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While the game between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers ended on Saturday, the war of words has continued in the following days.
The Bears pulled off a remarkable 31-27 victory in the NFC Wild Card round, knocking off their bitter rivals and making their disdain for the Packers well known. In the locker room after the game, head coach Ben Johnson made no secret of his feelings toward the Packers.
“Man, f— Packers! F— them! F—ing hate those guys!” Johnson roared into a jubilant Bears locker room.
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(Left) Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney (29) plays against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Glendale, Arizona, Oct. 19, 2025. (Right) Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson looks on against the San Francisco 49ers during the first quarter of the game at Levi’s Stadium. Santa Clara, California, on December 28, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images; Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Packers star safety Xavier McKinney called Johnson a troll for his comments.
“He’s a troll,” McKinney said. “So that’s cool. I’m just not a troll. So I don’t know, it’s just him. But he’s a hell of a trainer though.”
Johnson doubled down on his remarks after the game on Monday.
“There’s a rivalry that exists between these two teams,” Johnson said. “Something that I fully recognize and I’m a part of. I just don’t like that team.”
PACKERS’ HEAD-COACHING SITUATION PUSHED IN SPOTLIGHT AFTER PLAYOFF LOSS
Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears looks on in the second quarter against the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field on January 4, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Johnson said he even talked to team owner George McCaskey about it, and the coach said the owner is on the same page.
“This is a rivalry and the city of Chicago, Green Bay, it has to be a rivalry,” Johnson said.
The 39-year-old coach has made his distaste for the Packers known since his inaugural press conference as Bears head coach back in January 2025. Johnson talked about how good the NFC North is before taking an unsolicited shot at Packers head coach Matt LaFleur.
“And to be completely honest with you, I enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year,” Johnson said with a smile.
The coaches’ interactions after the team’s three games this season have been brief. After the Packers’ win, in the teams’ first matchup of the regular season, the two’s handshake lasted barely a second before they ran past each other.
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Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur reacts during the first half of an NFL wild card playoff football game against the Chicago Bears. Chicago, Illinois, Saturday, January 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
After the Bears’ improbable regular-season comeback, the handshake lasted a bit longer as both coaches patted each other on the arm before going their separate ways.
The handshake after the Wild Card game was even shorter than the first, as Johnson ran up to LaFleur and shook his hand before bolting.
The Bears next game is against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday at 6:30 PM ET, where Johnson will take on another LaFleur. Mike LaFleur, brother of the Packers’ head coach, is the Rams’ offensive coordinator.
