Jonathan Owens says he’s not bending the truth when he claims he had no clue who now-wife Simone Biles was when they first met.
In a Vanity Fair article published online Wednesday, the NFL player repeated his assertion that he didn’t recognize the record-breaking gymnast after they connected on the dating app Raya in 2020.
“A lot of people don’t believe me when I say I had no clue,” he told the outlet for a cover story on Biles, explaining that he began to put the pieces together when he found her on Instagram.
“I was like, man, she got a lot of followers, she must be pretty good,” he said.
Biles memorably made her Olympic debut in 2016 competing at the Rio Games, winning four gold medals and a bronze. Owens was in a college football training camp at the time.
“I never once was like, Oh, let me check gymnastics out,” he said about that particular summer.
Elsewhere in the cover story, Owens and Biles recalled when they first matched on Raya. The Green Bay Packers player pointed out that Biles had messaged him first — though, he said, “She doesn’t like to admit it.”
He also reflected on the early days of their relationship, saying that he quickly noticed Biles’ contagious laugh, and that they “could talk all day.”
But Owens has landed in hot water previously for saying that he didn’t recognize Biles.
The football player also made the assertion last month during an appearance with Biles on “The Pivot Podcast.” He further suggested in the conversation that he was “the catch” in their relationship, since “the man” is always “the catch.”
His comments drew backlash on social media, with people accusing the Packers safety of lying about not knowing the gymnastics icon.
It’s not clear when Owens was interviewed by Vanity Fair, and whether it was before or after he was widely criticized for his remarks on “The Pivot Podcast.”
The NFL player has since responded to some of the complaints he received online, sharing a slideshow on Instagram that featured pictures from the couple’s wedding day.
“Unbothered,” he captioned the Dec. 21 post. “Just know we locked in over here.”
Biles and Owens wed in a courthouse ceremony in Houston in April, which was followed by a bigger celebration in Mexico the following month.
The Olympic gymnast publicly celebrated their union soon after the civil ceremony, telling Owens on Instagram that “i love you endlessly.”