At Ben Johnson’s introductory press conference as the new head coach of the Chicago Bears back in February, he took a swipe at Packers coach Matt LaFleur, saying he “kind of enjoyed beating” the Green Bay coach twice a year while he was with the Detroit Lions.
LaFleur waited a while to respond, finally addressing the comment and brushing off any “beef” with a bit of subtle shade aimed at the new Bears coach.
“I don’t know Ben Johnson,” LaFleur said on Bussin’ With The Boys. “Do I have beef? I don’t know Ben Johnson. I respect him as a coach, he did a good job [in Detroit]. … The press conference was interesting, but I don’t have beef with him. … I don’t get caught up in that stuff.”
LaFleur doesn’t seem concerned about facing Johnson in 2025, especially given how Green Bay has controlled the Bears–Packers rivalry, winning 11 of the past 13 matchups.
However, during Johnson’s time as Lions offensive coordinator from 2022 to 2024, Detroit beat Green Bay in five of six games. His confidence against LaFleur makes sense, though the challenge may look different in Chicago, where wins against the Packers have been rare.
All the talk will get settled on the field this season as the Packers and Bears play twice yearly. Johnson will have the chance to prove he can still top LaFleur now that he’s in Chicago.
