Brett Favre and the 10 Most Hated Opponents in Chicago Bears History

Admit it, Bears fans—we secretly admired and respected Brett Favre through the years for his skill and toughness. That is, until he decided to retire and un-retire like a revolving door. But as a Green Bay Packer, he will forever be known as a hated rival.

In fact, you could put down almost any Packer and say they were hated opponents, And yes, I have a couple more on this list. But there are others, for reasons I attempt to describe within the confines of this slideshow.

Charles Martin Slams the Punky QB to the Turf

In Week 12 of the 1986 season Green Bay defensive tackle Charles Martin wore a towel with a hit list of specific Bears numbers written on it, such as No. 34, Walter Payton, No. 9 Jim McMahon, and others.

Following a McMahon interception, Martin came up from behind and body slammed him to the turf, separating McMahon's shoulder, ending the quarterback's season.

Martin would be suspended for two games, at the time the longest suspension in NFL history. But that wasn't enough to keep him off this list.

Aaron Rodgers: Jealousy Will Get Us Nowhere

Matt Ludtke/Getty Images

GREEN BAY, WI - FEBRUARY 08: Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers hoists the Lombardi Trophy during the Packers victory ceremony at Lambeau Field on February 8, 2011 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Matt Ludtke/Getty Images)

Sure, there really isn't any specific reason to dislike the guy, though the fact that he's a Packer should be reason enough. Still, anytime the QB of your arch rival follows a Hall of Fame candidate like Favre and looks to be just as good or better, it makes a Bears fan angry.

Whether it's jealousy over the fact that we can't get even one great QB while the Packers find one great one after another, or just the fact that he beat us in the championship game, this is one rivalry that will be around for a long time, barring injury.

Jared Allen: We Bears Fans Are Purple People Haters

This is one mean SOB who plays for a division rival, so naturally Jared Allen is a hated opponent.

Just look at the photo atop this slide and you'll quickly see why this is a player we can learn to dislike. The Chicago Sun-Times quoted Allen talking about Jay Cutler.

"Twice a year, I am going to peel the back of his head off the turf,'' Allen said. "I love the guy but business is business.''

And they are friends! With friends like that, who needs enemies?

Dexter Manley: "The IQ of a Grapefruit"

Coach Mike Ditka, before the Bears' most significant game of the 1988 season, suggested that the defensive end of the Washington Redskins had ''the I.Q. of a grapefruit.''

This came after Manley threatened to break Walter Payton in half.

Ditka said Manley acted disgracefully during the playing of the national anthem before that game, saying this to the Chicago Sun-Times.

"It was a disgrace," he fumed. "If that's all the respect he has for his country. . . You learn in the fifth grade how to act during the national anthem. He was running up and down the sidelines and had his head in the heater. And I'm crazy for inciting him."

After the game, Manley called the Bears "an arrogant bunch of jerks."

Manley ended up suspended for life from the NFL for repeatedly failing drug tests.

Curly Lambeau: The Rivalry Begins

Ever wonder how far this Bears-Packers rivalry goes back? Well, consider that Bears owner and coach George Halas and the Green Bay Packers founder and coach Curly Lambeau never liked each other.

In fact, things have been heated since Tillie Voss of the Packers and Frank Hanny of the Bears were ejected for fighting in the third meeting in 1924. As the Green Bay Gazette reported earlier this year:

“They were our mortal enemies,” the late Harry Jacunski, an end for the Packers from 1939-’44, said of the Bears years later.

And it all started with the two teams' founders. It figures.

Adrian Peterson, the "Bear Killer"

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

CHICAGO - NOVEMBER 14: Adrian Peterson #28 of the Minnesota Vikings runs against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on November 14, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears defeated the Vikings 27-13. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Bears fans and players do not actually hate the guy, at least not that I'm aware of, but you have to hate the results over the years.

His breakout game as a professional came on October 14, 2007 against the Chicago Bears, highlighted by a three-touchdown performance and a then franchise record of 224 yards rushing on 20 carries.

The Bears have done a nice job against "A.D." of late, but for his career he has been a handful.

Peterson scored 11 touchdowns vs. the Bears from 2007 through 2009, totaling 733 yards in 139 attempts. The fact that he happens to play for a division rival doesn't hurt his chances of being on this list, that's for sure.

Former Packers Head Coach Forrest Gregg

When Gregg coached the hated Packers, and Ditka coached Da Bears, the rivalry was even more intense than usual. Since then, it has leveled off, in large part because this coach is no longer around to cheap shot the Bears.

Yes, he coached when Charles Martin slammed McMahon's shoulder into the turf, but it goes beyond that. He seemed to encourage his players to play dirty. Yes, football is a brutal sport, but this guy was a punk who encouraged bounties.

He only coached the team from 1984 to 1987, but he was a former player who let his hatred for Mike Ditka as a player extend to his coaching on the sidelines. In 1985, Packers cornerback Mark Lee was kicked out of the game after throwing Walter Payton over the Bears bench on a running play. Walter Payton!

Later in the game, Green Bay safety Ken Stills drilled fullback Matt Suhey several seconds after the whistle had blown, a dirty play that the Packers coach applauded.

“I don’t mind that,” Gregg said. “He took a crack at somebody. That’s aggressive football.” (Quote courtesy of chicagobears.com's Larry Mayer)

Ditka got even by throwing a TD pass to the Fridge in that game.

Former Detroit Lions Coach Wayne Fontes and His Cigar

It is perhaps the second-most famous cigar in history, at least to us older Bears fans (for those wondering, there was this certain ex-President who tops the list in that regard, but I digress).

That pompous, arrogant former Lions head coach was shown on national TV lighting up a cigar to celebrate the Bears getting annihilated 52-14 by the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football back in 1992.

It was a big game, for if the Bears won, they would finish 12-4 and win the Central for the second year in a row over Detroit by virtue of a tiebreaker. By losing, Detroit took the division.

All throughout the blowout, we were bombarded with live shots of Wayne Fontes and the Detroit Lions in the Silverdome restaurant, hamming it up in hopes of a Bears loss.

That shot of Fontes smoking a victory cigar just rubbed salt in the wound for Bears fans that night.  

ESPN's Trent Dilfer Hates Bears and Cutler

Alright, this one isn't quite fair because Dilfer isn't technically an opponent, although he did play against the Bears as a player. But still, many Bears fans dislike his commentary, especially those who back QB Jay Cutler.

For some reason, Dilfer seems to have a vendetta against Cutler. Now, many players and fans dislike Cutler, I get that. Still, the shots Dilfer consistently takes against the Bears QB borders on unprofessional. It's almost as if the man is obsessed.

Sure, some of his criticisms have a valid point, especially the ones regarding Cutler's mechanics. But to question Cutler's toughness, after almost getting his head taken off this season, is silly.

On top of all that, Dilfer is perhaps the worst QB to ever win a Super Bowl. Take that!

Last but Not Least: Brett Favre

You had to know I was going to get around to Favre. Heck, all you had to do was to read the title of the slideshow so it didn't take a rocket scientist.

Still, as I mentioned in the opening, I'm not sure Bears fans hated the man, but they certainly hated the way he beat us over the years. Then, later on, many hated the man but that wasn't until he started flip-flopping on retirement and all that.

When he was in his prime, he was tough as nails and he simply killed us. Favre was 23-12 versus Da Bears, but that record was even more lopsided earlier on in his career. At one time, he was 20-4 against us.

Consider these accomplishments:

His 25 career touchdown passes at Soldier Field are the most in any opposing teams' stadium.

His longest pass play from scrimmage was against the Bears with a 99-yard touchdown pass to Robert Brooks on Sept. 11, 1995.

His all-time record for completions (36) and yards (402) was at Soldier Field on Dec. 5, 1993.

In addition, one of his career-high five touchdown passes in a game was against the Bears on Nov. 12, 1995.

Favre completed 664 of 1,076 passes for 7,660 yards, 53 touchdowns with 38 interceptions against the Bears.

That's enough to make a Bears fan cry!