Caleb Williams lets Rome Odunze keep the first NFL touchdown ball of his career – NBC Sports Chicago

After Odunze scored, he and Williams celebrated with a choreographed celebration in which the rookie signal-caller chased after the receiver to try to reclaim the souvenir.

But it was all just a show. There was no debate about who got to keep the ball.

“We'll cut it in half,” Odunze joked after the Bears' loss. “He gets the right side, I get the left like the Twix factory. But no, I think he's going to give me this one. He's going to have many more in his career, a lot more than me, so he blessed me with this first one.”

As for the celebration, the Bears' top rookies had it planned in case fate allowed them to join the NFL's scoring list.

“We talked about how this was our reason to celebrate because these were the first touchdowns for both of us,” Odunze said with a smile.

Sunday's loss in Indianapolis was an initial sobering moment for the 2024 Bears, but the improved connection between their two young stars is a silver lining they can build on.

“I told Rome I'm going to pass him the ball more,” Williams said. “Some of the workouts and some of the follow-up drills that Rome and I have been doing over the last few weeks, I think, are paying off and we're going to keep doing that. I obviously want to build that connection and have that trust and belief in each other.”

Odunze was happy to be included on the stat sheet, but that is not what the young Bears are aiming for.

“Yes, it's always good when you can build individual chemistry with him so that I can be an asset to this offense,” said Odunze. “But if it's not enough to win, it doesn't feel right. But making these plays together and building on them will do us good as the season progresses.”

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