It all kicked off on November 27, 1921, when the Green Bay Packers squared off against the Chicago Staleys at Wrigley Field. Chicago, soon to be renamed the Bears, dominated with a 20-0 win, but the real fireworks started when Staleys guard John Lachlan “Tarzan” Taylor decided to punch Packers guard Howard “Cub” Buck, literally breaking his nose. Yeah, that’s how deep this rivalry runs, right from the jump.
The Generations of Grudges
That initial dust-up set the tone for what became the NFL’s oldest rivalry. George Halas and Curly Lambeau were the early combatants, carrying that heat for years. Then Halas and Vince Lombardi kept the tradition going, cementing this as one of football’s most intense matchups. Fast forward to today, and you’ve got Ben Johnson’s beef with Matt LaFleur and Caleb Williams proving he’s the real deal at quarterback, keeping that fire burning bright. You know the drill: Chicago fans are chanting “Green Bay sucks!” and Green Bay fans are singing “The Bears Still Suck.” Seriously, they hate each other, and both fanbases have a long list of coaches and players, from way back to right now, who just get under their skin.
The Guys Who Made You See Red
We’re talking about the players and coaches who truly inflamed this rivalry. Kicking off the list at No. 10, Randall Cobb for the Packers was a pain. We’re talking “Randall F,ing Cobb!” levels of hate. That dude torched the Bears with a 48-yard touchdown catch on fourth-and-8 at Soldier Field back on December 29, 2013, sealing a 33-28 victory and snagging the NFC North title. Then in Week 1 of 2018, he did it again with a 75-yard TD catch that capped a wild 20-point second-half comeback. Pure agony for Chicago.
Then you had Danny Trevathan for the Bears at No. 9. This guy made his mark on September 29, 2017, in a Thursday Night Football game against the Packers when he delivered a brutal hit that knocked out Green Bay receiver Davante Adams. Green Bay won that one 35-14, but Trevathan got suspended for two games, etching his name into Packers fans’ hate-list forever.
Coming in at No. 8, Dick Butkus was a straight-up legend for the Bears. The dude never held back his dislike for the Packers. Butkus was notorious for savage hits and his brutal style on the field, and he’d even troll Green Bay on social media right up until his death in 2023. His nephew Luke is actually the Packers’ offensive line coach now, which is wild. Butkus and Green Bay linebacker Ray Nitschke were fierce rivals, even leaning into it in commercials later on.
And then at No. 7, Forrest Gregg, a Hall of Fame offensive tackle for Vince Lombardi’s Packers in the 60s. He became truly infamous for Bears fans when he coached Green Bay from 1984 to 1987. That era was full of brutal games, like when cornerback Mark Lee got ejected for literally throwing running back Walter Payton over the Chicago bench. Gregg’s coaching record against Chicago was 1-7, but man, those were some nasty games.
Caleb Williams: The New Rivalry Threat
Alright, let’s talk about No. 6: Caleb Williams. This guy, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, is different. Unlike a lot of Bears quarterbacks in the 21st century, Williams is a real threat to the Packers. He’s already 3-2 as a starter in the rivalry, including playoffs. His double-barrel comeback victories against Green Bay in Week 14 and then in the NFC Wild Card showed everyone just how real that threat is. This kid isn’t messing around, and he’s already making waves in a rivalry that’s nearly a century old.
This rivalry has seen it all, from Tarzan Taylor’s punch back in ’21 to Randall Cobb ripping out hearts, and it’s clear the hatred ain’t going anywhere. With Caleb Williams lighting it up, the fireworks are just getting started, and you know these fanbases are gonna keep that energy for every single snap.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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