The Good, Better, Best Chant › Speeches
Ben Johnson's Good, Better, Best Speeches
The chant is the ending. What came before it, each time it mattered, with what was said and where to watch it.
The Bears post the locker-room speech after every win, which is how the chant got out of the room. This page logs the ones that became stories, with short quotes and links to the reporting. Full transcripts belong to the team; the moments are what people search for.
The first one
Johnson gathered the team inside the Soldier Field locker room and told them to repeat after him, line by line. Some players were skeptical; Kevin Byard later admitted his first thought was that it was a little corny, before it grew on him (ESPN, SI).
The public debut
Johnson's first regular-season win. The team posted the speech; this is the video that introduced Chicago to the chant. Marquee's transcription of the lines that day: "Til your good becomes your better and your better becomes your best" (Tribune / KDH, Marquee).
After the comeback
Down 42–41 with 52 seconds left, the Bears won on a last-minute drive. The locker room afterward was the loudest version yet, and the one that turned the chant into a citywide habit (ESPN / ABC7).
The shirtless one
Black Friday, against the defending champions. Johnson paused for eight seconds of suspense, flung his shirt off, and the visitors' locker room at Lincoln Financial Field erupted into the chant (ESPN). Players said it was the most emotion they'd seen from him.
The playoff speech
First playoff win since January 2011, from 21–3 down. Johnson handed out game balls, said some things about the Packers that made national news and that he later discussed with ownership, and closed with the chant (Bleacher Nation, Fox News). Caleb Williams gave his game ball back to Johnson.
It's back
After a 59-point opener, D'Andre Swift spoke briefly, then Johnson paused before the chant long enough for a player to shout "I need it!" (Sun-Times).
What the speeches have in common
- Game balls come first. The chant is always the last thing.
- Johnson calls every line himself; no one else has led it.
- The pause before the first line has become its own bit. Players now wait for it.
- It only happens after wins. The full list of those is on the timeline.
Where the chant came from before it reached Johnson: the origin page. What the words are: the words.
FAQ
What does Ben Johnson say in his locker room speech?
He hands out game balls, says a few words about the game, then leads the four-line "Good, better, best" chant and breaks on "Bears on three."
When did Ben Johnson take his shirt off for the chant?
After the Black Friday win at Philadelphia on November 28, 2025.
Where can I watch the Bears' good, better, best speeches?
The team posts them on its official social accounts after each win; news outlets linked on this page embed the notable ones.