Simone Biles: Bears granting husband Jonathan Owens time off from training camp to see Olympics

Gymnast Simone Biles is returning to the Olympics, and her husband, Jonathan Owens, will be able to watch her live on the biggest stage.

Biles qualified for the Paris games with a victory at the U.S. Olympic Trials on Sunday. The star gymnast told USA TODAY’s Nancy Armour that the Chicago Bears granted Owens permission to miss time during training camp to attend the Olympics.

“The Bears are actually granting him a couple days off from training camp, so he’ll be there, yes,” Biles said. “For just a short little time.”

Biles and Owens have been together since 2020. The couple married last year and are building a home outside of Houston. It’s the first Olympics that Owens can attend in person. During the 2021 Games in Tokyo, strict COVID-19 regulations prevented the safety from attending.

Owens inked a two-year contract with the Bears this offseason after one season with the Green Bay Packers. The 28-year-old previously played four seasons with the Houston Texans.

Bears veterans report for training camp on July 19. Chicago is participating in the Hall of Fame Game against the Texans in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 1.

The U.S. women’s gymnastics team will start Olympic competition with the qualifying round on July 28. The team final is on July 30. The women’s all-around final, where Biles is expected to be one of the favorites, is Aug. 1.

“Anytime we can show up for one another in support, we just get super excited because our schedules don’t align that much,” Biles said. “So whenever it does, it’s really important for the both of us to show up in support.”