By WILL GRAVES, AP National Writer
Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens is taking a break from training camp to support his wife, American gymnastics superstar Simone Biles, in the women’s team final at the 2024 Olympics.
The couple was married in the spring of 2023. They are adjusting to life in the spotlight together. Owens has been the target of criticism on social media over the last year for comments he’s made about the nature of their relationship.
What did Owens say?
Owens and Biles appeared on “The Pivot” podcast hosted by former NFL player-turned-broadcaster Ryan Clark last December.
During the show, Owens admitted he didn’t know who Biles was when the two connected on a dating app in 2020. Owens was playing for the Houston Texans at the time. Biles is a Houston native.
The two quickly hit it off and were engaged in early 2022. Owens said he believed he was “the catch” in the relationship, which kicked off a firestorm of criticism in social media circles.
What does Biles think of the criticism?
The 27-year-old seven-time Olympic medalist — who sometimes wears an “Owens” necklace when not competing — expressed exasperation when asked by The Associated Press earlier this year about the heated rhetoric directed at her husband.
“It wasn’t like protecting me by telling me to divorce him,” Biles said.
Biles admits she was initially caught off guard by the blowback. She was sitting next to Owens as he spoke and struggled to understand what made her fans upset.
“I was literally in the room watching,” Biles said. “I was laughing and I’m like, ‘He’s so cute’ because at the end of the day, there’s nothing wrong with him saying that he’s a catch because he is, like, the best guy I’ve ever met.”
Biles believes his comments were “misconstrued” and while she acknowledges putting themselves in a public space can leave them open to criticism, she also believes there’s a line that was crossed.
“They started being really mean,” Biles said. “And I was like, ‘Whoa, do not talk about my husband like that. Because he is super sweet, he said nothing wrong.’ But you learn.”
Is this Owens’ first time at a meet?
No. Owens has become a gymnastics fan over the last year. He watched her win the U.S. Classic, the U.S. Championships and the U.S. Olympic trials earlier this year, frequently jotting down his wife’s score and the score of other athletes to keep track, all while sitting with Biles’ family.
He’s gained a greater appreciation for his wife’s stardom, maybe because it’s hard to miss the avalanche of NBC promos featuring her in the run-up to the Games.
“It’s like everyone’s a gymnastics fan now,” Owens said. “People are asking me questions, because you might be walking around the building and see a commercial with her up there, so it’s just crazy.”
What’s next for Biles?
Biles tweaked her left calf during qualifying on Sunday but is scheduled to compete with the rest of the five-woman U.S. team during Tuesday night’s team finals as the Americans try to return to the top of the medal stand after finishing runner-up to Russia three years ago.
Biles will then attempt to bookend the Olympic title she won in 2016 in the all-around final on Thursday. She also qualified for event finals on vault, balance beam and floor exercise.
