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Bears–Packers rivalry

The Bears–Packers rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers. The two teams have a combined 70 members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (37 for Chicago and 33 for Green Bay), have won a combined 22 NFL championships (13 for Green Bay and 9 for Chicago, first and second place among all NFL teams), and includes five Super Bowl championships (four for Green Bay and one for Chicago). They hold the top two spots for most wins all-time; the Bears had the record from 1921 until 2022, when the Packers took over in a game between the two teams, who were tied at 786 wins going into the game.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]

First meeting

November 27, 1921
Staleys 20, Packers 0

January 7, 2024
Packers 17, Bears 9

2024

208

Packers, 107–95–6

List
  • December 14, 1941
    Bears 33, Packers 14
    January 23, 2011
    Packers 21, Bears 14

Bears, 8 (1985–88)
Packers, 10 (1994–98, 2019–24)

Packers, 10

They are two of the oldest teams in the NFL.[9][10] The Bears were founded as the Decatur Staleys, a works team of the A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company, in 1919; they turned professional in 1920 and joined the American Professional Football Association (APFA), forerunner of the NFL, as a charter member later that same year, then moved to Chicago in 1921 and becoming the Bears in 1922. The Packers were founded similarly in 1919, sponsored by first the Indian Packing Company, then the Acme Packing Company, and joined the APFA in 1921. The Packers currently have the most wins in NFL history.[11]


The rivalry began in 1921 and is the league's most played, with 208 regular-season and post-season games.[12] It has been renewed annually in all but two seasons since 1921. They were not scheduled to play each other in 1922 and both meetings were canceled in 1982 due to the NFLPA strike, making the Lions–Packers rivalry the longest continuous rivalry in the NFL (the Packers and Detroit Lions have played each other at least twice a season since 1932).[13]


The Packers and Bears have played in the same conference or division since the NFL went to a conference format in 1933. They played in the NFL's Western Conference from 1933 to 1970, and have been in the NFC North since 1970 (known as the NFC Central from 1970 to 2001). As such, they have usually played each other twice every regular season since 1933, except for the 1982 strike. It is the most historic NFC North rivalry. The Bears held the winning record against the Packers for many decades, at one point, having led the series by as many as 24 games (in 1960 and again in 1992). The Packers surpassed the Bears in 2017 and now lead the series, 107–95–6. The Bears and Packers have met twice in the NFL playoffs, with the Bears winning a 1940 divisional round playoff game 33–14 and the Packers winning the 2010 NFC Championship Game 21–14.[14][15]


Since 1992, the Packers have dominated the rivalry with a 50–15 record against Chicago, including the aforementioned 2010 NFC Championship Game.[16][17]

Staleys 20, Packers 0 (November 27, 1921) – The two organizations played for the first time in 1921 at Chicago, when the Bears were named the Chicago Staleys. Bears' scored the game's first touchdown on a 45-yard run. The Bears shut out the Packers 20–0 in their first meeting, and the rivalry was born. A year later, the Staleys changed their team name to the Bears.

Gaylord "Pete" Stinchcomb

Bears 3, Packers 0 (November 23, 1924) – The Bears–Packers rivalry can be credited for the first ever ejection of players for fighting during an NFL game. The Bears' and Packers' Tillie Voss were ejected before the end of the first half as verbal exchanges led to punches being thrown. Two years later, Hanny was ejected once again in a game versus Green Bay.

Frank Hanny

Packers 7, Bears 0 (September 28, 1930) – The Packers shut out the Bears for the fifth consecutive game in this contest which is the longest such streak in the series. The streak began in 1928 when the Packers defeated the Bears 6–0 on December 9 of .[18] In 1929, the Packers shut out the Bears three times, 23–0, 14–0, and 25–0 en route to their first NFL championship.[19][20] On November 9, the Bears finally scored on the Packers although they came up short in the final score 13–12.[21] The Packers then went on to win their second consecutive NFL title that season.[22]

that season

Packers 7, Bears 0 (September 22, 1935) – On the first play of the game, rookie receiver scored on an 83-yard touchdown pass from Arnie Herber for the only score of the game. This was Hutson's first career reception and touchdown in what would become a historic Hall of Fame career.[23]

Don Hutson

Bears 30, Packers 3 (September 20, 1936) – During a dominant Bears victory, Packers fan Emmett Platten, out of frustration, ran out onto the field and punched Bears lineman , believing Rosequist had committed several dirty plays on the Packers. Rosequist was knocked out by the punch and had to be removed from the game.[24] Platten received no actual punishment for his actions, but was publicly admonished by the Green Bay Press Gazette newspaper.

Ted Rosequist

Packers 16, Bears 14 (November 2, 1941) – The Bears came into the game undefeated and seemingly invincible. Over their first five games, they defeated their rivals by an unprecedented 157 points. However, the Packers upset them in this game which was the Bears lone defeat that season. The Associated Press wrote of the game that the "Chicago Bears myth is broken".[26] Chicago fans made accusations that the game had been fixed, and it was suggested that the Packers had employed a "secret" defensive scheme. The Packers had built a 16–0 lead through the first three quarters of play before the Bears mounted a comeback in the fourth quarter coming up just short of a win.[27]

[25]

Bears 33, Packers 14 (December 14, 1941) – In the first playoff meeting between the two rivals, the Bears defeated the Packers 33–14 in a one-game-playoff to determine the Western Division championship. After the Packers, the Bears defeated the en route to their fourth NFL Championship. Until the 2010 post-season, this remained the only playoff meeting between the teams.

New York Giants

Bears 52, Packers 31 (November 6, 1955) – The Bears and Packers played the highest-scoring game of their series at Soldier Field in the 1955 season. The Bears created a huge 45–3 lead, but the Packers were able to score 28 points in the fourth quarter; by the game's end, the Bears beat the Packers 52–31, with the two teams combining for 83 points. This was also the last game that coached the Bears in against the Packers until 1958 due to a temporary break from coaching.

George Halas

Packers 21, Bears 17 (September 29, 1957) – The Packers hosted the Bears in the inaugural game of their brand new stadium, initially called New City Stadium (later changed to in 1965). Among the attendees to the game included NFL Commissioner Bert Bell, United States Vice President Richard Nixon, actor James Arness, and Miss America 1958, Marilyn Van Derbur. Playing behind several times during the game, the Packers finally were able to gain the lead in the 4th quarter on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Babe Parilli to Gary Knafelc for the winning points.

Lambeau Field

Packers 9, Bears 6 (September 27, 1959) – In the debut game of new Packers head coach, , the Packers fell behind the Bears 6–0, until Jim Taylor scored on a 5-yard touchdown run, giving the Packers the lead. Dave Hanner followed the touchdown with a safety, sacking Bears quarterback Ed Brown in the Bears' endzone to cap off the victory. The Packers celebrated their first win under their new coach by carrying him on their shoulders after the game.

Vince Lombardi

1941: The Bears and Packers finished with identical 10–1 records (splitting the two games with each other and winning all of their remaining games) to finish tied atop the NFL Western Division. At the time, only the two division champions made it to the post-season but ties were broken with a playoff game. The Bears won the playoff game 33–14 and wet on to win the . The teams did not meet in the playoffs again until the 2010 NFC Championship Game.

NFL Championship

1994: Both teams entered the playoffs as Wild Card teams and won their respective first-round games. They each lost in the second round – Green Bay to the and Chicago to the San Francisco 49ers.

Dallas Cowboys

2001: The Bears won the NFC Central division and clinched a first round bye as the #2 seed. The Packers were a #4 seeded Wild Card team and defeated the in the first round. Both teams lost in the second round – Green Bay to the St. Louis Rams and Chicago to the Philadelphia Eagles.

San Francisco 49ers

2010: The two teams met on the last day of the season in what was a must-win for Green Bay. The Packers won 10–3 to clinch the 6-seed, while the Bears had already secured a first-round bye as the 2-seed. Green Bay defeated the and Atlanta Falcons, while Chicago defeated the Seattle Seahawks to set up the rivals' second postseason meeting in the NFC Championship Game. Many fans of both teams describe the game as the biggest in the history of the rivalry, with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. The Packers ultimately prevailed 21–14[51] and went on to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.[52]

Philadelphia Eagles

2020: The two teams met on the last day of the regular season in Chicago with playoff implications on both sides. The Packers won the game 35–16 to clinch the #1 seed,[55] but the Bears were able to clinch the #7 seed thanks to an Arizona Cardinals loss to the Los Angeles Rams later that day.[56][57] The Bears lost to the New Orleans Saints in the first round. Had the Bears won, they would have played the Packers in the second round. The Packers made it to the NFC Championship Game, which they lost the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

[54]

The Bears and Packers have made it to the playoffs in the same year five times:

Brewers–Cubs rivalry

Other rivalries involving the two teams

Guzzardi, Will (January 21, 2011). . Huffington Post. Retrieved September 4, 2012.

"Bears Packers Rivalry: Greatest Chicago-Green Bay Games Of All Time"