The Chicago Bears had a historic showing against the Carolina Panthers, outlasting them for a 59-37 shootout win in a thrilling Week 1 game.
While the Bears got off to a rough start when they committed a turnover on their opening possession and were quickly down 7-0. They responded with three straight touchdown drives and looked to have a commanding lead before the Panthers closed the gap and made things interesting by halftime and leading 31-24. But Chicago was able to pull away in the second half, scoring 28 more points for a resounding victory to kick off the 2026 season.
Following the game, the Bears social team released a video inside the winning locker room, where head coach Ben Johnson addressed his team after their historic Week 1 victory.
Head coach Ben Johnson handed out three game balls in the locker room -- safety Dillon Thieneman, the entire offensive line and running back D'Andre Swift. Thieneman was a standout on defense in his rookie debut, leading the team in tackles and coming up big on a forced fumble in the second half. The offense line paved the way for 291 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns. Then there was Swift, who shined for 124 rushing yards and three scores just days after earning a massive payday.
Last season, Johnson established a beloved tradition in the postgame locker room with his "Good, Better, Best" chant, and the players were begging for it after his postgame speech.
What you've all been waiting for ‼️ pic.twitter.com/TokagQtpMB
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 13, 2026
The Bears came away with a crucial NFC win in Week 1, where the offense showcased its dangerous potential, but there's still plenty to clean up with all three phases ahead of Week 2's matchup agains the Minnesota Vikings.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Inside Bears' locker room after dominant shootout win vs. Panthers
