According to Packers safety Jonathan Owens, establishing a reputation is as simple as “do your job

 

 

Jonathan Owens shook his head and smiled. He was familiar with the story. Maybe not this one, but the story was hardly uncommon.

Following the Green Bay Packers’ 29-22 Thanksgiving Day victory over the Detroit Lions, in which Owens recovered a Jared Goff fumble 27 yards for a score, one of the NFL’s national TV partners aired highlights from the league’s first holiday game.

When it came to Owens’ touchdown, the commentator referred to him simply as “Simone Biles’ husband.” We’ll grant him anonymity here to save him public ridicule. The fact that Owens is married to the GOAT of American gymnasts wasn’t an afterthought; the analyst never mentioned Owens’ name.

When told of the scenario midweek, as the Packers focused on this Sunday night’s game against the defending Super Bowl LVII champion Kansas City Chiefs at Lambeau Field, Owens dismissed it — not only because he is happily married and proud of her accomplishments, but also because it appears to happen all the time.

“I mean, that’s what comes with it, obviously, with who she is,” Owens said of Biles, who has seven Olympic medals (four gold) and 30 World Championship medals (23 gold). “But she is my wife.” So that’s not a problem for me.”

Don’t look now, but the way Owens has been playing recently, his performance has been more than sufficient to stand on its own.

 

 

Owens was relegated to special teams after finishing third on the safety depth chart behind Darnell Savage and Rudy Ford coming out of training camp. Savage (calf) and Ford (calf, biceps, groin) have both been sidelined with injuries.

Savage has missed the last five games and is labeled as questionable. He has yet to be formally activated from injured reserve. Ford is also questionable after missing three of the last four games.

If the Packers activate Savage, who has been a full participant in practice all week and has declared himself ready to play, and Ford is cleared to play, coach Matt LaFleur and defensive coordinator Joe Barry must decide whether to start Owens alongside Savage or return Ford to the starting lineup.

While Barry was coy about that possibility — “Oh, we have an absolute plan,” Barry said with a chuckle, “I’m just not going to tell you what it is” — it appears quite evident that Owens has performed well enough to lose his starting job at this point.

Not only did Owens score, giving the Packers a 20-6 lead in the first quarter, but he also played all 84 defensive snaps (plus 13 special-teams snaps), had a team-high and career-high 12 tackles (eight solo), and added a tackle for loss.

“I simply feel like I did what any professional would do.” When your name is called, go in and do your job — and do it to the best of your ability, making the plays that come your way,” Owens said. “It just so happened that I was able to play well.” It only takes hard work and sticking the course.”

“I’m just so proud of him,” LaFleur said. That’s the only way you can be. You must be resilient, and you must understand that you are only as good as your last game. Everybody will make mistakes. The question is, how do you learn from them? “How do you develop?”

In 423 defensive snaps (55.7%), Owens has 43 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, one fumble caused, one fumble recovery, one pass break-up, and one quarterback pressure. He’s also played 160 special-teams snaps (56.5%) and has five special-teams tackles, which ties him for the team lead.

“Jonathan started out the year as a backup, but he was a guy who, at least last year, had played a ton of ball,” Barry said, alluding to Owens’ 17 starts for the Houston Texans last season before signing a one-year, $1.01 million free agent contract with the Packers on May 12. “The only way to truly gain that experience as a player is to play.” It’s fantastic to practice and gain mental reps and all the other things you need to do. However, it is critical when you have accumulated game experience.

“Jonathan has been a stud the entire time he’s been here.” He’s just one of those individuals who accepts whatever job he’s given. He performed a tremendous job on special teams for us when he was genuinely a starter-in-waiting, and then he’s done it full speed in every position or role we’ve asked him to play. It’s really cool.”

“And his wife’s pretty sweet,” Barry continued. He’s also married to a gold medalist. That’s even more impressive.”

When asked what he thought of pop music megastar Taylor Swift attending Sunday night’s game, LaFleur pretended he didn’t know anything about her.

“I’m unfamiliar. “Who is that?” He laughed. With a grin on his face, he continued, “We’re definitely more focused on the game, but I’m sure there will be some fired up people in the stands if she shows up.”