NFL Star Tyreek Hill Challenges Olympic Sprinter Noah Lyles to a Race

Mar. 15, 2025

From Left: Tyreek Hill; and Noah Lyles.Photo:AP Photo; Sam Mellish/Getty

AP Photo; Sam Mellish/Getty

On Sunday, Aug. 18, Hill, 30, doubled down on his previous claims that he can beat Lyles in a race,writing on X(formerly Twitter): “Sign the contract and lock in that 50 yard race.”

The wide receiver added a little extra to his challenge when is questioned whether Lyles, 27, was reallysick with COVID-19at the Olympics when he won bronze in the men’s 200m race before withdrawing from the men’s 4x100m relay final shortly after.

Tyreek Hill on Feb. 4, 2024.Mike Ehrmann/Getty

Mike Ehrmann/Getty

During an appearance on theNightcappodcaston Sunday, Lyles finally responded to Hill, adding that he was skeptical about the seriousness of Hill’s claim.

“He’s challenging me to race in the 100? We can race,” Lyles said. “If he’s serious about it, if he’s truly serious about it — I’m not talking about, you’re just talking on the internet and you ain’t actually coming to me and talking to my agent and saying let’s set something up — if you’re serious about it, you’ll see me on the track.”

That response, of course, prompted Hill’s offer to “lock in that” race. Whether the two will actually face off against each other on the track remains to be seen.

Noah Lyles on Aug. 4, 2024.Jean Catuffe/Getty

Jean Catuffe/Getty

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On Aug. 4, Lyles officially became the fastest man in the world when he crossed the finish line in the 100m dash at Paris’ Stade de France with a time of 9.784 seconds.

Then, the Team USA track and field star was just two days away from competing in the men’s 200m final on Aug. 8 when hetested positive for COVID. Despite the aches and pains, he was able to bring home abronze medalin the race.

In an interview with PEOPLE on Sunday, Aug. 11, Lyles said he’s finally feeling “a lot better,” despite some fatigue.

“I was just telling my girlfriend, I’m like, ‘I am so tired,’ and she’s like, ‘Well, you did just win the 100 with COVID, and still not getting as much rest as possible,” says Lyles, who has been dating fellow Olympic sprinter Junelle Bromfield since 2022.

Lyles said there was never a doubt in his mind that he’d compete, despite dealing with fatigue, chills, aches and the need to get his asthma under control so as not to risk a respiratory issue like bronchitis.

“As long as I knew that I was allowed to, I was gonna tackle it,” he said of running the 200m race.

source: people.com