During the Chicago Bears’ final preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday night, former Washington Huskies star wide receiver Rome Odunze saw extended action ahead of his second NFL campaign.
Odunze and the majority of Chicago’s starters played the majority of the first half, as the 2023 Consensus All-American led the Bears in receiving yards (45) and tied for the team lead in catches (3) on five targets. That included a strong catch and run for 37 yards on a deep crossing route, where he juked out multiple defenders to take the Bears into the red zone and down to the 3-yard line during a two-minute drill right before halftime.
On the next play, quarterback Caleb Williams rewarded the receiver with a touchdown pass, cutting Kansas City’s lead to 20-10 just before halftime as the pair continues to build their chemistry after Chicago selected both of them in the top ten of the 2024 NFL draft.
“He’s definitely more locked in and has had a whole training camp of growth, and that’s proven to be dividends for him,” Odunze told Kay Adams on Up & Adams. “We’re all there for him, the coaching staff, and everybody. He’s going out there and he’s balling, so we’re just pieces to the puzzle.”
That helped fuel a second-half comeback for the Bears, led by backup quarterback Tyson Bagent, as Chicago roared back and secured a 29-27 victory to end the preseason at 2-0-1.
For Odunze, who didn’t play in Chicago’s first game, his stats from Arrowhead Stadium made up the entirety of his preseason after he was held without a catch on just one target in the Bears’ blowout victory over the Buffalo Bills. As he prepares for his second season under new head coach Ben Johnson, Odunze is widely expected to develop into one of Williams’ top targets, with the potential to go over 1,000 receiving yards in 2025.