Jonathan Owens Excused from Practice to See Simone Biles in Olympics

Chicago Bears coach, Matt Eberflus, is completely supportive of Jonathan Owens missing preseason practice to support Simone Biles at the Olympics.

“Just because we respect the Olympics,” Eberflus, 54, told ESPN on Monday, July 22, referencing why Owens, 29, is allowed to go to Paris, despite mandatory preseason practices. “That is a big deal. And he’s just supporting the one he loves the most. And I think that’s so cool that he gets to do that.”

Eberflus noted the Bears “welcome” Owens going to Paris to be there for his wife, Biles, 27, at the Olympics – and that it’s going to be “awesome.”

“Go USA,” he added.

Previously, Owens opened up about being excited to see Biles compete at the Olympics this year.

“It’s just fun for me to be able to witness [her] greatness,” Owens told USA Today in June. “I just love getting to watch her in her environment. Seeing her locked in, it’s just amazing to see. She goes up there and does it, every freaking time. Surpasses what she’s supposed to do. I love that.”

After scoring an all around total of 117.225 at the U.S. Olympic team trials, Biles, who has previously competed at the Olympics two times before, secured her spot on the U.S. gymnastics team in June. (The five-woman team also includes Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera.)

Biles, who is the most decorated gymnast of all time, previously won four gold medals and one bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. She also earned a silver and a bronze medal at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, before withdrawing from multiple events after suffering from the “twisties.”

“In the back [gym], we already knew my gymnastics was kind of janky,” Biles shared during an April appearance on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast. “In training, I was having the twisties already, but I’m trying to push past that. I would literally tell the team … ‘I’m fighting demons. I’m fighting demons right now, but I’m going to do it for you guys.’ I literally felt like I was fighting my body and my mind to do these tricks.”

After taking a two-year break from competing after the Tokyo Olympics, Biles returned to training in September 2022 – and noted that she feels “more mature” this time around for the Paris Olympics.

“I would say the only thing I have to prove is to myself that I can get out there and do it again,” Biles told Today’s Hoda Kotb on Wednesday, July 17.