Jonathan Owens breaks silence on being Simone Biles' husband, and his answer may surprise fans
Jonathan Owens has spent years building an NFL career that few could have predicted when he entered the league as an undrafted free agent. But as his football journey has developed, another part of his life has often taken center stage: his marriage to Simone Biles . The Indianapolis Colts safety is now a nine-year NFL veteran, but being married to one of the most recognizable athletes in the world has brought a level of attention that Owens never experienced early in his career.
Jonathan Owens went from NFL underdog to “Mr. Biles”
While he has learned to live with it, Owens admitted the attention and particularly the “Mr. Biles” label was difficult to deal with at first.
Owens has acknowledged that becoming part of Biles’ world came with plenty of public scrutiny.
He particularly remembers the backlash following his 2023 appearance on The Pivot Podcast , when comments he made about his relationship with Biles sparked a major reaction online.
“I didn’t have my notifications on,” Owens recalled, explaining that Biles eventually asked him whether he had seen what was happening on Instagram. That experience gave Owens an early introduction to what it meant to have his personal life examined by millions of people. He said the criticism was difficult initially, describing how it almost made him feel like “a shell of yourself” before he learned to accept that people would talk regardless.
Perhaps the most interesting part of Owens’ comments is how his perspective has changed.
Rather than viewing the “Mr. Biles” label solely as an insult, Owens now says he sees it differently.
“I take it as respect,” he said.
Owens went on to explain that he believes the person someone chooses as a partner can say something about them as well.
“You see who my wife is. Says a lot about me as well,” Owens said.
For Owens, being married to Biles is therefore not something he believes diminishes his own identity. Instead, he views her decision to choose him as something that reflects his confidence and who he is.
From payday loans to Tom Cruise and Travis Kelce’s wedding
Owens’ journey to the NFL was anything but straightforward. He was an unrated recruit coming out of high school, played Division II football at Missouri Western, and went undrafted in 2018. His first NFL season with the Arizona Cardinals ended on injured reserve after he suffered another ACL injury.
At one point, Owens recalled having only around $300 in his account and relying on a payday loan to help purchase his first car. His career eventually turned around. After spending time on practice squads, he became a starter with the Houston Texans and later the Green Bay Packers before joining the Colts.
Then his personal life brought an entirely different kind of spotlight.
Owens met Biles during the COVID-19 pandemic after the two connected on a dating app. Their relationship eventually led to marriage, and suddenly the safety who had fought simply to stay in the NFL was being recognized everywhere as the husband of the gymnastics superstar.
The contrast between Owens’ early NFL life and his current world is striking. There was a time when he was taking Ubers to rehabilitation sessions, using crutches to get groceries and worrying about how to afford a car.
Now, he talks casually about being in rooms with people he never imagined meeting.
Owens recalled being surprised that actor Tom Cruise knows his name and even mentioned attending Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding. Looking back at how dramatically his life has changed, Owens simply described it as “crazy.”
Yet behind all the celebrity attention, his football journey remains the foundation of his story.
From an undrafted Division II prospect who once struggled financially to an established NFL veteran married to an Olympic icon, Owens has experienced a transformation few could have predicted.
Jonathan Owens went from NFL underdog to “Mr. Biles”
While he has learned to live with it, Owens admitted the attention and particularly the “Mr. Biles” label was difficult to deal with at first.
Owens has acknowledged that becoming part of Biles’ world came with plenty of public scrutiny.
He particularly remembers the backlash following his 2023 appearance on The Pivot Podcast , when comments he made about his relationship with Biles sparked a major reaction online.
“I didn’t have my notifications on,” Owens recalled, explaining that Biles eventually asked him whether he had seen what was happening on Instagram. That experience gave Owens an early introduction to what it meant to have his personal life examined by millions of people. He said the criticism was difficult initially, describing how it almost made him feel like “a shell of yourself” before he learned to accept that people would talk regardless.
Perhaps the most interesting part of Owens’ comments is how his perspective has changed.
Rather than viewing the “Mr. Biles” label solely as an insult, Owens now says he sees it differently.
“I take it as respect,” he said.
Owens went on to explain that he believes the person someone chooses as a partner can say something about them as well.
“You see who my wife is. Says a lot about me as well,” Owens said.
For Owens, being married to Biles is therefore not something he believes diminishes his own identity. Instead, he views her decision to choose him as something that reflects his confidence and who he is.
From payday loans to Tom Cruise and Travis Kelce’s wedding
Owens’ journey to the NFL was anything but straightforward. He was an unrated recruit coming out of high school, played Division II football at Missouri Western, and went undrafted in 2018. His first NFL season with the Arizona Cardinals ended on injured reserve after he suffered another ACL injury.
At one point, Owens recalled having only around $300 in his account and relying on a payday loan to help purchase his first car. His career eventually turned around. After spending time on practice squads, he became a starter with the Houston Texans and later the Green Bay Packers before joining the Colts.
Then his personal life brought an entirely different kind of spotlight.
Owens met Biles during the COVID-19 pandemic after the two connected on a dating app. Their relationship eventually led to marriage, and suddenly the safety who had fought simply to stay in the NFL was being recognized everywhere as the husband of the gymnastics superstar.
The contrast between Owens’ early NFL life and his current world is striking. There was a time when he was taking Ubers to rehabilitation sessions, using crutches to get groceries and worrying about how to afford a car.
Now, he talks casually about being in rooms with people he never imagined meeting.
Owens recalled being surprised that actor Tom Cruise knows his name and even mentioned attending Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding. Looking back at how dramatically his life has changed, Owens simply described it as “crazy.”
Yet behind all the celebrity attention, his football journey remains the foundation of his story.
From an undrafted Division II prospect who once struggled financially to an established NFL veteran married to an Olympic icon, Owens has experienced a transformation few could have predicted.
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