Jonathan Owens has had a headline-worthy year, and it’s not just because he’s changed teams. The 29-year-old NFL safety made waves by swapping NFC North squads, jumping from the Green Bay Packers to the Chicago Bears. But that’s only half the story—before diving into a busy season, he jetted off to Paris to cheer on his superstar wife, Simone Biles, as she wowed the world (again). In just one season with Green Bay, the St. Louis native racked up some impressive stats—3 pass deflections, a defensive touchdown, 84 combined tackles, and 2 tackles for loss—leaving fans with something to remember him by.

Back stateside, Owens now suits up with the Bears, who currently sit at #4 in the NFC North and are gearing up for a clash with one of his old teams. As Week 9 approaches, he’s taking a little stroll down memory lane, ready to bring his A-game against some familiar faces.

Jonathan Owens experienced a blast from the past

The 29-year-old signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an Undrafted Free Agent (UDFA) in 2018. Even though he spent most of his time at the State Farm Stadium, it was while he was in recovery due to a torn ACL. But regardless of what the circumstances were, it will always mean a lot to the safety. Leading up to the Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals game, Jonathan Owens posted an image of the field with a sweet note attached to his Instagram story. What did he say? “Back where it all started.” 

Why is he at State Farm though? With Week 9 of the 2024 NFL season in full swing, two postseason hopefuls will lock horns in one of the most anticipated games at the Stadium. In one corner, we have the Arizona Cardinals, who are fresh off their third win in four games now. They battled it out with the Miami Dolphins last week and emerged victorious with 28-27.

On the other corner, we have Jonathan and the Chicago Bears. They faced a tragic defeat against the Washington Commanders due to a Hail Mary on the final play. They lost 18-5 and are currently 4-3, sitting last in the NFC North. The Cardinals are 4-4, currently tied for first place in the NFC West. While the stakes are higher than ever, the 29-year-old couldn’t help but feel nostalgic. But how has his journey been in the NFL?

The Chicago Bears safety’s rise to the top hasn’t been smooth sailing

The 29-year-old has always been athletically gifted. However, his mother, Arthurine, always instilled a great desire to do well in academics. But having a career in sports. So, the NFL safety focused all his energy on school work. In fact, in college, he used to be heavily featured on the Dean’s List and Academic Honor Roll. This helped him receive a scholarship and a free ride through college. So when did he dip his toes into the football world?

Jonathan Owens moved to Phoenix after college and remained undrafted momentarily. Due to posting eye-popping Pro Day numbers in 2018, the Arizona Cardinals. Even though he suffered a torn ACL, he recovered well enough to maintain a roster spot into the 2019 season. However, shortly after, he received a call from the Houston Texans. “I just started crying,” the safety confessed after hearing the news. 

Jonathan Owens’ NFL journey with the Houston Texans was quite the adventure! He kicked things off on September 30, 2019, when he joined the practice squad. Just a couple of months later, on November 21, he got a taste of the active roster but was waived two days later, only to be re-signed to the practice squad again.

Owens signed a reserve/future contract on January 13, 2020, but his rollercoaster ride continued. He was waived on September 5, 2020, then signed back to the practice squad the next day. After some back-and-forth, he was elevated to the active roster for a couple of games in October before finally getting signed to the active roster on December 12.

In 2021, he bounced between the practice squad and the active roster, ultimately earning a two-year deal on December 9. Then made his mark with his first career interception and fumble recovery during a thrilling upset win over the Los Angeles Chargers on December 26. But bad luck hit again when he dislocated his wrist in Week 16, landing him on injured reserve on January 3, 2022.

There was a moment when he considered hanging up the cleats, but destiny had other plans. In the 2023 season, Owens joined the Green Bay Packers, where he snagged an active roster spot and even scored his first NFL touchdown! And let’s not forget the massive shoutout he got from his wife, the legendary 11-time Olympic champion, Simone Biles.

When Cam Heyward asked her which football player impressed her the most, she couldn’t help but sing praises of Jonathan Owens. “Honestly, I mean, besides my husband, because he’s broken down stigmas that aren’t typical. Like he’s D2 undrafted, year seven in the league which is so good for kids to see, especially when he hosts his football camps,” she gushed. With the most anticipated match moments away, will the Bears emerge victorious?