Ben Johnson’s Chicago Bears are looking like legitimate contenders after securing a 34-17 win over the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks on Monday night. The win improved Chicago’s record to 6-2, cementing the Bears’ status as a team to watch out for in the playoffs.

By beating both the New England Patriots and the Seahawks back-to-back, the Bears have made a strong statement about their ability to compete with the NFL’s best. However, the win was not the only talking point following Monday night’s showdown.

Johnson’s passionate locker room speech after the game quickly caught the attention of fans on social media.

Ben Johnson’s Locker Room Speech Goes Viral

Following the Seattle win, Johnson had an electric speech in the locker room.

“We said that was going to be a physical football game,” Johnson said. “Let me tell you something: I knew it was going to be on that first third down to the game. Cam Lewis and you carried it throughout for all 60 minutes, man, and it wasn’t clean; there were some ups and downs.

“You didn’t wait for one bit. All right, guys, let me tell you, you got to be proud of this now. You got to be proud of this and did a phenomenal job throughout. I got three game balls coming out here.”

One of those game balls went to D’Andre Swift, who finished with 27 carries for 69 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the Seahawks game. He currently ranks No. 13 in PFN RB Impact with a 78.5 grade.

Austin Booker also received recognition for his contributions after recording three tackles and blocking a field goal. Jeffery Simmons was the third recipient after tying for the team lead with six tackles while also recording a sack.

Johnson concluded his speech with another message that reflected his ambitions for the franchise.

“We didn’t come here to make a statement,” Johnson said. “We came here to build something, and we’re just getting started.”

Johnson’s overall presence in the locker room earned him high praise.

“Bears HC Ben Johnson delivered another ALL-TIME locker room speech after a primetime W. The best coach in the #NFL,” ML Football wrote.

“FIRE. US. UP. COACH!!!!!” Swiss Theory’s co-founder Ross Pins wrote.

Johnson’s offensive play designs have helped transform Chicago into one of the NFL’s most explosive units. He has also emphasized building a team culture centered on effort and results rather than individual reputations.

That approach has seemingly boosted the connection between the coaching staff and players, which was evident in the postgame celebrations.

“Might be the best team culture in sports man, I could cry,” a Bears fan page wrote.

“Bro forget Club Dub, I only want to see Ben Johnson locker room videos for the rest of my life. This is a leader,” Pins wrote in another tweet.

“Bears might have the best culture in the NFL. This locker room is special,” one fan remarked.

The Bears will now look to carry that momentum into their next challenge when they play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Soldier Field on Sunday night.