Not all absences from practice are justified.
This is for a compelling reason.
The Chicago Bears have given safety Jonathan Owens the green light to miss seven upcoming training camp practices. The reason? He’s traveling to Paris to support his wife and gold medalist gymnast Simone Biles in their Olympic competition.
Head coach Matt Eberflus spoke about the decision with reporters Monday from the Bears’ training camp in Lake Forest, Illinois. He’s all for it.
“Just because we respect the Olympic Games,” Eberflus said, according to ESPN“That’s a very important thing. And he’s just supporting the person that he loves the most. And I think it’s great that he can do that.
“We’re happy about it and it’s going to be great. Go USA!”
Owens is preparing for his first season in Chicago. He previously spent four seasons with the Houston Texans and one season with the rival Green Bay Packers. He was a part-time starter in Green Bay and is projected to play as a key reserve in Chicago after signing a two-year, $4.75 million contract as a free agent.
Biles is widely regarded as the greatest gymnast of all time. She has seven medals from two Olympics, including four golds at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. The reigning all-around champion from the United States is a favorite for more medals in Paris.
Biles and Owens are set to marry in 2023. This will be his first chance to see her compete at the Olympics since they tied the knot.
The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games is scheduled for Friday with Women’s gymnastics qualification is scheduled to begin two days later. on July 28. The team finals are scheduled for July 30 and the individual finals will conclude on August 5.
Owens has a pass from the Bears for many of Biles’ scheduled competitions, but not all. She is cleared to miss training from July 29 to Aug. 3, which would allow her to watch the team competition and potentially the women’s vault final on Aug. 3. Unless her window is extended, she would miss the uneven bars, floor and balance beam finals scheduled for Aug. 4 and 5.
