Eric Williams
NFL Reporter
When Rome Odunze was digging ditches on a Utah dairy farm as a kid, who knew he would grow up to play in a national championship game and be a first-round pick in the NFL Draft?
One of seven receivers selected in the first round last year, Odunze finished his rookie season with 54 receptions for 734 yards and three touchdowns playing with fellow rookie Caleb Williams.
And even though the Chicago Bears went 5-12 and head coach Matt Eberflus was fired midseason, Odunze looks to use 2024 as a jumping-off point for a breakout second year. Take note, fantasy players.
During the NFL’s recent Player Personal Branding and Social Workshop in Los Angeles, I caught up with the 23-year-old pass-catcher. We discussed everything from Odunze’s dairy-farm days to his heady college days at Washington, from learning Ben Johnson’s offense to appreciating his Nigerian heritage.
You have a unique background, spending summers on your maternal grandparents’ dairy farm in Utah and also with your father being the son of Nigerian immigrants. How did that help to shape who you are?
Rome Odunze: With that mix of hard-working immigrants and hard-working farmers, I feel like I have a great work ethic in that sense, and a better world view than maybe someone born and raised in America or [someone who] doesn’t have that connection to outside cultures. So it’s really helped me. Of course, working on the farm was a great experience, getting to learn the labor of that and the thankless job that it is.
It’s the kind of mindset that you have to have being a football player, because you’ve got to do your job regardless of what happens on that field. And having that [Nigerian] heritage has opened my eyes to a broader sense of purpose, family, legacy and all those different types of things. So I feel like it’s been good for me.
What’s the hardest job you did on the farm?
Odunze: The hardest thing I did on the farm was dig ditches for fence posts and water channels. Doing that in the heat of the Utah desert is wicked. So yeah, I definitely think I got heatstroke when I was out there. That was crazy.
What was your takeaway from your first season in Chicago, and what is your approach this offseason based on how you performed?
Odunze: I feel like it was a foundation-setting season. Coming from college to the NFL, it’s definitely a change, from the things you have to do to the requirements on and off the field. So having that time to navigate those things through the pressure of a rookie season and trying to help turn around an organization, it was a unique experience. I learned a lot.
Heading into Year 2, I’m working to improve all those things, and now I understand the environment and space that I’m in at the NFL level. So it’s just improving all facets on and off the field: my wide receiver play, film study, engaging with my teammates and my leadership — all those different aspects.
What was it like playing with Caleb Williams, and how can you improve your chemistry in Year 2?
Odunze: It was great. We already have had moments and glimpses of that chemistry. Hopefully, it’s something that can go on for the next decade — be a dynamic duo that goes down as legendary. We both improved in our own respective positions, and I feel like that has been the biggest thing — both of us kind of stepping back and being like, “OK, let me be the best wide receiver for C-Will, and let C-Will be the best quarterback for all of his wide receivers.” That has been a big step in the process, as well as Ben and all the new coaches encouraging us and demanding a lot of us, which is exactly what we need.
You mention the new coaching staff. Now that Ben Johnson is there, what’s it been like learning that new offense and how do you see yourself fitting into it?
Odunze: It’s been tough, which is a good sign. From Day 1, it’s been very detail-oriented and strict requirements within the offense. Everything is down to every yard on the field, whether that’s alignment, assignment, technique or execution. All the things they’ve been harping on, I feel like it’s been a good set up for us. It’s a bit of a change, understanding that everything in this league counts, regardless of what it is. It’s a game of inches. That has really expedited the process for us, and we’re still, of course, building. We have training camp coming up and then we get into the season. But it’s been great so far.
What was it like playing in that high-octane offense at Washington and going to the title game with Michael Penix Jr. and the Huskies’ talented receiving core?
Odunze: It was a historic season for us and a historic group, so I’m super honored and grateful to have been a part of it. I love Penix. He’s a dawg, and he’s one of the best players I’ve ever played with. I’m excited to see his development and finally stepping into that role of a solidified QB1 — not having to be under Kirk [Cousins] and all of that. I think he’s going to excel in his new role in that offense. Watching him last season when they made that change and how he was already starting to become a star, I think it’s just going to roll into next season. I think Penix is going to be one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
And that goes for my wide receiver peers as well. Ja’Lynn Polk is doing his thing with the Patriots. He’s got Stefon [Diggs] as mentor with him now, which I kind of had last year with DJ [Moore] and Keenan [Allen]. I’m super grateful for them, and it’s also great to see Polk with his new mentor. That offense is going to get rolling with all the new pieces they’ve added. I’m excited for him.
And J-Mac [Jalen McMillan] in Tampa, he has a couple mentors in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, so I know that’s been awesome for him. He balled out and just kept ramping up toward the end of the season, with like six consecutive touchdowns or something [seven in his last five games]. So I’m sure he’s going to have a good season as well.
Where did you work out this offseason?
Odunze: I train in Orange County. My agency, Excel Sports, is out there, and they have a facility I train at. So I get to enjoy Orange County, relax a little bit and let the season die down and my body recover. But also keep the pedal down with the lifting and conditioning at the facility.
You also work with T.J. Houshmandzadeh during the offseason. What’s it like working with T.J.?
Odunze: It’s been great. He’s a great coach. I send him videos and clips of my routes all the time because I think he’s one of the greatest to ever play the game. He’s always giving me tidbits and working on my craft. He’s been a great help to me.
You had several questions for speakers at the NFL branding symposium. What do you hope to get out of this as an athlete who wants to take advantage of your platform? What have you learned so far?
Odunze: I’ve learned a lot. I think there’s so many avenues and spaces you can step into in this realm. It’s such a huge thing. It can be a more personal thing, or you can create something more interesting [on social media]. I’m just trying to learn how I want to approach it. It’s a space you want to have some knowledge about before you enter it. And I’m definitely in that realm. I mean, I’m not big into social media, but I definitely think it’s a useful platform for a voice — whether that’s something I want to speak on, content creation or something about lifestyle or a particular interest that I have. I just feel like it’s a very useful tool, so I’m looking at it as an asset.
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams.
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
recommended
Get more from the National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Read the full article here
