LIVIGNO, Italy — Chloe Kim defied medical logic on Thursday night. Just weeks after suffering a brutal shoulder dislocation in Switzerland, the 25-year-old snowboarder carved her way to a silver medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Standing at the base of the Livigno Snow Park halfpipe wasn’t just her coaching staff. Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett hiked through the snow with his camera gear to capture every twist and flip.
The NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year traded his cleats for snow boots. Fresh off a historic 23-sack season, Garrett flew directly to Italy to support Kim. The two sports icons turned a tense Olympic final into a story of physical resilience, followed by a surprisingly relatable celebration.
Kim entered the finals heavily taped and wearing a brace. She scored an 88.00 on her first run, landing a massive switch double cork 1080. South Korea’s 17-year-old phenom Choi Ga-on eventually snatched the gold with a 90.25, but Kim viewed her silver as a massive victory given her severe physical setbacks.
You could almost feel the tension evaporate from the freezing Italian Alps when Kim safely finished her final run. The capacity crowd erupted. Garrett rushed to celebrate with Kim’s family. But the real competition started after the medal ceremony.
Garrett recently told Sports Illustrated that their relationship thrives on fierce, quiet rivalry away from the spotlight. They leave the physical toll of their respective sports behind and channel their competitive fire into video games.
“Me and Chloe we play a lot of Pokémon, so that is one thing we share, especially when we travel, her trying to build a better team than me.”
— Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns Defensive End
“Seeing them as happy as I was made my heart melt. We had dinner and a little celebratory champagne, then my mom [Boran Yun Kim] and I played video games.”
— Chloe Kim, Team USA Snowboarder
Kim faces a tough road ahead. She confirmed she needs surgery to repair her damaged shoulder before she can strap back into a snowboard. The silver medal secures her legacy as the first American woman to medal in three consecutive Olympic halfpipe events, buying her plenty of time to rehab and rebuild her Pokémon roster.
Garrett heads back to Ohio to prepare for the Browns’ offseason program. Cleveland’s front office faces immense pressure to build a Super Bowl-caliber roster around their generational pass rusher. After watching his girlfriend push through severe pain to reach an Olympic podium, Garrett will undoubtedly carry that exact same intensity into the 2026 NFL training camp.
