Shannon Sharpe, Chad Johnson Pledge $25K to USA Track Athletes for 2024 Olympic Golds

Former NFL stars Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson pledged $25,000 to United States track athletes if they win gold medals in their respective events at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Sharpe and Johnson specifically mentioned Noah Lyles, Sha'Carri Richardson, and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone during the Nightcap podcast (h/t USA Today's Safid Deen).

Sharpe also offered $50,000 to any Team USA member to break a world record on the track at the 2024 Games.

The two former stars weren't happy with the payout for United States athletes after winning a gold medal. The Olympic committee pays U.S. athletes $37,500 for a gold medal, $22,500 for silver, and $15,000 for bronze medalists (via Forbes' Brian Bushard).

"You done bust your ass for four years straight to represent our country and the payout saying, 'Thank you for the work you put in,' is 37 f--king thousand," Johnson said. "Come on man."

Lyles will have a strong chance to take home a gold medal in the 100-meter dash after he previously won the event as well as the 200-meter dash during the 2023 world championships in Budapest.

While Richardson is making her first Olympic appearance, she's also a contender to emerge with a gold medal after she won her first world championship in the 100-meter in 2023. The 24-year-old also finished in first place during the 100-meter finals at the United States' track trials with a time of 10.71 seconds.

As for McLaughlin-Levrone, she'll be looking to defend her gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles after winning the event during the Tokyo Olympics. She set a world record in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 50.65 seconds at the U.S. Olympic trials in June.

McLaughlin-Levrone, Richardson, and Lyles could be receiving some extra money from the pair of former NFL stars if they can stand on top of the podium once their respective events conclude in Paris.