Decorated Olympic gymnast Simone Biles' husband caused an uproar when he claimed not to know who she was before meeting her.
With seven Olympic gymnastics medals, Biles is considered the most decorated American gymnast and widely believed to be one of the greatest gymnasts and athletes of all time.
However, her husband, NFL star Jonathan Owens, claimed he wasn't familiar with his future wife while discussing their marriage on The Pivot Podcast.
And when the safety for the Green Bay Packers was asked which of the two of them was the catch, he or Biles, he declared:
“I always say that the men are the catch."
The pair have openly discussed how competition plays a role in their relationship—however, his cheeky response didn't go over well online.
The women of The View also had plenty to say and shared their takes after listening to Owens' comments.
You can watch a clip from The View, here.
Simone Biles’ Husband Thinks He’s “The Catch” | The Viewyoutu.be
Cohost Sunny Hostin didn't care much for Owens' remarks, and defended Biles, noting:
“What I would like to say—he knew who she was. She was on a Wheaties box."
“Everybody knows who Simone Biles is. I don’t know who *he* is.”
Sara Haines jumped in and shed some light on Owens' sexist comment, saying:
“The part that got me is when he says: ‘I always think the man is the catch."
“Have you met other men, and are you listening to yourself right now? I cannot believe...”
Hostin continued:
"I want more for her. I hope she's happy. No one ever knows what's going in relationships."
But Owens didn't take the hit entirely.
Cohost Alyssa Farah Griffin encouraged people to lighten up on Owens and noted how he may have been too engrossed in his education and training before his athletic career to notice Biles and her remarkable achievements.
"He said that he was in training camp during the Olympics and didn't have NBC," said Griffin. "He was in college."
While Griffin did confirm that Biles was "the greatest of all time," she also mentioned how evident it was that she was adored by her hubby.
“If you watch them together, he treats her like a queen,” said Griffin, adding:
“He realized he did get the greatest of all time, and she’s amazing."
"I think he actually does treat her super well. I root for this one.”
Hostin, however, stood her ground and criticized a concerning aspect of certain relationships.
“I have trouble with a man who can’t let his spouse or partner shine. That’s troubling to me."
"You’re both shining. You’re thriving. You have each other.”
Comments were equally as divisive online.
@nypost Men are not allowed to be confident anymore these days. What\xe2\x80\x99s wrong with him being honest and saying she chased him because he\xe2\x80\x99s the prize? He\xe2\x80\x99s handsome, tall, rich, and professional athlete! If she thinks he\xe2\x80\x99s the prize, who are you to say no??— (@)
Finally agree w/ Sunni on something. Simone Biles husband said all that nonsense & even if it were true that he didn\xe2\x80\x99t know her in the past, the bottom line is she is a better athlete in her sport than he is in his. Plus she\xe2\x80\x99s a premier athlete in the world. \xf0\x9f\x99\x84 #theview— (@)
Biles and Owens tied the knot in February 2022 after two years of dating.
She shared photos of the courthouse wedding on social media with the caption:
“My person, forever #TheOwens #itsofficial."
Biles also shared photos of their engagement, enthusiastically writing in the caption:
“THE EASIEST YES.”
She continued:
"I can’t wait to spend forever & ever with you, you’re everything I dreamed of and more! let’s get married FIANCÉ."
While it's still shocking to think Owens had no idea who Biles was before meeting her, we know he sure knows who she is now.
Hopefully the couple's competitiveness fosters, not hinders, their continued growth in their relationship and love for each other.
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