Matt LaFleur brushed off the idea that Sunday’s win carried any extra personal meaning, even as the buildup suggested otherwise. The Green Bay Packers coach was asked directly whether beating Ben Johnson felt more satisfying after the Chicago Bears’ head honcho had taken a public jab at him earlier in the year.
Johnson had stirred things in January when he joked that he enjoyed beating LaFleur twice a season during his time as Detroit’s offensive coordinator. The comment lingered throughout the offseason and resurfaced in the days leading up to the matchup, especially with first place in the NFC North on the line. But LaFleur made it clear after Green Bay’s 28–21 victory that he wasn’t interested in adding fuel to the rivalry.
He dismissed the idea entirely, reiterating that the stakes of the game mattered far more than any personal slight. “No, absolutely not,” he said. “It’s Packers‑Bears. It’s a great rivalry. Certainly, with what was at stake in regards to positioning in the NFC North, that’s the only thing that matters.” His answer echoed the calm approach he displayed during the week, even when observers noted a notably brief handshake between the two coaches after the final whistle.
The competitive edge between the teams was obvious, however. Chicago rallied from a two‑score deficit and had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds before Keisean Nixon intercepted Caleb Williams in the end zone. The Bears’ late surge pushed the matchup into classic rivalry territory, but LaFleur remained focused on how his players responded under pressure.
Green Bay Packers’ Matt LaFleur Shares How He Felt About Beating Chicago Bears’ Ben Johnson
LaFleur recently shared how satisfying it was to beat Johnson during Green Bay’s recent game against the Bears. This can be seen in an article written by Rob Demovsky for ESPN.
Johnson verbally jabbed LaFleur shortly after being hired by the Bears in January, when he said he enjoyed beating him twice a year when he was the Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator. But if LaFleur took any extra satisfaction in the Packers’ 28-21 win Sunday, he wasn’t letting on.
“No, absolutely not,” he said. “It’s Packers-Bears. It’s a great rivalry. Certainly, with what was at stake in regards to positioning in the NFC North, that’s the only thing that matters.”
Around the league, analysts pointed out that Green Bay’s win marked an early statement in the evolving battle between the two young coaches. LaFleur improved to 12–1 against the Bears, while Johnson was left acknowledging that his team simply failed to make the final play. Still, neither coach leaned into the narrative of personal rivalry, even as fans and pundits embraced it.
LaFleur’s refusal to make the win about anything other than football underscored his steady approach to a season defined by tight division races. As the teams prepare for a rematch in two weeks, he has kept the focus squarely on the standings, not the soundbites.
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