Monday night’s game between the Chicago Bears and the Seattle Seahawks was always set up to be a classic. The 5-2 Bears going into Seattle against the reigning Super Bowl champs, Ben Johnson vs. Mike Macdonald. I mean, this game was always going to be headline worthy.

“Man, we’ve got a tough opponent here this week,” Johnson said on Wednesday. “It’s a good team. Obviously, they won the Super Bowl last year and everything that comes with that. There’s talent in all three phases, really well coached throughout, and it’ll be a big challenge on the road in a hostile environment as well.”

And now there’s a whole new element to this game that will cap off Week 8 of the NFL season. The Seahawks and Bears have both made massive trades this week to land an All-Pro player in the trenches, and it’s two players that know each other very very well.

Jeffery Simmons vs. Quenton Nelson adds a new element to Bears vs. Seahawks on Monday night

On Tuesday, the Seahawks made a trade with the Indianapolis Colts to land left guard Quenton Nelson, giving quarterback Sam Darnold a stalwart up-front that can also aid the team’s rushing attack. There’s a strong shot Nelson plays on Monday against the Bears, and Chicago responded with a swing of their own.

On Thursday, the Bears made a trade with the Tennessee Titans to land defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, giving Dennis Allen a new interior threat to collapse the pocket and defend against the run.

Those two trades add a whole new level to this game, saying Nelson and Simmons actually suit up for their new teams on Monday night. And it would be far from the first time Nelson and Simmons go head-to-head in the trenches.

Nelson and Simmons have been bitter rivals for years competing against each other twice every season in the AFC South. While they hate each other, there’s also a sense of mutual respect.

“I know I need to bring my A-game every time I line up against Quenton,” Simmons explained this offseason. “He plays the game hard. Facing him twice a year for my last seven years, he’s been unbelievable. It’s nothing but respect for Quenton.”

Simmons once called it a “heavy-weight matchup” when he goes up against Nelson. That fight could be on an even brighter stage come Monday night.

“It’s his power and then the way he plays the game,” Nelson once said about Simmons. “He plays hard. He’s got a motor. He’s one of the strongest if not the strongest D-tackles I’ve gone against. And he’s not one dimensional. He can hit you with the pass rush or in the run game. He’s definitely the heart of that defense.”

Again, this is all saying both players actually are ready to go and play for their new respective teams come Monday. But, if they do, get your popcorn ready.