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Chicago, Illinois – January 7, 2026 The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers don’t need help finding reasons to dislike one another. History has already done that job. But on Tuesday, Bears head coach Ben Johnson ensured the NFL’s oldest rivalry entered Wild Card Weekend with fresh gasoline — delivered in just seven words. Following Chicago’s regular-season finale, Johnson was asked about his decision to play starters in Week 18 while other playoff-bound teams opted for rest. His answer was short, sharp, and impossible to misinterpret. “Some teams rest. We play football.” Seven words. That was all it took. Around the league, the message was immediately clear. With the Packers having rested key starters after locking up their postseason position, Johnson’s comment landed as a direct shot at Matt LaFleur, and it instantly reignited the Bears–Packers feud at the exact moment both sides are preparing to meet in the playoffs. Johnson didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t mention Green Bay by name. He didn’t need to. In rivalry language, subtlety often cuts deeper than confrontation. Since arriving in Chicago, Johnson has leaned hard into an identity centered on physicality, urgency, and competitive edge — values Bears fans have long demanded during years of frustration. His stance is simple: momentum matters, toughness matters, and nothing is preserved by backing away from competition. To Johnson, playing starters wasn’t recklessness. It was philosophy. On the opposite sideline, LaFleur remained measured, declining to escalate the exchange. He reiterated that Green Bay’s decision to rest players was rooted in long-term health, particularly after last season’s painful reminder when the Packers lost Christian Watson to a season-ending ACL injury in the regular-season finale. “I feel better about this decision than I did a year ago,” LaFleur said. “Time will tell.” That contrast now defines this rivalry chapter. Johnson believes sharpness is earned through repetition. LaFleur believes championships are protected through restraint. Inside NFL circles, Johnson’s words were widely viewed as intentional — not emotional, not careless, but strategic. Playoff football is as much psychological as it is physical, and Johnson understands that narrative pressure can be applied long before kickoff. For Bears players, the message reinforces accountability and edge. For Packers players, it adds another layer of motivation to an already combustible matchup. Saturday’s Wild Card game will determine which philosophy holds up under postseason lights. But regardless of the outcome, Johnson’s seven words have already accomplished something meaningful. They reminded everyone that this rivalry isn’t just alive. It’s sharp again.