What’s a guy to do after becoming the fastest man in the world and earning two gold medals in one year? Jim Hines decided to enter the NFL the same year he won at the Olympics! In 1968, the athlete was drafted by the Miami Dolphins, with his unbelievable ability to sprint on display as a wide receiver. After two seasons in Miami, he went to play for the Kansas City Chiefs for one game before the end of his NFL career. According to the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame, the gold medalist was competing in races past when he turned 30, even clocking in at 10.9 seconds in the 100 meter when he was 37 years old. Hines was inducted by his alma mater, Texas Southern University, into their Texas Southern Hall of Fame in 1986 for his athletic accomplishments in track and field.
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In a 1991 interview with the Los Angeles Times, the Olympian shared that he created the Jim Hines Foundation inspired by his work as a social worker in Oakland, California in order to “help minority youth and elderly.” In terms of his legacy in sports, it’s clear where the record breaker, which lasted for 15 years, the longest the 100-meter record has ever remained unbroken stands. “I am the original World’s Fastest,” Hines asserted to the publication. “I won 99% of my races in the 100 [meter]. Nobody ever did that.”
