Mike Ditka’s name belongs in any discussion of the Bears vs. Packers rivalry, and not just because of his long history with Chicago. In one of the stranger moments tied to the rivalry, Ditka put on a Packers sweatshirt for a McDonald’s commercial in 2015, a move that fits a list full of the kind of moments fans in both cities never forget.
The rivalry itself stretches back to Nov. 27, 1921, when the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Staleys met at Wrigley Field and Chicago won 20-0. Since then, the Bears and Packers have built a history full of flashpoints, game-changing plays and plenty of fuel for both fan bases.
Some of those moments were on the field and had immediate stakes. On Dec. 29, 2013, Randall Cobb caught a 48-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-8 at Soldier Field, and the Packers beat the Bears 33-28 to win the NFC North title. On Sept. 29, 2017, Devin Trevathan knocked out Davante Adams on a hit in a Thursday Night Football game, and Green Bay won 35-14.
Randall Cobb showed up again in Week 1 of 2018, when he caught a 75-yard touchdown pass in a 20-point second-half comeback. The rivalry has also had its share of off-field edge, including the 2023 death of Butkus, who had trolled Green Bay on social media up until his death.
Why Ditka fits the list
Ditka stands out because his connection to the rivalry is bigger than one team, one game or one season. He is part of Bears history, but the 2015 commercial moment gave Packers fans a brief and memorable reason to react. In a rivalry built on loyalty, history and a long memory, even a sweatshirt can become part of the story.
That is what makes the Bears-Packers rivalry endure. It is not just about standings or one result. It is about the people, the moments and the images that stick, from Wrigley Field to Soldier Field and from the 1921 meeting to the present day.
