The sports world is buzzing with the idea of a race between NFL superstar Tyreek Hill and Olympic sprinter Noah Lyles.
As speculation over who would win continues, former NFL punter and sports analyst Pat McAfee has stepped into the conversation, offering his own breakdown, and he believes Hill may have a crucial edge.
During a segment on The Pat McAfee Show, the energetic host highlighted what he sees as Hill’s secret weapon: an exceptional first-step advantage thanks to his football background.
While Lyles is one of the fastest men in the world on the track, McAfee argues Hill’s “elite reaction” gives him a unique edge, especially over short distances.
A different kind of speed
McAfee acknowledged that Lyles is “an absolute dog” and a world-class sprinter. But that’s not the end of the story. According to McAfee, Hill’s explosiveness isn’t just natural-it’s football-bred and honed under different rules.
“Tyreek’s elite reaction is built in,” McAfee said. “The second it goes off, Tyreek’s gonna pop.”
While Olympic sprinters like Lyles are trained to respond to the starting gun with perfect form, McAfee believes Hill’s muscle memory is hardwired for real-time response and sudden bursts, an advantage cultivated from years of reading defenses and timing snap counts.
“[Lyles] is gonna wait on the gun, lengthen his stride,” McAfee continued. In contrast, Hill’s training allows him to “hit it off instant,” giving him the potential to take an early lead before Lyles’ longer stride and top-end speed come into play.
When the gun goes off, “Tyreek’s gonna pop”
That split-second reaction could make all the difference in a short sprint. In McAfee’s eyes,Hill’s quick start might be enough to surprise people, even against someone with Olympic credentials.
“He’s gonna be ahead of everybody,” McAfee said of Hill. “It’s not even gonna be close.”
That kind of confidence isn’t unusual for McAfee, who has long used his platform to offer unique takes on major sports stories.
But in this case, he’s not merely hyping up Hill. He’s breaking down the biomechanics and psychological readiness that separate football players from traditional sprinters.
Though McAfee didn’t go so far as to guarantee Hill would beat Lyles, he made it clear the race wouldn’t be a blowout in favor of the track star. “That’s why Tyreek’s always gonna have that advantage,” McAfee concluded.
The debate between Hill and Lyles has captured fans’ imaginations because it’s about more than raw speed. It’s a comparison between two elite athletes trained in very different disciplines. Hill’s short-burst, reaction-based training clashes with Lyles’ long-stride, gun-timed precision.
McAfee’s analysis adds fuel to the fire and offers a compelling perspective: while track might favor smooth execution and acceleration, football cultivates instantaneous power and reflex. That’s what gives Tyreek Hill the kind of advantage McAfee thinks could matter-especially over a short, explosive distance.
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