ClutchPoints
The Chicago Bears and their fans are forced to confront familiar feelings following Sunday’s 20-17 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Divisional Round. The franchise’s once incomprehensible Super Bowl dream was much clearer in the final minutes of this bitterly cold playoffs clash, but a Caleb Williams interception and subsequent LA scoring drive ended an exhilarating season. The team is not wallowing in self-pity, though. The theme of the day is growth.
Chicago has plenty to appreciate after a terrific run that included an NFC North title and its first postseason win in 15 years. The Bears also know there is much they can improve on before the 2026-27 campaign begins. Rome Odunze is one such individual whose continued development will be crucial.
The 23-year-old wide receiver was painfully honest while reflecting on his uneven season. Despite battling loads of injury adversity, Odunze knows he fell short of meeting expectations.
“At the end of the day, we all play with different injuries and different things that we go through, so I gotta step through and proceed to be a catalyst to this team’s success, and I don’t feel like I did that well enough this season,” he told reporters on Monday, via the CHGO Bears X account, after recording two receptions for 44 yards versus the Rams.
“It’s going back to the drawing board {and} trying to look at some of the things with my routine or maybe my preparation that I can change, so I can be the player I need to be for this team.”
“I gotta step through and proceed to be a catalyst to this team’s success and I don’t feel like I did that well enough this season.”
Rome Odunze reflects on ups and downs of 2025 season: pic.twitter.com/lDIQIIseuW
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) January 19, 2026
Odunze was living up to the lofty standards that were set when the organization selected him with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, scoring five touchdowns in the first four games of the campaign. He could not sustain the high level of production, however, and his health only made matters worse. The 6-foot-3 wideout endured ankle and heel issues before suffering a stress fracture in his foot. He missed the final five games of the regular season but pushed through the pain for the playoffs.
Although fans appreciated Odunze’s perseverance, he did not make a consistent impact on the field. The 2023 All-American finished his second NFL season with 44 catches for 661 yards and six touchdowns.
Rome Odunze significantly progressed from a statistical standpoint, but he still has to prove he can regularly be a primary option in the Bears’ passing attack. Based on his comments, the young talent is ready to hit the offseason hard.
The post Bears’ Rome Odunze gives harsh review of his disappointing 2025 season appeared first on ClutchPoints.
