Chicago Bears all-in on Ben Johnson’s Packers message

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Chicago Bears all-in on Ben Johnson’s Packers message

Originally posted on ChiCitySports | By Dan Fappiano | Last updated Oct 8, 2026 7:29 PM ET

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson wants to leave an unforgettable legacy with the franchise. A big part of how he’ll be remember is how the Bears fare against their rival Green Bay Packers.

In year one of the Johnson era, Chicago split their two regular season matchups. But the Bears got the last laugh, knocking the Packers out of the playoffs in the Wild Card Round.

Their first 2006 meeting will look noticeably different. Green Bay is missing a number of defensive standouts, highlighted by Micah Parsons. And in turn, Chicago is down quarterback Caleb Williams.

For head coach Ben Johnson though, nothing has changed. He is looked to beat the Packers at every opportunity. The Bears have now fully bought into the head coach’s message.

Chicago Bears amped up for first 2026 Packers clash

Jan 4, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end Grady Jarrett (50) celebrates after a sack against the Detroit Lions during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

Now in his second year with the Bears, Grady Jarrett has seen Johnson’s evolution as a head coach. He feels the intensity radiating off of his words. Entering Week 5, Jarrett is emulating his head coach’s approach and taking every moment of preparation seriously, via Dan Wiederer of the Athletic.

“There is a heightened sense of urgency,” Jarrett said. “There is a heightened sense of what this game means to us, what it means to the fans, what it means to ownership. So we do treat it differently. We acknowledge that. And we pour into that. We have to give this rivalry its due respect.”

Fellow defensive tackle Neville Gallimore is in his first year with the franchise. Still, it hasn’t taken him long to get acclimated to the Bears-Packers rivalry. Gallimore is now ready to leave his mark in the longstanding NFC North war.

“Man, I love this,” Gallimore said. “The intensity and the urgency are at a premium.”

“We haven’t even played them yet,” he continued, “and every week I’m hearing from our fanbase: ‘Green Bay sucks!’ You quickly gain an understanding that we don’t like them and they don’t like us.”

The winner of the Week 5 matchup will gain significant NFC North standing ground. But almost more importantly, the franchise will have bragging rights until at least the next meet up. Johnson wants to ensure it’s Chicago doing the talking. His players are on board with that plan.

This article first appeared on ChiCitySports and was syndicated with permission.

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