Owens, who plays as a safety for the Chicago Bears and was about to join the team’s training sessions, had just returned from supporting Biles in Paris and was surprised on the show with a slideshow of photographs of the athlete. Among them was one of Biles proudly displaying her medals, and another of himself in the stands with his parents.

“I just got back off my flight. I had the honour of watching my wife get three gold medals,” he said, as his teammates clapped in response. “The most decorated American gymnast in history, so I got to see her make history. So I’m blessed and ready to get back to work,” he said visibly moved, accompanied by further applause from his teammates.

This wasn’t the first time Owens expressed his pride for Biles on Hard Knocks. In a previous episode aired on 6 August, he had already made it clear how impressed he is by the gymnast's routines and which one is his favourite. “I like floor because I can see how powerful she is. I remember her routine. So it’ll be random times she’s on the floor, and she does something. And I try to be up there, knowing the beats, just so I know what’s going on. I’m spoiled, I’ve seen her do it flawlessly so many times. I really, really love to support her at the Olympics, you know. It’s just like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

To be able to travel to Paris and take time off from his commitments with the Chicago Bears, Owens had to ask for permission from his coach, Matt Eberflus, who did not object to the request. “Just because we respect the Olympics, and he’s just supporting the one he loves the most. And I think that’s so cool that he gets to do that,” Eberflus commented.

The documentary's portrayal of Owens’s support for Biles contrasts with some of the controversies he faced earlier this month. After posting a photo on Instagram in which he was wearing Biles’s gold medal, the player had to endure criticism from numerous users who accused him of trying to take credit for something that wasn’t his achievement.

YouTube star Kiera Breaugh also contributed to the debate by posting a video on TikTok suggesting that Owens should take off the medal. Biles defended her husband in the comments, clarifying that it was her idea to take those photos. “Crazy thing is, I put my medal on every single one of my family members and took pictures. So don’t ever make assumptions like y’all are so fucking miserable. Leave us alone.”

Owens was also criticised in December of last year after stating on an episode of The Pivot podcast that he didn’t know who Biles was when they met in 2020. This caused great anger among the gymnast’s fans, who made it clear that Biles was a successful Olympic athlete who deserved much more respect. In response to this viral reaction, the medalist said she didn’t understand why people spoke this way about her husband, whom she considers “the sweetest guy, capable of doing anything for anyone.”

Despite these controversies, the couple has continued to support each other, and Biles’s achievements in Paris stand as a testament to her resilience in adverse situations. As Owens returns to training, the emotional moments captured on Hard Knocks offer insight into the great respect they have for one another.