Bears coach Ben Johnson turns locker room panic move into winning tradition

Bears head coach Ben Johnson performed his "stanky leg" celebration dance in the locker room after the team defeated the Seattle Seahawks on Monday.

Players and fans responded with loud cheers, with some team members shouting, "I need it!" before Johnson finished the routine. The move has become a consistent ritual following victories for the Chicago squad.

The tradition started during the team's first Monday night game of the season against the Philadelphia Eagles. Johnson said he was surprised to find players waiting for him to perform a dance in the locker room. He explained to reporters that he had seen teammates do similar moves in high school but did not know what the current group expected.

"So honestly I had no idea [the players] were waiting for me like that and so I didn't know what to do so I just - that was a panic move is what it was," Johnson said. He described the initial attempt as a reactive step rather than a planned performance.

The gesture gained attention on social media, where clips of the dance spread widely. Players, including quarterback Caleb Williams, have joined in on the celebration in subsequent games. Johnson noted that the routine has improved with each win, evolving from a startled reaction to a deliberate part of the postgame routine.

The team continues to use the dance as a marker for successful outings. The move now serves as a central point of celebration for the roster and its supporters.