Simone Biles is bound to garner many watchful eyes and supporters as she competes for her fifth gold medal in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. However, one of the gymnast’s major supporters, her NFL husband Jonathan Owens, nearly found himself in a bind ahead of her record pursuit.
How Jonathan Owens Negotiated Olympic Conflict With Chicago Bears
Many in the NFL know Owens as the free agent safety signee for the Chicago Bears. But he also plays the role of supportive husband of an Olympic gold medalist — which he brought up the moment he joined the Bears.
Owens revealed after Thursday’s training camp practice that he had to navigate some negotiating with his newest team ahead of the summer games.
“Obviously the Olympics were coming up, and you know who my wife is,” Owens said in recalling the conversation. “It was all respectful. We went to them and asked, ‘We’d really appreciate if he could go to support his wife.’”
Chicago #Bears safety Jonathan Owens will take a leave from the team to watch his wife, Simone Biles, compete in the #Olympics. He says he and his agent asked for permission during contract negotiations…#OlympicGames #DaBears #love pic.twitter.com/UzYZbYCB4B
— Barroom Network – Aldo Gandia (@BarroomNetwork) July 25, 2024
In this situation, the newcomer to the Bears’ defense was risking missing out on learning the defense and developing cohesion with the rest of his team during camp. Especially as a defender set to play for his third different NFL team.
However, Owens said the Bears understood his situation request, and they honored it. Now, the sixth-year safety will soon hop on a plane and support his renowned wife.
Owens will take off on an airplane on Monday after the team wraps up its camp practice at Lake Forest, Ill.
“I can’t wait to be able to support her,” Owens said.
READ MORE: A Closer Look at Jonathan Owens and Simone Biles’ Relationship
He’ll watch his wife attempt to redeem herself from the Tokyo games of 2021 (which was moved out of its original 2020 schedule due to the threat of COVID-19). Biles withdrew from the competition due to mental health battles. The multiple-time gold medal winner admitted to reporters she was dealing with “twisties,” which is when a gymnast’s body and mind fall out of sync.
Along with her gold medals, Biles holds 37 different medals and world championships in her sport. Her best performance was arguably the 2016 Rio de Janeiro games — which saw her win gold in the vault, floor, artistic, and artistic team events.
By flying out of Bears camp, Owens will be able to catch his wife compete in the finals which are set for July 30 and Aug. 1. He’ll miss the Bears’ first full-padded practice, but his head coach Matt Eberflus approves of his newest safety wanting to put family first.
“That’s a big deal, where he’s supporting the one he loves the most,” Eberflus said to reporters. “I think that’s so cool he gets to do that and we welcome that and it’s going to be awesome.”
Owens and Biles became a couple at the start of 2020 and they officially wed on April 22, 2023, in Cabo, Mexico.
Owens agreed to a two-year contract with the Bears worth $4.75 million. He’ll play on a base salary of $1.3 million for the 2024 season.
