Simone Biles is resisting the urge to respond to criticism for her wardrobe malfunction at an NFL preseason game earlier this month while still facing the ire of fans.
On Wednesday, the 27-year-old gymnast took to social media to express her anger over the continued backlash stemming from an Aug. 17 preseason game between the Bengals and Bears in Chicago, where she wore a controversial jacket featuring snapshots of her husband Jonathan Owens in action for her new team’s rivals … the Green Bay Packers.
And despite making clear where her loyalties lie ahead of the new NFL season, Biles is still fuming about her unintentional faux pas at Soldier Field.
“I really want to respond, but I have to stay as classy as possible,” she shared on Threads.
It’s unclear whether Biles’ post was directed at overly critical Bears fans or NFL fans in general.
Simone Biles continues to fight back against detractors who criticize her outfit during the Bears-Bengals game on August 17
The 27-year-old gymnast expressed her feelings about the criticism on Threads on Wednesday.
However, Biles’ 1.6 million followers on Thread were supportive.
“Either way you have enough support; I’ve always appreciated your classy way of speaking!” said one fan.
“Very demure, very conscious, very classy,” another commented on Biles’ post.
“Ignore the negative, there are many of us who love and support you…” said another person.
“They go down, you go up,” another person shared.
Owens, 29, played just one season in Green Bay before moving across Lake Michigan to Chicago earlier this year.
The safety agreed to a two-year contract with the Bears believed to be worth $4.5 million in March, before Biles’ three gold medals in Paris.
Biles is still under pressure despite sharing her allegiance with her husband’s new team: the Bears.
Biles (seen in Paris) also said she won’t be attending as many NFL games as she did last season.
Earlier this week, Biles revealed that she won’t be attending as many NFL games as she did last season due to her participation in the Gold Over America Tour.
The tour, a traveling gymnastics showcase that will feature a host of gymnastics stars including Biles and her gold medal-winning U.S. teammates Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles and Hezly Rivera, kicks off Sept. 16 in Oceanside, California.
It will make 30 stops across the United States and conclude in Detroit on November 3, which coincides with Week 9 of the NFL schedule, the midpoint of the regular season.
Biles could be able to watch the Bears’ season opener against the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 8, as well as the second half of the season and the start of the postseason if Chicago secures a playoff spot.