Packers HC Matt LaFleur expands on alleged feud with Bears' Ben Johnson

Shortly after the Chicago Bears introduced Ben Johnson as their new head coach in January 2025, Johnson joked that he "kinda enjoyed beating" Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur "twice a year" when Johnson served as the offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions. 

Following Green Bay's 28-21 home win over Chicago on Sunday, LaFleur insisted that the fact that the Bears took over first place in the NFC North was "the only thing that matters" regarding the game's outcome. Later, he spoke with Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated about the supposed feud between the coaches. 

Matt LaFleur: Ben Johnson "said what he said"

"I mean, he said what he said, and it is what it is," LaFleur said about Johnson's comment. "To me, it’s always about our players and our teams playing against each other. Ben does a hell of a job. I got a lot of respect for him as a coach, and they got a good team. They got good players, and it was evident [Sunday]. We had a chance to kind of get out ahead of them in the second half, and they continued to battle and fight. I mean, shoot, it’s always a couple plays here and there, that’s the difference. Luckily, we made two plays at the end of the game." 

As of early Monday afternoon, the ESPN Football Power Index gave the 9-3-1 Packers a 69.8 percent chance to claim the division title. 9-4 Chicago was at 21.0 percent, while the 8-5 Lions were at 9.2 percent. Following Sunday's game at Lambeau Field, Johnson and LaFleur met for a brief interaction. 

"See you in two weeks," Johnson told LaFleur in reference to the Week 16 game between the clubs that will be held at Chicago's Soldier Field. 

Matt LaFleur sends warning to Packers about rest of schedule

LaFleur understands his team can't afford to look past any opponent at this stage of the campaign. Green Bay plays at the 11-2 Denver Broncos on Dec. 14 before the Packers begin preparing for the rematch with Chicago. In Week 17, Green Bay will host a Baltimore Ravens (6-7) side that may be fighting to remain in the playoff hunt. The Packers will then finish the regular season with a matchup at a Minnesota Vikings (5-8) team that could want to spoil things for Green Bay. 

"There’s still a lot of ball in front of us, and it’s such a tight race," LaFleur added. "It keeps us in the thick of it, obviously. We got a lot of challenges in front of us. You’re talking about just every team on our schedule is going to be a monster, in Denver, Chicago, Baltimore and Minnesota, so you just got to keep working, taking it a day at a time, one game at a time, and focus on what you have in front of you. You just can’t get too far out in front of yourself, because if you do that, you’re bound to slip up."

On Monday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Packers as 1.5-point road favorites against the Broncos.