Ahead of his third season in the NFL, former Washington Huskies star Rome Odunze is hoping to assume a starring role for the Chicago Bears on the field. And if his offseason projects with the team are any indication of what’s next, he should be a featured piece of coach Ben Johnson’s offense in 2026.

When the Bears took to social media to release their schedule for the upcoming season, Odunze put on his best Bob Ross imitation, thanks to a combination of his signature afro and his fandom for Bob Ross.

“So they came to me with the idea, mostly because of the fro,” Odunze told Heavy.com. “You know, when the fro is out, I get all the different comparisons, so obviously they resonated with Bob Ross and wanted to turn into the schedule. Put on my best acting cap and try to, you know, become Bob. I’m a method actor, so I hope it turns out well for the fans and that people enjoy it.”

Just some happy little matchups 🎨 pic.twitter.com/mxaSU2VlOk

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) May 14, 2026

For the former No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 draft, who will have a great chance to act as Chicago’s No. 1 wide receiver this fall, he enjoyed the opportunity to flex his acting chops.

“I watched Bob back in the day, a little bit, you know, not when he was airing,” Odunze added.

“I don’t know if I was alive, and I don’t know if it’s that old, maybe I’m out of touch, but yeah, I watched it when it was on Netflix for a while. I used to just have it in the background. I thought it was peaceful, and I like art, you know? He had the classic kind of relatable sort of painting. You know, he made it feel like anybody could do it, you know what I mean? Even though it was spectacular. But then, definitely when I got the opportunity, I had to get into the film study, see his mannerisms, and try to emulate that for sure.”

Now, with wide receiver DJ Moore out the door, Odunze, who posted 44 catches for 661 yards and 6 touchdowns last year, will headline a promising young group of pass catchers for quarterback Caleb Williams that also includes wide receiver Luther Burden III and tight end Colston Loveland.

This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Rome Odunze discusses starring in Chicago Bears schedule reveal