The Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers rivalry is extremely lopsided on the field. Off the field, though, there are still fireworks. Bears legend Dick Butkus went after Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers immediately after Butkus got verified on Twitter.
Butkus — who has been on Twitter since 2020 — started campaigning for verification in mid-January. He finally got his blue checkmark Friday. After thanking those who helped him get verified, Butkus immediately turned his attention to Rodgers, threatening to kick him off Twitter.
If Rodgers saw that note, he didn’t respond. Rodgers last tweeted Jan. 7. That tweet was about the video game “Halo Infinite,” not about football. Expecting Rodgers to engage in a back-and-forth was foolish. He was likely busy preparing for Saturday’s playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Butkus did succeed in angering Packers fans. He joked with them later, apologizing for trending on Twitter and still being alive.
also sorry to disappoint some of you packers fans now that im trendy its not becuase im dead
— Dick Butkus (@thedickbutkus) January 21, 2022
Butkus played nine seasons in the NFL, all with the Bears. He made eight Pro Bowls and was named to five All-Pro teams during his career. Butkus was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1979. The Bears retired Butkus’ No. 51.
Aaron Rodgers continues to draw attention this season
Rodgers made himself the center of attention during the 2021 NFL season for misrepresenting his COVID-19 vaccination status and publicly questioning the league’s COVID-19 policies. Rodgers dug in against critics, using terms like “cancel culture” and “woke mob” in an attempt to win others over to his cause.
Despite claiming he was “canceled,” Rodgers continued to speak out all season. In a lengthy phone call with ESPN on Friday, Rodgers remained defiant, saying he doesn’t want to “apologize for being myself.”
Butkus opted to keep things vague with his comment on Twitter. He knows it doesn’t take much to rile up Bears fans on Twitter. Directing mild smack talk at one of the Packers’ best players will always do the trick.