In a week where the Chicago Bears put up 47 points in a dramatic last-second win over the Cincinnati Bengals, the loudest conversation wasn’t about the scoreboard.
It was about a tweet.
More specifically — a repost.
Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, addressed social media criticism from his father, James Odunze, who questioned Chicago’s offensive usage of his son following a rare quiet outing.
For the first time in his young NFL career, Odunze finished a game without a catch, despite being targeted three times. One of those targets — a pass in the end zone — slipped through his hands after being tipped.
It was a moment Odunze didn’t dodge.
“That’s one I could definitely make,” he admitted honestly.
But while the receiver owned his performance, his father took a different approach online.
After the win, James Odunze reposted a message asking whether the Bears would “trade Rome Odunze to a team that will actually throw to him.” He also amplified another post claiming his son should be seeing “at least 10 targets per game.”
The posts gained traction quickly — and inevitably reached the locker room.
By Thursday, Odunze was facing questions not about dropped passes, but about his father’s criticism.
His response? Calm. Direct. Mature.
“I don’t make a big deal out of it,” Odunze said at Halas Hall. “Obviously, he has his opinions, and I have mine. And he feels like he needs to voice those things on social media. That’s his prerogative. But he speaks for himself. I speak for myself.”
No drama. No distancing. Just clarity.
Odunze even made sure to emphasize where his father’s passion comes from.
“At the end of the day, he’s a Rome fan,” he said. “He’s in full support of Rome Odunze. That’s first and foremost for him. But I love my pops.”
That balance — accountability without resentment — reflects why Chicago views Odunze as more than just a playmaker.
And make no mistake: the numbers tell a bigger story than one catchless afternoon.
Through eight games, Odunze leads the Bears in targets (59), receiving yards (473), and receiving touchdowns (5). He’s tied with Olamide Zaccheaus for the team lead in receptions (31) and is averaging more than seven targets per game.
Hardly the profile of a player being ignored.
When asked whether he was frustrated with his role in the offense, Odunze shut down the narrative entirely.
“Oh, man, I’m happy,” he said. “I’m just trying to do my job within this organization as a leader, as a person, as an individual and then as a football player. Trying to excel at a Hall of Fame level in those aspects. That’s all I’m focused on.”
That mindset matters — especially for a Bears team sitting at 5-3 and firmly in the NFC North race.
Even in a game where the stat sheet didn’t show it, Odunze made an impact. Chicago’s social media team posted a 2-minute, 16-second highlight reel of his blocking contributions against Cincinnati — an often overlooked aspect of wide receiver play.
“That was cool. I appreciate them doing that,” Odunze said. “It’s an underappreciated aspect of wide receiver play that I feel like I excelled at in that game.”
In other words: he’s focused on the full picture.
As the Bears prepare to host the New York Giants at Soldier Field, the outside noise may continue. Social media always finds a storyline.
But inside the building, Odunze appears steady.
One dropped pass doesn’t define him.
One repost doesn’t derail him.
And one thing is clear: Rome Odunze is charting his own path — on and off the field.
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