Simone Biles appreciates the space in her new home.
Though people in Indianapolis recognize the seven-time Olympic gold medalist when she's out and about, Biles said they don't make a big deal about it. It's similar to how she felt in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where Biles' husband, Jonathan Owens, spent the 2023 NFL season with the Green Bay Packers.
Owens, a safety, signed with the Indianapolis Colts in the off-season after playing for the Chicago Bears the last two seasons.
"It’s very homey," Biles said of Indianapolis. "The Midwest - everyone is super friendly and nice. And they also kind of don’t care that much when you’re out and about and they see you because I think they’re used to seeing the players in their communities. So they’ll see me,
they’ll say hey and all of that but hey, kind of keep it pushing.
"It is nice to go somewhere where I can kind of just hide out."
Biles spoke to USA TODAY Sports earlier this month to promote her partnership with Arcutis Biotherapeutics and their "Skin to Believe In" campaign, designed to raise awareness of seborrheic dermatitis and atopic dermatitis and treatments for the inflammatory skin conditions.
Though she is still getting to know Indianapolis, Biles already has a favorite restaurant: the 1933 Lounge, by the same group behind the famed St. Elmo's Steakhouse.
"I absolutely love it," Biles said of 1933.
Biles and Owens met in 2020, when the safety was with the Houston Texans. This is his ninth year in the NFL, a stat that would be impressive for any player. That Owens has done it as an undrafted free agent from Division II Western Missouri makes it even more notable.
After four seasons with the Texans, Owens played a year in Green Bay and two years in Chicago. He spent the first season of his career on injured reserve with the Arizona Cardinals.
"His work ethic and his mindset is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. He’s actually a little bit more disciplined than me when it comes to routine and staying on track," Biles said. "The coaches have told me, `He’s the first one in, the last one to leave, he always loves to get extra reps.' He just loves opportunity and he knows he’s where he is because of opportunity but also because of the hard work. It’s really exciting to watch."
And with her husband in his ninth season, he finally has a similar title to Biles.
"We always says Grandma in gymnastics. We would call Aly (Raisman) and now me that, we’re just old and stuff. You're a `seasoned veteran' in football," Biles said, laughing. "They really like having him around because he can bring so much insight, so it’s really exciting to watch and to just own that as well."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Simone Biles likes being able to `hide out' in Indianapolis
