Imagine not being familiar with Simone Biles’ name after she was the first U.S. woman to win four gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics or even in 2019 when she became the most decorated female gymnast when she earned her 21 World Championship in Germany. Enter Houston Texans NFL player Jonathan Owens.
The 5’11″ defensive back revealed in the third episode of Biles’ Facebook Watch docu-series titled “Simone Vs Herself” that before dating Biles, he did not know who she was. “I never really watched gymnastics before I first started talking to her,” Owens admitted in the viral 47-second clip of the “Who Am I” episode. “When I met her, I honestly didn’t know who she was.”
Owens said he thought to himself “ ‘Ah she’s got a lot of followers,’ you know. She must be pretty good or something.’ ” But it was other people’s reaction to Biles that made him recognize the status his future girlfriend would have. “And I was like ‘You know, that’s just Simone.’ That’s how I would tell people.” Owens said those people’s responses would be ‘Simone Biles?! Like you for real? The gymnast.’ ” Before chuckling, he said his reply would be, “ ‘Man, she’s good like that!?’ ”
Owens shared another incident of him and 24-year-old Biles “walking past this group of girls and they were shaking.” Re-enacting their reaction he said they said “Oh my God, it’s Simone!” It was moments like these when Owens realized “Okay, yeah, she’s the real deal.”
Owens revealed it was Biles’ “work ethic” that made him attracted to her. Now after knowing who she is and getting a first-hand look at her life, Owens has gained respect for Biles and her sport. “The coolest thing for me is that I get to witness someone who’s literally in the pinnacle of their sport,” the 25-year-old said. “It’s motivating just to see that and the impact that she has on people.”
Biles and Owens may soon be celebrating their one-year anniversary. Although they don’t shy away from posting pictures together, they also have maintained privacy since confirming their relationship. Neither has stated when they first began dating, but they went Instagram official in August 2020 after she quietly ended her relationship with fellow gymnast Stacey Ervin Jr.
