Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill trolled sprinter Noah Lyles during an appearance on the “Up & Adams” podcast on Monday, saying he could beat the Olympic gold medalist in a footrace.
The five-time All-Pro was responding to comments Lyles made after the 2023 World Athletic Championships in Budapest, Hungary, when he criticized NBA Finals winners for declaring themselves “world champions.”
“You know what hurts me the most is that I have to watch the NBA Finals and they have ‘world champion’ on their head. World champion of what?” Lyles said. “The United States? Don’t get me wrong — I love the U.S., at times, but that ain’t the world. …There ain’t no flags in the NBA. We got to do more. We got to be presented to the world.”
Hill’s comments were the latest example of American athletes pushing back on Lyles’ comments about world champions.
Hill said Lyles should speak to what he knows — track — before answering in the affirmative when asked if he would beat the six-time world champion in a race.
“I would beat Noah Lyles,” Hill said. “I’m not going to beat him by a lot, but I would beat Noah Lyles. “
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Lyles won the gold medal in the men’s 100-meter race in a personal-best 9.78 seconds before collecting bronze in the 200-meter. He collapsed after the race and was taken off the track in a wheelchair. It was revealed that he tested positive for COVID days before the race.
Hill is widely considered to be the fastest player in the NFL, and he has a track background. He was a high school All-American and ran a 9.98-second 100-meter dash at the NJCAA championships in 2013.