Chicago Bears v Green Bay Packers - NFL 2025
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 07: Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears fans during the national anthem before the game at Lambeau Field on December 07, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776323736
Patrick McDermott/Getty
The Packers will honor former Bears coach Mike Ditka, one of their all-time rivals, with a moment of silence Sunday before their game against the Bears at Lambeau Field, a Green Bay spokesperson said.
Ditka died Friday at 86, and while he was a vocal antagonist who went 15-5 against the Packers as head coach, they issued a statement calling him an essential figure in the rivalry.
“One of the fiercest competitors in NFL history, Mike helped define the intensity and tradition of the Packers-Bears rivalry, the oldest in professional football,” it said. “He embodied the toughness and passion that have made the rivalry one of the most storied in all of sports.
“While he was a formidable opponent, his contributions to the game and to a rivalry that has meant so much to both franchises will always be respected and remembered by the Green Bay Packers.”
The Packers also held a moment of silence in 1999 when the Bears visited shortly after Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton died.