Burgess Owens Bio
Clarence Burgess Owens (born August 2, 1951) is an American politician, nonprofit executive, and former professional football player. A Republican, he has represented Utah’s 4th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2021. Owens is the founder and CEO of Second Chance 4 Youth, a nonprofit supporting troubled and incarcerated young people. On March 4, 2026, Owens announced that he will not seek re-election in 2026.
Early Life and Background
Clarence Burgess Owens was born on August 2, 1951, in Columbus, Ohio. His father had moved from Texas to Ohio to pursue graduate studies he could not complete in the South due to Jim Crow laws. The family later relocated to Tallahassee, Florida, where his father taught as a college professor. Owens was raised in a Baptist household and grew up in a segregated environment that shaped his early worldview.
Owens graduated from Rickards High School in Tallahassee in 1969. He was among a small group of African-American students integrated onto a historically white football team at the school, an experience that helped build his competitive drive. After high school, he accepted a scholarship to the University of Miami, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Chemistry. At Miami he became one of the earliest Black scholarship athletes in the program.
Path to US Politics
After retiring from the NFL, Owens spent nearly four decades building a career in business and nonprofit leadership before entering politics. He moved to New York City in 1983, worked in sales for major technology companies, and later owned a business called Pure and Simple Solutions. In 2019, he founded Second Chance 4 Youth, a nonprofit dedicated to helping troubled and incarcerated young people find opportunity.
Owens launched his political career in November 2019, announcing a run for Utah’s 4th congressional district. He won the Republican primary in June 2020 with about 43 percent of the vote and addressed the 2020 Republican National Convention. He has described his current political views as very conservative and frequently appears as a guest contributor on Fox News.
Burgess Owens Career
Early Career (1973-1980)
The New York Jets selected Owens with the 13th overall pick in the first round of the 1973 NFL draft. During his rookie season he returned a kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown against the Denver Broncos, the Jets’ only kickoff-return touchdown of the 1970s. He was a regular starter for the Jets for most of that decade.
Owens later joined the Oakland Raiders and was part of the roster that won Super Bowl XV following the 1980 season. With the Raiders he played through the team’s transition to Los Angeles and continued as a starting safety. He was named a Second-team All-American in 1972 during his college career at the University of Miami.
Breakthrough (1980-1982)
Owens reached the peak of his playing career with the Oakland Raiders’ Super Bowl XV championship in January 1981. The victory capped a season in which he served as a veteran leader in the defensive secondary. He played one more season after the championship before retiring from professional football.
Republican Era (2021-Present)
Owens took office in January 2021 after defeating Democratic incumbent Ben McAdams in the 2020 general election. He was sworn in as part of the 117th Congress and quickly became involved in committee work and legislative efforts on election law, antitrust, and healthcare policy. He was re-elected in 2022, defeating Democrat Darlene McDonald, and again in 2024 against Katrina Fallick-Wang.
During his tenure, Owens opposed the For the People Act in 2021 and co-sponsored the Fairness for All Act, a Republican alternative to the Equality Act. He voted to reject Pennsylvania’s electoral votes on January 6, 2021, but supported Arizona’s electors. In 2022 he voted for the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act and was among 47 Republicans who voted for the Respect for Marriage Act, though he voted present on final passage.
Notable Events and Milestones
Owens’ defining political moment came on November 16, 2020, when Ben McAdams conceded and the Associated Press called the race in Owens’ favor. He is one of a small number of Black Republicans serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, a distinction he has frequently highlighted in speeches and media appearances.
Burgess Owens Career Wins
Burgess Owens recorded his most celebrated achievement as a professional athlete, winning a Super Bowl championship with the Oakland Raiders. His post-football accomplishments include founding successful businesses and a nonprofit, along with three consecutive congressional election victories in Utah’s 4th district.
NFL Highlights
Owens played ten NFL seasons as a defensive back, the first several with the New York Jets and the remainder with the Oakland / Los Angeles Raiders. He was a regular starter for the Jets through most of the 1970s and contributed on special teams, including his rookie-season 82-yard kickoff return touchdown. His career peaked with the Raiders’ Super Bowl XV title following the 1980 season. He was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 1980 and into its Orange Bowl Ring of Honor in 1999.
Other Wins and Achievements
Owens was named a First-team All-American defensive back at the University of Miami and earned MVP honors at both the North-South All-Star Game and the Coaches All-American Game. In Congress he has secured three general-election wins in Utah’s 4th district and built a reputation as a frequent Fox News commentator on cultural and economic issues.
Burgess Owens Family
Family Background and Personal Lineage
Owens was raised by his Texas-born father, who moved the family from Ohio to Tallahassee to teach at a college. He grew up in a Baptist household with strong academic and athletic influences at home. His brother later joined him in a post-football electronics business venture.
Personal Life
Owens was married for 34 years to Josie Owens, with whom he had six children, before divorcing in 2012. His eldest child is a daughter named Summur-Rayn. He is a prostate-cancer survivor. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during his final season with the Oakland Raiders, crediting teammate Todd Christensen, and was baptized on December 31, 1982. He has spoken publicly about the role of faith in his life.