Drama just can’t seem to stay away from the fastest man in the world, Noah Lyles. He shut down the doubters by snagging 100-meter gold, but that peace didn’t last long! Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill stirred the pot by claiming he could beat the Olympic champ over 100 meters, boldly saying, “I would beat Noah Lyles (in a race).” And how did Noah respond?

Well, he played it cool—so cool that he couldn’t even remember the NFL Cheetah’s name during an interview! As the drama continues to unfold, retired NFL legend Shannon Sharpe also jumped in, questioning Lyles’ boldness, especially after the sprinter started eyeing signature Adidas shoes from his sponsors following his gold and bronze haul in Paris!

Sharpe, who once had Noah Lyles’ back in the NBA vs. track and field debate, didn’t pull any punches this time. The three-time Olympic medalist found himself on the receiving end of some tough love from the 56-year-old NFL legend. Sharpe delivered a blunt reality check during a recent episode of the “Nightcap” podcast, saying, “There’s a reason why (track stars) don’t normally get shoe deals—because ain’t nobody buying the shoes.”

But it seems Noah Lyles didn’t take Sharpe’s words to heart. The six-time world champion is ready to appear on Shannon Sharpe’s Nightcap podcast. “Lol, it’s all good man. We already scheduled it. It’s coming soon!” the Olympic gold medalist replied to a post demanding respect from the NFL icon on X. But why did the tough love come from Shannon Sharpe?

It all started during Lyles’ Adidas contract negotiations last year, when he wondered why NBA star Anthony Edwards snagged an Adidas shoe deal while he didn’t. Time magazine interviewed Lyles in 2023 to learn more about the athlete’s grueling Olympic prep when the 27-year-old expressed his displeasure about Anthony Edwards’ AE-1 exclusive Adidas sneaker. Despite having a $2.3M/year contract, Lyles felt he deserved signature Adidas kicks.

“You want to invite me to [an event for] a man who has not even been to an NBA Finals? No disrespect: the man is an amazing athlete… I love that they saw the insight to give him a shoe,” Lyles said during the interview. Yet, “How could you not see that for me?” lamented the track icon.

Then, after his 100-meter gold at the Paris Olympics, Lyles didn’t hold back when sharing his wishlist. As a reporter wrapped up a media session, he was asked about his Olympic hopes. Without missing a beat, he shared, “I want my own shoe. I want my own trainer. I want a sneaker; there ain’t no money in spikes.”

He even threw in a thought-provoking note, pointing out that the legendary Michael Johnson never got his own shoe. “I feel like for how many medals we bring back, the notoriety we get, the fact that that hasn’t happened is crazy to me.” Sharpe brought it up amidst the Tyreek Hill controversy because the 27-year-old was absent from yet another event involving the Minnesota Timberwolves guard at the Paris Olympics!

Why did Noah Lyles skip Anthony Edwards’ golden shoe bash in the City of Love?

As the 100-meter Olympic champion mentioned in his Time interview, Adidas realized Edwards’ potential even before his triumphant Olympic debut. So when the ‘Ant-Man’ helped Team USA snag their first consecutive basketball gold at the Games, Adidas arranged for yet another special event. The sneaker giant created a special “Gold Medal” edition of the AE-1 exclusively for the NBA all-star.

However, notably, Noah Lyles remained absent from the Adidas family of athletes who attended the event. Immediately, Lyles’ Time interview went viral once again, with fans speculating jealousy on the World Champion’s part. After all, Lyles spectacularly won gold and broke a 20-year-old gold medal curse for the USA in the Men’s 100m. Yet, he didn’t get a special event.

Thankfully, Lyles broke his silence after Sunday’s event on X. The Paris 2024 double medalist acknowledged the “rumors” and criticism (including Shannon Sharpe’s comments) around his absence. However, NoJo dismissed the speculation, saying Edwards deserved the recognition for his Olympic accomplishment. The true reason behind his absence was time.

“The problem was finding time based on my prior engagements,” Lyles clarified. So maybe that’s why the 27-year-old Olympic gold medalist didn’t hold a grudge against Shannon Sharpe, as the NFL legend may not have been privy to all the details. Do you think the duo will reignite this conversation once Noah Lyles features on the Nightcap podcast? Tell us in the comments.