The rivalry between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers has certainly picked up in recent seasons.
In 2022, the Lions won at Lambeau Field to keep the Packers out of the playoffs, and this season, Detroit captured its first division title in 30 years and advanced to the NFC Championship Game for the first time in 32.
With the Lions seemingly built for a few seasons of contention and Green Bay reloading behind quarterback Jordan Love, it could make for a fun few years in the NFC North.
What would also spice things up is trash talk between the two organizations, which Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst might have engaged in today.
“Around here, we’ve never hung banners for division championships, so it’s never been about that. It’s a nice starting point, but I think we’re always looking for bigger things,” Gutekunst said when asked at the NFL Scouting Combine about his team chasing the Lions.
“I don’t think he was taking a shot, but…” chimed in Packers beat writer Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, referring to a tweet from the Lions that showcased their new NFC North banner hanging in the rafters at Ford Field.
If Gutekunst wasn’t taking a shot, he wasn’t not taking one, it seems. These two teams might be fighting it out for the NFC North crown in 2024, so it’s fun to see the battle starting a little early.