Winning one medal in the Olympics makes an athlete immortal. Now imagine winning eight! That is what Simone Biles did when she led the United States women’s gymnastics team to a gold medal yesterday. Supporting her on the stands was her husband and the Chicago Bears’ star, Jonathan Owens. Interestingly, Owens was supposed to be in the NFL training camp currently, but sometimes things are bigger than one’s training.

At least that’s what former quarterback Robert Griffin III thinks. Griffin couldn’t help but be awed at Biles’ achievement—she has just become the most decorated gymnast in America’s history. Just how big is this? It is big enough that the Chicago Bears granted Owens time off of his training camp duties. That isn’t something that normally happens for a player playing in America’s biggest sport, but then, this was more than sports. 

“Simone Biles now has the most Olympic medals ever for a USA Gymnast,” Griffin’s X account said. “The Chicago Bears UNDERSTOOD THE ASSIGNMENT when they gave her husband Jonathan Owens time from training camp to be present in Paris FOR HIS WIFE in that moment. This was BIGGER THAN FOOTBALL. This is family.” That is certainly a take that has a lot of takers, judging by the over 24k likes that the post received. 

For Simone Biles, this was an occasion unlike anything she had seen before. More than a win, these Paris Olympics were her chance at redemption. Her Tokyo story had ended with twisties, and that kept her out of gymnastics for a long time. As a result, to not only win the gold but to do so in a dominating fashion showed the heart and soul that this team possesses. But how did Jonathan Owens get such an unlikely break from the training camp? It turns out he had already planned for it.

Simone Biles’ supreme talent and Jonathan Owens’ undying support that weaved around it

Taking five days off during peak training camp duties isn’t a common occurrence in the NFL. But then, this wasn’t an ordinary time for Owens. His wife, Simone Biles, was competing for redemption, and that was enough for him to give her his full support. “It was something me and my agent talked about when we went in and I signed with the team,” Owens said a few days ago about his Olympics break.

“The Olympics coming up and who my wife is, that was just something… it was all respectful,” Owens continued. “We went to them and just asked, ‘We would really appreciate it if he could go and support his wife,’ and they were really cool about it.” That was a smart move by the Bears. For instance, their safety was ensured when he got to support his wife and become a part of a truly historic moment. The team also created a level of goodwill that it otherwise wouldn’t have been able to do.

As for Simone Biles, she had already cemented her Olympic legacy much before the Paris win. However, this win nonetheless puts her on a level not seen by anyone else. Is she the greatest gymnast that the US has ever seen? That might be debatable. But is she the most successful gymnastic Olympian in America’s history? That is now undeniable.