Bears HC Ben Johnson not backing away from expletive aimed toward Packers following wild card win

Following Saturday night’s victory over rival Green Bay, Chicago Bears’ first-year head coach Ben Johnson intensified the rivalry by shouting, “F*** the Packers,” in the locker room shortly after sending them back to Wisconsin for the second time this season.

When asked about his locker room outburst (which energized his team) by Chicago reporters, Johnson did not back down or retract his words. He stands by his verbal outburst directed at the entire Green Bay organization and feels no remorse.

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

“There’s a rivalry that exists between these two teams,” Johnson said. “Something that I fully recognize and I’m a part of. Yeah, I just… I don’t like that team.”

In his first year as head coach, Johnson is already reshaping Chicago’s culture and has defeated the Bears’ biggest rival two out of three times this season. Both victories over Green Bay occurred in Chicago, with the most satisfying one coming Saturday, ending the Packers’ season. All three matchups were decided by seven points or fewer, with the closest being the Bears’ wild card win over the weekend, 31-27.

For a long time, this rivalry was heavily skewed in favor of the Packers. However, in just one season, with Johnson as head coach, quarterback Caleb Williams’ development, and the players they’ve assembled, there’s been a power shift in the NFC North. The Bears are now just one win away from reaching their first NFC title game since 2010.

Johnson has arrived in Chicago determined to uphold this rivalry, and it’s even evident during the post-game handshake between these coaches. Each time these teams met this season, the handshake was quick, and on Saturday, Johnson’s seemed more like a drive-by than a greeting. No pleasantries are being exchanged between these rivals.

But for Johnson and the Bears, the Packers rivalry will be on hold until next season, as they prepare for their divisional round game against the visiting Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. The Bears will face a tough challenge against first-team All-Pro quarterback Matthew Stafford and an offense that can be just as explosive, if not more so, than Chicago’s.