Matt LaFleur and Ben Johnson probably won’t be grabbing a beer with one another.
The head coaches of the rival Packers and Bears exchanged a brisk postgame handshake after the Packers won 28-21 to take over the NFC North division lead.
It came after Johnson had taken a shot at the Packers during his introductory press conference, and while LaFleur didn’t bite at the added fuel to the rivalry, he certainly seemed to enjoy the win on Sunday.
The Fox broadcast captured the moment the two men met in the middle of the field for the customary handshake.
The two briefly shook hands as they went right by each other without saying much.
However, a second video showed LaFleur jogging off the field, pumping his fists and then leaping in the air in celebration.
He could also be seen pumping up the fans near the tunnel as he left the field after the win.
LaFleur downplayed any personal beef when asked about the win.
“Absolutely not. It’s Packers-Bears,” he said when a reporter asked if he got any personal satisfaction out of the victory.
The Packers coach described the handshake as “quick” and that, “We’ll see them again in two weeks.”
The two teams face off again in Week 16 in Chicago.
The added intrigue stemmed from Johnson’s comments during his introductory news conference back in January.
Having served as an assistant with the Lions for six seasons, Johnson explained that he had a familiarity with the NFC North.
“I’ve got a tremendous amount of respect for the coaches and the players in this [division],” he said at the time. “I’ve been competing against them for the last six years.”
He then added: “And to be quite frank with you, I kind of enjoyed beating [Green Bay Packers coach] Matt LaFleur twice a year.”
After Sunday, it seems that Johnson won’t get the chance to enjoy beating LaFleur two times this year, and depending on the outcome in a few weeks, he may have to wait until 2026 even to get one win over the rival coach.
