There is apparently no love lost between Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson and Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur in a feud of brilliant offensive minds that stretches back years.
A back-and-forth in the public eye that began at Johnson’s introductory press conference as the new Chicago head coach in January played out across the last week, with its latest chapter coming in the form of a snapshot handshake at midfield following the Packers’ 28-21 victory over the Bears at Lambeau Field on Sunday, December 7.
Former NFL quarterback and current Fox Sports broadcaster Tom Brady discussed the interaction between Johnson and LaFleur with Terry Bradshaw during the postgame.
“Did you see the handshake after the game?” Bradshaw asked.
“Yeah, I’m sure it was as icy as the temperature,” Brady responded.
“And I think both teams had to go buy extra bulletin boards going into the week. There was a lot of material both ways. You’ve got coaches talking smack,” Brady continued. “The two of them, just the way it’s gonna go. And those two young coaches are gonna be in these programs for awhile. We’re gonna see some great matchups between these teams.”
Ben Johnson Took Jab at Matt LaFleur Ahead of 2025 Season
GettyGreen Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur.
Johnson spent 2022-24 as the offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions, during which his team was a top-five offense in each season and went 5-1 against Green Bay across that span.
At his press conference last winter, Johnson goaded LaFleur while praising Dan Campbell and Kevin O’Connell — the head coaches of the Lions and Minnesota Vikings, respectively.
“To be quite frank with you, I kind of enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year,” Johnson said with a smile.
It was LaFleur who got the last laugh on Sunday, though it was a near thing until the end, as the Bears were threatening down seven points before quarterback Caleb Williams threw an interception in the end zone with just seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
The two teams each have one other game separating their second matchup of the campaign, which comes on Saturday, December 20 at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Bears, Packers Could Face Game With Even Bigger Stakes in Week 16
GettyChicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson.
The Packers (9-3-1) took a half-game lead in the NFC North Division with their victory Sunday but face a tough battle on the road against the Denver Broncos (11-2) next weekend.
Chicago (9-4) also faces a tough defense in the Cleveland Browns (3-10), though Cleveland is a far less complete team than is Denver and the Bears will also get the Browns at home, while Green Bay must play on the road.
It is entirely possible that the Bears could retake the division lead heading into Week 16, which would mean the stakes 12 days from now will be both exactly the same and somehow even higher simultaneously, with the division lead on the line and only two games remaining following the end of that contest.
Detroit (8-5) is also hovering in the division mix after hanging on to beat the surging Dallas Cowboys in the most recent edition of “Thursday Night Football.” The Vikings (5-8) are more or less out of contention but could still play the role of spoiler, as they face the Lions in Week 17 and the Packers in Week 18 to close out the season.
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