Ex Detroit Lions Running Back Jahvid Best Makes St. Lucia Track and Field Olympic Team

Jahvid Best was a speedy running back with the Detroit Lions who had a promising NFL career halted after 22 games due to concussions. Though his football days are behind him, Best still has great speed and isn’t through with big time sports.

Besides playing football in high school, Best was a sprinter on his school’s track team and he’s returned to those roots. Best ran a 10.16 100 meters in a track meet in April, which is the minimum qualifying time in that event for the Olympics. While that time wouldn’t get Best onto the U.S. team, it just so happens that the California native’s father has dual citizenship with the Caribbean nation of St. Lucia, and that’s good enough for Best to qualify as a member of that team. So, Best will be going to Rio next month.

Best was the Lions’ first round draft pick in 2010. He played college football at California from 2007-9, where he average 7.3 yards per carry on 364 carries for the Golden Bears. Here’s a highlight reel from his 2009 season: