The Packers will be playing to win the NFC North title against the Bears this weekend, so you might think they’d be glad that Chicago will be playing without linebacker Brian Urlacher at Soldier Field.
According to Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, that isn’t the case. On his Tuesday radio show, Rodgers said that he’ll miss the longtime Bear when the teams take the field on Sunday.
“I am disappointed; I like him being out there. I enjoy the competition with him; it’s a competitive rivalry that exists between our teams and between him and I individually. I enjoy the banter back and forth and enjoy the way he plays the game,” Rodger said, via ESPNWisconsin.com. “I think he plays the game hard within the rules and he’s a heck of a competitor, who has picked me off a couple too many times. I wish him the best and hope he gets healthy. He has been playing really well this year, that’s impressive to see because he has been around for a while.”
With Urlacher heading toward free agency, there’s a chance that he’s played the Packers for the last time as a member of the Bears. While it would have been nice to see him take part in the rivalry one more time, any Packers disappointment about who wasn’t on the field will likely fade if they’re celebrating a division title come the final whistle.