Myles Garrett has spent the last several months terrorizing quarterbacks and cementing his place in the NFL record books. Now, he’s trading the gridiron for the snow-covered slopes of Italy - not to compete, but to support someone chasing history of her own.
The Cleveland Browns star, fresh off a dominant season that saw him set a new single-season sack record, is heading to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina to be there for his girlfriend, Chloe Kim. And while Garrett’s usual role is breaking through offensive lines, this time he’s stepping into a different role: emotional anchor.
“We’re both just so supportive of one another,” Garrett said during a Radio Row interview ahead of the Super Bowl. “She’s always texting, she’s always calling to see how I’m doing during the year and I’m doing the same right now, checking on her, seeing how she’s feeling, emotionally and physically.”
That kind of mutual support might be exactly what Kim needs right now. The two-time Olympic gold medalist is chasing an unprecedented third straight title in women’s halfpipe - a feat no one in the sport has ever accomplished.
But her road to Milan hasn't been smooth. Last month, during a practice run in Switzerland, Kim tore her labrum - a painful injury that would sideline most athletes for weeks, if not longer.
In true champion fashion, Kim didn’t let the setback define her. She returned to the halfpipe just two weeks ago, and surprisingly, she’s found a silver lining in the process. “The brace on my left shoulder actually made my riding better,” she said with a laugh.
Still, the nerves are real. “I have so much anxiety,” Kim admitted earlier this week. “But thankfully I have matcha and there’s good vibes here and my family’s here, so we’ll be good.”
That blend of nerves and confidence is familiar territory for elite athletes, especially those with Olympic gold in their sights. Despite the injury and the shortened prep time, Kim’s mindset is right where it needs to be.
“I feel confident,” she said. “I feel really good about how I’m feeling physically and mentally, and that’s most important right now.”
Garrett, who’s used to the pressure of fourth-quarter drives and playoff pushes, knows a thing or two about staying mentally locked in. And while he won’t be throwing down sacks in Italy, his presence could be just what Kim needs as she takes on the biggest moment of her career - again.
He’s expected to be in the stands for her halfpipe qualifier on Wednesday, with the medal event set for Thursday. If all goes well, Kim could etch her name even deeper into Olympic lore, and Garrett will be right there to witness it - not as a superstar athlete, but as a partner, a supporter, and, as he put it, a “rock.”
Two elite athletes, each at the top of their game, now standing side by side on the world’s biggest stage - one chasing history, the other cheering it on.