Ben Johnson debunks silly narrative going around about Caleb Williams' connection with Rome Odunze after Week 8 loss

Eight weeks into the 2025 season, the Chicago Bears have a clear number one option in the passing game under head coach Ben Johnson and that player is second-year wide receiver Rome Odunze.

Heading into Week 9, Odunze leads the team in targets (56), receptions (31), receiving yards (473), and receiving touchdowns (5) while continuing to be a go-to target for quarterback Caleb Williams.

The connection Williams and Odunze have fostered since being drafted together in the first-round of the 2024 NFL Draft has played a significant role in Odunze's sophomore explosion but after another strong outing in Week 8 between the two, some fans have wondered if Williams' partiality toward Odunze is becoming a determent to the offense. A silly narrative, and one the team's head coach shut down immediately when asked about it on Wednesday.

Ben Johnson set the record straight on Caleb Williams favoring Rome Odunze in the passing game

"I think Caleb's been pretty true to trusting the protection," Johnson told reporters on Wednesday. "We vary who is the primary [read] on all of our concepts and that's where, as a play caller, and you have this many weapons, you want to make sure that you got all your weapons primary a certain number of times on the call sheet. When you call that play, coverage dictates where the ball can go.

"It's just been one of those things that, the ones where Rome has been the primary, he's been open quite a bit. It's good to see that they do have that connection in that rapport. I think (Caleb's) got that with the rest of the guys as well, we just gotta make sure that we get them in that primary spot enough."

Johnson hit the nail on the head with that explanation and it says more about Odunze's ability as a top option and Johnson's trust in Odunze in that position than it does Williams' desire to constantly throw Odunze the ball.

Again, it's a silly narrative but one that caught a lot of steam this week after Odunze led the Bears with 10 targets for seven receptions and 114 yards, all of which led the team, in the Week 8 loss. The simple answer is, Odunze is getting open and he's been a primary read on a lot of passing plays.