Bear Digest

Bears' Ben Johnson may have made a powerful NFL enemy

In a league that's built on personal connections, Ben Johnson may have severed an important one.
Pete Martuneac|
Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

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In the aftermath of the Chicago Bears' unbelievable comeback victory over the Green Bay Packers this weekend, head coach Ben Johnson showed more emotion on the field than ever before, dashing onto the field to celebrate with his players. In his excitement, he ended up giving Green Bay's head coach Matt LaFleur one of the quickest handshakes you'll ever see, which some took as a sign of disrespect.

I disagree with that assessment. I think Johnson was in such a rush to celebrate that he forgot about shaking LaFleur's hand until the last moment and didn't have time to slow down. However, when looking at still images of their interaction, it's easy to see how some would get that impression.

This, combined with Johnson's postgame rant about the Packers, rubbed a lot of Packers fans the wrong way, and their attitude didn't improve when he doubled down on the disrespect, proclaiming to the world, "This is a rivalry... I don't like that team."

Ben Johnson may not be too popular at the next owners' meeting

Let's get one thing clear: this interaction was great for the Bears-Packers rivalry, which in turn is good for the NFL. The rivalry had grown stale after 30 years of one-sided dominance. Watching Chicago turn the tables on Green Bay and start punching down gives the beef between these franchises a shot in the arm.

However, that viral moment may have come with a price. Matt LaFleur has been in the NFL for many years and has made many friends; publicly humiliating LaFleur, even if unintentionally, may have earned Johnson some enemies.

That's a real possibility, according to ESPN insider Stephen A. Smith. While speaking on ESPN's "First Take" morning show, Smith revealed to his co-hosts that his sources have told him, "Friends of Matt LaFleur around the league can't stand Ben Johnson." If that's true, and Smith insists that it is, then that would likely include the head coach of Chicago's next opponent: Super Bowl LVI champion Sean McVay.

McVay could have extra motivation to end the Bears' season

Bears fans have to hope that Johnson's playful banter and feeding fuel into the Bears-Packers rivalry doesn't come back to bite them on Sunday. McVay is arguably the best young head coach in the NFL. His meteoric rise to the top is the stuff of legend, and despite being just 39 years old, he already has his own coaching tree.

This is a man who doesn't need any extra motivation to beat the snot out of his opposition, so imagine what he can do when he's angry. If he wants to send a message to Johnson and the Bears that they're not as good as they think they are, what better way than to end their season in front of their own fans on a frigid Sunday night?

Again, the idea that people around the NFL hate Ben Johnson is second-hand information coming from Smith. He stands by its authenticity, but no one has said this directly. And Sean McVay has had nothing but good things to say about Johnson, telling the media, "Ben Johnson does a damn good job." However, if McVay harbors a grudge in private, we'll likely see that play out on the field on Sunday night, and it will probably be an ugly sight for Bears fans.

Ben Johnso
Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

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Pete Martuneac
PETE MARTUNEAC

A former Marine and Purdue Boilermaker, Pete has been covering the Chicago Bears since 2022 as a senior contributor on BearsTalk. He lives with his wife, two kids and loyal dog.

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