NFL star Robert Griffin III makes audacious $100,000 stakes for proposed Christian Coleman 40-yard dash
Former NFL star Robert Griffin III has sparked controversy by proposing a $100,000 prize to Christian Coleman, following Coleman’s victory in the World Indoor Championships 60m title.
Griffin initially praised Coleman’s performance in a viral video comparing football and track speeds. He then proposed the hefty prize if Coleman could achieve a sub-4-second time in a 40-yard dash, a challenge Coleman accepted.
However, the offer has drawn criticism as it surpasses Coleman’s World Indoor Championships prize of $50,000, highlighting the disparity in earnings between track and field athletes and athletes in other sports.
Staking $100,000 on a mere challenge by Robert Griffin III is not so much an amount to a former NFL star, but to Coleman, that’s double the prize he spent months preparing for to become a world champion.
Coleman’s required years of hard work and preparation, making the comparatively large prize for a simple challenge seem disproportionate.
This incident underscores the need for better funding for track and field athletes, especially considering the popularity of the sport and the efforts required to excel at the highest level.