“This has been an ongoing thing for quite some time now,” Tyreek Hill admitted back in February, referring to the long-simmering feud with sprint king Noah Lyles. “Everybody’s seen the back and forth on social media. I’ve been very adamant to show people what real, true speed looks like.” Remember the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix? Lyles wore a “Tyreek could never” sign after winning his fourth straight 60-meter final. Well, on June 13, Hill finally did more than talk.
In a surprise appearance at the Last Chance Sprint Series in Los Angeles, the Miami Dolphins’ wide receiver didn’t just show up—he made a statement. Literally. As Hill stepped onto the track, he carried a bold message scribbled on a sheet of paper: “NOAH COULD NEVER.” No chip on his shoulder—just a whole message in his hand. Then came the real shocker. Lining up in the men’s 100m, Hill blazed through the finish line in 10.15 seconds (+1.2 m/s wind), shattering his personal best of 10.19—a mark he set over a decade ago as a high school phenom in 2012. To put that into perspective: his time would’ve qualified him for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, placing him among the top 30 fastest sprinters in the country. So, is that decent? Is it extraordinary?
Track and field analyst and coach, Rob, didn’t waste time sharing his thoughts. On his June 13 YouTube podcast episode, he broke the performance down—and the hierarchy it lives in. According to him, track and field is split into four tiers: Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, and Tier 4. Coach Rob further noted, “Obviously, Noah Lyles right now has to be at the top of it when we talk about the 100.” Notably, the Tier 1 is for ‘the people with gold medals.’ To show the importance of this group, Rob claimed it to be ‘a very short list.’ Well, he didn’t put Tyreek in that group. Then? As per him, Tyreek Hill fits into Tier 4. Right away, he explained the specifications of Tier 4.
CLEVELAND, OH – DECEMBER 29: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill 10 leaves the field following the National Football League game between the Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns on December 29, 2024, at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, OH. Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire NFL, American Football Herren, USA DEC 29 Dolphins at Browns EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon241229016
The coach elaborated, “Tier Four is, you know, the people who want to make finals, but they’re not necessarily doing it yet. Guess what? Tyreek Hill is already there. He’s at least Tier Four. He’s at least. You could put me in a Continental Tour brief, like a Continental Tour Gold race, if you wanted to.” But does Hill’s 10.15 not count for more? It absolutely does. From that angle, the coach acknowledged, “I’m not saying he’s [Tyreek Hill] going to win them, but he’s sure enough going to make it look like he belongs there.” In saying all this, Coach Rob wasn’t downplaying Tyreek’s performance. Instead, he recognized its significance while making one thing clear: Hill isn’t operating at Noah Lyles’ elite level just yet. Still, doesn’t that make a race between the two all the more necessary?
Coach Rob made a key point when he said, “I think Noah Lyles, for what he is and what he does, if you really want a shot at him, you gotta come see him on the track and see him in his domain. You need to race him in the 100.” Interestingly, both Lyles and Hill have already agreed to face off in a much-anticipated race, expected to take place sometime this spring or summer, ahead of Lyles’ participation in the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which begin on July 31. While the location of the showdown hasn’t been revealed yet, another track and field star has already weighed in on the upcoming clash.
Another Olympian shared his take on the Noah Lyles vs Tyreek Hill race
According to sprinting legend Michael Johnson, a potential showdown between Tyreek Hill and Noah Lyles isn’t even close to a real contest. In fact, the four-time Olympic gold medallist compared the idea to a gimmick fight, not unlike the much-hyped, eyebrow-raising boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show, Johnson didn’t hold back.
“Let’s go back to Tyson and Paul. Here’s what happened, right? They tried and failed,” he said. “They tried to make that some sort of compelling competition. But they tried and failed.” At first, Johnson admitted, even he got caught up in the hype. “I think that people are beyond that. Nobody is going to believe it anymore. We all fell for it, right? At the beginning I was like, ‘This is ridiculous.’” That’s exactly how Johnson views the proposed race between Hill and Lyles: a flashy distraction, not a true contest.
“The closer it got, with a lot of marketing… I was like, ‘Okay, I’m buying into it and I’m sitting down and watching it’,” Johnson said flatly. He didn’t stop there. Johnson doubled down on his point, claiming that Hill wouldn’t even sniff the level of the top 30 sprinters in the world, let alone challenge Lyles.
To Johnson, this match-up is all sizzle, no substance. Just spectacle. Just entertainment. So, while fans may be salivating at the thought of a football-versus-track crossover clash, Johnson’s message is crystal clear: Don’t confuse the hype for a fair fight.
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