Crouser completed a two-year master's degree in finance in 2016. He then hired Paul Doyle as his agent. Crouser improved his personal best in the shot to 21.85 m (71 ft  in) shortly before the 2016 United States Olympic Trials. This throw stood second in the U.S on the yearly list, eleven inches behind reigning World Champion Joe Kovacs. At the Olympic Trials, on his second throw of the finals, Crouser uncorked a to not only win in an upset over Kovacs, but to become the number 18 thrower in history. A few weeks later, at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Crouser improved his personal best and standing on the all-time list three times. Already leading the competition, he threw a massive personal best in the fifth round to break the Olympic Record and secure the tenth best men's shot put performance of all time.