Ex Packers DT 60 tackles Opens Up on Emotional Packers Return, Admits Isolation Inside Bears Locker Room: “Green Bay Is Home”

Green Bay, Wisconsin – December 29, 2025

For Jonathan Ford, returning to the Green Bay Packers was never just another waiver claim. It was an emotional homecoming — one shaped by rivalry, rejection, and a season spent on the wrong side of one of the NFL’s fiercest divides.

Ford, a former seventh-round pick by the Packers in 2022, rejoined Green Bay this week after being waived by the Chicago Bears — a move that carried extra weight given the historic animosity between the two franchises. Behind the scenes, the journey had been far more difficult than statistics or transactions could show.

Sources close to Ford revealed that his time in Chicago was marked by quiet isolation inside the Bears’ locker room. Despite appearing in games and doing his job professionally, Ford never truly felt accepted — largely because his identity was tied to Green Bay.

“When you come from the Packers, that label never leaves you,” Ford admitted. “I respected everyone in Chicago, but I could feel the distance. I was the guy who used to wear green and gold — and in that building, that matters.”

While Ford never publicly complained, the emotional toll was real. Teammates were cordial, but connections never fully formed. In a rivalry where loyalty runs deep, Ford often felt like an outsider — a former Packer trying to survive in enemy territory.

“There were days I felt completely alone,” he said. “You walk into the locker room, do your work, say the right things — but you know you don’t belong there in the same way.”

The call from Green Bay changed everything.

When the Packers claimed Ford off waivers, the relief was immediate. Inside Lambeau Field, familiar faces greeted him with handshakes, smiles, and something he hadn’t felt in months — belonging.

“There were days I felt completely alone,” Ford said. “Now I’ve come back home. When you walk into this locker room, you don’t have to force anything — you belong. This is where I’m meant to be.”

Packers players welcomed Ford back without hesitation, fully aware of what it means to cross rivalry lines — and to cross back. Coaches emphasized that his return wasn’t symbolic, but purposeful, as injuries along the defensive line created a real opportunity.

For Ford, the motivation now burns deeper than ever.

“Being in Chicago tested me,” he said. “But it also reminded me who I am. I’m a Packer. I always have been.”

In one of the NFL’s oldest rivalries, Jonathan Ford’s story adds a personal layer — a reminder that beyond wins and losses, some bonds can’t be broken.

And for Ford, after months in hostile territory, the green and gold no longer just represent a uniform.

They represent home.