Al Messerschmidt/Getty

Longtime viewers of HBO’sHard Knocksmay notice a softer approach to this season with the Chicago Bears. Three episodes in, not a single curse word has been spoken.The lead director of the series, Shannon Furman, revealed during an interview on theCHGO Bearspodcast that the reason viewers aren’t hearing as much profanity on the current season because of the Bears owners, the McCaskey family.“I’ll be honest, this team curses much less than any other team I’ve been around, but it is out of respect for the McCaskey family,” Furmanexplained.“It’s something that they don’t do and wouldn’t want to see it,” she added of the Bears owners. “So it’s just kind of been a decision that was made out of respect for them, letting us in their house and wanting to be respectful to them.”The podcast’s host Adam Hoge told Furman that he’s “been able to watch all three episodes” with his 10-year-old child, which has “been kind of nice,” but the show has been on so long that the lack of profanity has been surprising for longtime viewers.“Having watchedHard Knocksall these years, it is part of the show, it’s real football, where you always hear what they’re saying,” Hoge added.Virginia Halas McCaskey became the official owner of the Bears after her father, George Halas, passed away in 1983, leaving the team to her, according toForbesandCBS.McCaskey — who celebrated her 101st birthday in January — is a beloved figure in the Bears community.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Tight end Cole Kmet compared her to “royalty” during an interview with CBS in 2023. “I kind of like to think of her like the queen of Chicago. She’s like royalty. Pretty amazing stuff. You know, she’s been around, and she just takes great pride in this organization, and you know, we all feel that from the top down,” Kmet added.Three episodes in, the new season ofHard Knockshas also includeda cameo from Simone Biles, whose husbandJonathan Owensis playing his first season with the team.Biles, 27, came to support her husband at the Bears' 27-3 win over the Bengals in the episode just after the gymnast returned from adding four more gold medals to her collection at the2024 Paris Olympics.

Longtime viewers of HBO’sHard Knocksmay notice a softer approach to this season with the Chicago Bears. Three episodes in, not a single curse word has been spoken.

The lead director of the series, Shannon Furman, revealed during an interview on theCHGO Bearspodcast that the reason viewers aren’t hearing as much profanity on the current season because of the Bears owners, the McCaskey family.

“I’ll be honest, this team curses much less than any other team I’ve been around, but it is out of respect for the McCaskey family,” Furmanexplained.

“It’s something that they don’t do and wouldn’t want to see it,” she added of the Bears owners. “So it’s just kind of been a decision that was made out of respect for them, letting us in their house and wanting to be respectful to them.”

The podcast’s host Adam Hoge told Furman that he’s “been able to watch all three episodes” with his 10-year-old child, which has “been kind of nice,” but the show has been on so long that the lack of profanity has been surprising for longtime viewers.

“Having watchedHard Knocksall these years, it is part of the show, it’s real football, where you always hear what they’re saying,” Hoge added.

Virginia Halas McCaskey became the official owner of the Bears after her father, George Halas, passed away in 1983, leaving the team to her, according toForbesandCBS.

McCaskey — who celebrated her 101st birthday in January — is a beloved figure in the Bears community.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Tight end Cole Kmet compared her to “royalty” during an interview with CBS in 2023. “I kind of like to think of her like the queen of Chicago. She’s like royalty. Pretty amazing stuff. You know, she’s been around, and she just takes great pride in this organization, and you know, we all feel that from the top down,” Kmet added.

Three episodes in, the new season ofHard Knockshas also includeda cameo from Simone Biles, whose husbandJonathan Owensis playing his first season with the team.

Biles, 27, came to support her husband at the Bears' 27-3 win over the Bengals in the episode just after the gymnast returned from adding four more gold medals to her collection at the2024 Paris Olympics.

source: people.com