A lot of people are feeding into what new Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson is saying, but Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur is not one of them.
While it was a win for the Packers that Johnson left the Lions, Detroit's former OC remained in the NFC North and is hoping to be the guy who makes the Bears relevant again, which is something Green Bay fans obviously don't want to happen.
Johnson has already been trying to get in the Packers' heads since he took the gig in the Windy City, as he made a comment a few months back that he enjoyed beating LaFleur twice a year while with the Lions.
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It'd have been easy for LaFleur to have taken a jab in return, but he handled his response to those comments when asked with the best possible answer.
“I’m sure he's playing to the fans a little bit," LaFleur said. "It is what it is. I didn't lose too much sleep over that.”
Matt LaFleur gives best response to Ben Johnson's trash talking attempts
Packers fans have long gotten used to new Bears head coaches coming in and talking a big game. It's what most head coaches do when they take over a team, and Johnson will be the next coach in a long line to attempt to make Chicago a Super Bowl contender.
There is admittedly a lot of hype surrounding Johnson, considering how good he was as the Lions' offensive coordinator. But the fact is that not all coordinators—even the best ones—work out as head coaches.
While the Bears have undoubtedly improved their roster this offseason, there's still a chance that Johnson doesn't live up to the hype. And if that's the case, all of his trash talk will really age poorly.
LaFleur handled this question perfectly. If he tried to throw it back at Johnson and then the Packers lost to Johnson's Bears, it'd invite even more scrutinity. This way, he took the high road but Packers fans and everyone else can dunk on the Bears if Green Bay beats them (which they're very used to doing).
It is worth noting that Johnson walked back his comments not long after making them. But for Packers fans, they'll still be fresh in their minds throughout the year and perhaps longer if this rivalry gets even more fired up.