The moment also highlighted Garrett’s own milestone season in Cleveland, where he set the NFL single-season sack record. Yet in Italy, he embraced a supportive role, signaling confidence in Kim’s bid to finish atop the podium.
Kim has been competing with a shoulder brace after an injury ahead of the Games, but she has refused to let the setback derail her. “Just because I’m coming back from an injury, obviously I didn’t get nearly the amount of reps,” she said, adding that she’s proud of how far she’s pushed herself.
Their relationship has drawn attention since they were first seen publicly in May at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards in Tokyo, sparking early speculation. A Browns-video later showed Garrett and Kim greeting each other on the sideline before a game, with Kim joking about getting makeup on his jersey and sharing a quick kiss before kickoff. Kim later congratulated Garrett on social media after he set the sack record, calling him “Proud of you” and joking about baking cinnamon rolls.
Garrett, fresh off his second Defensive Player of the Year award and a 23-sack season, says his next target is the NFL MVP. “They are saying a defensive player can’t win MVP … We’re not taking into account the things that we do on defense that change games just as much,” he told Micah Parsons on a recent podcast. He believes the impact of elite defense deserves recognition.
Looking ahead, the Browns enter an offseason with questions at quarterback and a new head coach in Todd Monken. Cleveland is exploring options to bring stability to the QB position, while Garrett continues to chase personal and team milestones as the organization rebuilds around him.
This article originally appeared on Heavy Sports and is presented here with neutral, factual reporting suitable for an NFL news audience.
