Packers HC Matt LaFleur fires back at Bears ahead of Christmas showdown after Ben Johnson took repeated shots in 2025
LaFleur is ready to embrace the coaching rivalry against Johnson, and we’ll see that on Christmas in Chicago.
Last year, Matt LaFleur heard so many shots from Ben Johnson and tried to keep his head cool. Well, let’s say it worked better for the Chicago Bears, who beat the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs, and for Johnson, who’s already considered one of the best head coaches in football after just a season.
So now LaFleur looks more willing to fire back. A day after the NFL schedule release, LaFleur talked to Packers.com about the Packers’ challenges in 2026, which includes a Christmas game in Chicago. And the Packers head coach had a strong message for the game.
“We gotta give them a good Christmas present,” LaFleur said. “That’ll be an electric atmosphere, as it always is, and certainly there’s a lot of games prior to that date, but I’m sure it will be a meaningful game.”
Initial challenges
That Bears game will only happen in Week 16. So as LaFleur stressed, there are a lot of challenges between now and then. The first regular season one is against the Minnesota Vikings, another road divisional game to kick things off.
“Excited about it,” LaFleur added. “I mean, starting against an NFC North division rival, it’s always a tough place to play. It’s going to have a playoff-type atmosphere, for sure.”
While analysts and fans like to see when the games will happen and identify patterns or advantages, the main factors will only be found out during the season. With that in mind, LaFleur prefers to focus on his own roster and how his team will perform.
“Absolutely,” LaFleur said when asked if when he plays those games is more important than who he plays against. “And most importantly, how you play them. So we’re always gonna be concerned about us and our play style, and whoever it is that we’re playing, we’re gonna go out and play our best.”
It’s going to be a long season. But with the weight of what happened last season, particularly in the playoffs, beating the rivals is even more important than usual. And Matt LaFleur has made it clear that the attitude is part of the changes.