Some may know Jonathan Owens as a football player, but most know him as Simone Biles‘ husband. He’s facing much backlash from his recent interview with The Pivot podcast about their marriage.
Source: Carmen Mandato / Getty
The Green Bay Packers safety appeared as the latest guest on the popular sports podcast, The Pivot. The hosts questioned him about a lot of topics, especially his famous love story.
Considering that he’s married to one of the most decorated athletes of all time, AKA the GOAT gymnastics, co-host Channing Crowder, asked the question we all want to know! “How in the hell did you pull Simone Biles?”
His answer, however, sent social media up in a frenzy! He replied, saying, “It’s really how she pulled me.” He emphasized that he “didn’t know who she was” when they first connected, noting he “never really paid attention” to gymnastics.
Jonathan went on to say that, eventually, he caught wind of who she was as an Olympic gold medalist.
“The first thing that I saw was that she just had a bunch of [Instagram] followers,” he said. “So in my mind I’m like, ‘Okay, she’s gotta be good.’”
The two connected during the coronavirus pandemic, so dating looked a bit different for them.
“She came down to Houston,” Jonathan, who played for the Texans at the time, recalled. “She lived in the suburbs, so she had to drive about 45 minutes. Then the rest is history.”
Co-host Ryan Clark followed up by asking if Owens thought he was the catch. Owens replied, “I always say that the men are the catch.”
“I was fighting it,” he continued. “I was afraid to commit. But it happened when I least expected it, and we hung out, and we hit it off instantly.”
Social Media drags Jonathan Owens’ claims that he was “The Catch” for Simone Biles
Source: Michael Reaves / Getty
Owens’ iconic wife Simone sat by his side during the interview. Clips showed her smiling from ear to ear nonstop as her husband played back the events of their early dating history.
However, fans on the web weren’t all smiles and giggles when they heard Jonathan’s comments. Many took to the comment section saying, “GIRL GET UP!!!! don’t let him disrespect u like that”
Another user wrote, “This is really odd that you would degrade your wife like this on a public platform. You will forever be known as Simone [Biles’] husband. You’re not the catch lmao.”
Even Shannon sharpe and Chad done told simone biles husband to shut up. You know you on the wrong side of history when men and women of all races looking at you like excuse us?? pic.twitter.com/dJEfjDBAIB
— The Neighborhood Publicist (@nhoodpublicist) December 23, 2023
The worst part of that interview is Simone saying “in a couple years no one will be calling him Simone Biles husband they’ll be calling me (whatever his name is) wife” girl PLEASE
— fragrance and foolishness (@Brieyonce) December 23, 2023
Another wild part of this whole Simone Biles’ husband debacle is that that man would not have even been invited on that podcast if he weren’t Simone’s husband.
So he gets opportunities b/c of his association w/ her and still can’t even recognize/acknowledge her accomplishments.
— Oni Blackstock, MD, MHS (@oni_blackstock) December 23, 2023
Not everyone found Owen’s comments distasteful. Some users chimed in with their opinions, saying, “So y’all are telling Simone Biles to divorce her husband Jonathan Owens b/c y’all didn’t like what he said on a podcast (The Pivot) about who is the catch and if he knew who she was when they met? It doesn’t seem to bother Simone Biles. That’s their happily married business.”
“Simone Biles does not feel the need to compete with her husband’s ego. Instead, she strokes it and lets him have his moment. It’s okay to let him think that he’s the catch too!”
This whole Simone Biles situation reminds me why I probably won’t get married again.
People took 60 seconds from a podcast and tried to inflate that into her husband being a lying piece of garbage whom she should divorce ASAP.
Most people do not take marriage seriously.
— Anthony Brian Logan (ABL) 🇺🇸 (@ANTHONYBLOGAN) December 23, 2023
Jonathan Owen, the husband of Simone Biles is 5’11, college educated, a professional athlete at the highest level, a millionaire, no felonies, no baby mommas, but let people tell it he is not a good catch 🤔 pic.twitter.com/RYSTqgaSDq
— Black Millionaires ® (@Blackmillions_) December 22, 2023
As for the lovebirds, they seem pretty unbothered by the backlash. Owens took to Instagram, captioning a photo of him and Biles with “Unbothered … just know we locked in over here” as the caption.
His wife on the other hand went even shorter with one word in a fun photo from their wedding: “Mood.”
How do you feel about Jonathan’s comments? Do you think he was wrong? Let us know your thoughts!
— Bossip