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Ordinarily, it would be difficult to find a more cheerful player in the Bears’ locker room than wide receiver Rome Odunze, a bright-eyed 23-year-old who’s usually all smiles and eagerly engages in any conversation.But he was sullen as players packed up their belongings the day after the Rams knocked the Bears out of the playoffs.This thrill ride of a season wasn’t so wonderful for him. He loved all the winning, of course. But as others around him spoke optimistically Monday about the Bears’ future, a subdued Odunze couldn’t shake the feeling that he underperformed.He’s a tough grader in calling his season “definitely disappointing,” considering he emerged as the team’s clear No. 1 receiver before foot injuries derailed him. With 44 catches for 661 yards and six touchdowns through 12 games, he had a shot at a 1,000-yard season at the time. Later, he played through plantar fasciitis and a stress fracture in his right foot to catch four passes for 88 yards in the playoffs. But Odunze was fixated on what he didn’t do. He especially was down on himself about dropping a pass inside the Rams’ 5-yard line on the Bears’ opening drive Sunday, feeling it was a continuation of lapses he had throughout the season.“I had way too many opportunities I left out there on the field, and that’s not been the player I’ve ever been in my career,” Odunze said. “I’ve got to go into the offseason and put in the work to do those things.“It wasn’t the season I wanted to have. . . . It really hurts just not coming through in some of those moments throughout the whole season. It’s not just [the Rams game]. It’s several different plays.”He eased off himself a little and acknowledged his contributions to the Bears’ leap from 5-12 with the worst offense in the NFL last season to No. 6 in total offense with a spot in the divisional round of the playoffs.But his standards are high. And so are the Bears’ for a player selected ninth in 2024.Odunze always has had some cover because the Bears got him in the same draft in which they took quarterback Caleb Williams first overall. Normally, though, when a team picks a wide receiver in the top 10, it’s expecting an all-world difference-maker like the Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase who can’t be covered one-on-one and stresses defenses.By bringing Williams and Odunze in together, the Bears set their hopes even higher. Although Odunze said he saw flashes of a connection with Williams this season, he again lamented the missed opportunities as that connection “faltered at different moments.” He resolved to “be available for [Williams] in the best manner” after watching him make huge plays and “put it all out there on the line.”Odunze has been good — certainly promising — but not yet great. His injuries absolutely hindered him. The good news for the Bears is that he reiterated this week he doesn’t need surgery on his foot. He plans to be at Halas Hall in the offseason for rehab.As for his development, he made strides under coach Ben Johnson and wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El. He and Williams, in fact, couldn’t say enough about how helpful it was to get clear, accurate feedback under Johnson. They endured the same ineptitude and slowed growth as rookies in 2024 playing under former coach Matt Eberflus and his staff. Odunze spent much of that season unsure if he was even running routes correctly. That’s no longer murky.Beyond continuing to develop Williams, elevating Odunze into an elite weapon is one of the most important tasks on Johnson’s list for 2026. He wants an offense with a variety of threats in order to maintain unpredictability. Odunze has the potential to be even more, putting the Bears over the top. It’s a massive opportunity for him and the organization — one neither side can afford to miss. Latest on the Bears Bears Bears sign 14 players to futures contracts Running back Brittain Brown was among those signed. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]   By Patrick Finley read Bears…

An estimated 100,000 ride-hailing app drivers with Uber and Lyft could be allowed to unionize in Illinois under a new bill filed Tuesday in Springfield.If passed, the Illinois Transportation Network Driver Labor Relations Act would allow gig workers to bargain with the rideshare companies for better pay, benefits and working conditions.Under federal law, rideshare drivers are considered independent contractors — not employees — and are not allowed to unionize. Under the bill, drivers would still be considered independent contractors, but would have the right to unionize and bargain for a contract.Bill sponsor, state Sen. Ram Villivalam, thanked a coalition of drivers under the Illinois Drivers Alliance who have been pushing for years for better working conditions."We want to make sure that we are a state that continues our record of standing with workers," Villivalam said Tuesday at a news conference announcing Senate Bill 2906 at SEIU Local 1's office in the Aon Center. Villivalam is co-sponsoring the bill with state Rep. Yolonda Morris, also a Chicago Democrat. Illinois Drivers Alliance members cheer during a news conference Tuesday at the SEIU Local 1 office in the Loop.Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times Last year, the Illinois Drivers Alliance struck a deal with Uber to stop its push for better pay and working conditions in Chicago's City Council in exchange for the company agreeing not to oppose a state bill to allow unionization.That bill, filed at noon Tuesday, would allow drivers to negotiate with Uber and Lyft over a number of areas: pay, benefits, the ability to create an appeals process over deactivations, paid leave and a driver's right to specific trip information.The bill follows similar ones passed in Massachusetts in 2024 and last fall in California.Uber spokesman Josh Gold said he had not seen the bill and could not comment on it."In general we expect to be able to work with the legislature and other stakeholders on a bill that sets up a pathway to organizing for independent contractors," Gold said in an email.Lyft did not immediately reply to a request for comment.Rideshare drivers associated with the alliance said they hope that unionization grants them the power to address inequities they say the apps perpetuate. Several of them said they plan to travel to Springfield Wednesday to advocate for the bill during the opening days of this year's legislative session.David Crane, a rideshare driver for eight years, said he has been locked out of ride-hailing apps without warning in an opaque, computer- driven process without the right to appeal. He said the apps drive down pay by using algorithms to pit drivers against each other in what amounts to a reverse auction."Multiple drivers are offered the same ride, and whoever accepts the lowest pay wins," Crane said. "Drivers are told this is flexibility. But in fact, it is unilateral control without accountability."SEIU Local 1, one of the unions behind the bill and the driver's alliance, explained how unionization could play out:If the bill becomes law, the Illinois Drivers Alliance would be required to get 10% of active rideshare drivers to sign union cards.An active driver will be defined 90 days after the bill passes, when the companies provide a list of all drivers who had at least five rides in the past six months. A driver with at least the median number of rides, derived from that list, will be considered active.Once that bar is reached, the alliance must obtain signatures from 30% of all rideshare drivers — from a "full list" provided by the rideshare companies — for a union to be recognized. Bargaining will be done statewide, and paying dues to the union will be voluntary, according to SEIU Local 1.The bill would protect drivers from retaliation for organizing, and would create a rideshare fee to cover representation and education.

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