12:00 PM PT -- Anna just posted an apology ... "I apologize to Ray Lewis and his family for my comments. In no way did I mean for them to be mean or hurtful. I'm embarrassed for being a sore loser. I wish Ray and the Ravens good luck. Lesson learned!"


Wes Welker's wife hates Ray Lewis ... and not just because the Ravens beat the Patriots yesterday ... it's 'cause she thinks he's a terrible human being ... and she made her feelings known on Facebook.

After Sunday's AFC Championship game ... Anna Burns Welker went to her Facebook page and posted the following message:

"Proud of my husband and the Pats. By the way, if anyone is bored, please go to Ray Lewis' Wikipedia page. 6 kids 4 wives. Acquitted for murder. Paid a family off. Yay. What a hall of fame player! A true role model!"


The post has since been deleted.

FYI -- Lewis was charged with murder back in 2000 for his involvement in a fight that resulted in two deadly stabbings ... but the murder charge was dropped as part of a plea deal.

Oh yeah, the four wives thing ... Lewis has never been married -- but he does have six kids with four different women.

And you don't want to get on his bad side.

Fact is, Anna should've known better -- because last year after the Super Bowl, Tom Brady's wife Gisele Bundchen blasted Wes Welker for dropping a key pass ... and people trashed her for it.

The lesson ... when NFL wives talk, people listen.

He's from California (Compton to be exact) ... but Dr. Dre tells TMZ he's not backing his home state team in the Super Bowl ... 'cause he's a HUGE Ray Lewis fan.

Dre was leaving Boa in Hollywood last night when he told us he'll be supporting the Baltimore Ravens on Feb. 3 when they take on the San Francisco 49ers.

"I'm excited for Ray Lewis," Dre said ... "He's a good guy and I'm a fan of his ... I'm wishing the best for him."

Ya gotta watch the video ... it's a great clip -- Dre talks about the Manti Te'o hoax (he doesn't care about it) ... the next Coachella concert (sounds dope) ... and his new diet (he doesn't eat meat anymore).

So we gotta ask ...

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis is going for the block ... against his baby mama who's trying to hire a forensic investigator to comb through his finances -- all in an attempt to squeeze more child support out of him.

You'll recall ... Lewis and his baby mama Sharnika Kelly are in a nasty battle over child support for their young son -- and earlier this year Sharnika asked a judge to throw out their current agreement, claiming when she signed the deal back in 2001, Ray never disclosed his full income.

Sharnika even asked to have a forensic investigator come in and determine how much the NFL star is actually worth -- in hopes to have the current $3,500-a-month order increased.

Now Ray is putting his foot down -- and recently filed legal docs in Florida asking a judge to bar his baby mama from looking through his finances.

In docs, Ray argues the order established in 2001 is totally legit -- and says that Sharnika had a lawyer when she signed, so if she wanted to fight it ... she should have done so WAY back then.

A judge has yet to rule.

Baltimore Ravens star linebacker Terrell Suggs tied the knot during a small ceremony yesterday in Maryland, but TMZ has learned the couple is planning a bigger ceremony once the NFL season is over.

According to our sources, Suggs and Candace Williams exchanged vows yesterday in front of about 30 close friends and family (including their two children) at a Four Seasons Hotel.

We're told the couple plans to have a bigger wedding (100+ guests) sometime after the season ends ... either in Maryland or back in Arizona, where Suggs is from. 

It's been a rocky path to the altar for Suggs and Williams -- Last month, Williams alleged that Suggs punched her in the neck and dragged her alongside a car he was driving while their two children sat inside. Williams lifted a protective order against Suggs just 3 days ago.

Who said the NFL was a hotbed for homophobia??? Baltimore Ravens star and equality advocate Brendon Ayanbadejo tells TMZ, several Raiders players were amped Maryland legalized gay marriage last week ... and even gave him props during Sunday's game.

Brendon tells us, "Three Raiders congratulated me on working with and for marriage equality. I remember their names but I will keep that to myself."

He adds, "Ethnicity-wise, it was two white guys and one black guy. Ethnicity plays an important part in this movement."

(FYI -- the Raiders got their asses kicked 55-20) 

Brendon -- who's heterosexual -- has been an outspoken gay rights advocate for years (which is pretty rare in the NFL) and now says he's taking the battle for marriage equality back to his native California.

Brendon says he's got some serious NFL back-up too -- with Vikings punter Chris Kluwe and Browns LB Scott Fujita who've already pledged their allegiance to the cause.

The Baltimore Ravens are a team divided ... at least when it comes to the topic of gay marriage ... but one of the players tells TMZ he's adamant the war behind the scenes will NOT affect the team on the field.

The gay marriage debate was kicked in to high gear this week when center Matt Birk published an article defending "traditional marriage" ... in response to the pro-gay marriage letter punter Chris Kluwe had written to an anti-gay marriage politician in Maryland.

Now, linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo -- a longtime, outspoken defender of gay marriage -- tells TMZ ... the topic is SHELVED when the guys put on the pads. 

“On the field, we’re on the same accord ... When we come to work, we’re on the same page.  One goal and that’s to win a championship.”

Ayanbadejo tells us ... many of his teammates have discussed the issue with him ... but Birk wasn't one of those guys.

However, Ayanbadejo says Birk did give him a heads up about the anti-gay marriage letter before it was published.

“We had a conversation about other things, about him and our relationship, not about us being on different sides,” Ayanbadejo told TMZ.

Brendon says his family and Matt’s family spend time together socially, and their kids like to play together.  That won’t change. But Brendon says he hopes to have a deeper discussion about the issue with Birk sometime in the future.

“Of course I disagree with his stance, but I’m not gonna tell someone how to raise their kids,” Ayanbadejo tells us.  “He wants the world to be a better place for his kids."

“I think just from where we’re heading, his kids will grow up to have a different opinion from him, I’ll just leave it at that.”

The NFL's regular referees returned to the gridiron tonight to a thundering applause from the crowd -- and even got a personal welcome-back hug from the scariest man in football ... Ray Lewis.

As you know by now ... the NFL reached a deal yesterday with the real refs -- ending the Reign of Error ... courtesy of the infamous replacement refs.

As the entered the field for tonight's Ravens-Browns match up, the refs each tipped their caps in a show of appreciation for fans' support.

Now it's only a matter of time before they screw up a call and we can trash them too.

The REAL NFL refs will return to the field for tonight's Ravens vs. Browns match-up in Baltimore ... but some of the players are still concerned ... telling TMZ, "They’re comin' off cold turkey, so it’s going to be very interesting."

TMZ spoke with a member of the Cleveland Browns who reminded us, "The refs usually have a pre-season."

Overall, the players are fired up about the end of the replacement ref era.

We spoke with Ravens player Bryant McKinnie who says he's "very glad" they're back ... adding, "The real refs have better control of the games."

A member of the Browns, who wished to remain anonymous, tells us, "People will be so happy to see the refs. They will be the highlight of the game … at least for the first quarter."

“I’m sure they will give them a standing ovation, especially in Baltimore," the player told us ... adding, "If a call goes against the Browns I’m sure they will give [the refs] a standing ovation.”

Torrey Smith's family is incredibly proud of the way the NFL star played in last night's Ravens vs. Patriots game ... telling TMZ, his performance was the ultimate tribute to his younger brother, who died just hours before Torrey took the field.

We spoke with Torrey's grandmother, Mary Smith, who tells us Torrey called her to let her know he would be playing and dedicating the game to his 19-year-old brother Tevin Jones who passed away in a motorcycle crash early Sunday morning.

Mary tells us Torrey didn't have to call ... she already knew he was going to play -- telling us, "He wanted to get out there and win that game for his brother and the Lord made that happen for him."


Mary says Smith's entire family gathered at her home in Virginia to watch Torrey play -- "I said look at my grandson. He’s gonna win that game. They have to win the game.”

FYI -- Torrey played the game of his life ... scoring 2 TDs in the Ravens' incredible come-from-behind victory.

Mary says the family was very emotional during the game ... crying both tears of joy and sadness.

“[When he scored his first touchdown] it was wonderful" ... "That was for his little brother.”

Torrey is expected to return home sometime today to help the family with funeral arrangements.

NBC may be in hot water with the FCC ... after the network aired a seemingly never-ending, crystal-clear "bullsh*t" chant that erupted in the stadium during the Ravens vs. Patriots game on "Sunday Night Football."

In case you were watching the Emmys last night ... things got pretty insane during last night's prime time NFL  matchup ... when the crowd in Baltimore was convinced the replacement refs blew another call and unleashed the most perfectly executed "BS" chant we've ever heard.

Even announcer Al Michaels commented, "It's the loudest manure chant I've ever heard."

The FCC often declines to punish networks when a "fleeting expletive" makes it to air during a live sporting event ... and it's unclear if they're even legally allowed to do so. But since this "BS" chant was so clear and went on for several minutes, it's possible the FCC could drop the hammer on NBC for failing to cut the sound out of the broadcast.

We've reached out to the FCC -- and a rep told us they were "looking into the matter."

A rep for NBC had no comment.

A rep for the Ravens -- Senior Vice President of Public and Community Relations Kevin Byrne -- tells TMZ ... "We’re certainly aware of it. Normally, our crowd is one of the most enthusiastic and respectful home audiences in all of sports.”

NFL legend Art Modell -- who owned the Cleveland Browns, which became the Baltimore Ravens -- died this morning ... this according to a rep for the Ravens.

Modell -- who was 87-years-old -- had been admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland on Wednesday ... but it's unclear why.

Modell was a key figure in negotiating the NFL's huge contracts with the TV networks over the years ... and played a major role in the creation and success of Monday Night Football.

Modell owned the Browns from 1961 to 1995 ... and then moved the organization to Baltimore, where they became the Ravens ... and helped put together the Super Bowl team of 2000.

He sold the team in 2004, but still retained a 1% ownership and kept an office at Ravens headquarters.