Simone Biles' boyfriend, Houston Texans safety Jonathan Owens, revealed that he didn’t know who she was when he first met her.
"Her work ethic was really the first thing that caught my eye. I never really watched gymnastics before I first started talking to her," he shared in an episode of Biles’ Facebook Watch series, Simone vs Herself. "When I met her, I honestly didn’t know who she was. It was just kind of like, 'Oh, she’s got a lot of followers. You know, she must be pretty good or something.”
The 25-year-old said that he and the Olympian connected a lot during the pandemic due to being on lockdown.
"We ended up hanging out right before the pandemic. It was one of the few times in her life where everything was just shut off and she couldn’t do anything,” he told Texas Monthly. “So we used it to get to know each other—really get to know each other. It created our bond and made it stronger. Now I’m so thankful."
"Her energy is something,” he continued. "She’s always happy, giggly, bubbly. If I’ve had a tough day at the office, I wouldn’t want to take that home to her. Her personality, man…”
The two are both very supportive of one another, with Biles attending Texans’ football games as frequently as she can and Owens supporting the decorated gymnast from the stands.
“This was a match made in heaven,” Owens said. “There’s no better person for me. She loves me, she’s so affectionate. I just love that. And it’s just intoxicating seeing how much work she puts into everything.”
As Blavity previously reported, Owens was able to watch Biles compete for the first time during the recent U.S. Gymnastics Championships.
"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 wrote in an Instagram post.
When asked about the experience of seeing the four-time Olympic gold medalist do what she does best, he said it was “unbelievable.”
“It’s so amazing to watch. When I saw her for the first time, I realized that the TV really doesn’t do it justice. When she goes out there and does it, it looks so effortless,” he said.
As Biles prepares to compete in the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Owens continues to stand right behind her every step of the way.
“The coolest thing for me is that I get to witness someone who is literally in the pinnacle of their sport,” Owens said. “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.”
