One Overlooked Bears-Packers Moment Is Suddenly Causing a Stir

Janik Eckardt Tue, October 13, 2026 at 11:12 AM UTC

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IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Bears’ 31-7 loss to the Packers delivered no shortage of ugly moments for Chicago.

Tyson Bagent was benched. The defense surrendered explosive play after explosive play. Green Bay players spent the postgame celebration reminding everyone of what Luther Burden III said before kickoff. But a brief sequence near the end of the first half is now creating its own buzz — and adding another layer to a rivalry that is clearly no longer lacking bad blood.

Packers receiver Matthew Golden was returning a punt when he went out of bounds along the Bears sideline. As he continued running at full speed, Golden collided with a Chicago assistant coach, sending the coach to the ground. That collision didn’t appear to be incidental either.

What happened immediately afterward has become the bigger talking point.

As Golden worked his way back toward the field, video showed Bears kicker Cairo Santos extending his leg in Golden’s path. No penalty was called, and the moment received little attention during the broadcast. But the clip began circulating after the game, with viewers arguing over whether Santos tried to trip Golden following the sideline collision.

Golden did not completely dodge the subject when asked about it after Green Bay’s win.

“Yeah, he did. He did. But it’s all good,” Golden said. “I ain’t got nothing to say to him.”

That is as close to confirmation as anyone is likely to get from Green Bay’s side. Golden clearly believed Santos tried to interfere with him, even if he did not sound interested in escalating the incident afterward.

Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

Santos has not publicly addressed the play, and it is important not to overstate what the clip proves. The video shows an apparent movement of Santos’ leg toward Golden, but it does not establish his intent. The officials did not throw a flag, and there has been no public indication of a league review or potential discipline.

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Still, it was an undeniably strange moment in an increasingly heated Bears-Packers matchup.

Golden had already made his impact on the game. The second-year receiver finished with six catches for a career-high 123 yards, including a 50-yard reception in the second half. Christian Watson, meanwhile, added six catches for 143 yards and two touchdowns as Jordan Love repeatedly attacked Chicago’s secondary downfield.

By the time the game ended, the Packers had won the on-field battle decisively. They then let the Bears know they had heard plenty of the pregame noise as well.

Packers linebacker Zaire Franklin fired back at Burden after the rookie receiver said earlier in the week that Chicago wanted to “beat [Green Bay] real bad and make them quit.” Franklin responded by saying Burden “ain’t wanna play anymore.”

Sep 24, 2026; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden (0) during the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Golden’s exchange with Santos is not on the same level as that direct war of words. But it fits the mood of the day perfectly.

The Bears and Packers have spent much of the past year rebuilding a rivalry that had become too one-sided for too long. Chicago won two of three meetings last season, including a playoff victory. Ben Johnson has openly embraced the animosity. Packers players spent the week making clear they were tired of the talk.

Sunday gave Green Bay its response. And now, one small sideline sequence has supplied another flashpoint for fans to fight over until the teams meet again on Christmas Day.

For Chicago, the only productive response is to make sure the rematch is decided by its football — not a viral clip from the sideline.

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Source: “AOL Sports”