“Tyreek is just chasing clout. Anytime somebody fast comes up, he says he wants to race them,” Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles declared on the Nightcap Livestream on Saturday, firing a shot across the bow of the NFL’s self-proclaimed fastest man. The Miami Dolphins wide receiver had thrown down the gauntlet, claiming he could outrun the track star and some months back even accusing Lyles of faking a COVID-19 illness after winning bronze in the 200-meter race at the Paris Olympics.

The war of words between these two speed demons has set the sports world ablaze. Tyreek Hill, never one to shy away from a challenge, took to social media to propose a 50-yard race against Lyles. “Sign the contract and lock in that 50-yard race,” Hill posted on X, throwing fuel on the fire. It’s a distance that plays to Hill’s strengths as an NFL player, where explosive starts are crucial. But is this a fair test of speed, or just a calculated move to grab headlines?

Shannon Sharpe, NFL Hall of Famer turned media personality, wasn’t buying Hill’s proposal. On his ‘Nightcap’ livestream today, Sharpe laid into the idea of a handicapped race. “You can’t challenge me in something and then try to set the terms in which you challenging me,” Sharpe argued. “If I challenge Steph Curry to a three-point competition, I can’t say okay, we gonna shoot from 12 feet.”

Sharpe’s co-host, Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson, tried to play devil’s advocate. He suggested that a 50 to 60-yard race might level the playing field, given Hill’s explosive start. “I just know you would have to handicap it a little bit to make it somewhat even,” Johnson said. “Once Noah allow get past 50 60 yards ain’t nobody keeping up I don’t give a f**k how fast you are because he’s built and his trained for that as a track athlete.” But Sharpe wasn’t having it. “How you gonna say you gonna beat Steph Curry in a three-point competition and then you got a handicap?” he quipped.

The debate highlights the vast gulf between NFL speed and Olympic-level sprinting. Hill’s personal best in the 100 meters is 10.19 seconds, while Lyles blazed to Olympic gold with a time of 9.79 seconds. In the 200 meters, Hill’s top time is 20.14, nowhere near Lyles’ American record of 19.31. It’s a difference that might seem small to casual fans, but in the world of elite sprinting, it’s a chasm.

Handicaps, hype, and the realities of racing for Tyreek Hill

Lyles isn’t just dismissing Hill’s challenge; he’s calling out what he sees as a pattern. “If he really wanted to race people, he would’ve shown up like D.K. Metcalf. The man raced in the 60m this year in the Masters division,” Lyles said, referencing another NFL player who put his money where his mouth was.

The track star’s frustration is palpable. He’s not interested in social media sparring or hypothetical matchups. “If you’re seriously about it, you’ll see me on the track,” Lyles declared, throwing down a gauntlet of his own. This comes after Lyles stirred controversy last year by questioning whether NBA champions should be called “world champions,” a comment that ruffled feathers from Devin Booker to Kevin Durant.

This isn’t Hill’s first rodeo when it comes to challenging track stars. He’s previously set his sights on none other than Usain Bolt, the fastest man in history. “I’ll come to Jamaica to whoop you if I got to,” Hill brazenly told Bolt via a tweet back in June. The Jamaican legend’s response? “Not even in the next universe.” It’s a reminder that while NFL speed is impressive, it’s a different beast from Olympic sprinting.

LaMonte Vaughn Jr., a track coach at Grambling State University, broke down the numbers. Hill’s impressive 40-yard dash time of 4.29 seconds at the 2016 NFL Combine is eye-catching. But Bolt clocked 4.22 seconds at a 2019 Super Bowl Experience event – in street clothes, no less. It’s a stark reminder that even retired Olympic sprinters operate on a different level.

US Paralympic athlete Nick Mayhugh even chimed in, suggesting Lyles would make Hill look like he’s in the Paralympics. The burn highlights the gap between elite track athletes and even the NFL’s fastest.

As the debate rages on, one thing is clear: the intersection of NFL speed and Olympic sprinting will always captivate sports fans. Whether Hill’s challenges are serious or just for show, they spark conversations about the nature of speed and athletic specialization. And with Hill and the Dolphins set to open their season against the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 8, we’ll soon see if all this track talk translates to gridiron glory. After all, The 33rd Team ranked the 30-year-old Hill as the second-fastest player in the league for 2024, behind only Kansas City Chiefs rookie Xavier Worthy. On the field, at least, the Cheetah’s speed is no joke.