Ben Johnson doesn’t personally hate Matt LaFleur so far as anything public has shown; what exists is more of a heated professional rivalry that has turned into a bit of “beef” between the two and their staffs.

Quick Scoop

  • The tension really started when Ben Johnson, then known for his success as Lions offensive coordinator against Green Bay, was introduced as Chicago Bears head coach in January 2025 and joked that he enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year.
  • That comment was unprovoked in the sense that Johnson singled LaFleur out after praising other NFC North coaches, so Packers fans and coaches took it as a public shot at LaFleur and their staff.
  • Reports later indicated that LaFleur and the Packers staff “didn’t take too kindly” to the remark and viewed it as disrespectful, which helped turn a normal Bears–Packers rivalry into something more personal on the coaching level.

Why It Feels Like “He Doesn’t Like LaFleur”

From a fan and media angle, it looks like Johnson “doesn’t like” LaFleur mainly because:

  1. Public jab at LaFleur
    • In his Bears intro presser, Johnson said he “kind of enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year,” referring to his strong record vs. Green Bay while in Detroit.
 * He did not talk that way about the other NFC North coaches, which made it seem targeted and personal toward LaFleur specifically.
  1. Rivalry-fueling comments
    • NFL insiders framed Johnson’s line as a conscious move to heat up the Bears–Packers rivalry , one of the league’s oldest and most emotional matchups.
 * Some analysts and fans see it as mind games and branding, not deep animosity—he’s leaning into the villain role for Chicago against Green Bay.
  1. Packers reaction and pride
    • Green Bay coaches, including LaFleur’s offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich, admitted they took the comments “personally,” which made it clear there were hurt feelings inside the Packers building.
 * When coaches admit something “touched a nerve,” fans and media naturally escalate it into a narrative that “these guys really don’t like each other.”
  1. Awkward postgame handshakes and clips
    • After later Bears–Packers games, cameras picked up tense, very quick handshakes between Johnson and LaFleur, with Johnson celebrating and LaFleur looking visibly frustrated, which fed the storyline that there is bad blood.
 * Those brief, stiff interactions go viral and make it easy to say, “See, Ben Johnson hates LaFleur,” even though neither has openly said anything that extreme.

What’s Actually Known (Not Just Gossip)

  • There is no public evidence that Johnson and LaFleur had any relationship before Johnson’s rise with Detroit and Chicago; they are not known to be friends off the field.
  • Johnson’s own words show competitive edge more than personal hatred: he emphasized how much he enjoyed beating LaFleur’s Packers, but did not accuse him of anything beyond being a rival he likes to beat.
  • LaFleur has mostly taken the higher road in public, suggesting the best answer to a jab is to say nothing and let results talk, though reports say he clearly did not appreciate being singled out.

So, Why Does It Look Like He “Doesn’t Like” Him?

Put simply, it’s a mix of:

  • Johnson’s spicy quote about enjoying beating LaFleur.
  • Packers coaches admitting they took it personally.
  • Viral handshake and sideline moments that amplify the idea of a feud.
  • The media and fanbases loving a good Bears–Packers storyline and pushing the idea that there’s real beef between the two.

In other words, Johnson is leaning into the rivalry and talking a little trash , and that has been interpreted—and felt in Green Bay—as him really not liking LaFleur, even though what is publicly documented is competitive dislike on the field, not confirmed personal hatred off it.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.