Back in August 2020, four-time Olympic gold medal gymnast Simone Biles let the world know she had a new boyfriend: 25-year-old Jonathan Owens, a safety for the Houston Texans. The two cuddled up together in photos shared on both her and his Instagrams. “it’s just us 🤎,” she captioned the shots.
This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
The romance confirmation cames shortly after Biles posted birthday tributes to Owens at the end of July and weeks after Biles confirmed she broke up with her last boyfriend, gymnast Stacey Ervin Jr. (whom she dated for nearly three years) in a July 2020 Vogue interview. Biles and Ervin split in early March 2020. “It’s hard being young and having that long of a relationship and then ending it,” she told Vogue. “But it was for the best.”
Here, what to know about Owens and his nearly year-long relationship with Biles:
Owens is 25, from Missouri, and got his start playing football in college and high school.
Owens has been playing in the NFL since 2018, when he signed with the Arizona Cardinals. He got a knee injury that year and remained on the injured reserve list before he was released from the team a year later in August 2019. That September, the Houston Texans signed him to its practice squad. The team signed him in January 2020 to reserve/future contracts.
This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Owens is from St. Louis and played college football at Missouri Western State University. Before that, he played football in high school, at Christian Brothers College, in Missouri. His jersey number for the Houston Texans is #36, and he’s 5’11.
This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Both Biles and Owens are currently based in Texas.
Biles trains at the World Champions Center in Spring, TX. She resumed training at the center in mid-May when it was safe enough to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic. Niles will compete in this summer’s Olympics, which were postponed from this year because of COVID-19.
As a player for the Texans, Owens based in Houston, just 26 minutes away from Spring.
Biles has been liking Owens’ Instagrams since November 2019.
It’s unclear when exactly Owens and Biles met or started dating. But if Instagram is any indicator, Biles has been a fan of Owens since the end of 2019. Owens doesn’t post often on his Instagram grid, but Biles’ first like was on his Nov. 27 shot.
The first Owens Instagram that Biles liked.
Instagram
Her second like was on his March 9 photo, shortly after her breakup.
The second Owens Instagram that Biles liked.
Instagram
She has liked every one of Owen’s Instagrams of since.
Owens, like Biles, has a dog with its own Instagram.
Both Owens and Biles are dog lovers. Owens has an Instagram account for Zeus, the “most energetic English Bulldog you’ve ever met,” according to the dog’s Instagram bio. He very regularly updates Zeus’ IG with cute new dog shots:
This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Biles, meanwhile, has an Instagram account for her two Frenchies, Lilo and Rambo.
This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Owens is a Cancer. Biles paid tribute to him for his birthday in 2020.
Owens turned 25 on July 22, 2020. Biles posted an Instagram tribute to him on her IG Stories, which the Shade Room captured (along with the great TikTok they created together). “Happy 25th birthday,” she wrote with a kissing face emoji. “Hope this year brings you everything you want & more.”
This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Biles, for what it’s worth, is a Pisces with a March 14, 1997 birthday—making her and Owens a very compatible astrological pairing.
Owens is very close with his mother and older sister.
Owens is family-oriented and regularly pays tribute to both his mother and sister on his Instagram. On Mother’s Day 2020, he wrote to his mom, “Happy Mother’s Day to my ❤️ you have been my biggest fan and supporter through it all. I’m so thankful for everything you’ve taught me, enjoy your day beautiful 😌”
This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
He also credited his sister with getting him into football in 2018: “Happy birthday sis! Who knows where I’d be if you didn’t force me to start playing football 😂 it’s crazy how close we are even though we 11 years apart, imma keep making you proud! Love you sis ❤️”
This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Owens is very supportive of Biles as she enters her second Olympic Games.
Biles is on her way to her second Olympic Games as she leads the U.S. women’s gymnastic team. In support of her new milestone, Owens wore a red shirt that said “Because I can—Simone Biles” along with Biles’ parents and posted a picture with his Olympian girlfriend holding flowers.
Jonathan Owens and Simone Biles.
Jonathan Owens Instagram
On June 7, Owens took to his Instagram to celebrate Biles becoming the first woman to win seven U.S. championship titles. “What an amazing experience 👏🏽 First time getting to watch you compete in person, and you didn’t disappoint. It’s so cool that I get to watch you do what you love and be the best at that ‼️ I’m so proud of you, my lil champ 🥰❤️ Trials up next, and you already know I’m there!! Love you, baby ❤️❤️,” he captioned the post.
This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Owens did not know who Biles was at the start of their relationship.
In the third episode of Biles’ Facebook docu-series Simone vs. Herself, Owens mentioned that he was not aware of Biles’s stature in the world of gymnastics. “Her work ethic was really the first thing that caught my eye. I never really watched gymnastics before I first started talking to her. When I met her, I honestly didn’t know who she was,” Owens said, per Insider.
“The coolest thing for me is that I get to witness someone who is literally in the pinnacle of their sport,” Owens added. “It’s motivating to see that and the impact that she has on people. We were walking past this group of girls, and they were shaking, ‘Oh my god, it’s Simone!’ This is when I kind of knew. Like, okay, yeah, she’s the real deal.”
Alyssa Bailey
News and Strategy Editor
Alyssa Bailey is the news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton).
Starr Savoy
Starr Savoy is a fellow at ELLE.com, where she writes about celebrity, culture, beauty, and fashion.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io