Tag: Rome Odunze

Bears GM Ryan Poles barely hid a laugh when asked about the Falcons drafting Michael Penix Jr.

The Falcons are the joke of the NFL right now.

In the NFL, there is nothing like making a perceived mistake league-wide. Truly, when it comes to going against the grain of the common consensus — if it rains, it pours. The Atlanta Falcons are learning that the hard way after they shockingly drafted former Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Beyond the Falcons stunning their own fans, it seems pretty clear their Penix pick also took other NFL general managers off guard.

RELATED: Why the Falcons might have drafted Penix. 

Take Bears general manager Ryan Poles, for example. When explaining his thought process after seeing receiver Rome Odunze drop to Chicago at No. 9 overall, Poles was asked about his thoughts on Atlanta’s quarterback pick just before. He could barely stifle a laugh before composing himself and delivering an appropriately professional answer.

While the charitable (and likely) interpretation is that Poles mainly appreciated Atlanta opening the door to Odunze wearing a Bears uniform, his immediate slip reaction said it all — he apparently found the Falcons’ evaluative draft process leading them to Penix very amusing.

You can find the exchange starting at the 11:05 timestamp in the video below, courtesy of the Bears:

The Falcons can only hope that anyone who reacted to the Penix pick like this comes to regret their laughter in due time. For the time being, though, they are the convenient (and understandable) piñata of the league.

Featured image courtesy of the Chicago Bears. 

Rome Odunze was stunned to learn the Bears’ all-time receiving yard record (and is ready to break it)

The Bears’ offensive records are embarrassingly low.

On paper, Rome Odunze is likely the most talented receiver prospect the Chicago Bears have ever had the pleasure of drafting. Odunze is so good, in fact, that he was previously (blissfully?) unaware of Chicago’s all-time receiving yards record.

Gifted playmakers like him simply don’t understand the offensive futility the Bears have been mired in for years.

RELATED: Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze are an incredible buddy duo already. 

In an interview with Chicago radio station 670 The Score, Odunze was told that the Bears’ all-time leading receiver is Johnny Morris, with an extremely meager 5059 yards. When Odunze heard the figure out loud, he literally had to clarify that it was achieved over the course of an entire Bears career.

Most importantly, the talented rookie vowed that he’s prepared to break it someday:

I don’t know about you, but telling doe-eyed Bears offensive rookies the franchise records for their respective positions would be incredible content. Call it a hunch, but Odunze wouldn’t be the only shocked person. For example, does Caleb Williams know a Bears quarterback has never thrown for at least 4000 yards and/or 30 touchdowns in a single season?

And does he know why? (Tugs collar)

Needless to say, Odunze (and Williams) are joining the Bears with the potential to blaze so many trails.

Rome Odunze was shocked to learn the Bears receiving record

In an interview on 670 The Score, Rome Odunze learned about the Bears’ dismal receiving record and he could not believe it.

Wide receiver Rome Odunze has only been a member of the Chicago Bears for a day, but he’s already learning about the team’s history and records. It’s safe to say he wasn’t prepared for how low some of them are.

In an interview on 670 The Score’s Parkins & Spiegel Show, Odunze learned who the team’s all-time leading receiver was and how many yards they had. The 21-year-old receiver guessed it was Brandon Marshall, who spent three years in Chicago and is No. 13 on the list. It’s safe to say he didn’t expect the answer to be Johnny Morris with 5,059 yards.

“In the career?!” Odunze exclaimed as he and the hosts laughed. He immediately took that as a challenge, though. “I hope I’ll go break that record and hopefully add a few thousand to that… 5,000 is the goal, then. Let’s get after it.”

For Bears fans, it’s no secret that the team has struggled to develop and maintain prolific wide receivers. Productive players like Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, and Allen Robinson were only around for a few years, and former Bears receiver Muhsin Muhammad infamously said that Chicago was where receivers go to die. Morris played in the 1950s and 1960s, and his receiving record is the lowest of any all-time team leader in the league.

Odunze was shocked at the ineptitude of the position but is prepared to change and make history within the organization. Here’s hoping he’s around long enough to break the record and provide the Bears offense with a consistent and dangerous receiving threat for many years to come.

Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze are the buddy duo Bears fans desperately needed

Find you somebody that looks at you the way Caleb Williams looks at Rome Odunze.

Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze are already best friends, and they have yet to play an NFL game together.

Caleb is through the roof that the Bears swooped in and drafted Rome Odunze at No. 9 overall. He had already run into Rome earlier in the week as he made his way to the NFL Draft, and now, plot twist! They’re teammates.

In new clips released Thursday evening, Chicago’s new quarterback clearly could not hide his excitement. He even got the Bears’ social team involved in a “mission” to surprise Rome as he answered questions during a media availability session. As soon as Rome realizes it’s Caleb behind him, they start thinking of imaginary league domination scenarios.

The new duo of Caleb and Rome also has fans making all kinds of memes:

Bears get high NFL draft grade for Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze picks

The Bears roared at the NFL draft in the home of the Detroit Lions.

The Chicago Bears hit not one home run, but two, at the 2024 NFL draft. They not only picked Caleb Williams at No. 1. They picked Rome Odunze at No. 9, giving Caleb an elite receiver to throw to on top of Keenan Allen, whom they acquired in free agency. The Bears have three quality receivers, a rarity for the franchise. Caleb Williams has a lot of resources to work with.

USA TODAY Sports NFL draft analyst Nate Davis has more on the Bears’ big night:

“To the surprise of absolutely no one, former USC QB Caleb Williams officially arrived with the No. 1 overall pick. But the acquisition of WR Rome Odunze at No. 9 arguably topped Chicago’s rebuild with the two best players in the entire draft. But there’s almost no argument that this team should be ready to win and contend this season, Williams with a chance to quickly emerge as this franchise’s best passer of the Super Bowl era (since 1966).”

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Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze are already best buddies with the Bears

Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze were giddy schoolboys after they learned they will play together in Chicago.

Caleb Williams will throw passes to Rome Odunze with the Chicago Bears. The NFC North team has to be ecstatic about upgrading dramatically at the quarterback and wide receiver positions in the 2024 NFL draft. The Bears, if you know your NFL history, have been remarkably mediocre at quarterback throughout the past 70 years.

“(Sid) Luckman presided over the Bears’ greatest dynasty, winning four NFL championships from 1940 through 1946. The Bears won the 1940 NFL Championship Game 73-0 over the Washington Redskins, the most awesomely overwhelming blowout in NFL championship history. Sid Luckman authored that beatdown. Luckman is easily the greatest Bear quarterback ever, but to be more precise about it, he is the only great Chicago Bear quarterback of all time if we view Paddy Driscoll as more of a runner and multi-position player (halfback, kicker) than as a “pure” quarterback. It is Luckman who stands alone in the very long history of the Bears as an elite quarterback.”

Caleb Williams will try to be the second great Bears quarterback. Rome Odunze, who was picked by Chicago at No. 9 in the draft, could be the elite receiver who enables Caleb to thrive in the Windy City.

Bears Wire has noted that Caleb and Odunze have already hit it off. They looked like best friends on draft night in Detroit:

“Williams had long been the favorite to be selected by the Bears, but Odunze was not as much of a certainty. It was music to Williams’ ears, though, as the new Bears quarterback couldn’t wait to greet his new teammate while at the draft in Detroit.”

This could be the start of a beautiful friendship in Chicago.

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2024 NFL draft: Best photos of Bears rookies Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze

The Bears selected Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. Here are photos of them taking center stage.

The Chicago Bears welcomed two new members to the roster during the first round of the 2024 NFL draft — and it’s safe to say expectations are sky high for this offense.

Chicago selected quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick. Shortly after, the Bears managed to land a top playmaking wide receiver in Rome Odunze at No. 9.

Both Williams and Odunze were in Detroit for the action — they even shared a flight together from Los Angeles — and got to hear their name called and walk out on stage in front of a record 275,000 people at Campus Martius.

Here are the best photos of Williams and Odunze on Thursday night:

WATCH: New Bears teammates Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze greet each other at NFL Draft

Caleb Williams made sure to find Rome Odunze at the NFL Draft after he was selected by the Bears.

The Chicago Bears ushered in a new era on offense Thursday night at the 2024 NFL Draft when they selected quarterback Caleb Williams No. 1 overall and wide receiver Rome Odunze at No. 9 overall. Williams had long been the favorite to be selected by the Bears, but Odunze was not as much of a certainty. It was music to Williams’ ears, though, as the new Bears quarterback couldn’t wait to greet his new teammate while at the draft in Detroit.

Williams snuck up behind Odunze while he was on a laptop, and the two embraced in a hug before firing each other up. “LeBron, D-Wade,” Williams said excitedly. “I’m ready, baby.”

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The two were opponents the last two years when they were at USC and Washington, respectively, but got to know one another during their time in the PAC-12. They were seen dapping each other up at the NFL Combine and made some news earlier this week when they were on the same flight to Detroit. It’s safe to say they will happily share a flight to Chicago when both are introduced as Bears on Friday.

Highlights of new Bears WR Rome Odunze

The Bears added to their explosive receivers room with Rome Odunze. Here’s a glimpse at what Chicago is getting in the No. 9 pick:

There was a lot of speculation about what the Chicago Bears would do with the ninth overall pick. While all the top defensive players and talented offensive tackles, they couldn’t pass up wide receiver Rome Odunze.

Odunze was incredible during his college career at Washington. He had over 1,100 yards in both 2022 and 2023. Last year, Odunze totaled more than 1,600 yards as Washington made it to the College Football Playoff. He has some great high-pressure experience as a result along with all of these great stats. It is a home run of a pick.

This is a wide receiver that can be explosive and he can go up and catch a football. With DJ Moore and Keenan Allen already in place, this is going to be an incredible receiver room. It could be both the best in the NFL and the best in Bears history.

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The Bears selected Odunze’s friend Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick to kick off the night. Now, they get to come to Chicago together to start their careers in the NFL. These highlights are what Bears fans have to look forward to from Odunze:

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Caleb Williams reacts to the Bears drafting WR Rome Odunze

Caleb Williams couldn’t contain his excitement when he saw the Bears select Rome Odunze.

New Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams didn’t have to wait long to see who his new teammate would be—and he was pretty darn happy about it. The Bears selected wide receiver Rome Odunze with the No. 9 overall pick, giving Williams a new weapon to utilize in a suddenly stacked offense. After seeing the two develop a friendship over the last few months during the pre-draft process, it should come as no surprise to see Williams’ reaction to the selection.

Williams couldn’t contain his excitement backstage when he saw Odunze’s name pop up. “I would have spiked this water if we didn’t have cameras,” he said. “We got our guy,” he said while smiling. It’s pretty clear he’s thrilled about the new addition.

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Williams and Odunze were opponents the last two years when they were at USC and Washington, respectively, but got to know one another during their time in the PAC-12. The two were seen dapping each other up at the NFL Combine and made some news earlier this week when they were on the same flight to Detroit. They also worked out with Keenan Allen and DJ Moore. Now, all four are teammates on the Bears.