Rivalry Pride: Packers, Bears Ready for Latest Chapter in Enduring Rivalry

For more than a century, the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears have faced off in one of football’s most storied rivalries.

Since their first meeting in 1921, this matchup has become a cornerstone of NFL history. With 208 matchups entering Sunday’s latest showdown, the rivalry has featured some of football’s greatest moments and characters, and it shows no signs of losing its edge.

Soldier Field will host the latest chapter, and for players and fans alike, this isn’t just another game.

It’s the game.

“We know the history of the rivalry,” Packers quarterback Jordan Love said. “It’s special to be a part of something like this. The oldest rivalry in football – it’s a point of pride for us.”

Love, now leading the Packers in his second full season as a starter, knows the stakes. This isn’t just about earning a win, like he did twice last season. It’s about defending a legacy.

Packers safety Xavier McKinney, who will get his first taste of the rivalry, enters the matchup with extra motivation.

In May, Bears receiver D.J. Moore provided a dismissive response when asked about the Packers signing McKinney.

“Obviously, you’ve got the rivalry itself,” McKinney said, “but there’s a clip somewhere out there where they were asking him about the Packers getting me and he was like, ‘Who?’ All that stuff, that’s in my memory bank and I work accordingly to that.

Rivalries are built on moments like this: grudges, pride and the constant battle for bragging rights.

For the Bears, the rivalry has been an uphill battle for the better part of three decades.

No player on their roster has beaten the Packers while wearing a Chicago uniform.

“It would mean a lot. We’ve been getting our ass whooped for a long time now,” Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson said this week. “I don’t have a win against them, so it would mean a lot to me personally. I’m just looking forward to the matchup, again, the rivalry in itself, but they’ve got some good guys. I have a lot of respect for the head coach and what he does on that side of the ball. I’m looking forward to it.”

Under team chairman George McCaskey’s leadership, the Bears have managed only three wins against Green Bay in 13 seasons.