Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze sought to clarify remarks he made earlier this year regarding his left foot injury, emphasizing that the issue no longer affects his performance. Speaking Thursday after practice at Halas Hall, Odunze, 24, addressed comments he made this spring about adjusting to a "new normal" following a stress fracture in his foot last season.

Odunze explained that his earlier statement was misinterpreted and that he did not intend to imply lasting limitations or chronic pain. "I just kind of meant that I had an injury," he said. "That’s it. That’s football. My foot feels great. My foot feels amazing."

The third-year receiver avoided surgery for the stress fracture and participated fully in offseason and early training camp practices. Odunze’s injury first became publicly known in late October 2023, when he was placed on the injury report. Despite the injury, he remained a focal point in the Bears’ passing attack, compiling 44 receptions for 661 yards and six touchdowns across the first 12 games. He was on pace for nearly 1,000 yards before the Bears shut him down for the final five regular-season games to preserve his health for the playoffs.

Odunze led the team with 90 targets during the season and returned for the postseason, contributing two catches for 44 yards in each playoff game. In June, during organized team activities, Odunze noted that while his foot was fully healed, it felt structurally different due to calluses and changes in bone alignment. At that time, he described those changes as his "new normal," acknowledging it was not associated with ongoing pain.

On Thursday, Odunze clarified that the phrase “new normal” has unwarranted connotations of chronic issues and insisted that he no longer thinks about the injury during games. “I’m completely fine. I went through my process of recovery and rehab and it’s been great,” he said.

With the departure of fellow wide receiver DJ Moore, Odunze and Luther Burden III are expected to serve as the primary receiving options in the Bears’ offense, led by head coach Ben Johnson. Offensive coordinator Press Taylor praised Odunze’s movement and conditioning during camp, stating, “He looks like he’s moving around really well… We’re excited to see what Rome does through this training camp.”