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Chicago Bears defensive back Jonathan Owens, who is the husband of Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Simone Biles, is under fire from fans after Chicago’s 30-12 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football. More specifically, fans are calling out Owens for his behavior during the game despite his team getting blown out.
Late in the first quarter, the Bears already trailed the Vikings 10-0. But Minnesota faced 3rd-and-17 from its own 13-yard line. The Vikings dropped a short pass off to running back Aaron Jones who cut upfield looking for the first down. Owens made the tackle on the play and quickly got up to celebrate.
Jonathan Owens dancing after tackling a guy on a 3rd and 17 screen *maybe* 1 yard short of the line (it was actually a 1st down).
Fire this Bears team into the god damn sun.
— Carter Donnick (@CDonnick1) December 17, 2024
There was only one problem. Jones had already made the line to gain by the time he was down. Which means that Owens was, essentially, celebrating the fact that he and his teammates conceded a first down on 3rd-and-17. Bears fans were not happy about it.
3rd and 17 and the Vikings convert! In the replay Jonathan Owens is shown dancing as if he stopped him! This team is a joke and not serious at all! #Bears #DaBears
— ZANDER (@AndrewJensenBWG) December 17, 2024
Little late here, but earlier Jonathan Owens was dancing after he tackled that guy…who had just converted 3rd and 17.
— Michael Szwaja (@ChiSportsTweetr) December 17, 2024
Owens has struggled all season long for the Chicago, which ranks just 24th in the league in total defense. The struggles come even after entering the season with a target on his back due to his association with Biles. Owens skipped the Bears’ training camp earlier this season in order to go to Paris and watch Biles win gold in the women’s All-Around competition.
He also caught flack from gymnastics fans who feel he didn’t pay Biles enough respect when he said he had not heard of her before they met.
However, he says he didn’t get caught up in the fan backlash.
“I was actually with my mom and Simone whenever it came out,” Owens said. “So, all the comments and everything, I just let them read it. I try to stay off of it, and obviously if you feel like stuff is kind of getting out of hand, that’s when you reach in and say something.”
For his sake, let’s hope he continues that policy with football.