There were no quarterbacks to chase and no offensive lines to dismantle. This time, Myles Garrett was simply another spectator, watching from the side of the course with a camera in hand.
The Cleveland Browns defensive end made the trip to Italy to support his girlfriend, two-time Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim, as she attempts to become the first woman to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals in halfpipe at the Winter Olympics.
Garrett stood near the course during qualifying, filming Kim’s run as she powered through her routine with typical dominance.
“I got her whole run,” Garrett said, according to ESPN. “She’s amazing.”
Garrett is coming off a season of his own milestones in Cleveland, setting the NFL single-season sack record. But in Italy, he was content to play a different role as a supporter, not a star. He expressed little doubt about the outcome as Kim prepares for Thursday’s final.
“She’s going to do it,” Garrett said. “She’s the best.”
Chloe Kim Dealing With Shoulder Injury
Kim isn’t at full strength after a shoulder injury before the Games, and she’s been competing in a brace. But if it’s bothering her, she hasn’t let it show.
“Just because I’m coming back from an injury, obviously I didn’t get nearly the amount of reps I would normally get going into an Olympics,” Kim said. “I’m just really proud of myself and proud that I’ve been able to push it as far as I have.”
Her resilience has been evident — and she’s had support along the way from Garrett. Reports linking Kim and the Browns star date back to last year. The two were first spotted together publicly in May at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards in Tokyo, sparking early speculation about their relationship. At the time, neither addressed their status.
That changed during the NFL season, when the Browns shared a video showing Garrett and Kim greeting each other on the sideline before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Kim wished him luck, joked about getting makeup on his jersey and shared a quick kiss before kickoff.
“Myles playing on a whole other level since Chloe Kim been around, jus sayin,” the Browns captioned the post.
Kim has also been vocal in celebrating Garrett’s success. After he set the NFL single-season sack record in Week 18 against the Cincinnati Bengals, she posted a congratulatory message on social media.
“Proud of you,” Kim wrote. “Baking [you] all the cinnamon rolls your heart desires!!”
Garrett is fresh off winning his second Defensive Player of the Year award. He totalled 23 sacks and was the centerpiece of a dominant Browns defense. But Garrett still has larger goals on his radar.
“They are saying a defensive player can’t win MVP. We don’t effect winning enough, so that’s the next mission. That’s all I’m thinking of,” Garrett told Micah Parsons during a recent podcast appearance. “I feel like QBs have MVP on lock because they have the ball in their hand pretty much every play. But we’re not taking into account the things that we do on defense that change games just as much.”
Garrett and the Browns are heading into an offseason of uncertainty. New head coach Todd Monken is now at the helm, and the Browns are exploring all their options to bring stability to their quarterback situation.
