The Indianapolis Colts have added veteran safety Jonathan Owens, husband of gymnastics legend Simone Biles, on a one-year contract to solidify their special teams unit and provide secondary depth after key departures. Owens’ role-player expertise makes him a savvy, low-risk addition for a team aiming to improve in 2026.
The Indianapolis Colts have signed safety Jonathan Owens, husband of Olympic gymnastics icon Simone Biles, to a one-year deal, addressing a critical need on special teams and in the secondary USA TODAY.
This move comes after the Colts lost defensive backs Rodney Thomas (Seattle Seahawks) and Nick Cross (Washington Commanders) in free agency, leaving a vacuum in both defensive depth and special teams coverage. Owens, 30, fills that void with a specific, valuable skill set honed over seven NFL seasons.
Owens’ career has been defined by adaptability. After going undrafted out of Missouri Western in 2019 and being cut by the Arizona Cardinals, he landed on the Houston Texans’ practice squad. He gradually built a role with Houston, eventually starting all 17 games at safety in 2022 USA TODAY.
However, his recent tenure with the Green Bay Packers in 2023 and the Chicago Bears in 2024 and 2025 saw him transition into more of a hybrid role. With the Bears last season, Owens played on 40% of defensive snaps but was even more active on special teams, participating in 55% of those snaps. In 2025, his special teams usage increased to 58% of Chicago’s snaps, while his defensive snap count plummeted to just 4% USA TODAY. This evolution makes him an ideal fit for a Colts team seeking to rebuild its coverage units.
Fitting into Indianapolis’ Defensive Puzzle
Owens will join a secondary that already includes cornerback Sauce Gardner (acquired via trade in 2025) and safety Cam Bynum (signed in free agency last year). His primary contribution, however, figures to be on special teams, where the Colts were notably thin after Thomas’ departure.
Thomas played a similar two-way role for Indy in 2025, active on 61% of special teams snaps and 13% of defensive snaps. Owens’ profile is nearly identical, providing seamless schematic fit and veteran reliability. The Colts are also signing former Dallas Cowboys safety Juanyeh Thomas, another special teams stalwart, creating a competition that should elevate the entire unit.
From a strategic perspective, this is a classic win-win. The Colts get a known quantity on a low-cost, one-year deal to solve an immediate problem. Owens gets a fresh start with a team that values his specific skill set after his role diminished in Chicago.
The Celebrity Factor: A Calculated PR Boost
Owens’ marriage to Simone Biles—the most decorated gymnast in history and a global celebrity—undeniably introduces a heightened media spotlight to Indianapolis. While the football decision stands on its own merits, the ancillary benefits are tangible: increased national attention, potential jersey sales, and a brighter spotlight on a team in a small market.
This is not a marquee signing, but a savvy piece of roster building with a side of star power. Owens has consistently embraced his role-player identity, and his connection to Biles adds a compelling human-interest narrative without disrupting the locker room dynamic. The Colts’ front office is comfortable with the synergy; Owens’ proven professionalism and Biles’ supportive public persona make this a low-friction, high-reward scenario.
Contract Details and Career Trajectory
Owens is signing a one-year contract. Specific financial terms, including total value, average annual value (AAV), and guaranteed money, are yet to be announced USA TODAY.
His NFL journey—Cardinals (2019), Texans (2019–2022), Packers (2023), Bears (2024–2025), now Colts (2026)—reflects a resilient career built on versatility and special teams excellence. For a Colts team looking to claw back in the AFC South after a 2025 season that fell short of expectations, adding a cheap, experienced, and multi-phase contributor is precisely the kind of under-the-radar move that can pay dividends.
Quick Stats:
- Age: 30
- 2025 Snaps ( Bears): 4% defense, 58% special teams
- 2024 Snaps ( Bears): 40% defense, 55% special teams
- Career Start ( Texans 2022): All 17 games
- Contract: One year, terms TBA
The signing underscores a broader NFL trend: teams are increasingly valuing true three-phase contributors who can fill specific roles without the cap hit of a star. Owens isn’t a game-changing safety, but he’s exactly what Indianapolis needs right now—a reliable, special teams-first defender who happens to be married to the most famous gymnast on Earth.
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