The rivalry between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears is one of the best in the NFL, and it will be entering a new era in 2025. As the Packers continue to charge forward with Matt LaFleur as head coach, the Bears will be testing things out in their first season with Ben Johnson at the helm.

Johnson was one of the most highly-praised coaching hires of the offseason after multiple years leading an elite Detroit Lions offense as the offensive coordinator. The Lions have also had success against the Packers in recent years, beating them six out of the last seven times they have faced off.

Johnson got Bears fans fired up at his introductory press conference by saying that he “enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year.” Despite the diss, LaFleur downplayed a potential beef between the two NFC North head coaches.

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“I don't know Ben Johnson. I respect him as a football coach, he did a nice job,” LaFleur said. “I thought the press conference was interesting, but I don't have beef with him.”

Whether there's beef or not, it sounds like LaFleur might be a little bit more juiced up to beat Johnson when the two sides square off in the fall. After all, there's no better way to put an end to some trash talk than to get the W on the field.

At least heading into the season, the Packers should have the upper hand on the Bears. Green Bay has reached the playoffs in each of the last two seasons and seems like it is on the brink of a big breakthrough into contender status in the NFC. The Bears, on the other hand, are still bringing along Caleb Williams at quarterback and will be trying to get the wheels turning in year one under Johnson.

Still, if Johnson is the type of coach and offensive mind that he showed in Detroit, the rivalry between the Bears and the Packers could get back to the level of two elite teams going at it twice a year with massive stakes on the line.