The injury bug hasn’t just bitten the Chicago Bears this season - it’s taken a full bite out of their roster. No team in the league has been hit harder, and the toll is showing.
Starters on both sides of the ball have missed extended time, with some already shut down for the year. What’s especially concerning is the nature of the injuries: a long list of soft tissue issues - hamstrings, calves, quads, groins - the kind that often point to deeper problems in a team’s strength and conditioning program.
And now, one of the Bears’ brightest young stars is dealing with a serious setback of his own. Wide receiver Rome Odunze, who’s been battling a stress fracture in his foot, appeared ready to suit up against Cleveland. But during pregame warmups, things took a turn - he aggravated the injury, and just like that, his return was off the table.
Head coach Ben Johnson addressed the situation on Monday and offered a telling quote:
“I know he wants to be out there on the field competing, contributing and helping our team win. There may be a case where we got to protect him from himself a little bit.”
That line - “protect him from himself” - says a lot. It confirms what’s been a growing concern around the Bears all season: players are being given too much say in when they return to action.
And while that might sound like a show of trust, it can be a dangerous game. We’ve already seen this play out.
Back in September, cornerback Jaylon Johnson returned from a groin injury earlier than expected - and many around the team questioned whether it was too soon. Now, it’s Odunze facing a similar situation.
The smart move now? Shut Odunze down for a few weeks.
It’s a tough pill to swallow, especially considering how electric he was to start the season. Odunze was a touchdown magnet, flashing the kind of playmaking ability that had fans buzzing about a potential breakout campaign.
For a competitor like him, sitting out isn’t just frustrating - it’s infuriating. But this is where the organization has to step in and make the right call, even if the player isn’t thrilled about it.
The silver lining for Chicago is that their receiving corps has shown it can weather the storm. Luther Burden and Colston Loveland have stepped up in recent weeks, each delivering big moments when the team needed them most.
And D.J. Moore?
He just turned in one of his best performances of the year against a tough Browns defense. The Bears still have enough firepower to move the ball through the air, even without Odunze in the lineup.
But make no mistake - a healthy Rome Odunze is a game-changer. And if the Bears want him available for the games that really matter, they’ll need to play the long game.
That means resisting the urge to rush him back, no matter how badly he wants to be out there. Because the truth is, most players will try to gut it out - even when they’re nowhere near 100%.
That’s part of what makes them who they are. But it’s also why teams need to step in and make the hard decisions.
Johnson’s comments suggest that shift might finally be happening. But the Bears’ training and medical staff will need to back that up with action. This season has already seen too many players go down - and in some cases, stay down - because the return-to-play process didn’t have enough guardrails.
If Chicago wants to turn the corner, both competitively and culturally, it starts with protecting its players - even from themselves.