Rome Odunze says dad's shots at Bears don't speak for me - ESPN

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze said Thursday that his father's posts on social media are his prerogative, but that they don't speak for the former first-round pick.

Odunze is coming off his NFL first game without a catch despite the Bears scoring 47 points in a last-second win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. He was targeted three times in the game.

Though the ninth pick in the 2024 draft offered an honest assessment of his play against the Bengals — noting a pass in the end zone that hit his hands was one he «could definitely make» but struggled to haul in once the ball was tipped — his father took to social media this week to express criticism of the Bears' offense.

After the win, James Odunze reposted a message on social media that asked whether the Bears would «trade Rome Odunze to a team that will actually throw to him» and another post that declared the receiver «should be seeing at least 10 targets per game.»

«I don't make a big deal out of it,» Rome Odunze said. «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.»

Odunze leads the Bears in targets (59), receiving yards (473), receiving touchdowns (5) and is tied with fellow receiver Olamide Zaccheaus with 31 receptions. Odunze is averaging over seven targets per game and dispelled any notion that he is frustrated with his role in Chicago.

«Oh, man. I'm happy,» Rome Odunze 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. So, trying to excel at a Hall of Fame level in those aspects. That's all I'm focused on.»

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