“Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Bears” is the show where Chicago Bears fans get an inside look at their team, and it’s something they eagerly await every Tuesday. While many episodes bring laughter, some hit harder with tough decisions and emotional stories. Take the August 29, 2024 episode, for instance, when general manager Ryan Poles had to give the heartbreaking news to one of his favorites, Adrian Colbert, that he was being released from the team.

At 30 years old, Colbert was let go by the team and is now a free agent. During their conversation, Poles told Colbert, “There’s some guys you’re rooting for. You’re one of them. I want you to know, there are certain things people say and do that make them special. You’re one of them.” Poles visibly tried to overcome his emotions as Colbert entered his office, and he even had to take a brief pause to gather himself after they shared a hug.

Despite this news, Adrian stayed very humble. Showing his gratitude for the team. “You know, you don’t find many places like that. Everybody wants you to be the same, everybody wants you to be exactly like the next person.” Telling this team let him be himself, allowing him to thrive both on and off the field.

Adrian Colbert first joined the Chicago Bears practice squad on November 29, 2022, and was re-signed on November 21, 2023. He later secured a reserve/future contract on January 8, 2024. However, on August 27, 2024, Colbert was released by the Bears as they opted to keep only four safeties on their 53-man roster: Jaquan Brisker, Kevin Byard, Jonathan Owens, and Elijah Hicks. Unfortunately, Colbert didn’t fulfill the criteria.

Since entering the league, Adrian Colbert has played for six different teams, including the 49ers, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, New York Jets, and Cleveland Browns, before landing with the Chicago Bears in 2022. The decision came despite a solid preseason performance on defense. And the episode was aired just hours after Colbert was cut during the final roster decisions.

This is not the only thing that made Chicago fans sad. On that episode, Colbert shared a story that made everyone cry and proud of him. 

Adrian Colbert’s traumatizing accident

During a discussion with Ryan Poles, Adrian Colbert opened up about a childhood accident. “It was a Sunday. I had a (football) game that morning. I still had on my pads,” Colbert recalled on ‘Hard Knocks.’ “I wanted to ride the bike, wanted to race. We were racing; me and my classmate. I didn’t stop at the stop sign. And this lady, she was rushing to work, was going about 55 (mph).” He explained how he got blindsided and hit, thinking he almost lost his life.

After that incident, Colbert spent two weeks in a coma, with doctors warning him that he’d never play football again. But Colbert defied the odds, going on to play four years at Miami University in Florida from 2013 to 2016. Despite the setbacks and the trauma of his childhood, Colbert always remains undeterred and calm. And his gratitude for life remains unshaken, which is his best quality.