Wait, do you actually remember Miles Austin? If you were watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians back in the day—we're talking 2010, the era of heavy eyeliner and Blackberry Messengers—you might recall a tall, soft-spoken guy who suddenly appeared on Kim’s arm. It was a weird time. Kim had just come off a massive, public heartbreak with Reggie Bush. People were convinced she was just looking for a "Reggie 2.0."
Enter Miles Austin.
He was the star wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. He was young, athletic, and honestly, pretty low-key for the circus that was starting to surround the Kardashian family. But the Kim Kardashian and Miles Austin romance wasn’t just a random blip. It was a fascinating transition period for Kim, caught right between her long-term NFL love and the 72-day marriage disaster that was Kris Humphries.
The Summer of 2010: Why Kim Kardashian and Miles Austin Made Sense
Basically, they started dating in June 2010. It felt different. After the high-drama split from Reggie Bush, Kim seemed to want something a bit more grounded. Miles wasn't a Hollywood guy. He was a Jersey kid who had worked his way up from Monmouth University to become a Pro Bowler.
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They weren't exactly hiding, but they weren't doing red carpets every night either. They were spotted "canoodling" (classic 2010 tabloid word) at restaurants in New York and L.A. Kim even showed up at Cowboys games. Think about it: the biggest reality star in the world standing on the sidelines in Irving, Texas.
- The Vibe: Low-key and supportive.
- The Meeting: Rumor has it they met through mutual friends in the athlete world.
- The Show: Miles actually made a cameo in Season 5 of KUWTK in an episode called "Dash No More."
People close to her said she really liked him because he was "normal." Miles wasn't chasing the cameras. In fact, he seemed a bit shy. Tony Romo, who was Miles' quarterback at the time, even gave the relationship his blessing in interviews, saying Miles was a "good, mature kid" and that if Kim made him smile, he was all for it.
Was it a "Rebound" or the Real Deal?
Honestly, the media was brutal. Every headline compared Miles to Reggie Bush. It’s a bit unfair, isn't it? To be constantly measured against the guy who came before you just because you both play in the NFL.
Some sources at the time insisted it was "the real deal." They weren't just "having fun." They were reportedly trying to keep things quiet to avoid the "Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo" effect—where the celebrity girlfriend gets blamed for every dropped pass or lost game.
Why Did Kim Kardashian and Miles Austin Break Up?
By September 2010, it was over. Three months. That’s it.
If you're looking for a scandalous cheating story or a massive blow-up, you’re going to be disappointed. The official reason? Distance. It’s the most boring, yet most relatable reason in the world.
Miles was in the middle of a grueling NFL season in Dallas. Kim was filming in L.A., traveling to New York to open stores, and jetting off to Europe with Kris Jenner. They were two people at the absolute peak of their careers with zero time to actually sit in a room together.
"There's no huge reason except their distance apart," a source told People at the time. "With his season and Kim's filming, it just slowly split them apart."
It was mutual. No hard feelings. Kim headed to Paris for some retail therapy—reportedly dropping $100,000 at Hermes—and Miles went back to catching touchdowns.
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The Aftermath: What Happened Next
The breakup was so quiet that many people forgot it happened. Just two months later, in November 2010, Kim was spotted at a Lakers game with Gabriel Aubry. And by December? She had met Kris Humphries.
The Miles Austin era was a bridge. It was the last time Kim tried to date someone "low-key" before the fame went into total overdrive.
Where Are They Now in 2026?
It’s been over fifteen years since they split. Their lives couldn't be more different.
Kim Kardashian is... well, she’s Kim Kardashian. She went through the Kanye years, became a billionaire with SKIMS, and is now a serious legal advocate. She’s moved far beyond the "NFL girlfriend" label.
Miles Austin stayed in football but shifted to the sidelines. After retiring from playing, he moved into coaching. He spent time as the wide receivers coach for the New York Jets and worked with the San Francisco 49ers. He did hit a rough patch recently with an NFL suspension related to the league's gambling policy, but he remains a respected figure in the football world for his playing days.
What We Can Learn From the Kim Kardashian and Miles Austin Relationship
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Even for the most famous people on the planet, logistics matter. You can be a billionaire and a pro athlete, but if you live in different time zones and have 80-hour work weeks, the "spark" doesn't stand a chance.
If you’re looking to apply some of this "celeb wisdom" to your own life, here are a few takeaways:
- Timing is everything: You can meet a great person, but if your life is in a "transition phase," it rarely sticks.
- Beware the "Comparison Trap": If you're dating someone new, don't let the ghost of your ex (or the public's perception of them) dictate the relationship.
- Distance requires a plan: "Playing it by ear" with long-distance almost always leads to a breakup.
To get the full picture of Kim's evolution during this era, you should check out the early seasons of Keeping Up with the Kardashians or look into the business pivot she made right after this breakup—the move to New York that changed everything.