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A historic image of John "Button" Salmon, a University of Arizona alum.

Bear Down

More than a motto, “bear down” encapsulates the Wildcat spirit: Strong, resilient, exceptional in achievement but unpretentious in attitude. Sports are one thing, but dig into the U of A’s history and culture and you’ll see: Bear down — it’s what we do. 

A 1924 image of John "Button" Salmon posing for a photo with his hands on his hips.

The phrase comes from the last words of star quarterback and class president John “Button” Salmon, who was critically injured in a car crash in October 1926 and reportedly told then-Coach James “Pop” McKale to, “Tell them… tell the team to bear down” from his hospital bed.

An image of a newspaper sharing the news of John "Button" Salmon's passing.

Students took to the phrase swiftly, at one point gathering to paint it on the roof of what we now call Bear Down Gym. It was later adopted by Jack K. Lee for a song called “Bear Down, Arizona,” which Lee submitted as part of his application for the job as the U of A band director. (He got it.) 

An image of a student walking by the iconic red and blue "BEAR DOWN" sign on the University of Arizona campus. The student is using an umbrella, and rain is visible on the pavers.

The U of A celebrated the hundredth anniversary of Bear Down in 2026, cementing the legacy of a phrase that continues to resonate and define us. (Pair with a Wildcat hand symbol — a “WC” formed with your right hand — for maximum impact.)

TRADITIONS

OLD MAIN