Former NFL running back and now Olympic sprinter Jahvid Best explains what it's like to race against Usain Bolt. (1:31)

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Like so many others across the world, Marvin Jones tuned into the 100-meter dash at the Rio Olympics on Sunday to see some of the fastest men in the world run. It was a bit more personal for the Detroit Lions receiver, though.

Jones is close with former Lions running back Jahvid Best, who made his Olympics debut for St. Lucia on Saturday in the first round of the 100 meters. And Best, well, he was in the same heat as the eventual gold medalist, Usain Bolt.

"I know everybody that we played with was eyeing him," Jones said. "Just to see him go and be in the Olympics, that's huge. Out of millions of people who run, you're one of the guys that can run with some of the greats.

"He ran with Usain."

Jahvid Best, left, ran Saturday's 100-meter heat in 10.39 seconds, which left him in seventh, far behind heat winner -- and eventual gold medalist -- Usain Bolt, right, and his 10.07 time. Eric Seals/USA TODAY Sports

Ran with is pejorative in sprinting terms. Bolt won their first round heat in 10.07 seconds. Two lanes over from Bolt was Best, who finished seventh in the heat at 10.39 seconds and did not qualify for the semifinals.

Jones said he has "never seen anybody faster on the field" when it came to Best in football. In football, that made life a little bit easier for Jones because it meant not having to block quite as long. But knowing that also put the speed of most football players into perspective.

As fast as they may be, they don't come close to some of the top sprinters in the world.

"Oh yeah, definitely. I mean, come on," Jones said. "[Best] was pushing it. He was pushing the limit and those guys are jogging 9.9s. But he's definitely among the fastest. When you go to the Olympics, you're among the fastest in the world."

Jones said those who are really the fastest -- guys like Bolt and Justin Gatlin and Canada's Andre De Grasse -- are "superhuman in terms of speed and stuff like that." But Jones thought it was cool to be able to watch.

There's another Olympic tie for Jones, too. He paid for a year of training for his sister, Vanessa, who was just starting her professional track career and was trying to qualify for the Rio Olympics in the 400 meters. Vanessa Jones didn't make the Rio games, but she spent the year training at the same facility as Best.

Marvin Jones said the year of paying for Vanessa's training has concluded, but she now knows what it takes to become a professional runner. Marvin Jones said his sister is heading back to her alma mater, USC, to train with her coach, 1992 Olympic gold medalist Quincy Watts.

"That was when she was at her best, when she was with him," Marvin Jones said. "I'm excited to see her development and stuff like that. It was just a one-year thing just to get her started. Now she knows what to expect.

"She knows, this is your first year, she's trying to run professionally, so when you're at your peak and when you have to do this. She's more in tune to it and she'll be great in years to come."

Good enough, Marvin Jones hopes, that he might have close ties to two people at the next Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2020.