A few weeks back, Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson was at the center of a social media frenzy started by a local hot dog restaurant, The Weiner's Circle.
It was a simple ask. If Johnson removed his shirt after a Bears win, the restaurant would offer free hot dogs to the city of Chicago. Back then, Johnson seemed reluctant to oblige.
Fast forward about six weeks and, after the Bears' victory over the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, Johnson felt it was as good a time as ever. Johnson's now-viral locker room speech ended with his shirt off and the entire team cheering in epic fashion.
“I think any chance you get to feed a city, you do it. Man of the people," Johnson told the media on Monday, after being asked about the shirtless saga.
Ben Johnson's energy is something the Bears haven't seen in years, but it's much-needed
Johnson went on about the moment that blew up:
"Well ... Yeah. It was a spur of the moment deal I guess. I figured the sooner the better. Because I'm not in the weight room much any more."
All jokes aside, Johnson has been precisely what Chicago longed for. Much has been made of his stoic demeanor throughout each game, never getting too high or too low in any given moment. And, that's been by design.
Because, when it comes time to really celebrate, Johnson is all-in. His locker room speeches have quickly become the stuff of Chicago sports legends. The way he handles himself throughout game day, and how calm and focused he is ... it's that much more entertaining and heartwarming to see him exude so much emotion after a win.
This fan base hasn't seen energy like Johnson's in a very long time. They've seen examples of timidity, soft-spoken coachspeak (word salad, as we called it during the Matt Nagy era), and a false sense of confidence at the absolute worst time.
Johnson, from the very beginning, has said what he means, and he means what he says. He has followed through on his commitments to this team, whether it's bringing out the best in every player, demanding excellence, or instilling toughness and resilience in the locker room -- he's followed through on it all.
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It's taken less than one year for Bears fans to realize that this franchise has a coach unlike anything they've seen in decades, and thankfully, Johnson appears to be here for the long haul.