For Jonathan Owens, the NFL spotlight was nothing new. The attention that followed after he met Simone Biles was a different story altogether. Their relationship began on a dating app in 2020, while Owens was still working to establish himself in the league. Before long, though, his life away from football started drawing just as much attention as what he did on the field.

Owens has since become comfortable with that reality, but he admits the early days were difficult. Suddenly, people had opinions about his relationship, his words, and even his place beside one of the biggest names in sports.

“It was tough at first because I’m a pretty quiet, private person,” Owens told The Athletic. “It almost makes you a shell of yourself, at first, because of all the criticism. They’ve got something to say about everything you do.”

Owens got a taste of just how quickly things could turn in 2023. He appeared on The Pivot podcast and spoke openly about his relationship with Biles. What sounded like a casual conversation soon followed him well beyond the podcast. His comments about not knowing Biles before they met, along with his “men are the catch” remark, drew a wave of criticism online.

The reaction arrived quickly. Owens recalled not even realizing what was happening at first because he had his notifications turned off. Then Biles asked him a simple question: “Have you been on your Instagram?”

That was when he saw the storm.

“That was my first time of really, really being in the public eye and people trying to hate on you – ‘Oh, you’re Mr. Biles!’ – and stuff like that,” Owens recalled.

The label that once felt uncomfortable, though, eventually took on a different meaning. Rather than trying to escape the association with one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, Owens learned to embrace it.

“But that’s what comes with it. You take the good with the bad, and at the end of the day, I’m living my dream,” he said.

Now, he even views “Mr. Biles” as a compliment.

“You see who my wife is. Says a lot about me as well,” Owens explained, adding that he sees her choosing him as a reflection of his own confidence and character.

That shift did not happen overnight. Owens was still building his NFL career when Biles entered his life.

After making his debut in 2018, he eventually earned a starting role with the Texans in 2022, with Biles watching his journey along the way. And he replicated that support, showing up for the gymnast during the 2024 Olympics.

While he initially cheered her on from home, Owens eventually got permission to go to Paris. The NFL star arrived just in time to see his wife become the most decorated American gymnast in Olympic history.

“Witnessing history every time you step on the mat 😍🔥 Congrats baby on becoming the most decorated American gymnast in Olympic history!!!!” Owens wrote on Instagram in 2024.

That hasn’t changed, and Biles’ support soon became a steady part of his life. As the attention around their relationship grew, Owens had someone beside him who understood what it meant to live under the spotlight.

Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens keep showing up for each other

Their connection began during the COVID-19 lockdown, when the lack of a normal schedule gave them an unusual opportunity to know each other away from the noise.

“It created our bond and made it stronger,” Owens told Texas Monthly in 2021. “Now, I’m so thankful.”

They got married in 2023, but supporting each other had already become natural. Biles cheered for Owens from the sidelines while he stood by her during gymnastics competitions.

“I’ve played a lot better since [meeting Simone],” Owens said in 2024. “I’ve just been focused and locked in.”

That support has followed them into Owens’ latest NFL chapter. After signing a one-year deal with the Colts in March, Biles made it clear she planned to spend the season supporting her husband in Indianapolis.

And she wasted little time making her presence felt.

Before Owens’ first regular-season game for Indianapolis on September 13, the couple shared their familiar sideline kiss and performed their now-signature handshake. Biles also arrived wearing a custom blue dress featuring Owens’ No. 38 and their last name.

It was a small moment, but it captured how different the spotlight feels now.
The attention that once made Owens feel like a “shell of yourself” has become part of the life he and Biles have built together. And through all the noise surrounding two highly visible careers, Owens appears to have found the simplest way to handle it.

As Biles’ husband, the world will always have something to say. Owens has simply learned to keep living his dream anyway.