When the clock stopped at 4.22 seconds on that Saturday in Indianapolis, the world froze with it. It was March 2017. John Ross had just done the impossible. He didn’t just run; he levitated across the turf at Lucas Oil Stadium. People were screaming. Scouts were frantically checking their stopwatches. John Ross 40 yard dash time had just erased Chris Johnson’s legendary 4.24 record from the history books.
It was pure, unadulterated electricity.
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But history is a funny thing. Now, years later, the narrative around that 4.22 has shifted. It’s often used as a cautionary tale about "workout warriors" and the "Combine trap." People look at his NFL career and then look at the time and conclude that the number was a lie.
That’s a mistake. The speed was real. What happened after is the part that’s complicated.
The Moment 4.22 Became Reality
Ross didn't even run twice. You usually get two cracks at the 40. He hit 4.22 on his first attempt and immediately started limping. He knew. His calves were cramping—dehydration, he said later—and he just shut it down.
Think about that for a second. He broke the all-time record while essentially injuring himself at the finish line. He left even more speed on the table. Some scouts on the sidelines actually had him at a 4.19 on their hand-timers.
Honestly, it’s one of the gutsiest single sprints in the history of the sport. He was already dealing with a torn labrum in his shoulder that required surgery right after the Combine. He chose to run anyway because he knew his life was about to change.
The Cincinnati Bengals saw that number and fell in love. They took him 9th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. They thought they were getting the next DeSean Jackson or Tyreek Hill. They thought speed was the ultimate equalizer.
Why 4.22 Didn't Translate to Sunday Success
Everyone asks: "If he was that fast, why didn't he dominate?"
Football speed and track speed are different. You’ve probably heard that a thousand times. But with Ross, it was deeper. Injuries didn't just slow him down; they stole his confidence. His rookie year was a total wash. He had one touch—a 12-yard reverse—and he fumbled it. He was benched. He was a "healthy scratch" for most of the season.
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Marvin Lewis, the Bengals coach at the time, was notoriously hard on rookies. Ross was in a mental "bad place," as he later admitted.
The Technical Gap
In college at Washington, Ross could just outrun everybody. He didn't need to be a master technician. But in the NFL, cornerbacks like Jalen Ramsey or Stephon Gilmore will jam you at the line of scrimmage. If you don't have the hand technique to get off the press, your 4.22 speed stays stuck at the 0-yard line.
- Injury List: Torn labrum, knee issues, groin strains, foot injuries.
- The "Drops": When you're thinking about your routes instead of reacting, the ball hits your hands and bounces off. That happened too often.
He did have flashes. In 2019, he opened the season with 158 yards and two touchdowns against Seattle. He followed it up with 112 yards against the 49ers. For two weeks, he looked like the record-breaker everyone expected. Then, he got hurt again.
The Xavier Worthy Factor
For seven years, Ross held the crown. Then came 2024. Xavier Worthy, the Texas wideout, stepped up and ran a 4.21.
The comparisons were immediate and, frankly, a bit unfair to both guys. People used Ross as a reason to be skeptical of Worthy. "Don't draft the track guy," the critics said. But Worthy had three years of heavy college production. Ross really only had one elite season at Washington (81 catches, 17 touchdowns).
Basically, the John Ross 40 yard dash time became a benchmark for "buyer beware." It’s a bit of a tragedy because it overshadows how hard he worked to get back.
The 2024-2026 Comeback Attempt
Most people don't realize Ross retired in 2023 while with the Kansas City Chiefs. He was done. He was coaching his son's team and trying to find peace.
But the itch came back. In 2024, he tried out for the Philadelphia Eagles. He didn't make a massive splash, but he was there, still trying to prove that he was more than a number on a stopwatch. As of early 2026, his story is less about being the "fastest man" and more about being a guy who refused to let a "bust" label define his entire existence.
What Coaches and Scouts Actually Learned
Looking back, the John Ross 40 yard dash time changed how the NFL evaluates speed. Teams are now much more focused on GPS "game speed" rather than just the 40 time. They want to see how fast a guy is in pads, while making a cut, with a defender draped over him.
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If you're a young athlete trying to emulate that speed, the lesson isn't just "run fast."
- Prioritize Route Running: Speed is a multiplier, not a foundation. Without the ability to create separation through technique, the speed is wasted.
- Durability is a Skill: Ross’s body struggled with the torque his own speed generated. Strengthening the "chassis" to handle the "engine" is vital.
- Mental Resilience: The pressure of being a top-10 pick because of a 4.22 time is immense. Having a support system to handle the "bust" talk is as important as any workout.
Ross might not have the Hall of Fame career the Bengals hoped for when they turned in that card in 2017. But he still holds a place in football lore. That 4.22 was a moment of peak human performance that very few people on this planet will ever touch. It was real. It was spectacular. And it’s still one of the most incredible things we've ever seen at the Combine.
To truly understand the value of speed in the modern game, one must look at the GPS tracking data now used in NFL games, which measures "Miles Per Hour" (MPH) during live plays. Comparing Ross's 40-yard dash to the top game speeds of 2025 and 2026 shows that while the 40 is a great metric for acceleration, sustained game speed often tells a more accurate story of a player's impact on the field. Focusing on plyometric training and fast-twitch muscle fiber development remains the best way for aspiring sprinters to shave hundredths of a second off their own times.