Jonathan Owens worked Paris Olympics trip into new Bears contract to support Simone Biles

As safety Jonathan Owens began negotiations with the Chicago Bears in free agency this summer, he made sure they knew he had to be in Paris this month. Even though it meant he would miss out on a portion of training camp, the former Green Bay Packers standout asked the Bears to accommodate his request to attend the 2024 Paris Olympics this month so that he could support his wife, four-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles, as she chases another victory for Team USA.

“Obviously the Olympics were coming up and you know who my wife is,” Owens said Thursday after the Bears’ training camp practice. “It was all respectful. We went to them and asked, ‘We’d really appreciate if he could go to support his wife.’ I can’t wait to be able to support her.”

Owens was able to begin training camp with the Bears this week, but on Monday, he’s off to Paris. Biles, who is competing in her third Olympic Games, begins competition with Team USA in the team qualifying round on Sunday. The gymnastics events will continue through August 5. Biles will compete in each individual competition, as well as the all-around and team competitions. In the all-around women’s competition, she will go for gold in four events: vault, uneven bars, beam and floor. 

Biles to debut new eponymous skill on uneven bars at Paris Olympics

On Friday, it was revealed that Biles is attempting to add yet another unnamed original skill to her repertoire, this time on the uneven bars. She already has five eponymous skills named after her, but this would be her first on the uneven bars. She has the Biles and Biles II on vault, the Biles dismount on the vault, as well as two twisting Biles moves on floor.

“It’s the person you love most, man, and you see them out there in a position where someone could get hurt and you care,” Owens said of his anticipation. “I’m just holding my breath and I have my little piece of paper right there ready calculating everything so I can’t wait. It’s always super nerve-wracking.”

Owens has agreed to a two-year contract with the Chicago Bears this summer after spending the 2023 season in Green Bay. He started 11 games out of his 17 appearances in Green Bay, totaling 84 tackles and two tackles for loss. It was a solid follow-up to the biggest year of his career in 2022 when he had 125 tackles and his first career sack for the Texans.

Owens first signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent out of Missouri Western State after the 2018 NFL Draft. However, the team waived him due to injury. He then latched on with Houston and started all 17 games in 2022.

To make up for his absence from Bears training camp, Owens will watch recorded meetings while he’s in Paris.