When there’s a slow day on the internet, social media will crave anything. This week, an interview surfaced of Simone Biles and her husband and Green Bay Packers safety Johnathan Owens on The Pivot Podcast. The platform, composed of former football players, asked the question we all were dying to know: how did they meet?
What came next would be the spark to the social media fire, as Owens revealed that in 2020, they met on Raya, a dating app for celebrities, public figures, and professionals—seemingly saying that he was the catch, went on to say that “all men are the catch,” and that Simone shot her shot first.
“So she really booked you,” Podcast host Ryan Clark asked Owens. “She did, though! Because I was fighting it,” Owens admits. “I was afraid to commit but, you know, it happens when you least expect it.”
Though the conversation was leaning toward a weird vibe, the viral moment of the interview came when Owens stated he didn’t know who she was.
“I’m like, ‘Lemme see who this is.’ I never really paid attention to gymnastics,” Owens said. “It piqued my curiosity. I didn’t know who she was at the time, but like, the first thing that I saw was that she just had a bunch of followers so in my mind, I’m like, ‘OK, she’s got to be good.”
There’s a bit of shock factor that Owens didn’t know the most decorated gymnast of all time, being titled the four-time Olympic Gold medalist. To back up his statement, he recalls that when Biles won the Olympics, in his orbit, he was in football camp from late July to early August at Missouri Western State University and didn’t have a moment to watch. It wasn’t until their first date to grab dessert that left the public starstruck at Biles everywhere they went.
“It was all these moms, and they’re there with their kids, and we walked past, and everybody stopped and just [stared],” said Owens. “Kids were just shaking, like, ‘Oh my god.'”
The interview sent social media in an uproar, claiming Owens was giving red flags and how disrespectful Biles was treated during the chat. However, it’s not up to the public to decide someone’s intentions we don’t know. With the controversy heating up post the weekend, Biles took to X to troll online users with an “alright already” meme posting, “Are y’all done yet?”
Biles is beyond happy with her relationship and marriage, and the conversation should be turned to truth. While sometimes honesty is harsh to hear, it’s clear Owens was coming from a genuine place because let’s be honest – trying to embarrass one of the most legendary Black women athletes on a podcast is ridiculous. With both parties trying to move on from the backlash, it’s time for social media to source something else to comment on.