Simone Biles has been a very visible presence at husband Jonathan Owens’ NFL games. Now it’s his turn to lead the cheering section.
The NFL safety will be at the Paris Olympics for the team and all-around finals, despite the Chicago Bears being in the middle of training camp. Biles said after the Olympic trials that the Bears had given Owens permission to be absent for “a couple of days” so he could go to Paris.
“He’ll be there, yes,” she said. “For just a short little time.”
Biles and the U.S. women begin competition July 28 with qualifying, and the team final is two days later. The all-around final, where Biles is heavily favored to become just the third woman to win a second Olympic title, is Aug. 1.
The Bears are giving Owens off from July 29 to Aug. 3. That includes their first preseason game: Aug. 1 against the Houston Texans, Owens’ old team. That means he’ll be able to watch her in both the team final, on July 30, and the all-around final, on Aug. 1.
While this is Owens’ first season with the Bears, it’s his seventh in the NFL and many teams rest their veterans for some or all preseason games, anyway.
“We respect the Olympics. That’s a big deal,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said on July 22. “He’s supporting the one he loves the most. I think that’s so cool that he gets to do that, we welcome that and it’s going to be awesome.
