Chicago Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson and Packers' Matt LaFleur Share a Brief, Fleeting Handshake After Intense Playoff Matchup
The highly anticipated NFC Wild Card game between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers ended in a thrilling come-from-behind victory for the Bears. Despite trailing by 21 points at halftime, quarterback Caleb Williams led his team to an epic comeback, scoring 25 points in the fourth quarter to secure a 31-27 win.
In contrast, Packers quarterback Jordan Love struggled with accuracy, throwing four touchdowns but also two interceptions. The game's outcome was further complicated by a missed extra point and field goal from kicker Brandon McManus.
However, it was the postgame handshake between Ben Johnson and Matt LaFleur that stole the show. The two coaches shared a rapid-fire, barely-noticeable exchange before Johnson quickly walked away, leaving fans wondering what sparked such a brief but intense moment.
NFL enthusiasts took to social media to express their surprise at the coaches' behavior, with some calling it "disrespectful" and others joking about the apparent bad blood between the two teams. The rivalry is indeed back, as one fan quipped, while another praised Ben Johnson for delivering a decisive win in his first year as head coach.
For the Packers, however, the outcome was bittersweet. Matt LaFleur's future with the team remains uncertain, especially given contract negotiations that are expected this offseason. The team has struggled in the postseason under his leadership, and it will be interesting to see whether LaFleur can turn things around in 2027.
As for Ben Johnson, the first-year head coach is clearly on the right track after leading the Bears to their first postseason win in 15 seasons. The win serves as a testament to his coaching acumen, and he'll likely be looking forward to building momentum going into next season.
The highly anticipated NFC Wild Card game between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers ended in a thrilling come-from-behind victory for the Bears. Despite trailing by 21 points at halftime, quarterback Caleb Williams led his team to an epic comeback, scoring 25 points in the fourth quarter to secure a 31-27 win.
In contrast, Packers quarterback Jordan Love struggled with accuracy, throwing four touchdowns but also two interceptions. The game's outcome was further complicated by a missed extra point and field goal from kicker Brandon McManus.
However, it was the postgame handshake between Ben Johnson and Matt LaFleur that stole the show. The two coaches shared a rapid-fire, barely-noticeable exchange before Johnson quickly walked away, leaving fans wondering what sparked such a brief but intense moment.
NFL enthusiasts took to social media to express their surprise at the coaches' behavior, with some calling it "disrespectful" and others joking about the apparent bad blood between the two teams. The rivalry is indeed back, as one fan quipped, while another praised Ben Johnson for delivering a decisive win in his first year as head coach.
For the Packers, however, the outcome was bittersweet. Matt LaFleur's future with the team remains uncertain, especially given contract negotiations that are expected this offseason. The team has struggled in the postseason under his leadership, and it will be interesting to see whether LaFleur can turn things around in 2027.
As for Ben Johnson, the first-year head coach is clearly on the right track after leading the Bears to their first postseason win in 15 seasons. The win serves as a testament to his coaching acumen, and he'll likely be looking forward to building momentum going into next season.
That handshake was definitely awkward 
. Think about it, LaFleur just got roasted by the Bears, and Johnson is already sipping tea, no need for a "winner's" pose 
. Can't say I blame the Packers fans tho, all that drama after such an intense game 
. Matt LaFleur needs to sort out his contract situation ASAP 
, can't keep the same old thing going 
.
It's like they both knew exactly what was about to happen and just went with it. I'm not saying Ben Johnson owes Matt LaFleur a debt of gratitude or anything (although he totally does 
), but come on, a little more effort would've been nice... 5 seconds of awkwardness is definitely more awkward than the actual game-winning drive, right? 
Anyway, love how the Bears are getting all the attention after that insane comeback. They're gonna be super tough to beat next season 
it was just a brief exchange, maybe they were just trying to get their post-game thoughts in quickly before the media storm hits 
but honestly, can we please just focus on the fact that the Bears made history with their comeback win? 
i think what happened during their handshake was probably just a intense moment from the game but yeah, it did seem pretty brief 
now let's see if he can keep that momentum going 
. Seriously though, Ben Johnson must've done something right to pull off that comeback. On the flip side, Matt LaFleur is looking like he's stuck in neutral... or should I say, stuck on the bench 
️. But for Matt LaFleur's future, man... that's like the plot twist in an NFL drama series 
. Can he turn it around? Will Ben Johnson keep bringing the heat? Only time will tell 
.
2027 might be too late to salvage his contract situation... 
Matt LaFleur's future with Packers? 
. For Ben Johnson and the Bears, though, this is all good vibes 
.
. Ben Johnson's team worked together, and Caleb Williams led the charge 
. And Johnson's first win is huge - he's got his team on track! I think we're gonna see more of these intense playoff matches in the years to come. Bring it on! 
. The Bears' win was impressive, don't get me wrong, but I think there's more to this story than meets the eye 
.
. You can tell he's been watching some intense QB battles in his day, but still, that brief shake-up really left me wondering what went down 
. And can't wait to see how Ben Johnson builds on this momentum next season... maybe we'll finally get some consistency out of that offense 
. might b Matt LaFleur's contract situation did stir some water tho... Packers fans gotta hope he can get it rite nxt yr 
. Guess that's just part of the rivalry though 
Caleb Williams is literally the man 
and i cant wiat to see wat he does next season!!! 