Jonathan Owens negotiated going to Paris to cheer on wife Simone Biles when he signed with Chicago Bears
LAKE FOREST, ILLINOIS: As Olympic enthusiasts eagerly await Simone Biles' pursuit of more gold medals, her husband, Jonathan Owens, has made arrangements to be there in person at the Paris Olympics. In fact, he had clearly mentioned this in his contract discussions with the Chicago Bears.
Owens, who previously played as a safety for the Green Bay Packers, joined the Bears as a free agent in March.
Jonathan Owens nerves about supporting wife Simone Biles
Jonathan Owens is set to jet off to Paris on July 29, Monday, to watch his wife Simone Biles at the 2024 Olympics.
Biles owns a record 37 Olympics medals and world championships, including four Olympic gold medals. She represented Team USA in 2016 and 2020, claiming the all-around gold medal in 2016.
Owens will touch down just in time to cheer on Biles, 27, as she competes in the women’s gymnastics team finals on July 30 and the women’s all-around final on August 1.
Owens had made it clear during his contract negotiations with Bears that he would be taking time off from training camp to support Biles at the Olympics, as reported by Yahoo! Sports.
Jonathan Owens addressed the situation after the Bears' training camp practice on July 25.
“Obviously the Olympics were coming up and you know who my wife is,” Owens, 29, said. “It was all respectful. We went to them and asked, ‘We’d really appreciate if he could go to support his wife."'
“I can’t wait to be able to support her,” he continued. “It’s the person you love most, man, and you see them out there in a position where someone could get hurt and you care. I’m just holding my breath and I have my little piece of paper right there ready calculating everything so I can’t wait."
Owens added, "It's always super nerve-wracking."
The Olympic gold medalist and Jonathan Owens tied the knot on April 22, 2023, in a charming courthouse ceremony in Houston.
But that was just the beginning—soon after, they celebrated in style with a lavish second wedding in Mexico.
Chicago Bears coach supports Jonathan Owens' decision to travel to Paris to support Simone Biles
At a press conference on July 22, Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus clarified the decision to let Jonathan Owens travel to France to support Simone Biles in her highly anticipated return to the Summer Games.
According to ESPN, Eberflus, 54, said, "Just because we respect the Olympics. That is a big deal. And he's just supporting the one he loves the most. And I think that's so cool that he gets to do that."
He added, saying, "We welcome that, and it's going to be awesome. Go USA."
As per CNN, Biles withdrew from the Tokyo 2020 team final due to the "twisties", a mental block affecting her midair positioning.
USA Gymnastics later announced that she also opted out of the individual all-around final and the vault, floor, and uneven bars finals to prioritize her mental health.
Owens had earlier told People how he was all set to cheer for Biles in Paris.
The Chicago Bears safety was brimming with excitement as he prepared to watch his wife soar to new heights as a member of her third Olympic team.
“It's super exciting just because I get a chance to see all the work that she puts in prior to, and you know what? Everything she goes through and dealing with the media and everything, and she still goes out there and does it,” the NFL star said.
“It's just impressive and goes to her training mindset and consistency. That's the biggest thing is how consistent," he continued.
Owens will not participate in the Bears' fully padded practice on July 30 or the lighter practice scheduled for the next day. The team will then travel to Canton, Ohio, for the Hall of Fame event on August 1.
They will have August 2 off and will resume practice on August 3, the same day Owens returns to Chicago.
