Bears Reveal Some Unsettling Rome Odunze News

Are the Chicago Bears cursed? That is probably what a lot of fans are saying at the moment. This organization seems to have the worst luck hitting on quarterbacks and wide receivers in the 1st round. Sunday may have furthered those superstitions. Caleb Williams failed to even crack 100 yards passing, while Rome Odunze only made one catch, and that was off a deflection meant for another receiver. It wasn’t the contributions people were hoping to see from two top 10 picks.

However, it somehow gets worse. Head coach Matt Eberflus revealed that Odunze will undergo an MRI today on his knee. Apparently, something happened to the rookie during a blocking play against Tennessee. Video shows it likely happened on a bubble screen to Velus Jones. Jones and a Titans player collided into the back of Odunze’s legs. The extent of the issue is not yet known.

Bears HC Matt Eberflus said WR Rome Odunze will undergo an MRI today on his knee.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 9, 2024

Matt Eberflus said Rome Odunze will get an MRI on his knee today. He did not know exactly when it happened but believed it was on a blocking play. Eberflus said it was brought up to him during the game.

"I don't have enough information yet. We'll see on Wednesday."

— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) September 9, 2024

Velus Jones and a Titans player collide with Rome Odunze and he goes down awkwardly late in the 4th quarter. I would expect this is the play where Odunze was potentially injured. pic.twitter.com/JO6tKdCBD8

— Bill Zimmerman (@BillTZimmerman) September 9, 2024

Here's the previous play, the screen pass to Velus Jones. You can see Rome Odunze get rolled up as Jones gets tackled pic.twitter.com/GxmwgbKIBU

— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) September 9, 2024

Rome Odunze might be giving Kevin White flashbacks.

Everybody remembers what happened almost ten years ago. Chicago took the uber-gifted White 7th overall in the 1st round. His career was almost immediately derailed by a succession of leg injuries. Now here’s Odunze, a premium prospect going 9th overall, and he injures his knee in his first game. It is worth mentioning he didn’t come out right after the play. He finished the game and talked to reporters afterward, which doesn’t happen if there is a significant injury.

That means one of two things: either the pain has grown significantly over the past 24 hours, or the Bears are taking precautions with Rome Odunze. It is hard to gauge what the injury could be based on the available video. Anything is possible. One can only hope it is a minor issue that the rookie can get over quickly. Otherwise, it puts more pressure on D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen to carry the load.