Why Rome Odunze is not playing vs Browns today. Bears give latest injury update

Star WR Rome Odunze was activated for Sunday's game between the Chicago Bears and the Cleveland Browns at home

Published on: Dec 14, 2025, 23:37:17 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Star WR Rome Odunze was activated for Sunday's game between the Chicago Bears and the Cleveland Browns at home. But just before the game, it was reported that the 23-year-old has been ruled out. The reason - his foot injury.

Rome Odunze #15 of the Chicago Bears warms up prior to a game against the Cleveland Browns (Getty Images via AFP)

“Bears WR Rome Odunze, who was officially active, now has been ruled out after aggravating his foot injury,” NFL insider Adam Schefter reported on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

Odunze was expected to be back on the field Sunday after missing the Bears’ previous game against Green Bay with a foot injury, but his status remained uncertain deep into the week. Odunze was limited in practice and officially entered the matchup listed as questionable.

Despite the injury, Odunze has been the focal point of Chicago’s passing attack this season. He paces the Bears in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches, compiling 44 grabs for 661 yards and six scores. Since being taken ninth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, the 23-year-old has totaled 98 receptions, 1,395 yards, and nine touchdowns across 29 career games.

Chicago also released its inactive list ahead of the contest, with quarterback Tyson Bagent, running back Travis Homer, wide receiver Jahdae Walker, linebacker Ruben Hyppolite, defensive end Dominique Robinson and defensive tackle Jonathan Ford all sidelined as the Bears entered the game at 9-4.

Cleveland, meanwhile, ruled out several key contributors for its 3-10 squad. The Browns’ inactive list included cornerback Denzel Ward, running back Dylan Sampson, guards Zak Zinter and Wyatt Teller, offensive tackle Jack Conklin, tight end David Njoku and defensive tackle Adin Huntington.

Chicago Bears depth chart

Offense

Wide Receiver (WR): DJ Moore; Olamide Zaccheaus; Devin Duvernay

Left Tackle (LT): Theo Benedet; Ozzy Trapilo

Left Guard (LG): Joe Thuney; Ryan Bates

Center (C): Drew Dalman; Ryan Bates

Right Guard (RG): Jonah Jackson; Ryan Bates

Right Tackle (RT): Darnell Wright; Ozzy Trapilo

Tight End (TE): Cole Kmet; Durham Smythe

Tight End (TE): Colston Loveland

Wide Receiver (WR): Rome Odunze; Luther Burden III; Jahdae Walker

Quarterback (QB): Caleb Williams; Tyson Bagent; Case Keenum

Running Back (RB): D’Andre Swift; Kyle Monangai; Travis Homer

Defense

Defensive Line (DL): Montez Sweat; Dominique Robinson

Defensive Line (DL): Grady Jarrett; Chris Williams

Defensive Line (DL): Gervon Dexter Sr.; Andrew Billings; Jonathan Ford

Defensive Line (DL): Austin Booker; Joe Tryon-Shoyinka; Daniel Hardy

Linebacker (LB): T.J. Edwards; D’Marco Jackson

Linebacker (LB): Noah Sewell; Ruben Hyppolite II; Amen Ogbongbemiga

Safety (S): Jaquan Brisker; Elijah Hicks

Safety (S): Kevin Byard III; Jonathan Owens

Defensive Back (DB): Kyler Gordon; C.J. Gardner-Johnson; Nick McCloud

Cornerback (CB): Tyrique Stevenson; Jaylon Jones

Cornerback (CB): Jaylon Johnson; Nahshon Wright; Josh Blackwell

Special Teams

Kicker (K): Cairo Santos

Punter (P): Tory Taylor

Kickoff Specialist (KO): Cairo Santos

Holder (H): Tory Taylor

Long Snapper (LS): Scott Daly

Kick Returner (KR): Devin Duvernay; Josh Blackwell

Punt Returner (PR): Devin Duvernay; Luther Burden III

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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