Divisional rivalries often take on a life of their own in the NFL, particularly in the NFC North. The division houses some of the oldest teams in football, resulting in some of the most storied rivalries in the history of the league.
However, Davante Adams is now willing to let go of that animosity in his older years. The former Green Bay Packer had been accustomed to hating the Chicago Bears, but now that he’s outside of the division, he’s content with making new friends.
“I’ve met so many fans. I feel like I meet more fans in the NFC North now that they actually come forth and speak to me. So, I let them know it’s cool like, yea, we can be friends now. I don’t mind it. I’m still in the NFC now, but I’m not in the NFC North, so I don’t hate the Bears anymore. That was just a thing that lasted while I’m there.”
According to the six-time Pro Bowler, when you’re competing in their division, fans “don’t introduce themselves quite as much.” Suffice to say, the spirit of divisional rivalries appears to be alive and well even in today’s league.
Considering Adam’s history of success against Chicago, it’s understandable as to why their fanbase may have been a bit reserved around him. Adams managed to tally 1,024 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns against the Bears throughout his eight seasons as a Packer.
In fact, the Packers recorded an overall record of 14-2 against the Bears throughout the time that Adams was with them. While it certainly helped to have Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback, Adams seldom struggled against his NFC North counterparts.
Davante Adams reflects on his relationship with Aaron Rodgers
When recently asked by former NBC host Dan Patrick if there were any stories about his last signal caller that he would share with his kids, Adams thought back to one of the first games of his career, a divisional matchup against the Detroit Lions.
“I’m just a rookie coming in, it’s my [third] game playing. I’m not ready to process all of that, especially not mid cadence… I think it might’ve been a test and I failed it… As soon as a drive off of the ball and I take that step and stick for the slant, the ball is flying to where I was standing before I even moved.”
After that, Rodgers immediately began running over to the rookie to get on his case. “When you see that finger come out and he starts skipping towards you, you know it’s problems,” Adams joked.
Thankfully, the two of them managed to develop one of the most productive QB-WR relationships in NFL history. To this day, and much to the dismay of Packers fans, their conquests of the NFC North are heralded as some of the greatest victories in the history of Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Given the rich history of both the division and the franchise, that’s certainly saying something.
