The year was 2023, it was just one question and an answer! This is what it took to start a war of words that’s still going on! The Noah Lyles and Tyreek Hill feud kicked off when Lyles sparked controversy by questioning NBA players’ being called World  Champions. Lyles questioned, “World Champions of what?… The United States?” The jab didn’t sit well with Hill! The trash talk kicked into high gear last August when Hill boldly claimed he could outrun Lyles, the reigning 100-meter Olympic gold medalist, and questioned if Lyles was actually sick during his Paris 200-meter run or was just making an excuse. So, was that the end?

Well, none of them are the ones to sit silently, so it seems there’s no end to it! On February 2, 2025, after winning the 60-meter final at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix with a time of 6.52 seconds, Lyles upped the ante by holding up his bib, which read, “Tyreek could never,” taking a direct jab at Hill’s confidence. Can Tyreek Hill truly challenge the “world’s fastest man,” Noah Lyles, or is this just another hyped-up spectacle destined to disappoint? Now, we have a legendary sprinter weighing in!

Four-time Olympic gold medalist Johnson appeared on Rich Eisen’s in-studio today with his take on the Hill-Lyles trash talk, and it was a stark analysis of the contest. When asked about his thoughts on Tyreek vs Hill, MJ said, “I think we’re at a point, Rich (host), now where, you know, let’s go back to Tyson and Paul, right? That fight, you know.“ Just like the way Lyles and Hill belong to two different worlds, Jake and Mike come from different worlds. Mike is an established boxer, whereas Jake is an influencer-turned-boxer. They came against each other in November 2024. And the result? Jake Paul won, and the hype lived!

“They try to make that some sort of compelling competition… I think that people are beyond that. I think that nobody is going to believe it anymore… I was like, this is ridiculous.” Thus, according to Michael Johnson, Jake vs Mike was something based on marketing, and people were interested in it, but now no one would be interested in Hill vs Noah.  Also, in case the race does take place, MJ believes that Tyreek won’t be able to win!

Johnson further weighed in on how Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill would fare against one of the world’s top sprinters, Noah Lyles. He remarked, “If it’s a track race, if it’s 100 meters, that’s not a race. Tyreek can’t beat the 20th 30th ranked 100-meter runner in the world. These are no more so than a track athlete who’s fast can’t go over and play receiver and run routes like Tyreek and score touchdowns. It just doesn’t happen.” So in the words of Sydney Olympics gold medalist, Tyreek doesn’t stand a chance against the 20th or the 30th rank holder, and here we are talking about a two-time Olympian with three Olympic medals. That wasn’t a subtle dig!

hat while Hill’s quickness could shine in a custom exhibition—“if it’s about quickness, then it might be compelling”—a true track race like the 100-meter is a different game entirely. “This is all entertainment, man… it’s not a sport,” he finished. Thus, for MJ, the whole clash between Tyreek Hill and Noah Lyles is just for the sake of enjoyment and nothing real. And as a true sportsman, he claimed only speed could compel people to watch and nothing else.

Hill, known as “Cheetah” for his explosive 4.29-second 40-yard dash from an NFL workout, isn’t backing down. But Michael Johnson challenged the idea that Hill’s football speed translates to the track. “Fast is fast… but that doesn’t mean you can be a world-class sprinter. Sprinting is different than just being fast,” he explained. “There’s a whole lot that’s happening in that race to actually run fast and beat other people… How many times has Tyreek raced anyone? ” Johnson highlighted the craft of racing—strategy, adjustments, and execution—all unfolding in mere seconds, a skill Hill hasn’t honed.

Johnson reinforced this, noting, “My point is… racing is not easy. I’ve got to execute a race strategy… while looking at the other athletes, making decisions.”  Meanwhile, Lyles does have credentials to back MJ’s bravado! He, after all, is a one-time Olympic Champion, six-time World Champion, and five-time Diamond League winner with multiple second and third finishes as well.

But is it all just talk, or are they actually meeting on the tracks?

After years of trash talk, Noah Lyles and Tyreek Hill may officially race each other

Years of trash talk may finally result in a race between the Miami Dolphins wide receiver and Noah Lyles in spring or summer 2025, as expressed by them in an interview in February 2025. When, where, and at what distance it’s going to take place, that is still to be decided.

Tyreek Hill demanded a shorter distance, complaining, “He already knew he was gonna lose [a 40-meter] off the jump,” while Lyles retorted, “I mean if it was 100 meters, it’d be a blowout, you know, we gotta meet in the middle.” With the meet for now scheduled prior to Lyles’s U.S. Championships in July, the distance continues to be an issue—Hill is more comfortable in his 40-yard comfort zone, Lyles is predicting a “blowout” at 100 meters. Hill’s quickness may wow on grass, but Lyles’ track-developed technique may reveal the difference between their realms. As the anticipation swells, it’s not simply a race anymore!