As the Kansas City Chiefs prepare for Week 13, superstar Tyreek Hill is also laying the groundwork for a long-anticipated race to determine the world’s fastest man.
For anyone that just thought back to the legendary Superman versus Flash comic, you’re not alone, but I digress.
Up until his recent retirement, nine-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt held the honorary title — although Lamont Marcell Jacobs of Italy took his place in the 2021 Summer Games. If you asked the Jamaican wonder, however, he’d probably argue he’s still number one but the Chiefs wide-out nicknamed ‘the Cheetah’ would beg to differ.
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Hill-Bolt Rivalry Grows
The rivalry between Hill and Bolt is well-documented, and the squabble over who’s faster has turned into a build-up that rivals any recent pay-per-view event.
It all began when Bolt revealed a conversation between him and Hill on The Pat McAfee Show.
“He was talking ‘blah blah blah,'” Bolt told McAfee, “but then I went to the combine one year and if you go on the net right now, I ran 4.22 in my sweats and some street shoes. I was like, ‘come on Tyreek Hill, you got no chance man, none whatsoever.'”
Dov Kleiman tweeted out the video evidence from February of 2019. Bolt was 32-years old when he broke the NFL record for the 40-yard dash.
It was a fun podcast appearance for Bolt but Hill didn’t enjoy it as much, firing back on social media according to TMZ. “Line up then,” he challenged the Olympian, “stop running.”
In August of this year, Bolt countered back with confidence, telling TMZ that he believes he can still beat Hill in a 40-yard dash as long as he has time to train for it. The track star acknowledged that he was willing to risk one of his nine gold medals in the race but questioned whether or not the wide receiver would do the same.
“I don’t think he would [risk his Super Bowl ring]. He has one. He’s probably scared,” Bolt said with a laugh.
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Hill Answers the Bell
In an exclusive update from TMZ Sports just after midnight on November 30, Hill told reporters that he was more than willing to meet Bolt’s terms.
“You see this Super Bowl ring right here man,” the wide receiver began, “it feels so good on my hand, and guess what? When I beat you, I’m going to have a gold medal around my neck too just to go with this jewelry.”
Hill also implied that a Super Bowl ring is much harder to win than a gold medal, adding: “My one Super Bowl ring is worth like 30 gold medals, I feel like… we talking about the top of the top.”
The Chiefs speed demon said it’s not about money or hype, noting that “it’s getting kind [of] personal.” Hill continued: “Right now, it’s about my ego… because I feel like he just tried me. First of all, my momma always told me you never let nobody talk trash to you if they’re wearing a tight shirt like that. Like, his Puma shirt was choking him. I’m not [going to] allow that to happen. I’m down with whatever, I’m down with whatever at this point.”
The Cheetah even told Bolt that they could “line up in the Walmart parking lot” as far as he’s concerned and race for charity, adding that he would also come to Jamaica. “Usain Bolt, like I said, you got my number, you got my Instagram, you got all that information. Me and you could just figure this out.”
If you consider that an athlete is probably fastest in their early twenties, neither Bolt nor Hill is in their ‘burner’ prime anymore but this race would still be extremely entertaining. Think Manny Pacquiao when he fought Floyd Mayweather in 2015.
Two legendary figures battling to settle an old score once and for all.
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