Report: Packers, Bears officially expected to kick off NFL's 100th season
-- Earlier in the offseason, it was rumored that the opening Thursday night contest of the NFL's 100th season would be the Green Bay Packers against the Chicago Bears, with the Bears playing host.
But sometime this week, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune expects a formal announcement to officially take place.
Was told this morning #Bears #Packers Thursday night season opener at Soldier Field is likely to be officially announced at NFL owners meeting this week.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) March 25, 2019
Shortly following, it was finalized by the league that the season-opener is set in stone.
Owners, general managers and coaches alike are currently in Arizona for the 2019 NFL Annual Meeting, including Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst.
This would be the third time in five seasons that the Packers have opened their regular season against the Bears, doing so in 2015 and 2018. They won both games.
While the NFL celebrates hitting its century mark, the Bears are celebrating their 100th season in 2019 as well. The Packers are coming off of their 100th season celebration last year, failing to reach the playoffs and culminating with a 6-9-1 record.
The Packers and Bears are the league's longest-running rivalry, with the impending Thursday night meeting being the 199th in its history. Typically, the defending Super Bowl champion would host an opposing team for the first regular-season game of the year. However, this will mark the first time since 2004 that the league is straying from its customary tradition.
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Zachary Jacobson is a staff writer/reporter for Cheesehead TV. He's the voice of The Leap on iTunes and can be heard on The Scoop KLGR 1490 AM every Saturday morning. He's also a contributor on the Pack-A-Day Podcast. He can be found on Twitter via @ZachAJacobson or contacted through email at [email protected].
Comments (18)
packerdoug
March 25, 2019 at 02:37 pm
Go Pack Go! Cannot wait ...beat dem bears!
Bearmeat
March 25, 2019 at 03:00 pm
LOVE IT! Let's hunt some Bear!
albert999
March 25, 2019 at 03:21 pm
BRING ON THE TEDDY BEARS
JonathanSpader
March 25, 2019 at 03:54 pm
Can't wait to compare Amos vs HHCD. Mack vs. the Smiths. To see how the Bears defense looks without Fangio calling the shots. The new MLF offense. To see if Turdbisket stays mediocre or if he finally takes a leap. I fully expect the Packers to win their 3rd Bear opener in a row!
jeremyjjbrown
March 25, 2019 at 04:20 pm
The Bears still suck.
EddieLeeIvory
March 25, 2019 at 04:55 pm
The only 2 teams in this division to ever win a Super Bowl.
No losers Viqueens & Kittens.
Packers =4
Bears =1
Losers =0 combined
Wiscokid
March 25, 2019 at 09:08 pm
Not to mention that the Super Bowl trophy is named for Packer coach Vince Lombardi. The NFC championship trophy is named for Bears coach George Halas.
NFL Trophies named after Minnesota and Detroit. Zero, the bagel, the horse collar, the toilet seat, zilch, nada, nothing.
Coincidence? I think not.
GBPDAN1
March 25, 2019 at 05:03 pm
Love it. Enjoy Starting the season with a victory !
Another thing I like, is it being the first game of the year, it's like no other Thursday game as the Packers will adjust their preseason around this ahead of time. Then we have have 10 days to prepare for the next opponent. A little mini bye early in the season with out having to play a short week prior
jeremyjjbrown
March 25, 2019 at 05:37 pm
Great point.
albert999
March 25, 2019 at 05:57 pm
That 10 days for week 2 is huge
albert999
March 25, 2019 at 08:08 pm
The Green Bay Packers placed themselves in a position every organization wants to be in: The franchise will enter the draft with no glaring holes and a pair of first-round picks to use.
Free-agent signings of Preston Smith, Za'Darius Smith, Adrian Amos and Billy Turner addressed the team's issues at pass-rush, safety and guard. As a result, the Packers can now let the draft come to them without forcing a pick based on significant need.
A little foresight will allow the team to address a position beyond the upcoming campaign. For example, right tackle Bryan Bulaga, who has been a starter since the team selected him with a 2010 first-round pick, just turned 30 years old, missed 13 games over the last two seasons and enters the final season on his contract.
Washington's Kaleb McGary quietly went about his business during the predraft process and may have worked his way up to a first-round prospect when the career right tackle wasn't originally considered a top offensive line prospect.
First, McGary more than held his own at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, against the draft class' top defenders. He then performed well at the NFL combine with top-10 performances among offensive linemen in the 40-yard dash (5.05 seconds), vertical jump (33.5 inches), broad jump (9'3") and short shuttle (4.58 seconds).
David Bakhtiari and a healthy Bulaga form arguably the league's best offensive tackle tandem, but the Packers have reached the point where alternatives are necessary to protect Aaron Rodgers.
Thegreatreynoldo
March 26, 2019 at 09:34 am
McCary? He's a project at best. Day 3 prospect, and I'd prefer not at all. Needs massive technique work.
Pierre
March 25, 2019 at 08:51 pm
Packers -Bears; sure is an long time great rivalry, even more exciting now with Chicago being the defending division champs. It will be a huge test to see if this Packers team is able start with a big road win in Chicago...they certainly have the potential to do so.
However, no matter the new free agents signed by GB or their new draft picks, this game and season will be judged by how good Rodgers is able to play the QB position. Will he continue the decline in his QB play as evidenced last season, or does he still possess the skill set to lead a productive offense that converts third downs and can readily score TDs...against even the best defenses? That to me will be the biggest question for the 2019 Packers team even as so many point only to question marks at so many other positions on this team....the biggest question mark is at the QB position for Green Bay.
Can Aaron Rodgers produce and play QB at the elite level for which he is being paid by this organization or will we be hearing the same old excuses this year (as last) when he continues to perform more like a below average NFL QB, continuing to throw the ball out of bounds rather than down the field to his receivers and going three and out most series?
Yes, that’s the most important variable to look at to determine the level of success this Packers team will have in the 2019 season.
JonathanSpader
March 26, 2019 at 10:18 am
The Packers will go as far on offense as Rodgers can take them. Chicago will go as far as Turdbisket can take them. I'll take a declining Rodgers over a maybe ascending Turdbisket in 2019.
albert999
March 25, 2019 at 08:59 pm
3 and out most series? I don’t think so.
I agree he didn’t look for the first down throw and looked to much fo the big play but it also had a lot to do with McCarthys play calling and their broken relationship and his injuries
AgrippaLII
March 25, 2019 at 10:29 pm
I like it! The Bears will be a team on a mission this coming season...but so will the Packers. The Bears look to right a cosmic wrong and the Packers look to keep from being embarrassed on National TV. It'll be a real "Slobber Knocker".
Packerpasty
March 26, 2019 at 08:29 am
good opening for all the new guys to learn about this rivalry....a close game and a loss and everyone says Pack still getting accustomed to a new offense.....a Bears loss and its totally devastating...I have no doubt Bears fans don't like this..
Since'61
March 25, 2019 at 10:45 pm
Great challenge for the Packers and for MLF in his first game as the Packers HC. We'll take the Bears as usual, open the season 1-0 and go into a mini bye. Go Pack Go!
Thanks, Since '61