The Noah Lyles vs. Grand Slam track league drama is starting to feel like one of those reality TV feuds. Entertaining, a little petty, and worth watching. Michael Johnson is practically rolling out the red carpet for Lyles because, let’s be real, he’s the biggest name in track right now. And Johnson isn’t one to not admit what’s facts.

The speedster stated, “Noah’s certainly one of those; I mean, Noah is the fastest… Those sorts of athletes are the people that we want to be part of this league.” But Johnson also has made clear that he has Lyles’s name in the red. But Lyles? Yeah, he’s not sold. Instead, he dropped the ultimate shade bomb. Lyles said, “If a tree falls in the middle of the woods and nobody is there to see it, did it really fall?”

Translation: If no one’s watching this league, does it even matter? While Lyles questions the whole thing, Johnson isn’t doubting him. In fact, he agrees that Lyles is in a league. He also agrees that he is one of the fastest men. And speaking of speed, when talkSPORT asked Johnson if we could ever see a race between Tyreek Hill and Lyles in the league, his response was pure gold.

Meanwhile, the league isn’t exactly struggling for talent, already locking in 48 top-tier athletes. But Johnson’s response?

Johnson weighs in but not everyone gets a lane

Johnson didn’t shut down the idea—in fact, he hinted it could happen and made it pretty clear who he thought would take the win. “We’re going to incorporate the fun stuff into our events. If you think you’re fast, we’re going to give you the opportunity to come and show it. We can create these races where it’s fun and exciting, and it’s part of the show,” he explained.

But then he threw in a reality check: “I’m not putting somebody like Tyreek against world-class (track) athletes.” Ouch. Now, if you’re wondering why this question even came up, well, there’s some history between Tyreek and Noah. After Noah Lyles won 100m gold at the Paris Olympics and claimed the title of the world’s fastest man, Tyreek Hill wasn’t about to let him enjoy it without a challenge.

The Miami Dolphins star wide receiver threw down the gauntlet, insisting he could beat Lyles in a race. Hill even went as far as challenging Lyles to sign a contract for a 50-yard dash, kicking off what has since become a full-fledged rivalry filled with trash talk, social media jabs, and a whole lot of suspense. Lyles, never one to back down, countered with the idea of a 60-yard race, but despite all the hype, no official showdown has happened yet.

Hill recently cranked up the heat again on the Fantasy Football Happy Hour podcast, declaring, “Let’s just keep a spade a spade… Noah Lyles is scared.” When asked if Lyles should be scared, Hill didn’t miss a beat: “I mean, yes. He should be.” His reasoning? As a shorter guy, his explosive start gives him the edge, while Lyles, being taller, needs more time to hit top speed. Meanwhile, Lyles fired back in the best way possible. How?

By dominating the 60m at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix and calling out Hill afterward. Hill’s response? A laughing emoji and a sarcastic, “Get a load of this guy.” At this point, this is less of a race and more of a reality show. Fans are just waiting to see if these two settle it on the track or keep running their mouths instead. But at the same time, the question comes as to why Lyles isn’t joining the Grand Slam.

GST got the cameras, time to put up Noah Lyles?

No TV deal, no race—that was Noah Lyles’ stance on signing with Grand Slam Track. In other words, he wanted GST to sign the broadcast partner. Well, as of February 2025, Michael Johnson has answered that challenge in a big way. Grand Slam Track has officially secured a media deal with Peacock. Now that the league has a spotlight, will Lyles finally step up to the starting line?

Johnson, however, isn’t making any desperate pleas. “We’ve already signed our 48 racers,” he stated, emphasizing that the league is packed with Olympic and world champions. “They can come in if they want. So yeah, we’ll continue talking to Noah.” But he made it clear GST isn’t built around one man, adding, “That’s enough. If we have nobody else but those athletes, this is the first time we’ve ever had the fastest together.” And he’s thinking bigger than just year one.

“We don’t need anyone else. We will take all of the fastest people, but we don’t have to have them. Ultimately, we will get everyone. This is year one, this is where you want to be if you’re a premier track and field athlete.” The stage is set, and the cameras are rolling—but the question remains: will Lyles make his Grand Slam debut, or will he keep watching from the sidelines? Only time will tell!