So… Noah Lyles and Tyreek Hill were really about to race in Times Square, until they weren’t. Yup, you read that right. The highly anticipated sprint showdown between Olympic 100m champ Noah Lyles and NFL star Tyreek Hill was this close to happening in the middle of Times Square, New York City. “We were deep into creating the event,” Lyles said at the Stagwell Sport Beach Event in Cannes, France, where he also unveiled his new venture, Iconic Productions, with Box to Box Films, the same crew behind Netflix’s Sprint. “In fact, it was supposed to happen this weekend.” That’s when he dropped the bomb: the race was called off due to “personal reasons.” Fans were stunned. Times Square shut down for a footrace? And now, nothing? What even happened here?

Hill wasted zero time throwing shade and a meme. Just hours after Lyles made his announcement, Tyreek Hill clapped back: a Simpsons meme. He superimposed Lyle’s head onto Homer Simpson as he fades into a bush. After Hill’s own athletic flex last weekend, where he clocked a wind-legal 10.15 seconds in the 100 meters at the Last Chance meet in Sherman Oaks, California. For a football player? Impressive. But for Noah Lyles? Not so much. Noah hasn’t run a 100 slower than 10.15 since 2022. So when Hill says, “Noah could never,” it sounds more like smack talk than substance. So… was the race ever really a fair game to begin with? Enter the podcast takes, and they are WILD.

In the latest episode of Well Played on YouTube, hosts Caroline Hendershot and Blake Morgan went all in on the drama. “I think everyone’s getting tired of this back-and-forth,” they said, reacting to Hill’s latest jab and Noah Lyles’ update. But what started as a sports discussion quickly turned into something else. After Hill’s “Noah could never” comment and Lyles’ explanation, the hosts got hilariously unfiltered: “I need both of these men to go to couples therapy because there has never been a more toxic love-hate relationship than these two.” Then came the kicker: “It’s not a feud, they’re looking for a bid for connection.” Wait, are we still talking track and field? Because now it’s sounding like a rom-com. Enemies to lovers, anyone?

Honestly, it might not be a rivalry; it might be a situationship. The hosts weren’t done. They called it a full-blown “lover’s quarrel,” joked about reality TV therapist Ora quitting on them (“You guys are too much for me”), and even compared the situation to how guys bond over sports like football or golf. “They talk a lot, but do they talk a lot?” Caroline Hendershot said, channeling Oprah’s iconic “Were you silent, or were you silenced?” moment.

And honestly, they might be onto something. Noah Lyles and Hill keep circling each other with memes, interviews, canceled races… anything but closure. At this point, it’s not even about who’s faster; it’s about why they keep needing each other. Sure, Hill’s net worth is reportedly $60 million, with a $30 million salary to match (per Celebrity Net Worth, April 2025), but this whole thing? It’s bigger than dollars. The race might’ve been canceled, but this saga? Oh, it’s just heating up.. Wondering where this all started?

Noah Lyles could never? Tyreek could never? This race has everything but the race

It started with gold medals and gridiron speed, but somewhere along the way, the Noah Lyles vs. Tyreek Hill race turned into a full-blown soap opera. Back in August 2024, right after Lyles sprinted to Olympic gold in 9.79 seconds, Hill, former track star and current Miami Dolphins receiver, challenged him to a 50-yard dash. Lyles fired back with a smirk, “What’s that guy’s name? The cheetah guy from football? Mark?” And just like that, the race was on… or so we thought. By February 2025, Lyles had just clocked a world-class 6.52 at the New Balance Grand Prix and held up a sign that read, “Tyreek Could Never.” It was peak pettiness and peak entertainment.

By mid-February, both stars said the race was officially happening. Lyles said the 60-meter duel would take place before the US Outdoor Championships, while Hill doubled down on the trash talk: “We’re here for a good time… as long as we ain’t putting people’s mamas in it.” But for fans? This wasn’t just a race anymore; it was reality TV in track spikes. Then came June 13. Hill showed up at a California meet, ran a solid 10.15 seconds, and flashed a handwritten sign: “Noah Could Never.” It was a direct clapback to Lyles’ earlier jab, and yet, still no race between the two.

What kicked off as some light-hearted smack talk between Noah Lyles and Tyreek Hill has now turned into this oddly emotional, slightly messy, and totally addictive saga. Like, we were all here for the race, but now it’s about way more than that. With the 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships coming up fast, Noah Lyles really doesn’t have time to be playing around. And Hill? He’s got NFL training camp with the Dolphins starting mid-July, so his schedule’s packed too. At this point, whether they actually race or not feels almost beside the point—the drama itself has legs. And honestly? It’s still running.