When the Chicago Bears selected wide receiver Rome Odunze with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, they felt that they were getting a true No. 1 weapon for young franchise quarterback Caleb Williams.
During his first season in the NFL, Odunze did not disappoint. He played in 17 games and caught 54 passes for 734 yards and three touchdowns. Odunze showed big-time potential as a rookie.
Now, heading into the 2025 season, the Bears are going to need more from him.
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
As training camp gets set to begin, Odunze spoke out about his rookie season. He also sent a very clear warning to the NFC North division rival Green Bay Packers.
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There are few rivalries in the NFL bigger than Chicago and the Packers. Both teams hate each other and there is always extra motivation to play each other.
Odunze spoke out about feeling that extra motivation when playing Green Bay and also sent a message to the bitter rivals.
“Oh, yeah, for sure,” Odunze said. “I mean, any time we play the Packers, I feel a little bit of extra motivation that week, just learning about that rivalry and how it started, knowing the position the Bears have been in over the last several years. We’re looking to dominate every single time we play them. But yeah, those plays add confidence, for sure.”
During his two games against the Packers last season, Odunze had mixed results.
In the first matchup, he caught just two passes for 18 yards. However, in the second game he totaled six receptions for 65 yards.
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Heading into year two, Odunze will be looking to make a much bigger impact against Green Bay. The two dates to circle on the calendar for the Bears to play the Packers are December 7 and December 20, although the second game is still listed as “TBD” on the schedule.
After the offseason period, both teams appear to be potential playoff contenders. Chicago is looking to make a big jump from last season and the front office put in a lot of work to make that happen.
Expect to see the two matchups between the Bears and Green Bay this season be extremely competitive with Odunze and Chicago looking to prove a point.
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