If anyone has had a tremendous season this year, it would have to be Jonathan Owens. The safety turned heads by jumping from the Green Bay Packers to the Chicago Bears. Bear in mind, this was right after racking up incredible stats with the Packers—a defensive touchdown, 3 pass deflections, 2 tackles for loss, and 84 combined tackles. So, it’s understandable that fans were sad to see the 29-year-old leave. 

However, as he plays for the Bears this season, they are currently at #4 in the NFC North. For Week 13, they locked horns with the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Even though the Lions have never won on Thanksgiving since 2016. However, luck hasn’t been on the Bears’ side either. They haven’t had quite the success this year on the field either. However, given how it’s Turkey Day, they just might have their saving grace on the side.

Jonathan Owens and Co. might have their good luck charm in the stands

It isn’t an odd sight to see Simone Biles show up at Soldier Field during a Chicago Bears game, is it? While the Olympian was busy with her third stint in Paris and the Gold Over America Tour shortly after. She made up for lost time by showing up to numerous games since then. In fact, as her husband, Jonathan Owens, prepared for a thrilling match in Detroit, she rocked up in an orange and blue Bears jacket and a clear bag with the 29-year-old’s name and number on it.

As the G.O.A.T. would watch her beau play in the annual Thanksgiving game, she would have to brush up on her NFL knowledge. However, this has been one of the longest-running annual series in the NFL, and they’ve met once a season since 1930. Out of the 188 times that they’ve faced off, the Chicago Bears have dominated the rivalry by winning 105 games. What about the Detroit Lions, you ask? Well, they have won about 78 games.

In fact, they made waves with an iconic moment during the Chicago Bears’ game against the Minnesota Vikings. While the gymnast watched from the stands, her husband celebrated his turnover by mimicking a gymnastic salute. But this isn’t the only way Biles supports her NFL husband. While their plans for Turkey Day include an intense matchup against the Lions, would they possibly have any exciting plans for the evening?

US Weekly recently asked the 7x Olympic gold medalist what she would be doing for Thanksgiving, and she stated that she had something wholesome planned for the kids. They will have a chef over to cook for Jonathan Owens and his teammates, especially those who don’t have family in the area. While she said it’s slightly difficult to relax at this moment, she’s thankful that they can take some much-needed time to kick their legs up and relax. However, things weren’t as smooth sailing for the Chicago Bear safety years ago. What went down? 

The 29-year-old faced one of the darkest moments of his life

Every athlete wants to leave an indelible mark on the sport. It’s almost the goal many aim to shoot for. On the other hand, doing that while staying injury-free in a full-contact sport isn’t going to be smooth sailing. It’s a lot harder to do that when one faces a terrible setback weeks before the start of a stellar career.

That’s what happened to Jonathan Owens back in 2018. A gruesome ligament tear in his knee left the safety feeling uncertain about his future. He was supposed to play for the Arizona Cardinals, and due to the injury, the undrafted free agent was waived. A year later, the safety talked about the experience. When he felt his knee pop, the 29-year-old laid on the ground crying and felt like his journey into the league was all for nothing. 

Hitting such a terrible roadblock in his rookie season was incredibly hard for the safety. However, his team didn’t let him down. The 29-year-old reiterated that while he was reeling from the shock of the injury, the Vice President tapped him on the shoulder. He reassured him that they were impressed by his dedication. But that’s not it. He also stated that they were going to look after the safety for the season. They would ensure that he came back stronger than ever.

Before this conversation, Jonathan Owens was sure that more than a decade of hard work was flushed away due to this incident. He hadn’t even had the chance to put on the pads and play for the Cardinals just yet. Even though the team showed incredible faith in his safety, the recovery process wasn’t the easiest for him. The 29-year-old struggled because he was by himself in Arizona. Even his teammates weren’t around to support him because practice was held 45 minutes away from where he lived.

However, he has come a long way since then. From being injured in his rookie season to now being married to an 11x Olympic medalist. Not only will he be celebrating the holidays with his near and dear ones. Even before they got married, she had been Owens’ pillar of support and also his best critic. Whenever he would take a misstep, the Olympian would promptly point it out and ensure he stayed motivated. After making a full recovery, he looked forward to building on his talents.