13 May 2023 , 13:48
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Jonathan Owens and his Olympic legend wife Simone Biles have made a strong first impression after he signed a one-year deal with the Green Bay Packers.
The 27-year-old safety, a mainstay of the Houston Texans' defense for the past two seasons before becoming a free agent, inked a one-year contract on Friday.
It has been a month to remember for the defensive back, who tied the knot with four-time Olympic champion gymnast Biles in a stunning beachfront ceremony in Cabo, Mexico on May 6, and within a week he signed for one of the NFL's most prestigious franchises.
The news of Owens' move to the Packers was broken by Biles on Twitter before the franchise officially unveiled its latest signing. Biles, wearing the Packers' iconic green and gold, posted two pictures with her husband at Lambeau Field, one posing beside the turf and another capturing the moment he put pen to paper with the caption "GO PACK GO."
Missouri Western alum Owens has had to fight hard to make it in the NFL after going undrafted in 2018 and signing as a free agent with the Cardinals, where he did not play a single game after spending the entire year on injured reserve.
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He was waived on the eve of the 2019 season, joining the Texans a few weeks later and he grafted hard at the team facility while bouncing between the practice squad and the active roster until making his breakthrough in December 2021, earning a $1.25million contract that expired at the end of last season.
Owens started all 17 games for the Texans last year, making 125 tackles including a sack, and his persistence has been rewarded with a chance to play in Green Bay, where he cannot wait to get down to business.
"Not gone lie, I’m geeked to get to Green Bay," he said on Twitter. "Been nothing but love from the fans all day, really gotta be the best fan base in football."
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Biles has not competed in gymnastics since withdrawing from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 to "focus on her mental health" and the newlyweds are eager to immerse themselves in their new hometown, following her post celebrating Owens' signing with a request for dining and activities recommendations for newcomers to Green Bay.
Owens joins the Packers in a moment of transition as they begin life without Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback. His blockbuster trade to the New York Jets was completed in April after weeks of negotiations, bringing to an end his 17-year stay in Wisconsin which included a Super Bowl title in 2011.
With Rodgers gone, untested former first-round pick Jordan Love is the new man under center at Lambeau Field going into the 2023 campaign and the inexperienced signal-caller will hope Owens and his allies on defense perform well to make his life easier as he embarks on the huge challenge of filling the shoes of a four-time MVP.