Inside Ben Johnson’s locker room explosion after Bears’ wild win over Commanders

Inside Ben Johnson’s locker room explosion after Bears’ wild win over Commanders originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Chicago Bears pulled off another nail-biter on Monday Night Football, edging the Washington Commanders 25-24 behind a clutch field goal. The emotional finish sparked yet another fired-up postgame moment from head coach Ben Johnson, whose locker room speeches have become almost as thrilling as the games themselves.

After the narrow road win, Johnson handed out game balls to kicker Jake Moody and running back D’Andre Swift, two players who fueled the victory.

Moody, recently elevated from the practice squad, hit four of five field goals, including the decisive 38-yarder that sealed the win in the misty Washington night.

Swift dominated with 108 rushing yards on 14 carries, 67 receiving yards, and a 55-yard touchdown. The triumph marked Chicago’s third straight victory, turning around a rough 0-2 start and pushing the Bears to 3-2 in the NFC North.

Also read: Caleb Williams explains what makes Bears different after 25-24 win over Commanders

Johnson’s fiery message powers Bears’ growing momentum

Once the celebration began, Johnson’s passion took over. Addressing his players, the Bears coach praised their resilience through a rollercoaster of missed chances, penalties, and near-turnovers.

“Man, let me just tell you this. Just imagine when we clean up these penalties. You guys see where this is going? Some people say that takeaways are lucky, they are not lucky,” Johnson said. “You earn those things every single week, and we've got a train going right now.”

Johnson told his players,

“You never blinked,” crediting the team for staying composed under pressure. “Not for one second. Nice and calm, the entire way through. And you know what? Whatever it took, we found a f***ing way,” he said.

After awarding game balls to Swift and Moody, Johnson capped his speech with the team’s rallying chant:

“Good better best! Never let it rest, until your good gets better, and your better gets best!”

The victory wasn’t just another tick in the win column. It was Chicago’s second win coming off a bye in 12 years and possibly their best road performance in a decade. Johnson’s intensity has clearly rubbed off, as the Bears have now strung together three straight wins, including two decided by field goals.

With a home matchup against the New Orleans Saints next and a stretch of games against struggling opponents ahead, the Bears’ “train,” as Johnson called it, may just be gathering full steam