Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin woke up on the wrong side of the bed after learning of Noah Lyles’ victory in the men’s 100-meter final at the Olympics a day earlier.
The NFL player didn’t hold back after discovering that Lyles had edged out 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 whether the 28-year-old has any issues with Lyles, 27.
But the speedster infuriated American basketball players last year when he told a news conference in August that NBA players boasting of a “world championship” had not actually beaten teams from other parts of the world and therefore could not be considered “the best of the best.”
Noah Lyles may have won the men’s 100m final on Sunday, but his victory wasn’t celebrated by everyone…
Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin, who is among the top 100 players in the NFL, criticized Lyles in X
—World champion of what? The United States? —Lyles suggested. —Don’t get me wrong, I love America sometimes, but that’s not the world… there are no flags in the NBA.
In response, NBA stars who are now also on the Team USA basketball roster, such as Kevin Durant and Bam Adebayo, responded to Lyles on social media.
The tension between Lyles and American basketball stars has created a somewhat 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 noted Lyles’ tight first-place finish, acknowledging that the speedster had proven his critics wrong, including himself.
“Haha he’s an Olympic gold medalist. He can talk his ass off,” the 29-year-old wrote on X, adding a laughing emoji.
Lyles barely defeated Jamaican Kishane Thompson to claim his first Olympic gold medal
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 for the Colts.
Franklin agreed to a three-year extension worth up to $31.3 million in March with Indy.
What’s more, his teammates rank him 100th on their list of the 100 best NFL players of 2024.