Simone Biles’ health scare ignited outrage. However, it wasn’t over her condition, but how one reporter identified her. While most of the sentiment around the gymnast was of concern, there’s a flip side to this reaction that stemmed from a single news report.

A few days ago, Biles posted on Instagram about one of the scariest experiences of her life. While Biles didn’t detail her experience, the hospital assessment raised immediate concern. Immediately after the incident, a news report surfaced identifying Biles as “NFL Wife,” which didn’t sound very flattering to most netizens.

“Imagine being the most decorated gymnast in history, almost dying, and media referring to you as ‘NFL Wife’ as your greatest achievement,” Threads user @qasimrashid wrote, sharing the headline. “Misogyny is a helluva drug. Smh. Truly hope Simone is safe and makes a full recovery. What a horrible experience.”

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Biles is frequently seen in the stands to support her husband, Indianapolis Colts safety Jonathan Owens. The American gymnast even curated custom wardrobes to showcase support for him.

Yet Biles’ primary identity, arguably the greatest gymnast ever, was erased by that headline of being Owens’ wife. Thus, the reporter’s approach of skipping this identity and calling her an NFL wife sounded out of place, especially given that the article is solely centered on Biles.

Notably, the reporter even shared an apology post amid the social media outrage over the article.

“I would like to apologize for how the headline came off,” the reporter wrote on Threads. “It was never my intention to be rude or discredit it with Simone Biles, who has done with her career.” The author further stated that he largely covers the NFL website and was just trying to draw a connection between Biles’ story and it.

However, shots had already been fired before the apology surfaced, and netizens didn’t mince their words as they shared their perspectives.

Fans Pinpoint Simone Biles’ Popularity and Olympic Success While Rallying Against the “NFL Wife” Tag

“Not that it matters and not a shot at Jonathan Owen’s but her husband is a journeymen safety in the NFL on top of it,” a fan wrote. “He ain’t a star in the league. She is 100 times more famous than him,” wrote a fan.

One netizen contrasted Simone Biles‘ dominance with Owens’ journeyman career. The netizen pointed out that while Owens is a popular NFL player, his career has never attained stability. For instance, Owens has played for multiple teams across his NFL stints.

So far, he has played for five NFL teams, including his latest one at the Indianapolis Colts, making him a perfect journeyman in the league. Meanwhile, Biles is far from that slump. For most of her career, the American gymnast has followed an upward trajectory, making her a more accomplished and successful athlete than Owens, which makes the headline sound even weirder.

“Apology? Someone needs to be fired,” commented another.

“Really? They’re relegating THE GOAT SIMONE BILES to “NFL wife”?!?” stated another.

The headline was a major disrespect to Biles’ success as a gymnast. 11 Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals aren’t just a mere accolade line. Instead, it’s a testament to Biles’ hard work, resilience, and determination.

Blemishing these fierce identities with a mere “NFL Wife” tag isn’t a good look, especially when you’re talking about an athlete of Biles’ stature, who is counted among the best in the world.

“How tf are you gonna write a sports article and call Simone Biles just an ‘NFL wife’ as if she isn’t one of the greatest gymnasts of all time?” remarked another.

“@yahoosports you spelled “The Most Decorated Gymnast In History” chimed in a netizen.

The sentiment carried forward further on social media. Many even questioned the author’s skill set behind carving the sentiment in that fashion, crediting Biles yet again as the greatest of all time.

The backlash exposed a blind spot: reducing a legend to her husband’s job title. And this mistake wasn’t just any thin line that the writer missed. Instead, it came as a blow to a legend like Simone Biles.