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Bears-Packers Franchise Connections

The Bears and Packers are set to renew their storied NFL rivalry, but this year’s matchup features surprisingly few roster connections between the two teams. The only active player with prior experience on both sides is defensive tackle Jonathan Ford, who spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons with Chicago after being claimed off Green Bay’s practice squad.

Ford, a seventh-round draft pick in 2022, made 12 appearances for the Bears, recording 13 tackles and one tackle for loss before returning to the Packers late last season. His current production—ranked 101st among qualified defensive tackles with a 70.4 PFN DT Impact grade—positions him as a rotational backup at best.

Meanwhile, Anthony Johnson Jr., a Bears practice squad defensive back, holds the only other tenuous link, having been drafted by Green Bay in 2023 before being released and later signing with Chicago this year. His brief tenure in Green Bay included 24 tackles, an interception, and three pass deflections over 12 games, though he has yet to make an impact in his new role.

Coaching ties, however, run deeper between the two franchises. Green Bay’s quarterbacks coach and assistant head coach, Luke Getsy, previously served as the Bears’ offensive coordinator from 2022 to 2023.

The Packers’ tight ends coach, John Dunn, worked as a Bears assistant in 2016 and 2017, while offensive line coach Luke Butkus—nephew of Hall of Famer Dick Butkus—held similar roles in Chicago from 2007 to 2009. Butkus even tried out for the Bears as a player in 2002, adding another layer to the intertwined histories of the two organizations.

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