Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens© Carmen Mandato

Why Simone Biles missed husband's NFL game and what Jonathan Owens said about future

The Olympian's husband plays for the Chicago Bears

Ahad Sanwari - New York
Senior WriterNew York
September 17, 2024

Jonathan Owens is charging into a new NFL season with the Chicago Bears, but unfortunately doesn't have his biggest supporter right by his side — his wife Simone Biles.

The celebrated Olympian, 27, has missed the last two Sunday Night Football games, the most recent being the Chicago Bears vs the Houston Texans (in which the latter emerged victorious 13-19).

The 29-year-old safety confirmed on the Chicago Bears YouTube channel that his wife couldn't attend due to preparation for the Gold Over America tour, which kicked off on Monday, the morning after the game.

The tour began with a show in Oceanside, California on Monday, September 16, and the travel time between Houston and California would've left her too drained.

"Her tour starts Monday and we play Sunday evening so that would be a tough turnaround to then get back to California," he said, although affirmed that she was indeed cheering him on from afar.

So when will Simone catch Jonathan in a game? Not too far into the future, actually, as Jonathan mentioned that she'll be in Chicago on September 29 to watch the Bears take on the Los Angeles Rams.

© Getty Images

Jonathan is a safety with the Chicago Bears this season

"She'll be here the 29th," he added. "She has a tour stop here that evening at 7. Literally perfect. So, she can come to the game at 12 and then boom, I'll get to go watch her at 7. Pretty dope turnaround."

The Gold Over America tour, which also includes Olympic gymnasts Jordan Chiles, Hezly Rivera, Brody Malone and more, kicked off on Monday and will continue on until November 3, ending in Detroit.

MORE: Simone Biles poses in stunning little black dress while looking back on time with husband Jonathan Owen

The couple are used to handling long distance, though. In April 2023, the pair tied the knot in front of their family and friends in Mexico (after a quick ceremony in Houston), immediately after which Jonathan had to fly to train with the Green Bay Packers, his former team.

© Getty Images

The Olympic gymnast has often been in the stands cheering her husband on

"I cried a lot," the 11-time Olympic medalist confessed in an interview with Vanity Fair. "We're both so busy, so it's not like I'm sitting [around] waiting for him to come home, but it's just hard." 

MORE: Simone Biles shows off family with husband Jonathan Owens in PDA-filled outing

On the Alex Cooper podcast Call Her Daddy, she addressed the hurt caused by all the fans asking her to "divorce him" after an earlier interview resurfaced in which Jonathan called himself the "catch" in the relationship.

"One night I broke down and I'm like, 'Why are you guys talking about my husband like this? You don't know him. You don't know who he is and if anybody's met him, you know he's the sweetest guy, will do anything for anybody.' That really hurt that they were talking about my husband like that. For me, it's like, talk about me all you want, but don't come for my family, never."

MORE: Simone Biles gets emotional as her parents share an adorable dance: '47 years strong'

Simone remembered thinking: "He's the sweetest. He praises the ground that I walk on," and asserted: "Truly, I've never met a man like him," and that he "never said I wasn't a catch. He said he was a catch. Because he is!"

© Getty Images

The two athletes have been married since April 2023

Jonathan was in the bleachers cheering Simone on during her triumphant comeback at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, which saw her walk home with three more gold medals and one silver.

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