LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Bears rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze has already learned that the NFL is a different beast. His father, James, has now learned the same lesson.
On Wednesday night, James Odunze took to X and posted a clip of Rome getting open in the end zone against the Tennessee Titans. The expected social media overreaction ensued, with fans and pontificators assuming that James Odunze was calling out rookie quarterback Caleb Wiliams for not finding his son for a score.
But in reality, James Odunze's post was a shot at ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky, who recently criticized Rome for not creating separation.
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James Odunze eventually clarified his post and then took another dig at Orlovsky.
On Friday, Rome Odunze said he wasn't surprised that his dad came to his defense but wanted to make it clear the tweets had nothing to do with anyone other than Orlovsky.
"Dads are meant to stick up for their sons," Odunze said. "My dad is my Day One and he's always going to root for me. Against anybody. But I think more than anything -- I can't speak for everything he does -- but I know one thing: that was not from a disbelief in this team or a disbelief in anybody in this organization. That's completely not what it is. He's just sticking up for me."
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The No. 9 overall pick said his dad called to let him know he might have accidentally stirred some things up on social media. That's something Rome Odunze is used to, but both he and his father must learn they are under a much larger microscope in Chicago.
"He has always been prevalent on social media defending me," Odunze said. "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.
"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. ... Those comments have nothing to do with a disbelief in this team or anybody on this team. It's purely him defending his son."
Odunze suffered a sprained MCL in the Bears' Week 1 win over the Titans but pushed through the pain to play last Sunday against the Texans.
While the production hasn't been there yet for Odunze, the Bears are confident it's coming.
"The confirmation of his mental and physical toughness," head coach Matt Eberflus said when asked what he learned about Odunze playing in Week 2. "To be able to go out there and do what he did – he basically played every snap, for the most part – and then he came back the next week and kept working. He’s going to start making some big plays for us."
Expect James Odunze to let Orlovsky and any other critics hear about it when he does.