Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens' Relationship Timeline: Looking Back at the Athletes' Love Story
The athletes first met on a dating app. Three years later, they wed in two intimate ceremonies.
Jul. 2 2024, Published 5:41 p.m. ET
With the news that Simone Biles will attend her third Olympic games in Paris this summer, gymnastics fans are ecstatic. The 27-year-old is part of the most decorated U.S. Olympic women’s gymnastics team.
But in many ways, she’s already won the gold. That is, if you consider the gold band she received when she wed her husband Jonathan Owens. (Not to mention her four actual gold Olympic medials, ahem.) After three years of dating, the gymnast married the Chicago Bears football player in April 2023.
Here’s a look at Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens’s relationship timeline.
March 2020: Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens meet.
The couple met in the nick of time before the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown began. They did so in the way many couples meet these days: on a dating app. In their case, it was Raya.
Despite her being one of the — if not the — most famous gymnasts of all time, Jonathan didn’t know who Simone was at first. “I just hadn’t heard of her, and when I told her that, that’s one of the things she liked,” he told Texas Monthly.
2020: Simone and Jonathan begin dating.
As athletes, their schedules are normally jam-packed. But that all changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This time in lockdown gave them the time to get to know each other.
“We ended up hanging out right before the pandemic,” Jonathan told Texas Monthly. “It was one of the few times in her life where everything was just shut off and she couldn’t do anything. 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.”
August 2020: Simone and Jonathan make it Instagram-official.
A few months after they started dating, the couple decided to let the world in on their love. “It’s just us,” Simone captioned two images of them snuggled up.
A month later, Jonathan shared a sweet post on his feed. “Now you rockin with a real one,” the caption read on a image of the football player towering over the 4'8" gymnast.
June 2021: Jonathan watches Simone compete.
After a year of dating, the couple took a big step in their relationship. Jonathan attended the U.S. gymnastics championships to see his girlfriend compete. In true Simone fashion, she won her seventh title.
“First time getting to watch you compete in person and you didn’t disappoint," he wrote on Instagram. "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.”
Simone has equally supported her man in his athletic career. When he attended the NFL training camp in August 2021, she stopped by to cheer him on.
February 2022: Simone and Jonathan get engaged.
“THE EASIEST YES,” Simone announced the news of their engagement on Instagram with a picture of the big moment. “I can’t wait to spend forever and ever with you, you’re everything I dreamed of and more! Let’s get married FIANCÉ.”
April 22, 2023: Simone and Jonathan get married.
The couple had not one but two weddings. The first one was an intimate courthouse ceremony in Texas.
"I do 🤍 officially owens 🤍," Simone captioned a gallery of images from their wedding. Simone showed off her toned body in a halter-style wedding dress while Jonathan looked dapper in a tan suit.
The couple tied the knot again, this time in front of friends and family, in Cabo, San Lucas.