How powerful is the word “Olympics”? It’s powerful enough to make people suddenly care about sports they wouldn’t normally watch if their remote got stuck on the channel. Every four years, track and field goes from ‘Wait, that’s still a thing?’ to the main event—only to be ghosted the moment the torch goes out. Noah Lyles, fresh off his 2024 Olympic gold, is on a mission to change that. His plan? Race one of the NFL’s fastest players, Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, and turn sprinting into must-see TV year-round. Because if people love a good 100-meter dash, they’ll really love one with extra spice.

Lyles and Hill have been trading jabs for months, and now, it’s time to settle the debate with some actual footspeed. But for Lyles, this isn’t just about flexing on the NFL—it’s about making track relevant beyond its Olympic moment. “I’m not here to play around,” he told NBC News. “I’m dead serious about this.” And just in case Hill thinks this is all fun and games, Lyles made it clear: “I’m your guy. I’m your guy who’s gonna let you swing, but best believe I will dodge and you will get hit with an uppercut.” Well, it seems Lyles is ready to cook, and if Hill isn’t careful, he might just get served. But are they gonna match? Well, yes!

Noah Lyles and Tyreek Hill are finally doing what every trash-talking duo dreams of—settling their beef with a good old-fashioned race. After years of back-and-forth banter, the Olympic sprint king and the NFL speedster have agreed to put their legs where their mouths are. Lyles, the reigning 100-meter Olympic champion and American record holder in the 200 meters, will face Hill, who was a high school track star before taking his talents to the football field.

The details? Fuzzy. The location? TBD. The distance? Somewhere between Hill’s preferred 40 yards and Lyles’ preferred 100 meters. Maybe60m! But one thing’s for sure—this is about to be the most-watched footrace since your uncle challenged you to a sprint at Thanksgiving after two beers. But who can win?

The no-win situation for Noah Lyles

On paper, Lyles should cook Hill with ease. Track speed and football speed are two different beasts—one is a fine-tuned machine built for efficiency, the other is a chaos engine dodging 250-pound linebackers. Hill was blazing fast in 2013, but Lyles has been out here actively breaking records. The issue? Even if Lyles wins, the internet will find a way to clown him. If he blows Hill out? “Well, duh, he’s an Olympian.” If Hill keeps it close? “NFL athletes are just as fast as track stars!” And if, by some miracle, Hill actually wins? Oh boy, Lyles might want to avoid social media for a while.

Lyles has already dealt with this before. When he raced YouTuber IShowSpeed last year, track fans knew it wasn’t close, but casual viewers thought Speed nearly pulled it off. The same could happen here—especially if the race is on the shorter side, where Hill’s explosive start could make it look close enough for Twitter to lose its mind. And let’s be honest, X loves a good overreaction.

Still, you have to respect Lyles for trying to make track more than just an “every four years” sport. He’s been building his brand, getting into fashion, and making sure people know who he is. But does beating Hill actually help track’s popularity? Will the people who tune in stick around for the U.S. Championships in July? Probably not. But hey, for at least one night, track will be the hottest thing on the internet—and that’s a win in itself.