Packers-Bears to kick off 2019 NFL season on Sept. 5
Khalil Mack returns an interception for a touchdown during Bears' opener against the Packers in 2018 season. They'll kick off the 2019 NFL season on Sept. 5. Credit: AP/Jeffrey Phelps
PHOENIX – The NFL celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2019, and the league will feature an historic matchup in the regular season opener on Sept. 5.
It will be two flagship franchises – the Bears and Packers – facing off in the Thursday night opener at Soldier Field. The prime-time opener usually features the previous season’s defending Super Bowl champion, but the 100-year celebration prompted the league to switch things up.
The 199th meeting between the Packers and Bears features Aaron Rodgers, coming off a down year in which the Packers failed to make the playoffs, against a Bears team that won last season’s NFC North behind first-year coach Matt Nagy and second-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.
Dorsey a big fan of Odell
Browns general manager John Dorsey said Monday he wasn’t necessarily expecting the Giants to bite on an offer to trade for wide receiver Odell Beckham, but that there was “no harm” in finding out how Giants GM Dave Gettleman felt. The initial discussions turned into a blockbuster trade in which the Browns acquired Beckham in exchange for the 17th overall pick, a third-round pick and former first-round safety Jabrill Peppers.
“You can’t have enough passionate, competitive guys on your football team,” Dorsey said during an appearance on PFT Live. “Here’s a guy that shows up, loves the game of football and his teammates love him. To me, that speaks volumes when your teammates rave about you because that shows the mark of who this person really is.”
Dorsey said he wants to “sit down face to face” and talk with Beckham about potentially adjusting Beckham’s contract, which was extended last year in a $90 million deal.
Tomlin talks AB, Bell
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told a small group of beat reporters at the NFL’s spring meetings Monday that the trade of wide receiver Antonio Brown to the Raiders and the departure of Le’Veon Bell to the Jets signaled that it was time for all parties to move on.
“Relationships run their course, and the fact that neither one of them are here speaks to that,” Tomlin said. “We can’t do this with hostages, man. We need volunteers. We need good players, good guys who want to be here and if guys can’t check those boxes, it’s probably best for all parties involved to go our separate ways.”
Bob Glauber retired in 2022 after covering the NFL for nearly 40 years. He was selected in 2021 for the Bill Nunn Career Achievement Award by the Pro Football Writers of America, and is a three-time winner of the New York State Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. President of the PFWA for the 2018-20 seasons, he is the author of “The Forgotten First” and “Guts and Genius.”
