Some partners of athletes show up to game day in their SO’s jersey to be supportive. Simone Biles saw that and said, “hold my stadium beer.”

On December 26, the gymnastics GOAT watched her husband, NFL player Jonathan Owens, in a custom outfit with his name and face all over it, proving once again that she is four feet, eight inches of enthusiasm.

The ‘fit by designer Kelly Daley, which Biles wore to watch the Chicago Bears (Owen’s team) take on the Seattle Seahawks, has to be seen to be believed. The patchwork-inspired terrycloth sweat suit was covered in pictures of Owens in both his home and away jerseys. She accessorized the look with white heels and a tiny white Chanel purse, keeping her makeup simple and pretty.

The 11-time Olympic medallist gave an interview to Olympics.com as she travelled to support NFL-playing husband Jonathan Owens just before Christmas.

The holidays will look a little different for gymnastics superstar Simone Biles this year.

After taking three golds and a silver at Paris 2024 and completing a 10-week nationwide arena tour, the 11-time Olympic medallist has settled into a new life: balancing appearances and events with supporting her NFL-playing husband, Jonathan Owens.

Instead of her typical large family celebrations, Biles says the couple will have a quiet Christmas together in Chicago, where Owens plays for the Bears.

“Honestly, just the two of us. Nothing crazy. We’re going on vacations next year, so we kind of didn’t even do a Christmas this year,” she told Olympics.com in an exclusive interview on Sunday (22 December). “Honestly, just relaxing. And then, we have to come back downtown to report to the hotel. So, we’ll be with the team.”

The 11-time Olympic medallist has been a consistent presence at Chicago games since completing her Gold Over America tour in early November, including Sunday’s 34-17 defeat to the Detroit Lions.

There, she greeted Owens on the field for – what has now become routine – a good luck kiss before kick-off; then, she headed to her seat to enjoy the game alongside her mother, Nellie, and others.

Olympics.com caught up with the global superstar en route to Soldier Field to check in on game day traditions, life in Chicago, how she’ll celebrate the holiday season, and more.

Below is the transcript of that conversation, lightly edited for clarity.

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Olympics.com: Alright… Simone Biles. Good to see you. How’s it going?

Simone Biles: Good. How are you?

Olympics.com: I’m doing all right. Where are you headed today?

SB: Today, we are heading to the Chicago Bears football game.

Olympics.com: So, you ready for some game day questions?

SB: Yes. Ready for some game day questions!

Olympics.com: Let’s do it. First off, I’ve got to know about the fit today.

SB: Yes. Okay. Today’s fit is actually very simple, just because me and my friends’ outfits didn’t come in time. So, this is my back-up. I was actually supposed to wear it to a different game. We have the 36 (Owens’ number), bucket hat, some boots, but it is freezing, so at least it works for game day.

Olympics.com: You’ve had some good fashion looks through the games. How do you put it together?

SB: Honestly, I reach out to some of the creators that make the apparel, and I have no ideas. I let them kind of freeball it, and I say, ‘Surprise me.’ And then that’s how I piece them together.

Olympics.com: Do you have a favourite one so far?

SB: Yes. My favourite one so far is one that I haven’t worn yet, and I’m wearing it to Thursday’s game.

Olympics.com: Who’s more nervous for game day, meet day? You or Jonathan?

SB: I would have to say Jonathan just because, although I’m nervous about his health and safety, it’s his game. He knows it better.

Olympics.com: We saw how you and he interacted before a meet in your documentary. What’s the interaction like between you guys on game day?

SB: Well, usually you’re not allowed to be with him the night before, so we sleep separately in the hotel. And then after that, he usually comes up, gives me a kiss goodbye. So, it’s very… He’s so chill. He’s relaxed. And that’s also his personality. Not as stressed as me.

Olympics.com: You’ve talked about how supportive he’s been and how much it meant to you. What is it like to be able to kind of repay that now?

SB: Oh, my gosh. It means the world to me. And I know it means so much to him for me to be able to go and support his games. For him, it means a lot for me to go on the sideline before because he says that’s his pre-game routine. So he’s always looking for me on the sideline to give him, like, good luck vibes and wishes. That’s just his superstition.

Olympics.com: Who comes up with the handshake you guys have been doing pre-game?

SB: That’s Jonathan. Jonathan thinks of all of the things: handshakes, pre-game rituals, what he needs to eat – all Jonathan.

Olympics.com: How much do you know about football?

SB: Well, I could probably explain it to a five-year-old. But if I’m explaining it to a 25-year-old, it might not make sense.

Olympics.com: Who knows more about the other’s sport, you or Jonathan?

SB: Jonathan. He knows so much about gymnastics.

The issue of the underpayment of Olympic athletes has been going on for quite a while. In a bid to resolve the same, the World Athletics has announced a $50,000 cash prize for all the gold medal winners. Now, this is certainly a step forward. But what about the majority of the athletes who did not win a gold? Well, they suffered significantly and had to fund their own expenses. Now, while this is the situation in athletics, gymnastics has been suffering even more.

In a shocking revelation made recently, the queen of US gymnastics, Simone Biles, earns a peanut compared to the top draws in sports. After the release of Forbes’ Top 10 highest-paid athletes, many would have tried to find Biles on that list. After all, she is the gymnastics GOAT. Competing in three Olympics till now, the 27-year-old has gifted America with 7 precious Olympic gold medals. Apart from that, she has had innumerable accolades and honors to her name.

It is because of Simone Biles that US gymnastics has attained an elite pedestal. Thus, it would only be normal for Biles must be one of the highest-paid stars. Well, not quite! While the number one on the list, Cristiano Ronaldo looks a league ahead with $260m, the numbers gradually decline as we go down. While there was no sign of Simone Biles in the top 10, the numbers themselves painted a harrowing picture.

Featuring at 10 on the Forbes list was Lamar Jackson. And his earnings read $100.5 million. To give a context, compared to this number, Biles did not come remotely close to what she was earning at the moment. As per the top 10 highest-paid female athletes’ list released by Sportico, Biles’ earnings read $11.1 million! Surprisingly, this meant that Biles was earning 10 times less than the 10th-placed athletes on the Forbes list!

And if you think that this was not enough shock for the gymnastics fans, the 27-year-old was the only one from her field to make the cut! Ahead of Paris, FIG President Morinari Watanabe was asked if they planned to give their medal winners additional financial aid. Unfortunately, Watanabe dismissed the idea, further highlighting the sorry state. Now, if these were not shocking enough, Simone Biles’ rank on Sportico’s list of Top 10 Highest Paid Females will turn heads even more.

Simone Biles faces shocking pay disparities despite historic success

In a recently published list from Sportico, the statistics reveal an even more disheartening scenario centering on the pay scale of gymnasts. And shockingly it is affecting the GOAT of the sport as well. Simone isn’t just earning almost 10% less than the 10th highest-paid athlete but in the list of highest-paid female athletes for the year, Biles ranks at the second last position just a place higher than teenage basketball NIL sensation Caitlin Clark. However, the total earning of Clark is just about a few thousand dollars less than the queen of gymnastics.

After facing a major setback in Tokyo, Biles made sure to carve history on her redemption tour in Paris. Stepping in the city of love, and representing the US, Biles secured 3 consecutive gold medals and one silver medal. After the Paris Games concluded, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced a payment of $37,500 for every gold medal, $22,500 for silver and $15,000 for bronze. The amount she received for winning 4 medals contributed a large part to Biles’ earnings of 11.1 million dollars.

Simone earns a salary of just $135,000 which is just $35,000 more than teenage basketball phenom Caitlin Clark. Whereas, Coco Gauff, the tennis sensation secures a salary of $9.4 million and a total earning of $30.4 million. Such a startling difference also results from the popularity of the sport. And proving the same, several NBA stars have continued to make a good fortune this season as well. However, in NBC’s live broadcast of the team final in Paris, 12.7 million viewers tuned in to watch Team USA compete. Still, the issue of underpayment for Olympians in several sports, including gymnastics, continues to reign.

There’s another shocker alongside all of these. The list from Sportico in the Olympic year still had Simone secure at least $135,000 as salary. The previous year, the same box reflected her earnings from winnings to be zero. All that Biles earned was from her endorsements which funded her till the US Olympic Trials. Is it because gymnastics is considered worth the attention of fans every four years? Such a revelation of Biles’s earnings from her wins to be fixed at zero left Australian gymnast Heath Thorpe stunned. She could not believe the fact as she stated, “It is wild to me that you can be as successful as Simone Biles in gymnastics and earn essentially ZERO dollars from prize money.”

With a huge number of accolades, countless wins, uncountable international glories, a cabinet full of medals, and earning the status of GOAT for her sport, nothing could up her rank in the statistical list of athletes with the highest earnings. Now, sports enthusiasts would just wait for the day when they will get to see their favorite athletes getting rewarded with what they truly deserve.

Flashback to 2022, when Simone Biles had fans swooning with the sweetest announcement ever: Baby Biles had arrived! Well, not her baby, but her brother Ron and sister-in-law Sammi’s cute little baby girl Ronni Biles. That was in October 2022, Simone shared happy photos on Instagram, one of which depicted a cake with the inscription “Baby Biles.” And in response to her happiness, she shared with others how they had the “dream baby shower,” and showered love all over the post. The soon-to-be aunt was also over the moon writing, “Congrats to my brother and sister-in-law,” and stating how the “baby girl is already so loved.” She even tagged the proud parents-to-be, because who doesn’t like to share the love?

Flash forward two years, and Ronni Biles is capturing our hearts once more, but this time, as a toddler with talent. Well, with an aunt like Simone Biles who has been setting the pace in gymnastics, it can easily picture her being on her way to the world of gymnastics and now the youngest member of the Biles family might be preparing for some flips and turns.

Simone Biles’ niece on her way to become a gymnast?

Simone Biles’ sister-in-law, Sammi Biles, gave us the cutest sneak peek into life with little Ronni Biles on December 21—and let’s just say, the youngest Biles is already on her way to a place in gymnastics history! Sharing her Instagram stories, Sammi captured an adorable moment from their cozy home. While lounging on her bed, she caught Baby Biles down on the carpet, completely mesmerized by Suni Lee’s 2024 U.S. Gymnastics Championship floor routine playing on TV. But Ronni didn’t just watch—oh no! She decided to channel her inner Suni, performing a tumbler, rolling, and even somersaulting to imitate the Olympic champion. Sammi humorously wrote, “She’s missing gymnastics season bc she keeps asking to watch it all while mimicking @sunisalee floor routine.”

This was not the end of the giggles. Sammi decided to give us another story, which was even more adorable when Ronni tried her best to mimic Suni’s routine one more time. Sammi was no exception and, she expressed her disbelief in adorableness in the second story by writing, “I can’t make this up.” Honestly, with a TV showcasing Suni’s magic and a tiny gymnast-in-the-making flipping her heart out on the carpet, this is the wholesome content we didn’t know we needed!

During the 2024 U.S. Gymnastics Championship, Suni Lee dazzled her way to fourth place with a solid score of 110.650, while Simone Biles, being her usual legendary self, soared to first with an eye-popping 119.750. But enough about those jaw-dropping scores; let’s flip back to the real scene-stealer—Baby Biles! This wasn’t her first tumble into the spotlight. Back in July, the little gymnast-in-the-making was already causing a stir by stepping onto the gym mat as she owned it.

Baby Biles is set to follow her aunt!

Yes, you heard that right! Simone Biles’ adorable niece, Baby Biles—has already found herself flipping and tumbling on the gym mat. Well, it seems that gymnastics really does indeed run in the Biles family! “Usually, you start in ‘mommy and me’ classes or as soon as you can walk,” Simone once said, and it looks like little Ronni has been following that strictly. While her legendary aunt began gymnastics at the age of 6 (which is actually considered late for a gymnast), Ronni’s family played it safer as she began at a younger age. At this age, baby Biles was already twerking at the family’s owned World Champions Centre (WCC) in Texas. Elite career incoming? Maybe!

On the Instagram page, Sammi Biles posted adorable pictures of Baby Biles on the spring floor at WCC owned by Simone’s parents, Ronald and Nellie Biles. Wearing a tiny GK Elite leotard, Ronni could not have looked any more comfortable as she did her own floor routine. “The way she is so intrigued w/ this sport at such a young age is so special for many reasons,” Sammi added. She also could not help but comment, “WCC’s littlest elite/honorary member—kidding, but ahhh so adorable.” And to be quite frank, who wouldn’t?

Not even Simone could contain herself from moments of pride. In May, during her visit to WCC, where Team USA stars like Simone train, the 7-time Olympic medalist boasted on Instagram, “WCC’s newest elite team member, my niece Ronni.” It’s clear Ronni’s obsession with gymnastics is as strong as Simone’s medal collection, and it’s only just the beginning of this tiny powerhouse.

As curtains are set to draw down on the 2024 year, it is time to reflect on the achievements of the players on and off the court. With women’s sports growing massively, it has been a fantastic year for female athletes, who have left no stone unturned in their efforts. Forbes recently released the list of the highest-earning sportswomen of the 2024 season. While tennis stars dominated the list, there were some surprising entrants in the top 10, including the American legend, Venus Williams.

The 44-year-old has played just two tournaments this year and lost in the first rounds of both events. Additionally, she was absent from the Grand Slam tournaments and didn’t feature at the US Open. Despite her on-court absence, the elder Williams sister didn’t disappoint off the court and she even overtook Simone Biles in the Forbes list of highest-earning sportswomen this year.

Williams earned $12.1 Million this year and barring 0.1 Million, all her earnings came from off-court activities. The American legend has several endorsement deals in her kitty and she is one of the most marketable athletes even today. While Williams earns a lot as a public speaker, she is an ambassador for various brands and is also an entrepreneur.

On the contrary, Biles is placed in the 10th spot, a rung below Williams in the Forbes list. She earned $11.2 Million in 2024, with $11 Million coming from her off-field activities. Unlike Williams, Biles was active this year and made several appearances at the Gymnastics tournaments. The Forbes list is topped by the American sensation, Coco Gauff, who made a whopping $34.4 Million this year.

Coming back to Venus though, despite being a Millionaire, she spends her money wisely. She once revealed precious financial advice for her fans.

Owing a house has become a massive trend in America. People give up their life-long savings in order to own a property. However, Venus Williams has a contrary opinion when it comes to owning a property.

Talking about those who feel that owning a house is an American dream, she revealed, “I don’t think owning your house is the American dream. You should own the house once you’ve done everything else. Once you’ve invested your money, once it’s working for you, then maybe buy the house. Instead of putting that $100,000, $200,000 on that down payment, should you just rent a place and invest that money? You should compare the returns.”

Traditionally speaking, owning a house has been considered a financial success. As per one of the surveys, 78% of Americans considered owning a house to be very important. Despite the advantages of owning a house, renting a property is, however, less expensive for a starter. Thus, Williams feels that the priorities should shift as per the economic trends. What are your thoughts on it?

Simone Biles is undeniably one of the greatest ever to grace the sport of gymnastics. She has proven this time and time again with her incredible talent on the mat. However, there has remained a very debatable blemish in her career after the Tokyo Olympics. The gymnast had to withdraw from some of the competitions because she was suffering from ‘Twisties’.

This has been used as an opportunity by those who dislike the gymnast to troll her, with some even going as far as saying that Simone Biles turned her back on her team. However, many fans have stood up for the Olympic gold medalist and defended her against harsh trolling. The support also came from the sports fraternity, as many athletes backed her decision to withdraw and took a stand for her in the face of trolling. Now, it seems a tennis legend has been added to that list. But the truth is she has always been part of ‘the list.’

Simone Biles finds an ally in Tennis icon

On December 21st, Martina Navratilova had to defend Simone Biles from a troll on X who said that the gymnast was praised for her withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics, despite her apparent betrayal of her team. “Funny that everyone said Simone Biles was stunning and brave when she refused to compete, quit, and let down her team for no apparent reason,” said a user. This did not sit right with the tennis legend Martina Navratilova, who most likely understood Simone Biles’ plight much more as a sportsperson herself and thus ended up defending her. She went on to explain the condition the gymnast was suffering from.

Martina said, “Simone stopped in Tokyo for a very good reason—she lost herself in the air and couldn’t find the floor. Would you prefer she stayed on the team, brought the scores down, and perhaps got a broken neck along the way? What a ridiculous thing to say.” Thus, the tennis player defended Simone from the trolling. This is not the first time Navratilova has shown support to Simone Biles. In fact, right after her withdrawal,

Other athletes who have shown support to Simone Biles

When Simone Biles withdrew from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics because of her ‘Twisties’, which may have emerged from her mental health at that time, many saw it as an unprecedented positive move for the sport. It was a move that could help set up a much safer place for athletes in the future. This is why, while some of the outside world trolled her, many athletes praised her decision.

Track and field legend Usain Bolt was one of them. He claimed that he was extremely happy with the gymnast’s decision to withdraw, saying, “Personally, I really appreciate Simone Biles for pushing off the Olympics. It’s always good to take care of yourself first, and then everything will fall into place. So I’m very happy that she understood that. I have to take care of myself first, and then we’ll see what happens down the road.”

Bolt also showed support for the gymnast in 2024 when he backed her to win a medal. Swimming legend Michael Phelps also supported the gymnast’s decision at that time and claimed that he hoped that it would open conversations about mental health in the future. “I hope this is an eye-opening experience, an opportunity for us to jump on board and blow this mental health thing even more wide open,” Phelps said. “It is so much bigger than we could ever imagine.”

The list doesn’t end there, as Simone Biles’ own teammate Jordan Chiles also defended her from the trolling, saying that nobody has more self-awareness than the gymnast herself. “She’s Simone for a reason,” Chiles declared, “and if she puts her mind to something… She’s not a quitter. You will never see Simone just go out there and not do what she knows she could do.” Thus, despite the trolling, Simone still has people in the community who support her, and she deserves all of it!

Suffering Pregnancy Horrors, Simone Biles’ Sister-In-Law Makes Bittersweet Confession

Christmas in Simone Biles’ family has just gotten bigger. After being overjoyed at the exceptional Paris outing of the gymnastics GOAT, another bit of good news has been shared by the Biles family. In a recent update, Biles’ brother stated that his wife, Sammi Biles, was pregnant with a baby boy. Now then, their first child, Ronni Biles, has been quite a hit in the gymnastics community. Sharing a very close bond with Simone herself, Baby Biles has been quite a hit among the fans. But the latest news meant that Ronnie will now not be the youngest in the Biles family. She will soon be joined by the second child of Sammi and Ron Biles.

In a recent update, Sammi Biles took to her Instagram and broke the news of her second pregnancy. “GOD IS GOOD!!! I’m so grateful, blessed, and excited to share with everyone….WE’RE PREGNANT!!,” wrote Biles. She later did a gender reveal as well, citing that the baby was a boy. However, in the build-up to the good news, Sammi Biles had a major health update to drop. While she is in an advanced state of pregnancy, there have been some serious complications within her body. So much so, that it might just put the well-being of the baby at risk!

Simone Biles’ sister-in-law dealing with a health scare

In a somber update, Sammi Biles reflected on her present state of health on social media. Posting a story via ‘ivfbelieveinbabybiles’, Sammi detailed the entire situation. Posting a picture of herself sitting at the ER, Simone’s sister-in-law asked everybody to pray for her and her baby boy. In a concerning update, Sammi Biles was checked for a possible blood clot in her legs or in the chest.

She already had an EKG and a CT scan to further assess her physical health. Taking to Instagram, she wrote, “literally never a dull moment in life. ER is concerned I could have a blood clot in my leg and/or chest, I have elevated temperature, and tachycardia. Had an EKG and now having to have a CT scan which puts baby at risk of course but the risk of me not being ok outweighs anything at this point.” Sammi also mentioned that her tachycardia and temperature were elevated, which can become fatal for the baby.

Meanwhile, while the visit to the ER was not a pleasant outing for Sammi, things surely got a bit better with all the support pouring in. As soon as the news went out, fans from all over extended their mental support. This was pretty much comforting for Simone’s sister-in-law. Thanking the online community for their support, Sammi and her family appreciated them for their concerns.

Fortunately, the latest updates dropped by Sammi Biles have cleared the air significantly. Posting from the hospital, Sammi mentioned that while she did have an infection, both she and the baby are out of danger. She posted, “I’m alive & so is baby boy. I do have an infection and will need to be monitored for my HR &BP. no blood clot’s. gotta love being a geriatric pregnant lady. praying the remainder of pregnancy is uneventful & we both stay healthy as possible.” Well, this is not the first time Sammi Biles is going through a complicated pregnancy. In fact, Simone Biles’ sister-in-law Sammi has a gloomy history of miscarriages.

Sammi Biles’ complicated pregnancy revisited

Sammi Biles does not have the smoothest journey when it comes to motherhood. There have been multiple cases of Sammi Biles losing out on the possibility of bearing a child. Things went to such an extent that one of the cases was as advanced as the second trimester. In the past 4 years, there have been 3 instances of Sammi having a heartbreaking miscarriage before Ronni finally arrived.

Naturally, hoping for a child and getting pegged back so many times is not an easy pill to swallow. However, Sammi Biles’ willpower and grit have gotten the better of her. “I don’t understand why something is given only to be taken away? God does and I have to trust His plan for us and our family,” commented a gritty Sammi. And sure enough, her prayers were answered as Ronni Biles was born soon after. Now, with the demons of the past threatening to come back, the gymnastics world prays in unison hoping that little Ronni gets a brother to play with soon.

Simone Biles, lauded as the greatest gymnast of all time, will make a special appearance at next month’s home opener for the University of Georgia’s GymDogs gymnastics team.

Biles’ personal coach, Cécile Canqueteau-Landi, was hired as the team’s co-head coach in April. She coached the 27-year-old gold medalist to the Rio, Tokyo and Paris Olympic Games.