The 40-yard dash has always been a point of pride—or maybe a point of argument—between short-distance sprinters and NFL stars. Xavier Worthy of the Kansas City Chiefs holds the bragging rights with a blazing 4.21 seconds, just edging out John Ross and Usain Bolt’s 4.22. But now, there’s a new rivalry heating up, and it’s got everyone talking: Tyreek Hill, the NFL’s “Cheetah” versus the “world’s fastest man,” Noah Lyles. These two-speed phenoms have thrown down the gauntlet, and the challenge is on!

It all started when Noah Lyles said that NBA and Super Bowl winners shouldn’t be calling themselves “World Champions,” considering both sports are limited to North America. That didn’t sit right with Tyreek Hill, and when the Miami Dolphins player was asked about it, he said, “Just speak on what you know about,” even claiming that the 100m Olympic gold medalist “pretended to be sick” during the 200m event. Hill then confidently stated, “I will beat Noah Lyles,” and that was enough to kickstart a back-and-forth between them.

But let’s focus on 16-year-old Quincy Wilson for the time being instead. There’s no question that NFL players are some of the fastest athletes when it comes to short-distance sprints. But Wilson proved why sprinters still rule the track — by taking down a former Miami Dolphins star! Making an appearance at Fanatics Fest NYC, Quincy Wilson took on former Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder in a 40-yard dash. Considering it was a fun event, you would’ve expected Wilson to take it easy. But he went in all guns blazing, at least to begin with.

As the sprint started, Wilson showed Crowder no mercy, cruising past the All-American smoothly. But around the 20-yard mark, he seemed to slow down a little. Despite that, he crossed the line well ahead of the former NFL player. Appreciating the young talent, all Crowder could do was smile and shake hands with the 4x400m Olympic champion. The message was clear: do not play with fire! 

Just 10 days before this event, Quincy Wilson earned the crown of Youngest American Male Track and Field Olympian. Following his first event in Paris – the 4x400m relay heats – the 16-year-old quipped, “It was an amazing moment.” Notably, Wilson was teammates with Vernon Norwood, who is twice his age. So, going up against big names is nothing new for this high school star and under-18 400-meter world record holder. And now, with his impressive 40-meter dash, Quincy has joined the elite ranks of legends like Usain Bolt.

In February 2019, Bolt attended an NFL fanfare event. It didn’t look like he would participate in any contest, but he couldn’t keep himself away from the inviting 40-yard turf. Setting a time of 4.22 seconds, he matched John Ross’ then-top timing in the event. While that time has since been beaten (not by Tyreek Hill), the wide receiver still believes he can take on Bolt in the 40-yard dash. “[In the] 40, I got him [Usain Bolt] all day,” he claimed last year. And although that contest hasn’t happened yet, Hill’s ready to take on Noah Lyles in the 50-year dash.

After ‘Cheetah’ stated he could beat Lyles, the 100m champion said in an interview at the Olympics, “What’s the ‘Cheetah’ guy from football? Well, I can’t remember his name.” While Lyles mentioned that he can’t remember names outside the track and field industry, Hill may have taken this as a taunt. Moreover, in an appearance on the Nightcap podcast with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson, Lyles said, “Tyreek is just chasing clout.”

“Anytime somebody fast comes up, he says he wants to race them,” he continued. But Lyles also considered Hill’s offer, adding, “If he’s truly serious about it – I’m not talking about you just talking on the internet – you’ll see me on the track.” The Dolphins star tweeted: “Sign the contract and lock in that 50-yard race…” Hill’s choices of sprints – the 40-yard against Bolt and the 50-yard against Lyles – can be seen as a strategic decision if you think about it.

Both track and field icons are known to be slow starters off the block. They usually set themselves apart from the field in the later stints on their sprints. That was the case with Noah Lyles during the 100m dash in Paris. He was the slowest starter, and for the first 30 meters, he was in 8th place. He then started to pick his pace up, crossing the 60-meter mark in third. And ultimately, he crossed the finish line first. Tyreek Hill, on the other hand, is used to starting off strong, considering he has to get past the defenses of his opposition to carry the ball to the endzone.

It’ll be interesting to see if either of these contests happens in the future. But after Quincy Wilson’s conclusive victory over Channing Crowder, can the 16-year-old be on Hill’s radar, too? And if so…

Could Quincy Wilson defeat Tyreek Hill on the track? 

Quincy Wilson’s fame has come through his 400-meter races, where his 44.20-second timing tops the chart for global age-based performance. However, in the shorter formats, he is no less! In the 100m, Quincy’s best time is 10.74 seconds, whereas in the 200m race, his 21.11-second time is quite competitive. In this competition, Tyreek Hill remains almost in the same bracket. 

The 30-year-old wide receiver recorded 10.19 seconds in the 100m contest once. In the 200m, his best performance is 20.14 seconds — phenomenal for someone who left track and field for the NFL. Furthermore, Tyreek won the gold medal at the World Junior level in the 4x100m relay, whereas in the 200m event, a third-place finish earned him praise.

For these extraordinary achievements, Tyreek Hill was honored with the ‘High School Athlete of the Year’ title in 2012. Guess who else had that title? Noah Lyles, in 2015 and 2016! So, if Quincy Wilson — who’s already a sprinting sensation in his own right — ever got a chance to race against Tyreek, it would definitely be one for the books. For a 16-year-old athlete, what could be more thrilling than taking on a legendary sprinter like Tyreek Hill? Could 16-year-old track prodigy Quincy outpace the 30-year-old NFL speedster Tyreek Hill? Share your thoughts in the comments below!