The Packers-Bears rivalry will carry an extra layer on Sunday, but not all of it is about what happens on the field. Green Bay and Chicago are set to meet for the first time in the 2026 NFL regular season, with the Packers sitting at 2-2 and the Bears at 3-1. Green Bay is looking to climb in the NFC North and settle the score after Chicago’s Wild Card Game win in last year’s postseason.
There will also be a moment of silence before kickoff in honor of Mike Ditka, whose death was reported earlier this week. The legendary Bears player and head coach left a massive imprint on the rivalry, and the Packers said they will recognize him as a sign of respect.
Then came another notable development tied to both franchises: Adrian Amos announced his retirement from the NFL on Sunday morning.
Amos is part of a very small group. In the long history of the Bears-Packers matchup, thousands of players have appeared for one side or the other, but just 106 have played for both. Amos spent four seasons with Chicago and four more with Green Bay, making him one of the rare names to cross that line.
He shared the news in a post that laid out the arc of his football life:
God is Amazing
At 8yrs old I had big dreams. Ended up going even further than I imagined.
About a year and a half ago I suited up for the last time and after that day, I told my family it was over. I gave it my all and it gave it all right back to me ten fold.
Baltimore 2/3star recruit > Penn State Grad > 5th rounder > 10yrs in the NFL (9yr starter) > Captain
#Jesus #weare #bears #packers #Smash
- Adrian Amos (@_SmashAmos31) October 10, 2026
Chicago drafted Amos in the fifth round in 2015, and he quickly locked down a starting role on that defense. He opened his career with four seasons in a Bears uniform before joining Green Bay as a free agent ahead of the 2019 season. In Packers colors, he picked off seven of his 10 career passes.
Amos’ NFL path didn’t end in Green Bay. After those four seasons with the Packers, he also spent time with the New York Jets, Houston Texans, and San Francisco 49ers. His final game action came with San Francisco in 2024, and while he says he knew after that season that he was finished, he didn’t make it official until now.
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The timing underscores how urgent the problem has become. Through four games, Green Bay sat last in the NFL in rushing yards with 232, a startling figure for a team that expected more balance early in the season. Whether Strong can change that picture right away remains unclear, but the Packers are clearly willing to give him a look in a spot where they need answers fast. [Read more 🡒]
Jordan Love Faces A Pressure Game The Packers Can't Afford
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The next test comes with the Packers needing him to be steadier in the pocket against a Bears defense that figures to bring pressure, all while working behind a patched-together offensive line. Green Bay also knows it has to help him out with the right structure, and the expectation is that the coaching staff will need to lean into a quicker passing plan to keep the game on schedule and give Love a cleaner path to answering the pressure game ahead. [Read more 🡒]