Simone Biles Seemingly Confirms the Next Step in Her Gymnastics Career After Rampant Retirement Speculation

Simone Biles appears to have just hinted toward her presence at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The gold medalist dropped by the Today studios on Friday, Jan. 10 to surprise Hoda Kotb on her last day with the morning broadcast, where she made a telling comment suggesting the rampant retirement speculation surrounding her recently may be unfounded.

Biles, 27, the most decorated gymnast in history, recently alluded to her retirement in an interview with Sports Illustrated, where she told the publication, “I’m at a point in my career where I’m humble enough to know when to be done.”

She explained, “Because I’ve accomplished so much, there’s almost nothing left to do, rather than to just be snobby and to try again and for what?”

However, while chatting with Kotb on her final broadcast, the athlete told Kotb, who has already confirmed that she will cover the LA and Milan Olympic games for NBC, “Hopefully we’re in LA together, whatever that means.”

The 11-time Olympic medal winner on her peers at the top of the sporting world.

11-time Olympic artistic gymnastics medallist Simone Biles has been called the GOAT (greatest of all time) for years.

This week, Sports Illustrated quizzed her on some of her peers at the top of the sporting world, asking the 27-year-old to choose between several pairs of athletes on the red carpet for the magazine’s Sportsperson of the Year awards.

“I grew up on LeBron James, so I have to say LeBron James,” said Biles when faced with James or fellow Team USA Olympic champion Michael Jordan.

Next, the gymnast went with six-time Olympic basketball gold medallist Diana Taurasi over James.

“We’re gonna go with women’s sports, so Diana,” said Biles.

Tennis great Serena Williams, a four-time Olympic gold medal winner, was next to face the gauntlet.

“I love Serena – Serena Williams,” Biles beamed.

In the end, it was Williams versus Biles herself.

“Oh, we can both win,” the gymnast said, laughing.

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The annual Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year Awards took place on Tuesday night in Las Vegas, honoring SI’s choices for the most impactful figures in sports in 2024.

Seven-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles won the 2024 Sportsperson of the Year award, following her performance at the Paris Olympics where she won four medals, bringing her total Olympic medal count to 11. In her acceptance speech, Biles reflected on her start in gymnastics and her career accomplishments.

“When I started doing gymnastics when I was 6, I never imagined winning medals and everything I’ve been fortunate enough to do up until this point. I just wanted to have fun and hopefully get a college scholarship,” Biles said. “I’ve kind of surpassed all of that, which is super exciting, but everyday I spend competing alongside my teammates is truly a gift.”

Former teammate and long-time friend Aly Raisman presented the award to Biles, who was also joined by her husband and Chicago Bears safety, Jonathan Owens.

Jonathan Owens Joins Simone Biles’ Mother and Co to Celebrate Gymnastics’ GOAT’s Latest Sports Illustrated Achievement

Simone Biles has gone from flipping across the mat to flipping the script on what it means to shine beyond the spotlight! Whether she is winning gold medals in the gym or shining with gold-worthy accolades off the gym, she knows how to keep her star shining. This year began on a high note for her as she was crowned the Sports Illustrated ‘Sportsperson of the Year’ on the 2nd of January, and this was made official by a glamorous event on the 7th of January. Now, her family and friends, including her husband Jonathan Owens, her mom, and many more, are showering her with heartfelt words, celebrating the superstar she is.

Jordan Chiles‘ mom, Gina Chiles, took to her Instagram stories on January 7th to share a heartfelt post from Sports Illustrated, showing all the love Simone Biles is getting from her closest people. Her spouse, Jonathan Owens, was all smiles as he said, “Hey baby, I just want to congratulate you on winning your Sports Person of the Year award…. I’m so happy and so proud of you, baby. The determination and all the hard work that you did to get yourself back into this position, to go out there and do what you love again, babe. It’s been so amazing to see you, how much fun you’ve been having. And I just want to say congratulations, baby, and I can’t wait to celebrate with you. I love you so much.”

Simone’s teammate and bestie, Jordan Chiles, couldn’t hold back her excitement: “Congratulations to my big sis, bestie, and teammate…..You are such an incredible human. Everyone should experience the level of support you gave me in their lifetime. You know that saying, if you shoot for the moon, you’ll land on a star. You are the moon, and chasing your excellence pushed all of us to new levels. Your resilience and dedication inspired not just me, but the entire world. I’m so proud of you, and I can’t wait to see what’s next. Biles and Chiles forever. Love you.”

And, of course, the family had their own sweet words. Simone Biles’ mom, Nellie Biles, kept it simple and sweet: “Simone, congratulations. Very, very proud of you….Sorry, we didn’t wear makeup for this, but next time!” Her sister, Adria Biles, added, “Hi sister, we love you. Congratulations, it’s very well deserved.” Even her former coach, Cecile Landi, couldn’t hold in her excitement: “Hi Simone, I just wanted to send you a huge congratulations for this award. So well deserved…..I’m so glad I get to know you inside, outside the gym. You are truly a gem. Love you and see you soon.”

Even Simone Biles herself couldn’t contain her excitement over this incredible milestone! Chatting with Good Morning America on January 2, she said, “Honestly, it is such a huge honor. I know some of the greats that have won it in prior years, so to just keep gymnastics on the map is really exciting.” She added with her signature humility, “I know a lot of people love the sport of gymnastics during an Olympic year and have followed my career closely, but I was still very shocked.” And guess what? This isn’t the first time Simone’s husband and her family have gushed over her jaw-dropping achievements.

Simone Biles receives all the love from her near and dear ones!

On January 2, the gymnastics universe came together to celebrate the newly minted Sports Illustrated ‘Sportsperson of the Year,’ Simone Biles. And one of her biggest supporters was, of course, her husband, Jonathan Owens. The Chicago Bears safety was over the moon excited, as he shared the news not just once, but twice on his Instagram story. One post came with the heartfelt caption, “So proud of you baby,” while the other was simply a string of love-filled heart emojis. Now that’s the husband’s goal right there!

But wait, the love fest didn’t stop with Owens. Simone’s childhood coach, Aimee Boorman, also celebrated her and wrote, “Never Surprised, Always Proud. Congratulations @simonebiles.” Meanwhile, her sister Adria couldn’t help but gush over the jaw-dropping photoshoot by Shaniqwa Jarvis, featuring Simone in a stunning snake-printed outfit. Adria’s reaction? Pure sister vibes: “ugh she is so prettyyyyyyy.” And let’s not forget Cecile Landi, who sweetly chimed in, “So well deserved.” From family to coaches and everyone in between, Simone’s circle of love just keeps expanding.

Olympic champion Simone Biles was named the 2024 SI Sportsperson of the Year and pulled up to the awards ceremony at the Wynn Las Vegas on Tuesday, January 7.

Biles was accompanied by her husband, Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens, and dropped a stunning look on the red carpet.

The gymnastics GOAT was rocking a sparkly minidress that turned heads.

Owens also brought his A-game with a tan suit to match Biles for the arrival as they smiled for the cameras.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Biles became the first US woman to win the Olympic all-around gold medal twice, while USA teammate Suni Lee joined her as the only other woman to medal in the all-around competition twice.

It is the first time since 2016 that the United States has placed two women on the podium.

At the Paris Olympics, Biles also won gold in the vault, the all-around team competition, and picked up a silver in bronze. The wins took her Olympic medal count to 11.

Biles joined Věra Čáslavská of Czechoslovakia as the second-most decorated female Olympic gymnast and has the most Olympic medals earned by a U.S. gymnast.

At the World Championships, Biles is the most decorated gymnast – male or female – of all time with 30 total medals (23 gold, four silver, and three bronze).

Ever since Simone Biles got married, one thing she knows for sure is that trolls just can’t seem to stay away. There was even a time when, after getting enough of the online negativity, she bluntly told them, “Respectfully, f–k off,” because she wanted no part in any drama. Recently, she was once again indirectly pulled into controversy, but her response this time was simple—no more mess. On January 6, 2025, during an interview with Sports Illustrated on YouTube, she was hit with a tough question: “Kendrick Lamar or Drake?”

The interviewer asked her to pick between the American rapper and the Canadian star, knowing there’s been some tension between the two lately. Biles, clearly aware of the potential fallout, laughed and said, “I’m going to get roasted for this.” It was one of those moments where you know whatever she said, people were going to have opinions! So, who did Biles choose in the end?

Simone Biles plays it smart in the Drake vs. Kendrick beef

The whole Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef started back in 2011 when they first worked together on Take Care. But things heated up in 2013 when Kendrick dropped that crazy verse on Big Sean’s “Control,” where he called out Drake and a bunch of other rappers. That set the stage for a back-and-forth between the two. Over the years, Kendrick threw some not-so-subtle shots on tracks like “King Kunta” and “Compton,” while Drake fired back with lines in songs like “100” and “The Language.”

Fast forward to 2024, and the tension flared up again after Kendrick aimed at Drake on Like That with Future and Metro Boomin. It led to even more disses from both sides; Drake dropped “Push Ups” and “Family Matters,” and Kendrick came back with tracks like “Euphoria” and “Not Like Us.” This beef is still very much ongoing; both artists shade each other and continue to keep fans engaged. But, with all this drama, do you think Simone Biles would decide what side she is going to take? Well, this answer turned out to be rather wise, knowing all the circumstances that were happening between those two!

When asked, “Kendrick or Drake?” Simone Biles gave a clever reply, saying, “What if I say it’s even? I don’t want them to write a song about me.” keeping it cool and playing it safe. Smart move, right? But here’s the twist: Simone’s connection to the rap world isn’t just about dodging drama. Remember her wedding ring? That was designed by Drake and Lamar Jackson’s jeweler and is worth a whopping $325,000! It is something Biles doesn’t want to lose because this ring is very close to her heart. And the best part is the designers who worked with A-listers like Drake and NFL quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Simone Biles might actually be a fan of Drake. Do you recall that time in 2018 when she was in attendance at one of his concerts, wearing that off-shoulder pink top? However, despite having ties to both sides, Simone wisely chose silence when asked to pick between Kendrick and Drake. Her decision likely stemmed from her desire to avoid being dragged into their ongoing beef and, more importantly, to protect her peace. After all, Simone has been pretty protective of her marriage to Jonathan Owens, especially after facing trolling on her wedding day.

Simone Biles stays unbothered by criticism

Simone Biles was criticized even on her wedding day for her hairstyle. Back in April 2023, she married her longtime love, Jonathan Owens, 27, in a sweet courthouse ceremony. When Simone shared some beautiful photos from their special day, showing off her low-cut, tiered wedding gown and a high ponytail that showcased the details of her dress. While most fans were quick to congratulate the happy couple, a few took issue with Simone’s hair choice, even suggesting she should’ve worn a wig.

But Simone didn’t let the negativity get to her. Simone responded to the criticism, explaining that living in Houston meant dealing with the humidity. She added, “They can keep complaining (I don’t care).” It was just the start of the trolling. In December 2023, Simone Biles found herself facing even more online backlash after her husband, Jonathan Owens, made some comments during an interview on The Pivot Podcast that rubbed people the wrong way. He casually mentioned that he didn’t know who Simone was when they first met and called himself “the catch.” Fans didn’t take it well, and the reaction was pretty intense. Some even went as far as telling Simone to “divorce this man, he’s mean.” Simone, of course, stepped up to defend Jonathan, explaining that he wasn’t saying she wasn’t a catch; he was just being confident about himself.

At first, Biles laughed it off, but soon, things got pretty hurtful. In an interview with Call Her Daddy on April 17, 2024, she shared how it felt to see people attacking her husband without knowing him. But the trolls still came after him, and that took a toll on her. She got real about how it upset her, especially because anyone who knows Jonathan knows how supportive and kind he is. So, she put her foot down, telling the trolls to “respectfully, f–k off,” and made it clear she’d block anyone who kept coming for her family.

Despite all the drama online, Simone didn’t let it faze her. She’s always been the type to shut down any negativity, especially when it comes to her marriage and her husband, Jonathan Owens. Honestly, the way she handles it is impressive—she just keeps her focus on her love and happiness.

Simone Biles opens up about mental health, Tokyo Games and her ‘forbidden Olympic closet’

Gymnastics GOAT Simone Biles has opened up about the painful mental health breakdown she suffered at the 2020 Tokyo Games—while revealing that she hid all her memorabilia from that ill-fated event inside a “forbidden Olympics closet” at her home in Texas.

Biles, 27, who lives with her husband, NFL pro Jonathan Owens, in a four-bedroom property in Spring, Texas, explained that she used one of those rooms to house her Tokyo Olympics gear after returning from the Games, where she was forced to drop out of multiple events while struggling with a condition known as the “twisties.”

Well, it can be safely said Simone Biles started the New Year with a bang! The current and arguably the most successful gymnast from the United States just received yet another shiny jewel to her crown. Biles is still on her winning streak: after amazing everyone and herself in Paris, where she won three gold medals and one silver, Biles has made it 32 international titles in total. Her transformation from experiencing ‘twisties’ in Tokyo to an absolutely liberated and powerful comeback in Paris has been legendary.

Now the recognition never ceases! On January 2, 2025, Sports Illustrated anointed Biles as the 2024 Sportsperson of the Year for her unchallenged reign and perseverance. And now, the three-time Olympian, who’s already rewritten history books, has shared her heartfelt thoughts about this monumental recognition, and let’s just say—it’s pure gold, just like her!

In a freshly dropped video on Sports Illustrated’s YouTube channel, Simone Biles sat down to tackle ten burning questions—and one of them struck gold. When asked, “What does it mean to be Sportsperson of the Year?” Simone’s response was every bit as golden as her medals.

With her signature grace and humility, Simone Biles said, “I’m so excited to be Sports Person of the Year it’s a big role in shoes to fill. I’m honored because we want to put gymnastics on the map alongside the Olympic year so it’s really cool.” Honestly, could this queen shine any brighter?

Simone Biles has been the biggest game-changer when it comes to gymnastics.  She not only revolutionized the sport but also fought for mental health. However, beneath the celebrations and recently won gold medals, there’s much more about Simone that is yet to be revealed. It is not news that the pressure associated with being Simone Biles is a small one and she knows this too well.

And, no matter how well Simone Biles covers and plays it cool, she does acknowledge the pressures in her own words as she posted in Instagram in July 2021, “I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times. I know I brush it off and make it seem like pressure doesn’t affect me but damn sometimes it’s hard.” And guess what? It’s not just Simone who is all the feels after her latest wins–other icons are equally hyped! They’re all saying how proud they are of Simone and her journey.

Simone Biles receives all the love from other icons!

When SI dropped the news on X, Mikaela Shiffrin was quick to jump in, sharing her excitement: “So deserved! Love to see it, @Simone_Biles!” I mean, come on, how awesome is it to watch these two legends motivate each other? Simone became the first Olympian in the last decade to win the SI Sportsperson of the Year award since LeBron James in 2012. Still, as you can imagine, Simone said it has not fully dawned on her that she has achieved all that. She said, “I don’t think the reality has set in of what I’ve exactly done in the sport. I can see it, and I hear it from people, and I see a glimpse of it, but the full magnitude I don’t think I’ve realized just yet.” 

The official award for Simone is just around the corner, she will receive it on the 7th of January in Las Vegas at the Sportsperson of the Year event. But of course, Simone’s achievements are not only shocking everyone outside her close circle, but they are also making a splash in her circle as well. Her husband Jonathan Owens could not be happier for her – he reposted the news on his Instagram story twice, “So proud of you baby,” and a message full of hearts and love.

Simone’s childhood coach, Aimee Boorman, also joined in, sharing her pride: “Never Surprised, Always Proud. Congratulations @simonebiles.” Adria Biles, Simone’s sister, couldn’t help but marvel at her sister’s beauty, posting about the stunning photoshoot by Shaniqwa Jarvis: “ugh she is so prettyyyyyyy.” And last but not least, Cecile Landi couldn’t hold back: “So well deserved.” The love for Simone is infinite, and it can be obviously seen that around her, she has quite a supporting cast, and now she confidently faces yet another glorious victory in her impressive list of achievements.

Simone Biles donned a jersey in honor of Jonathan Owens which displayed his jersey number

Simone Biles, an American gymnast, showed her support for her husband, Jonathan Owens, on Instagram.

The artistic gymnast donned a jersey in honor of Owens which displayed his jersey number “36”.

“Mr. Biles!”- Simone Biles’ husband, Jonathan Owens, might’ve helped the Bears break their 10-game losing streak against the Packers, but let’s be honest, that Lambeau Leap? Not the highlight of the day. Sure, he played a huge role in setting up a fumble recovery, but when it came time for the iconic celebration leap into the stands, well, let’s just say he missed the mark. The commentators, Daryl Johnston and Kevin Kugler were practically losing it- half laughing, half cringing, as they watched Owens’ not-so-graceful attempt. It was like watching a guy who had never jumped in his life!

And then it gets even better or worse, depending on how you look at it. After crashing into the padding, Owens tried to redeem himself, but nope, that didn’t happen. He slipped on and fell straight to the ground. Meanwhile, Packers fans, true to form, were pushing him to get off the field as fast as possible, making the whole thing even more awkward. You’d think after spending a year in Green Bay, he’d have nailed the leap by now, but nope, this was not his moment.

Naturally, the internet exploded. People were quick to joke about the whole thing, and commentator Kevin Kugler had the best line: “Jonathan Owens tried it, the former Packer who’s married to one of the great leapers of all time in Simone Biles, who had to be shaking her head when she saw that.” Even one fan commented, “😂😂😂 your wife, gonna be mad at you homeboy 0.9,” One more added, “Help him Simone 😂.” Seriously, can you imagine? Here’s Simone Biles, a literal gymnastics legend who can defy gravity with her moves, and then there’s Owens, barely managing to clear a few inches off the ground before he eats ice.

And, of course, the NFL jumped on the fun too. They posted the whole clip on Instagram with a caption that read, “@simonebiles might have a note or two 😂.” The 27-year-old might have been shaking her head, probably wondering how in the world her husband couldn’t stick a basic jump. Maybe she’ll help him with a few tips on how to land properly because if she can win three gold medals in Paris, surely she can teach her husband a thing or two about sticking a landing. After all, she already taught him a few gymnastics moves! Remember the salute?

Jonathan Owens gets too into gymnastics but learned…

During the Paris Olympics, Jonathan Owens got special permission from the NFL to support Simone Biles while she was competing, even though it meant missing Bears training camp. But let’s be real: he wasn’t just there to watch; he was all in. Simone, 27, was going for gold in the women’s gymnastics all-around final, hoping to defend her 2016 Rio Olympic gold and bounce back from the Tokyo Games, where she had to withdraw due to the “twisties.” This time, she was the favorite, and the Bears’ safety was right there beside her, cheering her on. He wasn’t the only one in the stands, her parents were there too, creating the ultimate support team.

But the 29-year-old didn’t just sit there and watch; he fully got into the gymnastics groove. He even started taking notes on Simone’s performances, just like her parents have always done. Simone explained it after the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials, saying, “Jonathan saw my parents taking notes and asked, ‘Where’d you get that? I need one of those.’” And honestly, it’s pretty amazing because Jonathan himself said once, “I never really paid attention to gymnastics, so it piqued my curiosity.” Fast forward to the Olympics, and he was right there jotting down Simone’s scores, getting involved in a way!

But the love and support didn’t stop in Paris. In November 2024 during a big play for the Chicago Bears, Jonathan celebrated with a salute inspired by Simone’s gymnastics routines. After intercepting the ball from the Minnesota Vikings’ Aaron Jones, Owens ran into the end zone and performed a salute that looked straight out of Simone’s iconic routines. It wasn’t just about the big play, he was paying tribute to Simone. But after Owens’ Lambeau Leap failed, could Simone step in and teach Jonathan how to nail the perfect jump next?

That’s because, after that slip, it’s clear he might need a little help from the queen of flawless landings. Maybe Simone could start coaching Jonathan on how to make that leap… or at least make sure he sticks the landing next time!