For most of the country, school is winding down. For the NFL, it's the dog days of summer and class is almost in session.
But school doesn't have to be in for a little playground trash talk.
Only a month away from training camp, Bears defensive tackle Justin Jones turned up the heat on Chicago's long-standing rivalry with the Green Bay Packers.
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The exchange started in a harmless manner when Jones was asked about the state of the NFC North with Aaron Rodgers leaving the Packers. Jones replied by saying that he wishes the quarterback was still in Green Bay, adding that he hoped to beat the former Packers signal caller.
Jones — who's entering his second season in Chicago after four years with the Chargers — got his first taste of the rivalry in September when the Bears lost, 27-10. The experience at Lambeau Field stuck with him, with the defensive tackle making it a point to address following his Rodgers comment — opting to pour gasoline on the fire.
"They won, but their fans are really s—," Jones said, in reference to the Week 2 loss. “I’m ready to take it over [the NFC North]. It’s a good time to be a Bears fan, I’m not gonna lie to you.”
#Bears DT Justin Jones blasted #Packers fans today, calling them...
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) June 13, 2023
1) "Shi*ty"
2) "Obnoxious"
3) "Half of them don't even know football."
Jones wishes Aaron Rodgers was still there so they could beat him.
🍿🍿pic.twitter.com/nRqhV4j3Pz
He followed up by calling the fans, "obnoxious," before dropping in the biggest insult.
"Half of them don't even know football," he said.
Sports fans that are familiar with the, "you don't know ball," insult know that it's time to pack up and leave after that. Jones referenced the fans booing and heckling the Bears before a play was even run, "about stuff that don't even matter."
Chicago just finished another dreadful season, only notching three wins on the year. Still, expectations and excitement are at a high thanks to the electrifying play of Justin Fields down the stretch last season — despite a 10-game losing streak to finish the year.
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The team's first step toward relevancy is winning a game against the rival Packers. Since 2010, the Bears are 3-24 when matched up with Green Bay — a record that doesn't typically indicate a "rivalry."
Despite that, Jones believes they are on the right track. Only time will tell, but the "Monsters of the Midway," have looked like a Disney movie version in recent years.
If Chicago doesn't find a way to turn the corner, you can guarantee that Packers fans will turn up the volume even more.