Bears' Jonathan Owens Cleared to Support Wife Simone Biles in Paris at 2024 Olympics

Simone Biles will have support from her husband when she takes center stage at the 2024 Olympics starting on Sunday.

Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens said he received permission from the team to travel to Paris to watch Biles compete with Team USA:

"It was something me and my agent talked about when we went in and I signed with the team. The Olympics coming up and who my wife is, that was just something ... it was all respectful. We went to them and just asked, 'We would really appreciate it if he could go and support his wife,' and they were really cool about it. First-class organization. I just want to thank them so much even allowing me to go over and do that. I can't wait to be able to support her, and I know my family and my wife, she really appreciates it."

Owens will be away from the team for five days starting on Monday. He's expected to return next weekend.

Biles' Olympics schedule could run from July 28 to Aug. 5. Her first appearance will be at the team qualifying event on Sunday, followed by the team final on Tuesday if the U.S. squad advances.

Other events Biles could participate in include the all-around, vault, balance beam, uneven bars and floor exercise. The balance beam and floor exercise finals are scheduled for Aug. 5 if Biles participates and advances.

The 2024 Games will mark Biles' third appearance in the Olympics. She won five medals in 2016, including four golds. The 27-year-old became the first woman to win at least four gold medals at a single Olympics since 1984 when Ecaterina Szabo of Hungary accomplished the feat.

Biles made her second Olympic appearance in Tokyo three years ago. She withdrew from the all-around, vault, uneven bars, floor and vault finals due to her struggles with "the twisties."

Owens and Biles were dating at the time of the 2020 Olympics, but he was unable to travel to Japan due to restrictions that prevented fans from attending the Games.

The couple got married in April 2023.

Owens is entering his seventh season in the NFL. He was originally signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2018, but he didn't appear in a game for the team due to an injury.

The veteran safety spent four seasons with the Houston Texans from 2019 to 2022 and started all 17 games in his final year with the club. He spent last season with the Green Bay Packers and signed a two-year deal with the Bears in March.

Owens will miss the first preseason contest when the Bears play the Houston Texans in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 1. He will be back well before their Aug. 10 matchup with the Buffalo Bills.