Bears’ Ben Johnson drops mic on icy Matt LaFleur handshake

After the Chicago Bears beat the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round, head coaches Ben Johnson and Matt LaFleur had a controversial mid-field handshake. Johnson has now cleared up any confusion from the moment.

But he isn’t backing down from the animosity. Johnson is trying to re-establish the Bears vs. Packers rivalry, via Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team.

“This is a rivalry,” Johnson said. “The city of Chicago, Green Bay, it needs to be a rivalry.”

#Bears HC Ben Johnson on if there's something personal between him and Matt LaFleur:

“This is a rivalry. The city of Chicago, Green Bay — it needs to be a rivalry.” https://t.co/R5z3HmENnV pic.twitter.com/9GK6PTyZxa

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 12, 2026

Prior to Johnson’s arrival, the Packers dominated the rivalry. So much so it’s hard to even call it a fair fight. Green Bay won 11 straight matchups from 2019-2024. Furthermore, the Packers made the playoffs five times during that span while the Bears advanced just once.

Johnson is looking to bring the Bears out of the NFC North’s cellar. He wants them to be considered serious contenders. In that same vein, Johnson doesn’t want Chicago’s most storied rivalry to be taken as a joke any longer.

Going 2-1 against the Packers in his first year as head coach certainly developed the roots of that plan. The second victory knocked Green Bay out of the playoffs completely. Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams orchestrated a 25-point fourth quarter to complete the comeback and win 31-27.

Johnson’s debut with the Bears has ushered in an entirely new era in Chicago. With the Packers now vanquished, the Bears are focused on their upcoming playoff matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. But when Green Bay and Chicago face off next, emotions are sure to rise.

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