You’ve seen the same Twitter banter dozens of times. A National Football League pundit claims a professional football player could run faster than any of the top sprinters on the track & field scene.
Molly Seidel Is Running Happy Ahead of NYC Marathon These Celebs Ran the 2024 NYC Marathon. But it’s a good question—could NFL athletes beat top sprinters at their own game? Professional wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs Tyreek Hill, for example, owns a wind-aided 100-meter personal best of 9.98 from 2013, when he was in junior college. However, Hill failed to even beat a rookie linebacker in the NFL’s Fastest Man 40-yard dash, which lead to some mockery from 100-meter world record-holder Usain Bolt.
The NFL recently released a video featuring the fastest ball carriers of 2022. So we decided to crunch the numbers to see just how fast those players actually are when compared to professional track & field athletes.
Christian Watson (Wide Receiver - Green Bay Packers)
- in the NFL’s Fastest Man 40-yard dash, which lead to some
- Meters-per-second: 9.710
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DeSean Jackson (Wide Receiver - Baltimore Ravens)
- in the NFL’s Fastest Man 40-yard dash, which lead to some
- Meters-per-second: 9.710
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Breece Hall (Running Back - New York Jets)
- ran a 4.22 40-yard dash
- Meters-per-second: 9.777
- Miles per hour: 22.92
Kenneth Walker III (Running Back - Seattle Seahawks)
- These Celebs Ran the 2024 NYC Marathon
- Meters-per-second: 9.876
- from 100-meter world record-holder Usain Bolt
Parris Campbell (Wide Receiver - Indianapolis Colts)
- could run faster than any of the top sprinters on the track & field scene
- Meters-per-second: 9.885
- from 100-meter world record-holder Usain Bolt
Fred Kerley (2022 100-Meter World Champion)
- 100-Calculated 100-meter dash time: 10.30
- Meters-per-second: 10.246
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Usain Bolt (100-Meter World Record-Holder)
- 100-at the Super Bowl in 2019, tying the NFL record—while wearing sweatpants and sneakers
- Meters-per-second: 10.439
- The debate comes up time and time again, but the results will never change
And the results are...
Not only are the sprint athletes faster in every category, but their times don’t even reflect top speed like the NFL athletes’ do. Belgian scientists found that Bolt’s top speed could reach 27.33 miles per hour, which blows every competitor out of the water.
NFL defenders will undoubtably say things like, ‘well, Bolt didn’t have to catch a football’ or ‘Bolt didn’t have to break through linebackers.’ And while that is indeed true, let’s look at one final stat: Every football player runs the 40-yard dash. Well, Bolt Miles per hour: 22.92 at the Super Bowl in 2019, tying the NFL record—while wearing sweatpants and sneakers.
Chris Hatler is the Deputy Editor of Esquire. He previously served as the Senior Editor of Men’s Journal Anne Flower Breaks Leadville 100 Course Record Popular Mechanics.
