None of the seven other divisions in the NFL’s current alignment can stake claim to rivalries richer or stronger than in the NFC North, where the quartet representing four proud heartland states will have more than 370 combined seasons in the league after this year.
The Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions are three of the NFL’s five oldest franchises. The relative newbie Minnesota Vikings entered in 1961, long before the Super Bowl existed or man landed on the moon.
The Bears and Packers were essentially the league’s original archenemies. The Vikings have made a 21st century pattern of picking up former Packers, from Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre to current starting running back Aaron Jones. The long-languishing Lions have recently upped the intensity of their rivalries with all three foes, too, with consecutive division titles suddenly making them a circled game on the schedule.
Ben Johnson made the latest move to stir up big feelings within the NFC North.
The former Lions offensive coordinator, who designed and directed the playbook for the highest-scoring team in the NFL last season, crossed Lake Michigan in January to become coach of the Bears.
“I’ve always admired what this place could be,” Johnson said at his introductory news conference, “because I’ve faced them twice a year over the last six years and I’ve really felt like it’s close to going over the hump.”
Buckle up, Ben.
For all the potential he has inherited on his new roster, this first-timer on the job will lead a squad that finished last in 2024 behind three teams that went a combined 30-11 during the regular season. The Lions, Vikings and Packers all lost their first playoff game, further stoking their fires to improve and prompting several targeted additions for all three clubs to address particular weaknesses.
The Lions are still stacked
While losing the intelligence and leadership of Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who became head coach of the New York Jets, from the staff that oversaw the Lions go 15-2 last season has been a hardship, coach Dan Campbell has said this is the best roster he’s had in five years.
“There’s going to be nothing easy about it. But every year you do this and you just realize, ‘Hey man, just get in,’” Campbell said. “Win this division: That’s always going to be the goal.”
McCarthy’s debut with Vikings puts him squarely in the spotlight
Call this the reboot for J.J. McCarthy. With Sam Darnold ably stepping in as the Vikings went 14-3, the 10th-overall pick in the 2024 draft was limited to meetings and rehabilitation during his rookie year after a preseason knee injury. McCarthy has a bulked-up offensive line in front of him, a fierce defense behind him and a locker room full of admirers despite not having taken a snap in a regular-season game.
“The whole organization holds him to a high standard,” said new center Ryan Kelly. “But it’s not nearly the standard he holds on himself.”
Packers pack plenty of confidence and potential, too
The Packers were the best third-place team in the league last year at 11-6, bringing back a young core led by quarterback Jordan Love that has a clear path for continued ascension. They’ve got championship aspirations, too.
“You’ve got to understand what’s in front of us,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said. “We’ve got a really good football team, the capability of being there, and you’ve got to take advantage of that.”
Getting the Bears going faster is one of Johnson’s top goals
One of the attractions with the Bears that Johnson cited in describing his eagerness to take the job is the presence of 2024 first-overall draft pick Caleb Williams, whose rookie year was a rocky ride. The Bears had several fourth-quarter stumbles and lost seven times by six points or less. They also had a habit of sluggish starts to games that factored into a 5-12 finish, a pattern that was still apparent during the preseason.
“We’re on a mission right now to make sure that doesn’t become a constant recurring theme,” Johnson said.
Circles on the calendar
The division rivalries will be reactivated right away. The Lions, who have won six of the last seven matchups with the Packers, open at Green Bay on Sept. 7. The following night, McCarthy makes his debut for the Vikings against the Bears in Chicago.
The Lions have seven nationally televised games, including at home against Green Bay on Thanksgiving and at Minnesota on Christmas. The Vikings get their last two games at home, finishing against the Packers. They also play back-to-back road games on a neutral field, the first team to play two international games in two different countries in consecutive weeks: against Pittsburgh in Dublin on Sept. 28 and against Cleveland in London on Oct. 5.
Defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia appears on every NFC North schedule, including at Green Bay on Monday night, Nov. 10. The Bears visit the Eagles in the Black Friday game on Amazon Prime Video.