Bears coach Ben Johnson claimed his quick handshake with the Packers’ Matt LaFleur wasn’t different than most of the other greetings he gives coaches.
“That feels like every handshake I have at the end of a game,” he said.
The oh-so-brief exchange was caught on television after Sunday’s 28-21 Packers win. It was notable given LaFleur’s annoyance at Johnson’s introductory press conference claim that he enjoyed beating him twice a year.
Asked about their conversation after the game, LaFleur said Sunday niht that “it was a quick handshake, and we’ll see them again in two weeks.” He said there was no extra satisfaction in beating Johnson because of his comments.
On the Fox broadcast, analyst Tom Brady said the handshake was “as icy as the temperature” at Lambeau Field.
“Both teams had to go out and buy extra bulletin boards going into the week,” he said. “There was a lot of material both ways. You’ve got coaches talkin smack. It’s just the way it’s gonna go. Those two young coaches are going to be in these programs for a while.”
It was the second-straight week Johnson was the center of national attention. After the Eagles win, he took off his shirt — and earned Chicagoans free hot dogs in the process — during a locker room celebration.
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