Simone Biles' husband remarked he was "scared" at their initial encounter due to her petite frame. The NFL star opened up about his first impressions in the Netflix two-parter "Simone Biles Rising," which delves into her mental health journey, her decision to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics, and her road to the 2024 Paris Games.
The series, which premiered on July 17, unveils that Simone and Jonathan first connected on the elite dating app Raya before meeting face-to-face in 2020.
Jonathan Owens, who has played for teams like the Chicago Bears, was unexpectedly charmed by Simone when they finally met. Despite Simone Biles standing at a mere 4ft 8', or 142 cm, Jonathan towers above her at 5ft 11'.
The Mirror reports he reminisced with a chuckle: "It was just funny. I remember when she pulled up in her little Range Rover. I was like 'Okay, I see you, girl. Got your little Range Rover'."
"And then she pulled up on me."
With a grin, he added: "She jumped out and she's like all the way down here. I'm like 'oh shoot'."
Simone chimed in with a laugh: "He said it scared him at first how short I was!".
Jonathan added: "I've never met someone, like, that tall. I was like 'oh shoot. You kind of small, okay'."
Despite his surprise at her height, Jonathan, who also had stints with the Green Bay Packers and Houston Texans, was smitten by Simone and regularly visited her and her family.
In the documentary, Simone lauds her husband for his support, particularly for insisting she attend therapy and encouraging her to discuss her mental health openly.
NFL star Jonathan Owens has candidly opened up about his initial cluelessness regarding the fame of his now-wife, Simone Biles, when they first crossed paths.
In the revealing documentary 'Simone vs. Herself', he admitted: "Her work ethic was really the first thing that caught my eye," adding, "I never really watched gymnastics before I first started talking to her. When I met her, I honestly didn't know who she was."
He was struck by the realization of her influence during an encounter with fans: "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."
The couple, who got engaged in early 2022, celebrated their union on April 22, 2023, and have been each other's biggest supporters, often seen at each other's sporting events.
Simone, who recently secured her spot for the 2024 Paris Olympics, received a heartfelt message from Jonathan, who shared online: "No words can describe how proud of you I am baby."
He continued to express his awe and support: "Just knowing all the work that you put in and everything that you've been through, and to still come back and be as dominant as ever, I was speechless."
Jonathan toasted to her remarkable achievement: "Cheers to going to your third Olympic Games! ! ! ! ! ! Just sounds so surreal being able to say my wife is the best to EVER do it, how did I get so lucky. I love you so much."
