The image that instantly set off a wave of backlash

Jonathan Owens and Simone Biles

Jonathan Owens and Simone Biles

On August 17, 2024, the Chicago Bears hosted the Cincinnati Bengals for a preseason game, and fans were excited to see none other than Simone Biles in attendance. Fresh off her four-medal triumph at the Paris Games, Biles was there to cheer on her husband, Bears safety Jonathan Owens. However, her arrival caused a stir among the Bears faithful – and not for the reasons you might expect.

Biles entered Soldier Field wearing a custom jacket featuring a large image of Owens, which would have been fine if it hadn’t shown him in a Green Bay Packers No. 34 jersey.

Given the long-standing rivalry between the Bears and Packers, dating back to 1921, this was no small oversight. The image instantly set off a wave of backlash from die-hard Bears fans who were less than thrilled to see Packers gear in their home stadium, especially from such a high-profile figure.

The Bears vs Packers rivalry

This rivalry is one of the fiercest in NFL history, with a colorful past filled with heated moments. Though the Bears won the first game between the two teams, the Packers now lead the series.

As of January 2024, Green Bay hold a 107-95-6 record over Chicago, making any appearance of Packers memorabilia in Chicago a significant faux pas.

Rather than reacting defensively, Biles took the criticism in stride. She playfully addressed the situation on social media and not long after, she shared another post, this time doubling down by posing in the same jacket with Owens and adding the caption “Bear Down” in support of the Bears.

Owens also got involved, sharing her post with heart emojis, showing their united front.

Owens later explained the jacket incident during an interview on the Chicago Bears‘ YouTube channel. He clarified that Biles’ choice to wear the jacket was a last-minute decision and was not intended to stir any controversy.

He mentioned that the jacket, designed by Pressed by Sarita, featured an intricate collage of Owens and held personal significance for Biles, which is likely why she didn’t think twice about the rivalry.

“It was a last-second decision…she’s going to come to the game so she’s like ‘oh let me grab this it has his face all over’… it wasn’t like intentional,” he explained.