Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur probably didn’t plan on spending much time watching Ben Johnson’s introductory press conference as the The new head coach of the Chicago Bears Wednesday.
But the moment Johnson threw some shade at him, you can be sure LaFleur was listening.
Johnson, hired by the Bears after six years in various offensive coaching roles with the Detroit Lionsrecognized how he remains in a division with elite coaches.
“Dan Campbell and Kevin O’Connell talk about two guys who are in the running for coach of the year as the season ends here,” Johnson said.
His former boss, Campbell and O’Connell, with the Minnesota Vikings, will likely be a finalist for the NFL’s best coach award after leading their teams to remarkable regular season success. The playoffs were a different story, as was the case for the Packers.
Johnson hasn’t forgotten about LaFleur, the longest-tenured head coach in the NFC North. He had a zinger waiting for him.
“And to be completely honest with you,” Johnson noted in explaining why he didn’t want to leave the NFC North, “I kind of liked beating Matt LaFleur twice a year.”
He smirked after saying that.
Woah, Johnson certainly got into this rivalry.
Ben Johnson vs. Matt LaFleur
Did Johnson’s teams really beat LaFleur’s twice a year? Not so fast.
LaFleur and Johnson both joined the NFC North in 2019. LaFleur was hired as head coach of the Packers, while Johnson arrived with the Lions as offensive quality control coach that year. Johnson held other positions within the Lions offense before being promoted to offensive coordinator from 2022-24.
While the Lions have gone 5-1 with Johnson as offensive coordinator against the Packers over the past three years, in the 12 total games between Green Bay and Detroit since the start of 2019 with LaFleur and Johnson in the mix , each team won six and lost. six.
The Lions swept the Packers in 2022 and 2024although Green Bay also has two sweeps in 2019 and 2020. The teams split the series in 2021 and 2023.
Packers vs. Bears rivalry
Meanwhile, Johnson joins a franchise that hasn’t swept the series with the Packers in 17 years. And before the Packers lost to the Bears in the regular season finale, 24-22, Earlier this month, Green Bay had beaten Chicago 11 straight times and had five straight season series sweeps. Packers defeat in Week 18 was Matt LaFleur’s first loss of his head coaching career against Chicago.
With a 5-12 record, Johnson’s new team was the only team in the NFC North not to make the playoffs last year.
“I know it’s the toughest division in football right now,” Johnson said. “There are three teams that made the playoffs this year. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the coaches and players in this league who have competed against them over the last six years.”
Well, maybe there isn’t much respect from Johnson for the Packers.
This article originally appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: New Bears coach Ben Johnson throws shade at Packers’ Matt LaFleur
