The Bears–Packers rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. The rivalry began in the 1921 season when the Packers joined the American Professional Football Association (APFA). Since then, both teams have competed against each other every season, except for the 1922 and 1982 seasons. The Bears and Packers have been rivals in the same conference or division since the NFL adopted its conference structure in 1933 season. They were part of the NFL's Western Conference from 1933 until 1970. Following the AFL–NFL merger, the Bears and Packers were assigned to the National Football Conference (NFC) and the NFC Central, which was later rebranded as the NFC North during the 2002 NFL season. The Bears maintained a dominant winning record over the Packers for several decades, at two times leading the series by as many as 24 games. However, due to exceptional quarterback performances from the Packers and ongoing struggles and inconsistency from the Bears, the Packers surpassed the Bears in the overall series record during the 2017 season. They are two of the oldest teams in the NFL. At 209 meetings, it is the league's most-played matchup. Both franchises rank among the top five in the NFL for all-time win-loss records, with both holding the record for the most wins in league history. Recently, the Packers overtook the Bears in the 2022 season, achieving the record for the most overall wins in NFL history. Together, they boast 70 inductees in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (37 from Chicago and 33 from Green Bay) and have collectively secured 22 NFL championships (13 for Green Bay and 9 for Chicago), the highest and second-highest totals in the league. Additionally, they have won five Super Bowl titles, with Green Bay achieving four and Chicago one. The Packers lead the overall series, 108–95–6. The two teams have met twice in the playoffs, winning one each.

Background

The Bears originated in 1919 as the Decatur Staleys, a works team of the A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company. They transitioned to professional status in 1920 and became a charter member of the American Professional Football Association (APFA), which later evolved into the NFL, within the same year. In the 1921 season, the team relocated to Chicago and adopted the name Bears in the 1922 season. Similarly, the Packers were established in 1919, initially supported by the Indian Packing Company and later by the Acme Packing Company. They became a member of the APFA in 1921.

Notable games and moments

1920s–1950s

1960s–1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Playoffs

The Bears and Packers have made it to the playoffs in the same year five times:

Statistics and records

As of January 7, 2024 there have been 208 games between the two teams—most in NFL history—since their first league game in 1921, of which Green Bay has won 107 games, Chicago 95, and there have been 6 ties. The largest margin of victory was a 61–7 Bears win in 1980. The longest winning streak is held by the Packers at 11 games from 2019 to 2024. After beating the Bears four times in 2011, the Packers became only the second team in NFL history to defeat the same opponent four times in one calendar year (the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Denver Broncos four times in 1994).

Club success

As of 2023, the Bears and Packers have won a combined 22 championships in the league's history.

Season-by-season results

Players who played for both teams