The second part of Simone Biles’s Netflix documentary Simone Biles: Rising was released on Oct. 25., and it dived more into Biles’s personal life, specifically her relationship with her husband Jonathan Owens. In case you need a refresher, in December 2023, Owens appeared on an episode of The Pivot podcast, where he discussed his first meeting with Biles. But one comment that a lot of people had opinions on was when he mentioned that he was the “catch” in their relationship, and he believes that all men are the “catch” in relationships. When asked how he pulled Simone, Owens’ response was, “It’s really how she pulled me man, that’s the question.” Um, excuse me?
Not only were people confused by this comment, but most were bothered by the fact that Owens seemed to be using Biles as a way to boost his career, as he was currently a free agent for the NFL. In Episode 3 of Simone Biles: Rising, Biles talked about the backlash Owens faced and how everyone was dubbing him as a “walking red flag.” In hindsight, most thought Biles was the true “catch” in the relationship. (she’s didn’t become the most decorated gymnast of all time for nothing) Not long after the backlash, Owens made it clear he didn’t care and posted on Instagram saying he’s “unbothered.”
To put all of the hate to rest once and for all, Biles opened up about how the online backlash made her feel in her Netflix doc. “Who’s gonna go to somebody’s profile and say who you can or can’t love?” she said in the episode. “People equate our love to the amount of trophies and medals and accolades that I have, and that’s not how you measure love. That doesn’t equate to how much my husband loves me or likes me.”
Biles said that Owens’s comments were “taken out of context.” She added, “Social media gives [followers] this false sense of reality that they really know who you are and how you function.”
Owen also opened up on how the online hate shaped his perspective on their relationship. “Just how you wouldn’t want someone bad talking about your relationship behind your back. It’s just disrespectful,” he said. Biles also stated in the episode that social media creates a false narrative on how someone should act or function, and thus can take a mental toll on one’s well-being.
Although I do believe that Owens needs to acknowledge his wife as both a gymnast and human being, the couple’s clearly not letting the outside noise affect their relationship.