Xavier Worthy’s record-setting 40-yard dash once would’ve come with a private island, or $1 million in cash. Instead, the Texas wide receiver will walk away with improved draft stock and the admiration of his peers.
Worthy ran the 40-yard dash in 4.21 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine this weekend, a record for the event. He did so in neon orange Adidas cleats, notable because back in 2017 the sportswear giant offered prospects $1 million (or the island) if anyone could set a Combine record wearing its shoes.
The offer, which is no longer in place, turned heads for how outlandish it was. Adidas promised to procure an island of its choosing, with a maximum value of $1 million, for anyone who broke his position’s record. For winners who didn’t want the burden—and the tax hit—the company said it could also just pay the athlete $1 million.
It’s unclear if Worthy has a separate deal with Adidas (none appears to have been announced), or if the German company would do anything to reward him for this year’s feat. Representatives didn’t respond to requests for comment on Sunday morning, and the company’s football Twitter account has not posted since Feb. 11.
The 40-yard dash has drawn increased criticism over its utility in talent evaluation, but Worthy’s record drew attention across the NFL world. Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and Desean Jackson are among the players who applauded the feat.
The private island promo, designed to call attention to the company’s new adizero cleats, also served a second purpose—it was another opportunity for Adidas to grow its stable of endorsers. Players who trained and ran in the cleats might prove more interested in wearing them on Sundays. The fine print of the offer also said the player had to sign an endorsement deal with the company for the 2017 NFL season.
Perhaps the most interesting twist: In 2017, a prospect actually did break the combine’s 40-yard dash record. Washington wide receiver John Ross ran a 4.22—the record that Worthy just broke—but he did so in Nike cleats. Asked afterward about missing out on the island, he joked, “Well I can’t swim that well … and I don’t have a boat.”
Ross likely did benefit financially, however. He was picked 9th in the NFL draft that year, one spot ahead of Mahomes. The ninth pick in last year’s NFL draft had a $12.9 million signing bonus, and a total contract value of $21.8 million.
