For years the Detroit Lions were the punching bag of the NFC North. With their rise the past few seasons, claiming back-to-back division crowns, the Chicago Bears have become the laughing stock.
After hiring Ben Johnson, Chicago’s new head coach — and the former Lions offensive coordinator — wasted no time taking a shot at Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur.
Sunday will be the first of two meetings in a three-week stretch that could very well decide the NFC North in 2025. There’s no shot LaFleur has forgotten what Johnson said at his introductory press conference in Chicago.
I’ve got tremendous amount of respect for the coaches and the players in this league. I have competed against them the last six years. Dan Campbell, Kevin O’Connell, you talk about two guys that are up for Coach of the Year Awards as the season ends here. And, to be quite frank with you, I kinda enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year.
This felt different when Johnson said it back in January following his arrival in Chicago. When Bears general manager Ryan Poles said at his introductory presser a few years back that the Bears were going to take the North and never give it back, everyone laughed.
Poles was trying to ignite a fanbase and a franchise but had no prior success doing so as a GM. As a result, nobody took him seriously. In fact, since his arrival, the Bears have finished last in the division. every single year.
The difference with Johnson is that he did have prior success in the division, specifically against the Packers, before taking the Bears gig.
In his final year as the offensive coordinator in Detroit, Johnson’s Lions went 2-0 against the Packers and claimed the top seed in the NFC. Detroit’s defense was a big contributor, but there was no doubting the team’s greatest strength was Johnson’s relentless, innovative offense.
When appearing on the Bussin’ with the Boys podcast in April, LaFleur was asked about Johnson’s comments. While he didn’t try to throw gasoline on the fire, it’s evident Johnson’s comments won’t be forgotten.
I’m sure he’s playing to their fans a little bit. It is what it is. I’m not gonna lose too much sleep because of that… I don’t know Ben Johnson. Do I have beef? Uh, I don’t know Ben Johnson. I respect him as a football coach, he did a nice job. … I thought the press conference was interesting. But I don’t have beef with him.
It’s only right that Sunday’s matchup, the first of the year between the two, features the 9-3 Bears who currently hold the No. 1 seed in the NFC and the 8-3-1 Packers. At the start of the season, had you said the Packers would have eight wins through 12 games, few would’ve batted an eye. Despite Johnson providing optimism, 9-3 would have sounded like a big stretch for Chicago. But a team that was thought of as a fringe playoff contender has blossomed into a squad on the hunt for a division title and theoretically even a first-round bye.
LaFleur won’t forget what Johnson said in the offseason, and if Green Bay wins, he may throw a verbal jab back at Johnson in the postgame presser on Sunday. With the Packers playing Chicago twice in three weeks, maybe he’ll wait until the dust settles. By then it may be clear which team is poised to win the NFC North.
Green Bay is 11-1 against Chicago with LaFleur as the head coach. It’s a staggering record for what is considered one of the most historical rivalries in all of football — hell, in all of sports. Chicago’s lone win came in the most recent matchup, Week 18 of the 2024 season at Lambeau Field. Not only will LaFleur want the last laugh after Johnson’s comments in the offseason, but also Green Bay is trying to rid itself of the sour taste of losing to the Bears at home in the regular-season finale a year ago.
For the first time in a long time, this rivalry has juice again. Johnson’s comments back in January are a big reason for that.
