Bear Digest

Rome Odunze's pain no longer confined to left foot after tough game

A dropped touchdown pass and a loss in the playoffs after a foot injury this year have the second-year receiver looking ahead to something better in his third year.
Gene Chamberlain|
Rome Odunze's elation after the playoff win over Green Bay was in direct contrast to Sunday after the loss to the Rams.
Rome Odunze's elation after the playoff win over Green Bay was in direct contrast to Sunday after the loss to the Rams. | David Banks-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Rome Odunze's glum expression and low vocal tones had become even worse a day after the Bears' disappointing finish in the divisional playoff loss to the Rams.


It was obvious the dropped pass Sunday that would have been a touchdown still weighed heavily on his mind. The mood reflected only what was said to him at an exit meeting with receivers coach Antwaan Randle El, as he hadn't yet met with coach Ben Johnson or GM Ryan Poles.

“Pretty similar, honestly," he said, when asked how he felt a day later. "It takes a while. Disappointment obviously."

His receivers coach hadn't spared him the tough messages.

"The biggest thing was just obviously making the plays that come to me, making the most of my opportunities," Odunze said. "I feel like this season I had way too many opportunities I left out there on the field, and that’s not been the player I’ve ever been in my career.

"So, just capitalizing on those opportunities. I’ve got to go into the offseason and put in the work to do those things.”

Overall, Odunze expressed a bit more optimism about his receiver-QB relationship in the passing game with Caleb Williams.

"I feel like it definitely had its flashes," Odunze said. "You know, like I was saying earlier, it definitely was something that was really prominent at the beginning of the season and then obviously with some of the things I was going through and some of the missed opportunities out there, (it) faltered at different moments."

Odunze wanted no part of using the stress fracture in his left foot as an excuse. It left him on the shelf for five games just before the playoffs and obviously impacted his season, and possibly even his postseason.

He started out averaging over four catches a game in his first nine and had six TD total receptions. He finished averaging 2.2 catches in his last five without a TD.

"It was rough, man, it was rough," Odunze said of his injury. "I’m not going to sit here and say I can barely, you know (play). It is what it is.

"We play through injuries. It’s part of the game. I’m not going to sit here and make excuses about the foot, but (it was) something I was dealing with."

Ahead for Odunze is resting the foot because it's the only way it will truly heal as he comes off a 44-catch season in 12 games, following 54 in his rookie season of 2024.

"Something we continue to build on, but just looking at some of the plays Caleb was making out there this season he definitely put it all out there on the line," Odunze said. "So (I) gotta be out there and available for him in the best manner."

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.