Colts’ linebacker Zaire Franklin woke up on the wrong side of the bed after learning of Noah Lyles’ win in the men’s 100m final at the Olympics a day earlier.
The NFL’er didn’t hold himself back after finding out that Lyles had outran Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by five thousandths (0.005) of a second to win gold in Paris on Sunday.
‘Noah Lyles is my least favorite American. Good morning,’ Franklin posted on X on Monday morning.
It’s unclear if the 28-year-old has beef with Lyles, 27.
But the sprinter infuriated American basketball players last year, when he said at an August press conference that NBA players bragging about a ‘world championship’ hadn’t actually beaten teams from other parts of the world, and therefore couldn’t calm themselves ‘the best of the best.’
Noah Lyles may’ve won the men’s 100m final on Sunday but his win wasn’t celebrated by all…
Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin, who ranks among the NFL’s Top 100 players, blasted Lyles on X
‘World champion of what? The United States?’ Lyles suggested. ‘Don’t get me wrong, I love the US, at times. But that ain’t the world… there ain’t no flags in the NBA.”
In response, NBA stars who are now also on the Team USA basketball roster, like Kevin Durant and Bam Adebayo, hit back at Lyles on social media.
The tension between Lyles and US basketball stars has created a bit of an awkward atmosphere among American athletes in Paris, as several NBA players were at the Stade de France to watch Lyles race on Sunday.
Knicks guard Josh Hart also watched Lyles’ tight first place finish, acknowledging that the sprinter had proven his critics wrong, himself included.
‘Lol na he an Olympic gold medalist. He can talk for life,’ the 29-year-old wrote on X, adding a laughing emoji.
Lyles barely defeated Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson to claim his first Olympic gold medal ever
Franklin started 16 games for the Colts in 2023 before signing a three-year extension in March
Meanwhile, Franklin started 16 games for the Colts in 2023, racking up 179 tackles, three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and six pass deflections in his sixth season in Indy.
He is coming off his second season as a full-time starter on the Colts.
Franklin agreed to a three-year extension worth up to $31.3million in March with Indy.
What’s more is that he is ranked 100th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2024.
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