Getty Former Green Bay Packers safety Jonathan Owens and wife Simone Biles.
Former Green Bay Packers safety Jonathan Owens defected to the Chicago Bears Tuesday, after which his wife Simone Biles made an interesting remark on social media.
The four-time Olympic gold medalist posted a mostly harmless dig at the smaller market of Green Bay, where Owens played during the 2023 season.
I’m so excited about not having a connecting flight to go & see my husband hahahahaaha
“I’m so excited about not having a connecting flight to go & see my husband hahahahaha,” Biles posted to X.
A Green Bay fan remarked on the post with a comment telling Biles to “…be respectful now,” to which she responded with the following:
“I will always respect Green Bay & the Packers!” Biles wrote. “It just made it difficult (connecting flights) because I was training haha.”
Jonathan Owens Posted Best Season of NFL Career in Green Bay
GettySafety Jonathan Owens, formerly of the Green Bay Packers.
Biles’ comment was hardly incendiary, though it was of note given the long-standing rivalry between the Bears and Packers franchises. As such, so was Owens’ departure from Green Bay and arrival in Chicago.
The Bears signed the 28-year-old Owens to a two-year contract worth $4.5 million. It is by far the most lucrative deal of the safety’s six-year NFL career, over which time he has pocketed a total of $3.25 million across stints with the Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans and the Packers. Green Bay signed Owens to a one-year deal worth $1.01 million in 2023.
Owens earned his latest contract on the strength of his best professional campaign. According to Pro Football Reference, he posted 84 tackles to go along with 3 pass breakups, 1.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovered fumble and 1 defensive touchdown.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) rated Owens as an above-average pass rusher for the position and an average coverage safety across 774 total defensive snaps. He was also around average in run defense and missed a total of 7 tackles, according to the website.
Owens appeared in all 17 regular-season games for the Packers last season and made 11 starts, allowing 22 catches on 33 total targets, per PFF.
Packers Fans Will Soon Forget All About Jonathan Owens After Team Signed Safety Xavier McKinney
Getty Former New York Giants safety Xavier McKinney signed with the Green Bay Packers in March 2023.
Owens was a nice addition to the Packers’ secondary in 2023, but what he offered was nothing compared to what the team should expect from its newest defensive back — safety Xavier McKinney.
McKinney came over to Green Bay at the beginning of free agency after four years with the New York Giants. He will replace five-year starter and former first-round draft pick Darnell Savage Jr., who left the Packers this offseason to become a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
McKinney graded out as one of the NFL’s top safeties in 2023, despite the fact that he didn’t earn All-Pro or Pro-Bowl honors. The defensive back started all 17 regular-season games for the Giants, earning an overall grade of 87.8, per Pro Football Focus (PFF). While McKinney was good against the run, he was great against the pass.
The safety ended the campaign with a tally of 94 solo tackles and 3 interceptions. He allowed opposing quarterbacks 33 receptions on 54 targets and a collective passer rating of just 52.1.