Dan Bernstein Unfiltered

Episode: Ben Johnson is keeping the Green Bay Packers bit going into the offseason
Date: February 25, 2026
Host: Dan Bernstein
Producer/Co-Host: Matt Abbatacola
Podcast Network: 312 Sports

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into Bears coach Ben Johnson’s ongoing public "bit" stoking tension with the Green Bay Packers, as he continues to play up animosity between the two franchises even into the NFL offseason. Dan and Matt dissect whether Ben Johnson’s Packers-baiting is genuine or theatrical, what it means for the revitalized rivalry, and how it fits into broader Chicago sports culture. The episode also veers through various other sports topics, from oddities in MLB’s new automated strike zone measurements to Dan’s passion for lake houses, delivering the trademark mix of sharp analysis, humor, and unfiltered opinions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Ben Johnson and the "Packers Bit"

[00:43 - 23:50]

• Setting the Scene: The main sports story is Ben Johnson—Bears coach—openly embracing and amplifying the Bears-Packers rivalry after his unprompted jab at his Packers counterpart, Matt LaFleur, in his inaugural press conference ("I would enjoy the opportunity of beating Matt LaFleur twice a year").
  • Dan: “It was Ben Johnson taking the job at the initial press conference, unprompted, offering that he would enjoy the opportunity of beating Matt LaFleur twice a year. I’m paraphrasing, but it was something like that that kind of came out of nowhere.” [01:31]
• Is it Real or a Bit?: Both Dan and Matt analyze Johnson’s now-established pattern of goading the Packers and its roots. They speculate this is less about personal animus and more about showmanship, building Bears fan investment, and maybe scoring points with team ownership.
  • Dan: “He’s playing a bit, and he’s doing it to gain the favor of and even more of George McCaskey...He’s dug too deep. There’s no crawling out of that hole now.” [08:28, 08:55]
  • Matt: “But to now do this, to take it into the offseason, he had an opportunity… But, he went too deep.” [08:52]
• Players vs. Old-School Rivalries: Modern NFL players usually don’t carry over-the-top hatred for rivals (“they’re all union brethren”), but Johnson is bringing back energy reminiscent of old-school, blue-collar NFL rivalries. The hosts agree last year's Bears-Packers games felt uniquely antagonistic thanks to this.
  • Dan: “Those three games last year were different. I mean, you had one guy say that God made it happen. You had another guy…God made him lose. That wasn’t a real win. We want the Bears and the Packers… He helped create the animosity.” [07:29]
• Is this WWE for Bears Fans?: Dan wonders if the "rivalry" is now more like professional wrestling—manufactured for entertainment—while Matt posits it doesn’t matter if it’s “kayfabe” (wrestling’s staged reality) or authentic, as long as it works.
  • Dan: "Are we now watching Ben Johnson and the Bears essentially do a pro wrestling bit, and that might be fine?" [10:08]
  • Dan: “You know, it’s WWE on the outside of the games because you can’t… You can’t do the WWE inside the game.” [13:48]
• LaFleur’s Awareness: Matt speculates whether Packers coach Matt LaFleur is in on the joke or playing dumb (“If LaFleur is not aware...it’s not a bit”), while Dan argues a bit can be one-sided. They riff on whether the “rivalry” narrative is mutually understood or simply a Bear-centric sideshow.
  • Matt: "If LaFleur is not aware of it being a bit, it’s not a bit.” [13:48]
  • Dan: "It’s a bit for Ben Johnson. 100%...You don’t have to have another party involved for it to be a bit. You don’t have to." [13:54; 14:05]
• T-Shirts and Slogans: Both gleefully joke “Who likes the Packers?”—Johnson’s answer in a recent interview—should be the Bears’ new rallying cry, imagining t-shirts and cheesily leaning into the bit.
  • Matt: "He gave 'em a tee that, like, immediately, bang. What's the deal? Who likes Packers? Hey buddy. T-shirts. Who likes the Packers?" [23:17-23:49]
  • Dan: "I'm making the t-shirts...[he] just gave away my million dollar idea." [23:33-23:38]
• Will the Rivalry Last?: For this drama to keep its juice, the Packers can't fade; the rivalry has to be narratively competitive. If the Bears dominate for a couple years, it loses its heat.
  • Dan: “The only way it continues to grow is if the Packers finish ahead of the Bears. If the Bears finish ahead and win the division again, it becomes less of a rivalry.” [20:33]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Full Attribution and Timestamps:

• On Ben Johnson's motives:
  • Dan Bernstein [08:28]: “So, yeah. And Ben Johnson talked about himself to play up this bit, and I’m fine with it. And he did it initially to gain favor from his owner, and it just… It worked out really well, and it created even more drama.”
• On how a sports "bit" can work one-sided:
  • Dan Bernstein [13:54]: “It’s a bit for Ben Johnson. 100% is a bit. You don’t have to have another party involved in it for it to be a bit.”
• On who actually likes the Packers:
  • Co-Host (Matt) [06:34]: “A lot of people I know and like, like the Packers. They’ve got a lot of fans. They're a pretty popular team… Well, who likes the Pack? Well, obviously you don’t.”
• On Johnson keeping “the bit” going into the offseason:
  • Matt [08:52]: “...to now do this, to take it into the offseason, he had an opportunity… But he went too deep. He dug too deep. There’s no crawling out of that hole now.”
• On connecting the rivalry to pro wrestling:
  • Dan Bernstein [10:08]: “Are we now watching Ben Johnson and the Bears essentially do a pro wrestling bit, and that might be fine? Can it exist on multiple levels?”
• On the ambiguity of the rivalry being 'fun':
  • Matt [19:04]: “The ambiguity at the moment makes it fun.”

Secondary Segments

MLB’s Automated Strike Zone & Players' Height

[39:08 - 53:23]

• MLB is standardizing player height measurement for automated balls-and-strikes (ABS), with quirky side effects: players shrink during the day(!), strict measurement timing, and elaborate new ways to try and "game" the system for strike zone advantage.
  • Dan: “They have to know every hitter’s precise height for the system, down to the millimeter, really. They have been lining players up for measurements in every spring training facility…” [39:43]
  • Matt: “Among other rules...no shoes, no hats, no socks. Knees exposed, heels together, back against the wall, no slouching.” [43:00]
• Sidebar: Both recall & mock 1980s/90s World Basketball League, which featured strict height limits and front office shenanigans to skirt them.

Bulls, NBA, and the Art of Tanking

[27:20 - 34:22]

• Quick Bulls/Charlotte Hornets game recap: The game was bad, but revelatory about the Bulls’ young, developing roster. Discussion lauds Charlotte’s roster construction, coaching choices, and the thrilling prospect of landing a top draft pick by… doing worse.
  • Matt: “That’s how you do it. That, you know what that is? Development.” [29:46]

Dan’s Passion for Lake Houses

[55:44 - 61:16]

• Dan exults over the chance to rent the now-famous “Heated Rivalry” cottage on Lake Muskoka, riffing about fishing, rustic charm, and his wife’s total lack of interest in the North Woods—and the ridiculous indoor-vs-outdoor vacation habits of their friends.
  • Dan: “I am going through the cottage…The cottage is now available to be rented. Oh, wow. On Airbnb. 181 bucks a night, that’s it.” [55:44]

Additional Noteworthy Segments

• Whitney Houston’s National Anthem: Dan recommends ESPN’s “30 for 30: Whitney’s Anthem,” admiring both the musical performance and the geopolitical tension at the 1991 Super Bowl. [34:22 - 39:08]
• Vacation Fiascos & Passive-Aggressive Banter: The episode ends with extended playful arguments about camping, fishing, and vacationing styles, peppered with classic Chicago sarcasm.

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------------------- |---------------| | Ben Johnson’s Packers Rivalry Bit Discussion | 00:43 – 23:50 | | “Who Likes the Packers?” Slogan & T-Shirts | 23:17 – 23:50 | | Bulls/Hornets Recap and NBA Roster Development | 27:20 – 34:22 | | Whitney Houston 30-for-30/National Anthem | 34:22 – 39:08 | | MLB Height & ABS Measurement, WBL Stories | 39:08 – 53:23 | | Dan’s Lake House Rant / “Heated Rivalry” Cottage | 55:44 – 61:16 |

Summary & Takeaway

• Main Theme: Ben Johnson’s commitment to Bears-Packers antagonism is mostly performance (“a bit”), but it's perfect for the times: building community, selling the narrative, and giving the rivalry—the oldest in the NFL—a new spark. Dan and Matt delight in watching the lines blur between “real” sports hatred and orchestrated drama.
• Sports are Theater: With tongue firmly in cheek, both hosts urge Chicago to enjoy it—whether it’s truly personal or a well-executed act.
• Wider Application: The episode’s broader message—rivalries, sports rules, and even vacation drama are all made richer through little doses of theater, whether we admit it or not.

Sample Quote for Social Sharing:
"Are we now watching Ben Johnson and the Bears essentially do a pro wrestling bit, and that might be fine? Can it exist on multiple levels?" – Dan Bernstein [10:08]

For longtime Chicago fans, it’s a classic episode blending unfiltered sports commentary with genuine laughs and cultural insight—well worth the listen, especially as the next Bears-Packers chapter looms.