Weird Things About Simone Biles And Jonathan Owens' Marriage
Simone Biles first captured our hearts at the 2016 Olympics, and again in 2022 when she announced her fairytale-esque engagement to NFL star Jonathan Owens. "THE EASIEST YES," the Olympic gymnast wrote on Instagram. "I can't wait to spend forever & ever with you, you're everything I dreamed of and more! [Let's] get married FIANCÉ."
Per Us Weekly, the couple first met in 2020 on celebrity dating app Raya and continued to flood our social media feeds with cuteness as their relationship developed. In 2021, Biles told People that she and her football beau had bonded over their respective careers and work ethics. Likewise, Biles' dedication to her craft is another form of motivation for Owens. "When I see her getting up and going to practice every morning, it motivates me even more," he told Texas Monthly. "It's a great feeling when the person you're in a relationship with understands what you're going through."
But sweet tributes aside, the couple — who went on to tie the knot in April 2023 — definitely have some weird quirks to their relationship. In part, it's because they're both professional athletes, and the nature of their careers affects their ability to spend time with each other. They have also spoken publicly about how they fight over their respective sports, which caused tension in their marriage. Now, that topic is off the table. It's not exactly "normal" relationship behavior, but then, Biles and Owens are far from your average couple.
Simone Biles called their long-distance relationship 'different'
Let's start with their work schedules. Plenty of couples weather long-distance relationships, but Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens' work commitments are a little extreme. Instead of enjoying a long honeymoon, People reported that Biles and Owens were separated less than a week after their marriage when Owens was traded to the Green Bay Packers. At the time, his wife shared multiple Instagram Stories with her followers, writing how much she missed him. In September 2023, she spoke with Hoda Kotb on "The Today Show" and opened up about the separation they had experienced thus far in their marriage. "Unfortunately, we're actually long distance," Biles told Kotb. "But at least we're both busy and focusing on our respective sports."
The distance makes it so that the newlyweds "cherish every moment together," as Biles explained. And in the midst of a more unconventional relationship, she's taking the time to prioritize her mental health. "[I'm] being intentional, going to therapy, making sure everything is aligned so that I can do my best in the gym and be a good wife, a good daughter, all the good things," the Olympic gold medal winner added.
Currently, Biles is based in Spring, Texas, where she trains at the World Champions Centre (WCC). But she frequently travels to Green Bay, WI, in support of Owens. "Walking into Monday victorious," she posted to Instagram on December 4, after she watched her husband's team take down the Kansas City Chiefs at Lambeau Field.
Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens got into a recurring fight
Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens might be #couplesgoals in the way that they support each other, but they still get into fights. It's pretty normal to disagree over chores or finances, but Biles and Owens don't get into mundane arguments. "We definitely get in fights all the time about which sport is harder," Biles told E! News. In 2021, the gymnast spoke to Sports Illustrated about the nature of their argument, explaining, "Gymnastics is obviously harder [than football]! I could go out there and learn how to throw a football, and he's like, 'Every time they get hit, it's like a car crash!'"
Eventually, the couple reached a point where they could no longer talk about it rationally. "[Jonathan and I] actually agreed once we got married we had to stop talking about it with each other," Biles said in her 2023 Wellness Summit keynote speech (via The Messenger). "We both respect each other's sports, work hard, and want the best for each other."
Fight or no fight, Owens wants everybody to know that he's Biles' biggest cheerleader. "I got so much respect for gymnast[s] man, true athletes no doubt," he posted to X (formerly known as Twitter) in 2021. We imagine Owens is looking forward to Biles' potential 2024 Olympics bid, which she teased during an appearance on "The Today Show." Until then, he's just cheering her casual flips on the dance floor.