CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JANUARY 10: Head coach Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears looks on against the Green Bay Packers during the third quarter in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Soldier Field on January 10, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.  (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

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Cole Sullivan

By Cole Sullivan

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The NFL postseason kicked off Saturday night with two thrilling matchups: the Los Angeles Rams edged the Carolina Panthers 34–31, while the Chicago Bears overcame a 21–3 halftime deficit to defeat the Green Bay Packers 31–27.

Chicago erupted for 25 points in the fourth quarter behind star quarterback Caleb Williams, who finished with 361 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Packers QB Jordan Love threw for 323 yards and four touchdowns.

Ultimately, outscoring Green Bay 25–6 in the final quarter, along with a missed extra point and field goal from Packers kicker Brandon McManus, proved decisive.

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Yet despite the intense battle on the field, postgame emotions ran high. The two head coaches, Ben Johnson and Matt LaFleur, shared a lightning-fast handshake that lasted barely a second before Johnson quickly walked away.

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NFL fans reacted to the viral interaction:

"The handshake was disrespectful at least talk to the other opposing coach and give him some words of encouragement and then walk off," a fan suggested.

Someone else added, "Some bad blood???"

Another person wrote, "Ben really ghosted him like a bad text date."

"The rivalry is back," a fan shared.

One more fan commented, "Thank you, thank you very much. BYEEEEEE! Zooooom!"

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 10: Head coach Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears looks on against the Green Bay Packers during the third quarter in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Soldier Field on January 10, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.  (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

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This marked the Bears’ first postseason win in 15 seasons, and it came in Ben Johnson’s first year as head coach—a testament to the job he’s done since taking over from Matt Eberflus, who was fired last season.

For Green Bay, the future around Matt LaFleur remains uncertain. While he’s kept the Packers competitive year after year, their postseason struggles are glaring. With contract negotiations expected this offseason, LaFleur’s future in Green Bay could be in jeopardy.

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