Sep 28, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (15) celebrates after the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
By Sam Neumann on

The Chicago Bears responded to James Odunze’s social media complaints about his son’s usage with a pointed message of their own.

On Tuesday, the Bears’ social media team posted a video titled “Selfless” featuring Rome Odunze mic’d up during Chicago’s 47-42 win over the Bengals. The entire clip showcased the second-year receiver throwing blocks downfield throughout the game.

James Odunze spent Monday afternoon on X retweeting posts calling for the Bears to trade his son. One tweet suggested the Bears send Rome to a team that would “actually throw to him.” James pinned that one. Another post demanded that Rome get at least 10 targets per game. He also retweeted praise for Marvin Harrison Sr., who recently criticized the Arizona Cardinals’ offense for not getting the ball to his son enough.

Mind you, the Bears just put up 576 yards of total offense against Cincinnati — their most in 45 years — and scored 47 points in a comeback victory. Even with a goose egg in the box score, Rome Odunze still leads the team in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and targets through nine games.

And the Bengals knew that coming into last Sunday’s game. Cincinnati used its best cornerback to shadow him all afternoon, taking away the Bears’ leading receiver and daring Caleb Williams to beat them elsewhere. Williams did exactly that. He spread the ball around to seven different receivers, with Colston Loveland emerging as the primary beneficiary. Loveland caught six passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner with 26 seconds remaining.

When defenses take away your top option, good offenses adjust. The Bears adjusted and hung 47 points on Cincinnati anyway.

The Bears’ video made that point without saying it directly. While Rome wasn’t catching passes, he was clearing out defenders and finishing blocks downfield. That kind of work that doesn’t generate highlights or fill up a stat sheet, but it’s how offenses function when everyone buys into their role.

It’s not the first time James Odunze has gone public with frustrations about his son’s usage. During his son’s rookie campaign, he called out Dan Orlovsky after the ESPN analyst questioned whether Rome could separate from defensive backs. James posted game film showing his son running open, directly challenging Orlovsky’s evaluation.

But there’s a difference between what Marvin Harrison Sr. did with Arizona and what’s happening here. The Cardinals were struggling to move the ball. The Bears just posted one of their best offensive performances in decades, and Rome played a role in that, even if he scored zero points in fantasy football.

About Sam Neumann

Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.

View all posts by Sam Neumann