How fast are Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson and Chicago Bears wide receiver Devin Hester? We know that they are two of the fastest players in the NFL, but how would they match up against the fastest land animal in the world? Apparently we’re about to find out.
According to The Tennessean, Johnson and Hester recently raced a cheetah for a special that will air in November to kick off Nat Geo Wild’s “Big Cat Week.” Of course, the players were separated from the cheetah by a barrier. It’s also important to note that a cheetah doesn’t understand the concept of friendly competition, so we’ll have to take the results with a grain of salt.
“This is most incredible challenge I’ve ever faced,” Johnson told entertainment site The Wrap. “I wanted to go up against the fastest in the world and test myself, and this was it!”
The segment, called “Man vs. Cheetah,” will compare Johnson’s and Hester’s speed, maneuverability and instincts to that of a cheetah. It will also look into whether cheetahs have hidden weaknesses in their athletic ability or if comparing them to humans will help understand what makes them such dangerous predators in the wild.
“We loved the idea of a face-off like no other between supreme athletes and an alpha predator,” executive vice president and general manager of Nat Geo Wild Geoff Daniels said. “This isn’t sports, it’s amazing science. … And we are thrilled that Johnson and Hester — two record-setting NFL pros — are helping to kick off this unprecedented experiment during our network’s biggest week of the year.”
In reality, Johnson probably has a better chance of making good on his smack talk toward Usain Bolt or actually running a 40-yard dash in the time he claims he is capable of running it. Cheetahs can dash up to 70 mph. Michael Johnson holds the record for the fastest human at 23 mph. Enough said.
