The Chicago Bears‘ first-round rookies, quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze, are beginning to face serious scrutiny for their lack of production over the first couple games, and the impacts are rippling out.
Odunze faced criticism from ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky earlier this week, with which James Odunze — Rome Odunze’s father — took umbrage on social media. Reporters spoke with the wideout and No. 9 overall pick on Friday, September 20, and asked him for his reaction to his father’s online actions and the subsequent fallout.
“He just called me and was like, ‘Looks like I stirred up a little bit of a storm.’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, Pops,’” Odunze said, per Dan Widerer of the Chicago Tribune. “But he has always been prevalent on social media defending me. Again, that’s my Pops. He’ll do anything for me. But it’s a different stage in the NFL, as he and I have both learned.”
Rome Odunze’s Father, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky Had Social Media Back and Forth This Week
GettyChicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze.
Basically, the situation began with an X post from Orlovsky on Wednesday, in which he criticized Odunze’s ability to get open at the NFL level.
“The Bears and Caleb [Williams] are gonna have to get comfortable giving Rome [Odunze] more covered opportunities. Rome [Odunze] isn’t getting open at this level right now,” Orlovsky wrote. “Caleb [Williams] will have to get more comfortable throwing him some 50/50 balls.”
James Odunze countered with an X post of his own that included video of Rome Odunze wide open in the end zone during a game against the Tennessee Titans in Week 1 and Williams failing to deliver him the football.
“A quick (2 GAMES out of 17) reference guide for those with the initials D.O. and work for the Entertainment & Sports Programming Network,” James Odunze wrote. “[With] respect 🐻⬇️.”
Rome Odunze Says His Father Was Not Throwing Bears QB Caleb Williams Under Bus
GettyQuarterback Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears.
Afterwards, James Odunze caught heat for his post, as some fans and media members pondered whether he was attempting to throw Williams under the bus and blame the QB for the Bears’ offensive struggles early in the year.
However, Rome Odunze assured reporters on Friday that was not the case.
“Like I said, things can be misconstrued to try to create a different narrative. He was just telling me, ‘I’m always going to fight for you.’ And I know that. He always has my back. And he has this team’s back,” Odunze said. “Those comments have nothing to do with a disbelief in this team or anybody on this team. It’s purely him defending his son.”
Nonetheless, Chicago has been abysmal on offense through two games, ranking 31st of 32 teams with just 176.5 yards of total offense per game. Additionally, the Bears’ pass attack is the worst in the NFL to this point, producing just 99 yards per contest.
Meanwhile, Rome Odunze has 3 catches for 44 yards and zero TDs on 9 targets through two games.
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