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Jeff Gladney, Arizona Cardinals cornerback and former 1st round draft pick, died early Monday morning following a car accident in Dallas.

He was only 25 years old.

The details surrounding the fatal Memorial Day crash are not yet clear.

Gladney, born in Texas in 1996, was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings with the 31st overall pick in 2020 ... after starring at TCU.

The standout corner played in all 16 games for the Vikes in 2020 ... racking up 81 tackles (63 solo).

However, Jeff was cut by Minnesota in the summer of 2021 after being accused of assaulting his girlfriend. The case ultimately went to trial, and Gladney was found not guilty. But, because the trial took time, JG was forced to sit out the entire 2021 season.

After the not guilty verdict, he was free and clear to resume his very promising football career. In fact, the Cardinals just signed Jeff to a new contract in March 2022.

Gladney's agent released a statement, saying ... "We are asking prayers for the family and privacy at this most difficult time."

The NFL world is also mourning the passing. The Cardinals organization issued a statement addressing the tragic news.

"We are devastated to learn of Jeff Gladney's passing. Our hearts go out to his family, friends and all who are mourning this tremendous loss."

Jeff's former TCU teammate, Eagles WR Jalen Reagor, is grieving the loss of his close friend.

"Lost my Brother, my best friend, my right hand man… ain't too much more I can take man damn! R.I.P Jeff Gladney, brother watch over me please."

New Cardinals teammate J.J. Watt spoke on the tragedy, writing "Horrifying news to hear this morning. Just tragic. Rest In Peace Jeff."

The Vikings also issued a statement.

"We are saddened by the tragic death of former Viking Jeff Gladney. Our hearts go out to his family and friends, as well as the Arizona Cardinals organization and Jeff's current and former teammates and coaches who are mourning his life lost much too soon."

Rest in peace.

Waka Flocka is ringing in his 36th birthday today in scholarly style ... receiving an honorary professor degree in Humanitarianism and Philanthropy from the Bible Institute of America.

The crunk rap legend was celebrated alongside civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson at Rainbow Push Headquarters in Chicago.

His teacher Apostle Bridget C. Outlaw admitted she loved Waka's mind more than his music, but the multifaceted rap star has dedicated his life and brand to mental health awareness and suicide prevention.

In 2013, his younger brother, rapper Kayo Redd, died by suicide and WF has been on a mission to spread positivity ever since -- donating to various charities and even posing naked for PETA to support vegan lifestyles.

Dr. Flocka is now a well-decorated student of the game. In October 2020, he received an honorary doctorate degree in philanthropy and humanitarianism in New York.

The biggest band in the world is inside one of the most famous residences ... all in the name of stopping anti-Asian hate.

The K-pop supergroup addressed members of the media during Tuesday's White House press briefing Tuesday to put a spotlight on the troubling rise of anti-Asian hate crimes and the importance of Asian inclusion and diversity.

During the briefing, BTS thanked President Biden for the chance to speak on the issues and for reminding them how important their voice can be as artists. May 31 marks the last day of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander heritage month.

The group was also scheduled to have a closed meeting with President Biden in the Oval Office to discuss hate crimes targeting Asians in the U.S. -- which also comes on the heels of Biden's first trip to Asia as President.

A huge "Pirates of the Caribbean"-themed ship cruised by the very courthouse where the star of the franchise is waiting to hear his fate.

The "boat" sits atop a flatbed truck and made a splash smack Tuesday in front of the Fairfax County Courthouse in Virginia.

The vessel has a Captain Jack Sparrow banner hanging off the side, displaying the actor's face for all to see ... it's also got a mannequin pirate in front, manning a cannon while looking out onto the choppy waters/sidewalk.

Johnny was spending time overseas during the holiday weekend -- although he traveled by air -- hitting the stage Monday for the second night in a row with Jeff Beck at the famed Royal Albert Hall in England, playing hits all night long.

Reports of children calling 911 from within the classroom where the gunman massacred upwards of 20 people are accurate and harrowing ... 'cause you can now hear it in audio.

Listen to one of these dispatchers radioing in last Tuesday to any units available in the area and trying to find out if any officers had responded yet -- and notifying all of them that a child had dialed in for help ... from inside the classroom with the shooter.

The dispatcher asks if anyone is in or around that building, noting the child has told them the room is full of victims. A bit later, you hear a rough number from them -- 8 to 9 kids.

As we know, that number ended up being significantly higher -- 21 people total were killed, including 19 children -- and worse yet ... it took the authorities a lifetime and a half to engage the gunman and get other people out.

19 different cops were on the scene, but were apparently told to stand down and wait -- this as the killer was in the classroom and slaughtering kids.

It's unclear exactly why the commanding officer gave these orders -- it seems it might've been bad intel -- but in any case, it took over an hour for anyone to actually go in and do something. The officers who ended up taking the shooter out were Border Patrol agents.

What's become evident since is that if law enforcement had engaged earlier, they could've saved lives ... but their delayed response was far too late. 77 minutes is the official time.

The son of "90 Day Fiance" stars Deavan Clegg and Jihoon Lee has been diagnosed with leukemia.

3-year-old Taeyang was diagnosed with b-cell quite lymphoblastic leukemia last week -- a type of blood cancer that's more common in young children ... Deavan's publicist, Lindsay Feldman of BrandBomb PR, tells TMZ.

He's been in the hospital ever since and is expected to stay there a while ... he's already started chemo treatments and is awaiting further procedures. Deavan was told this will be a long two-year process, with a high success rate of full recovery in five years.

According to the GoFundMe page started by Deavan's mother, Taeyang took countless trips to the ER before a specialist told them he had cancer cells. The family is looking to raise $50K to cover expenses.

We're told Deavan attempted to contact Jihoon about their son's diagnosis but has been unsuccessful ... he has her and her family's numbers, emails and social media blocked. She even tried contacting Jihoon's father but was unsuccessful.

The superstars are lining up to work with Kanye West -- TMZ Sports has learned Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown is the first pro athlete to ever sign with Donda Sports.

As we previously reported, future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald became one of the first big names to go public with his decision to partner with Ye for off-field ventures ... saying it was a "no-brainer" to join forces.

But as it turns out, Brown was way ahead of AD ... becoming the first athlete to ever sign with Donda, we're told.

Sources tell us Ye and Brown have been tight for a while now, but things were made official after West attended the Warriors vs. Celtics game in March.

The signs were there -- the two posed together postgame ... and in fact, Brown was spotted wearing a Donda Sports hoodie while hanging with A$AP Ferg afterwards.

So, why 25-year-old Brown?? We're told Donda eyed the Eastern Conference champ because of his intelligence, social activism and charitable work ... as well as his success on the court.

On top of that, the deal was especially important to Ye because Jaylen is a God-fearing man ... and his mother emphasized the importance of education at a young age, just like Donda.

We're told Ye thinks Brown is underappreciated ... and wants to bring him to "superhero" status during his career and long after his playing days.

Marilyn Manson has been the target of a sexual assault investigation for more than a year, but as the case winds down, detectives haven't found solid evidence that'll nail the rocker ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us there have been, "some credibility issues with the victim" which have made it hard to build a legit case.

Cops are close to submitting their findings to the L.A. County District Attorney's Office, who ultimately will make the decision, but it's hard to imagine they'd charge without the goods. While we're told the case likely won't amount to charges, that can always change if new evidence emerges.

TMZ broke the story, Special Victims Unit detectives descended on Manson's L.A. home back in November, executing a search warrant and seized media storage units -- including hard drives.

Prior to that, cops were digging into abuse allegations -- including accusations he locked women into a soundproof room in the home to punish them.

As we reported, Evan Rachel Wood, who Manson dated back in 2007 has made very public allegations of abuse against the rocker.

In a shocking lawsuit filed against Wood by Manson, he accused his former lover of writing a fake letter from the FBI, pretending to be an agent and hinting at the fact he was under investigation.

Manson claims Wood and a friend of hers then distributed the letter to other victims and media members to make it appear as if he was actually in trouble.

Early in 2021, Manson was visited by cops, and a helicopter was used to search his home after someone called in a welfare check ... so he's had plenty of law enforcement interaction over the course of the last year and a half.

AEW star Jake Atlas has been hit with a domestic violence charge ... after he allegedly scratched his boyfriend following an argument over a sexual encounter.

According to police documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, Atlas was arrested on May 23 after cops say the 27-year-old wrestler's boyfriend and a witness told them Atlas became very aggressive following a night of drinking.

Police say while Atlas was out at a bar, his boyfriend joined him there ... and say the boyfriend told them the two eventually "went back to a female friend's house to take part in sexual activities."

But, cops say Atlas' boyfriend told them that after he had paid "more attention" to the female than Atlas -- the 5-foot-11, 230-pound athlete became enraged.

In the docs, officers say the boyfriend and a witness told them Atlas started a "huge verbal argument" -- and then tried to attack the boyfriend multiple times.

In his alleged fits of rage, Atlas was accused of scratching his boyfriend and tearing the man's tank top.

Cops say in the docs when they tried to interview Atlas for his side of the story, "he only wished to talk bad about" his boyfriend instead of being cooperative.

Court records show Atlas -- real name Kenny Sanchez Martinez -- was ultimately charged with domestic violence battery, a misdemeanor. The records show he was ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim.

He's due back in court for a hearing in the case in late June.

Atlas -- who is openly gay -- wrestled in the WWE from 2019 to 2021. He went on to wrestle with AEW in late 2021, but suffered a significant knee injury in Jan. 2022 and has not returned to the ring since.

A lion's not-so-purrfect hairdo is raising eyebrows ... prompting a zoo in China to brush the blame off themselves and onto mother nature.

Hang Hang the lion has the Internet buzzing about his rockstar mane, because let's face it ... sure looks like a total failure of a haircut -- but the Guangzhou Zoo claims it has nothing to do with his unique look.

They say high humidity is to blame for Hang Hang's blown-out mullet, claiming the lion licked his paws and brushed his hair out during a recent extreme heatwave.

The zoo chalks it up to "nature's magic," adding Hang Hang looks like a blonde supermodel, but most others don't see it that way. Some say he looks like one of The Beatles, mop-top and all, while many draw a resemblance to the "Tiger King" himself, Joe Exotic.

Zoo visitors are still skeptical the weather is at fault here ... one claims his hair looked nothing like this 2 months ago when they went to the zoo, and some even say the staff has ruined the lion's appearance altogether.

Johnny Depp now has something in common with The Beatles -- they have both played the famed Royal Albert Hall in England.

Johnny hit the stage Monday for the second night in a row with Jeff Beck ... this, as he awaits a verdict in his defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard.

Beck and Johnny have a years-long connection. In introducing his bud, Beck said, "He came knocking on my dressing room door about five years ago and we haven't stopped laughing since."

They repeated the songs they sang together the night before in Sheffield ... John Lennon's "Isolation," Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing," Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On," and The Beatles' "A Day In The Life."

As for whether the crowd loved it ... well, there were several standing O's.

Tom Cruise's latest blockbuster offering just goes to show you can teach an old dog new tricks -- and if you do it right ... moviegoers will pay out the nose for what you're selling.

Of course, we're talking about "Top Gun: Maverick" -- which broke box office records this Memorial Day weekend with an estimated $156 million domestic haul over the course of 4 days ... making it the highest-grossing film in that window since 'Pirates 3' in '07.

It's also TC's first $100 million opening in his career. So, lots of milestones were hit here -- this during a time when it's been hard to get asses in seats at the cineplex amid COVID.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that the movie has gotten rave reviews from both critics and normies alike -- in fact, 'TGM' is being hailed as even better than the OG from the '80s, which is really saying something ... as you may know, Part 1 is considered a cult classic!

As for what all the hype is about ... a lot of things. For starters, it's about as action-packed as you would want a summer popcorn flick to be. More importantly, a lot of that action is shown via practical effects ... as in, 85% of what you're seeing is real ... AKA, no CGI.

A majority of all the death-defying stunts you see in the air were, in fact, shot from actual fighter jets, with the actors in the real seats (but not really steering). The story's good too.

Transgender NCAA swimming champion Lia Thomas is firing back at those claiming her dominance is unfair to biological women ... saying trans athletes will not destroy women's sports.

The University of Penn athlete broke her silence on "Good Morning America" on Tuesday ... saying she knew she'd face backlash once she started competing against women, but no amount of scrutiny would stop her.

"I was prepared for that, but I don't need anyone's permission to be myself and do the sport that I love," she said.

Many have denounced Thomas' participation in women's sports after she finished first in the women's 500-yard freestyle back in March ... with everyone from Caitlyn Jenner to Florida governor Ron DeSantis to Joe Rogan, who called it "an assault on women's sports."

But, Thomas argues that shouldn't be the case ... saying, "Transitioning to get an advantage is not something that ever factors into our decisions."

"Trans women are not a threat to women's sport."

Thomas added, "Trans people don't transition for athletics. We transition to be happy and authentic and our true selves."

Despite the outrage, Thomas -- who started hormone therapy in 2019 -- still plans to compete in the Olympics in the future.

Kevin Spacey is ready to face his new legal trouble overseas, and is convinced he can clear his name of all sexual assault charges.

Spacey released a statement to "Good Morning America" Tuesday, saying he's going to "voluntarily appear in the U.K. as soon as can be arranged and defend myself against these charges."

He says he's confident he can prove he's innocent, While he admits he's disappointed the court moved forward with the charges, he thanks the Crown Prosecution Service for reminding the public he's allowed a fair trial.

As we reported, Spacey is facing 4 criminal charges for alleged incidents involving 3 different men between 2005 and 2013. On top of sexual assault, he's also been charged with causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.

All 4 charges have been authorized, and he can only be charged formally upon arrest in Wales or England.

Spacey was also sued in 2020 by "Star Trek: Discovery" actor Anthony Rapp, who claims he sexually assaulted him at the age of 14.

Michael Blackson says he and his fiancée aren’t afraid to get freaky in the bedroom, even if that might mean bringing another partner around while the other watches.

Michael’s the latest guest on "It's Tricky with Raquel Harper," and he held nothing back in talking about his sexual escapades with fiancee, Rada Darling, saying one of her favorite turn-ons is when she watches him do the deed with other women.

Michael didn't stop there, though — listen to the clip to find out what else he says gets Rada going.

Michael and Rada were together for a couple years when he decided to propose in a very public way — getting down on one knee during his radio interview with "The Breakfast Club."

Right after she said yes, Rada shouted, "Bye side b******!" to which Michael responded, "90% of the side b******, bye-bye."

Clearly, it doesn't sound like Blackson is done getting it on with other women, given what he told Raquel Harper, but Rada just has a good time with it now.

One of the rarest and most coveted Kobe Bryant cards in existence -- the 1997 Skybox Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems #81 -- just hit the auction block ... and could sell for over a million bucks!!

The Bryant card is numbered 60 out of 100 ... making it incredibly rare.

But, what makes this card so special is the fact it's signed by the Black Mamba himself -- likely making it a 1-of-1 -- as no other autographed version has hit the market, as far as we can tell.

Pretty cool to think Kobe held this card and signed it.

The signature was authenticated and graded a Mint 9 by PSA -- one of the premiere graders and authenticators -- before SCP Auctions put it on the block.

The auction believes the card could sell for over $1 million!

It's actually difficult to find PMG cards -- which featured 123 players (all with 100 cards) -- in tip-top shape (let alone ones signed by KB) because of the way they were made. The cards were manufactured using a colored foil that makes them difficult to keep pristine ... as the foil would chip.

The PMGs are incredibly significant among collectors, and look flat-out awesome. And, there are two versions of each card. The first 10 numbered cards are green (Emerald), meanwhile, 11 through 100 are red.

A green Kobe PMG -- not signed -- brought in around $2 million at auction a few months ago, FYI.

The signed card has already been bid on 10 times ... with a high bid of $130K.