The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears have been playing since before the Great Depression. The game is as dependable as tomorrow.
The game over the years has turned into the most special rivalry in any sport. The rivalry, though, is deeper than just one or two games every year for nearly a century. The game features two teams with tight-knit connections to their fans and their respective football communities. But those connections also branch out to each other, something that makes this rivalry unique.
This about this:
The Green Bay wide receivers coach, Edgar Bennett, helped the Packers win a Super Bowl and then finished his playing career (’98-’99) in Chicago. The Packers running backs coach, Jerry Fontenot, was a third-round draft choice of the Bears in 1989 and played in Chicago for eight seasons as a center.
But that’s not all.
Packers defensive end, Ryan Pickett, played for the St. Louis Rams while both Lovie Smith – then Rams defensive coordinator – and Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz – then Rams head coach – in 2003. The Chicago Bears tight ends coach, Mike DeBord, coached on the staff at Michigan when Packers CB Charles Woodson played for the Wolverines. Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy was a teammate of Bears wide receivers coach Darryl Drake with the Redskins in 1979
Take it back to college? Sure.
How about Packers quarterback Matt Flynn. He played college ball with Bears safety Craig Steltz at LSU and helped guide the team to the 2007 BCS National Championship. There is Bears linebacker, Brian Iwuh, he played his college ball with Packers kicker, Mason Crosby. Bears lineman Henry Melton played with Packers tight end Jermichael Finley and Chicago safety Brandon Meriweather player with Green Bay corner Sam Shields and Miami.
The list goes on, really. There are guys from Milwaukee playing for the Bears and guy from Illinois playing for the Packers.
It’s not too often you get two professional teams with so many overlapping story lines. Then again, there aren’t too many rivalries that have this much history, and carry this much tradition.
It truly is unique.
Leave a Reply