Jonathan Owens has rejoined the NFL training camp for the Chicago Bears after a brief hiatus to support his wife, Simone Biles, at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He's already made a pointed remark aimed at his previous team, the Green Bay Packers.
Owens was back on the practice field with the Bears on Aug. 3, having been granted five days off to attend the Olympics in Paris and support his wife. He inked a two-year deal worth $4.05 million with the Bears in March and is expected to be their third safety, following starters Kevin Byard III and Jaquan Brisker, for the start of the 2024 season.
However, during the practice on Aug. 4, a spectator questioned Owens about his former team, the Packers, and if he missed playing for them after switching to the rival Chicago team. His reply, as reported by David Peters Jr. from Next Wave Ball, is likely to win over the Bears' supporters
“Absolutely not,” Owens responded, via Peters’ post on X about the interaction.
Owens is likely to garner goodwill from Bears fans for his remarks their NFC North rival, and his positive comments may stem from the Bears' treatment of him since joining the team.
Although Owens couldn't support Biles, often regarded as the greatest gymnast of all time, at the Tokyo Olympics due to COVID-19 restrictions, he was resolved to be there for her at the Paris Olympics. The challenge lay in obtaining permission from the NFL team that had recently signed him to leave training camp.
“It was just something me and my agent talked about when we went in and signed with the [Bears],” Owens told reporters on July 25 before he traveled to France. “We just went to them and asked, ‘We’d really appreciate it if he can go and support his wife.'”
The Bears complied without any trouble.
“They were really cool about it, man,” Owens said. “This is a first-class organization. I just want to thank them so much for even allowing me to go over and do that.”
In truth, Owens didn't miss significant time with the Bears. He attended practice on July 29 then flew to Paris to cheer on Biles and the U.S. team in the women's team finals on July 30. He remained to support Biles through the women's all-around final on Aug. 1, where he witnessed her gold medal victory, before returning home.
While away, Owens skipped only three Bears practices, including a split session before their NFL Hall of Fame Game against the Houston Texans. As a veteran of six years, Owens is not expected to struggle catching up on practice.
However, Owens still needs to secure his position with the Bears, as his contract allows for easy release if he fails to meet expectations. The Bears are also evaluating 2022 seventh-round pick Elijah Hicks for the safety rotation, keen to compare his performance with Owens' following his impressive preseason debut.
With Owens' return from France, he now faces the challenge of proving his worth to the Bears.
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