Tyreek Hill issues challenge to Lionel Messi

Sep 29, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) runs with the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

Tyreek Hill wants to set up a real football vs. football battle in Miami.

The Miami Dolphins receiver Hill issued a challenge this week to the soccer megastar Messi, who just agreed to a seismic deal to sign with Inter Miami of Major League Soccer (MLS). In a video post welcoming Messi to South Beach, Hill indicated that he was trying to race the Argentinian forward.

“Now we got two No. 10s [in Miami],” said Hill, referencing their respective jersey numbers. “But I just wanna know which one is the fastest.”

That may not exactly be a fair race. Hill, 29, is one of the fastest players in sports and is always using his speed to blow by defenders on routes or in the open field. Messi, meanwhile, has always been about ingenuity and technical ability over pure speed in dribbling past opponents (though his acceleration measures up among the best). He most certainly is not about pure speed right now at 35 years old (turning 36 later this month).

For Hill, who is entering his second season with the Dolphins, he might be better off racing someone closer in age and skillset to him (like this fellow NFLer who once stunningly beat Hill in a foot race).