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Why is everyone mad at Bears head coach Ben Johnson?

January 16, 2026
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Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson has been in the headlines following the team’s improbable comeback win over the rival Green Bay Packers in the wild-card playoffs. And, for some insane reason, some of the NFL world is painting Johnson out to be a villain.

To recap: Following Chicago’s win over Green Bay, Johnson had a drive-by handshake with Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, which isn’t unlike the first handshake between the pair back in Week 14 when LaFleur did the same. This after the Packers did a lot of talking in the week leading up to the game. Then, in the postgame locker room, Johnson opened his speech to the team with a “F— the Packers…I f—ing hate those guys,” which drew a raucous response from his team and Bears fans alike but some criticism from talking heads.

With Chicago just a couple of days away from their biggest game in the last decade-plus for a trip to the NFC Championship, the talk isn’t centered around the Bears hosting the Rams at what’s going to be a frigid, snowy and windy Soldier Field. No, the talk is still about Johnson’s behavior following the game.

Earlier this week, Johnson stood by his comments noting “there’s a rivalry that exists between these two teams” and it’s something he understands. But he made it clear “I don’t like that team.”

Perhaps it was Johnson doubling down on his comments, or that the Bears are 3-1 against the Packers in their last four games, that has angered many. But it’s a bit hypocritical considering the past between these two teams. When Green Bay was dominating Chicago in a one-sided rivalry, no one batted an eye when Aaron Rodgers is yelling at fans “I still f—ing own you” or when Clay Matthews came out at the 2025 NFL Draft with a piece of paper that said “Bears still suck.” In fact, they were celebrating it. It’s all part of the rivalry, they said.

But suddenly Johnson’s comments following the franchise’s biggest win in the last two decades has made him the villain, and apparently his behavior has angered coaches from the Sean McVay tree, where LaFleur originates. And the question is why?

Rodgers’ comments and Matthews’ actions are all part of the rivalry, but they also happened when the Bears were a bad team. Now that they’re ascending with Johnson at the helm, and taking their rightful shots, people suddenly have a problem with competitiveness in a rivalry.

But if it’s the villain role that Johnson and the Bears have to assume, that’s fine by them. After all, this Bears team has done an excellent job proving critics wrong and succeeding despite what everyone has said about them all year. Even better, they’re only considered the villain because they’re suddenly perceived as a threat in the NFC. And, with Johnson leading the charge, that’s not going to change anytime soon.

Bears fans are embracing Ben Johnson as the villain

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears HC Ben Johnson is being painted as a villain. Why?

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