Bear Digest

How far Bears victory celebrations may or may not go for Ben Johnson

The Bears coach revealed the roots of his postgame chant and also whether he would remove his shirt to make a popular fast-food restaurant give out free hot dogs.
Gene Chamberlain|
Ben Johnson taking off his shirt to get people hot dogs? Possibly.
Ben Johnson taking off his shirt to get people hot dogs? Possibly. | Chicago Bears On SI Photo: Chicago Bears Video

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Chicago Bears

Bears coach Ben Johnson gets credit for all sorts of innovation.

He's not about to take the credit for something which has become his mantra during the current four-game winning streak.

Johnson's battle cry in the locker room has been "good, better, best."

"That actually goes back to high school for me, and it's something that—we were a darn good high school team, and probably about 25 or 30 years there, it wasn't whether we're gonna go to the playoffs, it was how far we're gonna make it in the playoffs," Johnson said.

Johnson played quarterback for A. C. Reynolds High School in Asheville, N.C. They won the 4A Nort Carolina title when he was a junior.

This saying the Bears have is a repeat from that team.

"Just a fond memory of mine growing up, postgame in that locker room, shoot, even before I was wearing that uniform because my dad was an assistant coach on that team before he got into high school administration," Johnson said. "So I remember being in that locker room, and that was just the rallying cry at that time.

"And I think there's something to be said when a group of men they're all believing the same thing, they're saying the same thing. It's one heartbeat, one voice, and I think our guys have enjoyed it."

They've enjoyed all sorts of things about winning instead of losing and their saying is just one of those. The Dennis Allen game ball last week was another enjoyable scene.

The Wieners Circle hot dog stand gave out free hot dogs to celebrate Caleb Williams' four touchdown passes against Dallas, and now is promising to give out hot dogs if Johnson takes his shirt off after the game in their celebration.

“I don’t know if I’m going to encourage him to take his shirt off,” Williams said.

“But if he does it," then Williams paused. "He loves Chicago and I think he’s been enjoying Chicago, so I think he may or may not do it, so we’ll see. But I’m not going to encourage the guy to take off his shirt for some hot dogs.”

It's unclear whether it's possible.

"Yeah. That’s been mentioned," Johnson said Friday at Halas Hall. "It’s a little disturbing. Why would we want to see that? Any comment?"

The hot dogs would be for a good cause, the fans.

"Well, I’m a man of the people," Johnson said. "I’m a man of the people. So, time will tell."

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.