Jonathan Owens

BIOGRAPHY

Jonathan James Owens, an accomplished American professional football safety, was born on July 22, 1995. Throughout his illustrious sports career, Owens has represented top NFL teams such as the Chicago Bears, Houston Texans, and Green Bay Packers. He rose to prominence in college football at Missouri Western and as an undrafted free agent, secured a place with the Arizona Cardinals in 2018.

From an early age, Owens demonstrated a passion for football. Born and raised in St. Louis, Owens had his first brush with football at Christian Brothers College High School (CBC), under the guidance of Coach Scott Pingel. Heavily influenced by his middle school education at Loyola Academy, Owens successfully clinched the CBC Linebacker of the Year award during his high school tenure.

Continuing his enthusiasm for football, Owens made significant strides as a defensive back for Missouri Western State University (MWSU) after his redshirt tenure in the 2013 season. His outstanding prowess saw him wrapping up his final season in 2017 as the MWSU Male Student-Athlete of the Year with second-team all-Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) honors under his belt. In addition to his achievements in the field, Owens remained on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll throughout his college career. With a dream to doctorate, Owens pursued pre-physical therapy as his major.

Upon finishing his high school education, the unflappable Owens signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent following the 2018 NFL draft. The excitement was short-lived as he was waived from the team due to an injury in the last week of organized team activities before the 2018 season. Consequently, he spent the entire season on injured reserve.

The subsequent year brought Owens’ fresh opportunity as he became part of the practice squad for the Houston Texans on September 30, 2019. After an active roster promotion on November 21, 2019, he was waived two days later. It didn’t dampen Owens’ spirit, and he reaffirmed his position in the team by signing a reserve/future contract with the Texans on January 13, 2020.

Despite a brief setback and waiver by the Texans on September 5, 2020, Owens rode the rollercoaster of professional sport by returning to the squad the very next day. He was then ushered to the active roster for games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans. By December 12, Owens signed back to an active roster position. After a knee injury and brief stint on the injured reserve list, Owens signed a two-year $1.175 million deal with the Texans by December 9, that would see him on their roster through the 2022 season. The year ended on a high note with his first career interception and first fumble recovery in the Texans’ surprising win over the Los Angeles Chargers, cementing Owens’ standing among football’s promising prospects.

Continuing his football journey, Owens signed with the formidable Green Bay Packers on May 12, 2023. He proved his worth, scoring his first career touchdown with a 27-yard fumble recovery on Thanksgiving Day against the Detroit Lions. By March 13, 2024, Owens was riding on another high as he sealed a two-year contract with the Chicago Bears. His performance stood out in the season opener against the Tennessee Titans, where he scored the Bears’ first touchdown of the season on a returned blocked punt.

Parallel to his flourishing football career, Owens’ personal life saw a significant development as he announced his engagement with American artistic gymnast Simone Biles on February 15, 2022. They sealed their love story with a marriage ceremony on April 22, 2023. Demonstrating staunch support for his wife, Owens was granted time off from Chicago Bears training camp to watch Biles compete in Paris at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

In summary, Jonathan James Owens has not just been a football star, but also a supportive partner and a student keen on academic excellence. Notwithstanding his football journey’s ups and downs, Owens has sentimentally, personally, and professionally gratified the very meaning of the American dream. With time on his side, there’s no doubt that his inspiring journey will continue to unfold in the years to come.