Rome Odunze's father, James, insinuates Bears holding rookie WR back, makes feelings known on "coaching malpractice"
Rome Odunze's father, James, offered his thoughts on the Chicago Bears holding the rookie WR back against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
The Bears were expected to put up a fight against the 49ers after ridding the locker room of former coach Matt Eberflus, whose questionable game management cost him his job.
If Bears fans expected an interim manager bounce that would see the locker room rejuvenated, they were left sorely disappointed, as the offense set an embarrassing new low against the Niners.
They managed just four yards in the first half, their lowest tally this millennium. Over 17 plays, they converted just one first down and went 0/5 on third down. Caleb Williams was sacked four times for 30 yards, outlining the task ahead for interim head coach Thomas Brown.
Rookie WR Rome Odunze had four catches for 42 yards but found the end zone twice in the second half, but those were just his second and third touchdowns of the season. Over the year, Odunze has racked up just 585 yards, something his father James noted.
In response to a Bears fan saying Rome would average 1,100 yards on any other NFC North team, James replied:
"1,500."
In another post, where a Bears fans claimed that they were simply using the rookie as a decoy, James Odunze posted a GIF nodding in agreement to the suggestion that it was "coaching malpractice."
Bears face long road back to contention despite drafting Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze
It's fair to say that a lot was expected of the Bears, given that they had picked Caleb Williams first overall and gave him some help with veteran additions like Keenan Allen and a rookie WR like Rome Odunze.
The hype was palpable as they entered the season. NFL analyst Nick Wright had the Bears playing meaningful football in January. The hope was that Williams, who was given all the help Justin Fields didn't get, would drive the franchise back into contention with Eberflus at the helm.
Entering Week 15, though, the Bears are on a seven-game losing skid, firmly out of playoff contention. They fired third-year coach Matt Eberflus at the end of November, tapping passing game coordinator Thomas Brown to take over.
While he had some success with Williams in his previous role, the Bears were outgained 452-162 against Kyle Shanahan's Niners, outlining just how big a job GM Ryan Poles faces to get things back on track.
The Bears have been strongly linked with a move for Detroit Lions OC Ben Johnson, who's shaping up to be the hottest name on the 2025 coaching carousel. However, any move for Johnson will have to wait, given the Lions are the top dogs in the NFC.