Caleb Williams and 'Hard Knocks' will help bring the Bears out of their beige shell

Caleb Williams will be the star of the Bears’ turn in HBO’s “Hard Knocks.’' Nam Y. Huh/AP Photos

One of the reasons for the 1985 Bears’ decades-long hold on a fan base and a city was its cast of uninhibited characters. Mike Ditka, Buddy Ryan, Jim McMahon, Steve McMichael, Dan Hampton, William Perry and Walter Payton never tiptoed into a room.

Yes, there certainly was a Super Bowl title attached to that team and, no, there certainly hasn’t been a title since for the franchise, but without that mix of big personalities, the ’85 Bears are just another champion. Champions are crowned every year. Champions that live in zoos are not.

Since then – since the McCaskey family dug their sensible shoes in…