The greatest rivalry in football is set for Round 3 as the Green Bay Packers will travel to Illinois to take on the Chicago Bears in the Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs on Jan. 10.
It is no secret these two NFL franchises not only know but have a strong dislike for each other. As two of the oldest franchises in the NFL, Green Bay and Chicago have met 212 times, with the Packers leading the series 109-97-6.
When talking about the history of the NFL, it is hard to name other franchises that have impacted the game more than these two. From Curly Lambeau to George Halas, from Vince Lombardi to Gale Sayers, from Bart Starr to Walter Payton, from Brett Favre to Brian Urlacher, and eventually Aaron Rodgers, the Bears (No. 1) and the Packers (No. 2) have the most Hall of Famers by a franchise in the NFL.
On top of that, Green Bay is at the top of the list of the franchises with the most wins in NFL history at 819. Who is second on that list? The Chicago Bears, with 809.
Adding to the history, the Packers stand alone as the NFL franchise with the most championships at 13, while Chicago places second with nine.
With all of the history and the 212 matchups between these two longtime rivals, it is strange that there have only been two playoff matchups in history. This week will mark the third installment of the series.
After sitting a majority of its starters in Week 18, Green Bay enters the Wild Card matchup on a four-game losing streak but relatively healthier than the last time these two teams met. As for Chicago, the Bears have enjoyed one of the franchise’s better seasons in recent memory and are looking to continue that on the back of second-year quarterback Caleb Williams.
“You definitely stick with your process that you believe in,” said Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, on how the Packers will change practice to get ready for the playoffs. “I think everybody just has to understand the magnitude of the playoffs and what that brings in regards to there is a finality to it, so you have to go play your best ball.”
With the NFL’s oldest rivalry set for matchup 213, the playoff record for both teams in the series is 1-1.
The first playoff matchup between the two teams came in 1941 during the Western Divisional Playoff. In that game Chicago came away victorious by a score of 33-14.
Chicago’s victory was fueled by a strong rushing effort from George McAfee and Norm Standlee, who finished with a combined 198 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries. Bears Hall of Fame quarterback Sid Luckman finished the game completing 4-of-9 passes for 41 yards.
For Green Bay, quarterback Cecil Isbell completed 8-of-19 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown. Clarke Hinkle led the rushing attack for the Packers, totaling 17 yards and a touchdown on nine carries, while Tony Canadeo was held to 7 yards on five carries. Don Hutson recorded just 19 yards on one reception as well.
The win vaulted Chicago to the NFL Championship, where it would take down the New York Giants in a 37-9 win, sealing the franchise’s fifth championship.
Seventy years later, the two teams met for the second iteration of the rivalry in the playoffs, during the 2010-11 NFC Championship. In a cold January game in Chicago, Green Bay came out on top, winning 21-14.
Rodgers finished the game completing 17-of-30 passes for 244 yards but threw two interceptions. James Starks proved to be the spark for the Packers offense; the running back finished the game with 74 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries.
For Chicago, quarterback Jay Cutler was forced out of the game after completing 6-of-14 passes for 80 yards. In replacement, Caleb Hanie completed 13-of-20 passes for 153 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
With Green Bay up 14-7 late in the fourth quarter, defensive lineman B.J. Raji came away with one of the most iconic plays in the rivalry, as he intercepted Hanie and returned it back 18 yards for a touchdown, giving the Packers a two-score lead and ultimately the insurance that Green Bay needed to win.
The Packers eventually knocked off the Pittsburgh Steelers in the ensuing Super Bowl, sealing the franchise’s 13th championship.
It is uncertain if the winner of the 2026 iteration of this matchup will go on to win the championship like in both previous playoff matchups, but one thing is certain: Saturday’s game is sure to be another classic game between the NFL’s two oldest rivals.
