Jonathan Owens, Chicago Bears safety and husband to gymnastics legend Simone Biles, found himself roasted by fans for proudly wearing Biles' gold medal after the US clinched the gymnastics team final. Owens' Instagram post, intended to celebrate his wife's historic achievement, instead reignited an old controversy.
Owens, 29, shared a slideshow on social media featuring him alongside Biles, 27, draped in her gold medal. His caption, brimming with pride, read, "Witnessing history every time you step on the mat . Congrats baby on becoming the most decorated American gymnast in Olympic history!!!! Just wow!!!! 8 of them!!!!! So thankful I was there to see it ."
However, fans were quick to point out that Owens was holding her medal, not his. One comment, liked over 4,000 times, quipped, "That's Simone's gold medal you're holding, not yours my guy. ." Another user echoed the sentiment, questioning, "why he holding it like he won it," and a third simply advised, "give the medal back bby [sic] thats not yours."
The online jabs also dug up Owens' previous remarks from the "Pivot" podcast last December, where he admitted he didn't know who Biles was before they met on the Raya dating app. "I never really paid attention to gymnastics, so it piqued my curiosity," he had said, despite Biles already being a household name.
Owens further stirred the pot in that same podcast episode, claiming he thought he was "the catch" in their relationship. "I always say that the men are the catch," he asserted, a comment that did not sit well with many fans. Despite Biles defending him at the time, calling the backlash "disrespectful," the internet has a long memory.
Fans rally behind Jonathan Owens amid Simone Biles medal controversy
Support for Owens wasn't entirely absent, though. Some fans rallied behind him, arguing it's not uncommon for athletes to be unfamiliar with stars from other sports. One supporter commented, "Yall are so miserable to keep bringing up his comment of not knowing who she is. This man loves that girl through and through and the make such a fly couple! Congratulations Simone."
Biles herself showed no signs of annoyance at Owens' display of her medal. She responded lovingly in the comments, "my whole heart. i love you ," and added, "means the world you're here."
Even rapper Flavor Flav, in Paris sponsoring the US women's water polo team, chimed in, praising Owens: "Everyone luvs a supportive KING ."
The couple, who began dating in 2020 and went public with their relationship that August, tied the knot in a courthouse ceremony in April 2022, followed by a picturesque beachside wedding in Mexico. Owens, despite the NFL's rigorous schedule, secured permission from the Bears to attend the Paris Games, further showcasing his unwavering support for his record-breaking wife.