Cincinnati Bengals

It's a good thing Joe Burrow's not boycotting the Bengals, 'cause Brett Favre says getting drafted by Cincinnati would be PERFECT!!

Remember, there were talks the Heisman winner would pull an Eli Manning and refuse to play for the Bengals if drafted ... but JB put an end to all that talk when asked about it at the draft, saying "I'm going to show up."

TMZ Sports spoke with Favre about the possibility ... and he says it couldn't be drawn up any better for the LSU Superstar.

"I think this is setting up perfect for him to go back home, assuming Cincinnati will take him," Favre tells us. "Hometown boy."

As for transitioning from whoopin' the entire NCAA to the NFL, the Hall of Famer ain't worried about the 23-year-old adjusting to the pros.

"I think if he plays the way he played this year, the transition will be easy."

Breathe easy, Bengals fans ... Tyrann Mathieu says Joe Burrow will NOT spurn Cincy at the 2020 NFL Draft, and will happily play for the team if it picks him No. 1 overall in April!!

"Me just knowing him for the last couple years," the Honey Badger tells TMZ Sports, "He's super competitive ... he knows he can be the guy."

There are A LOT of rumors surrounding Burrow and the Bengals ... with some indicating the Heisman Trophy winner might refuse to play in Cincy if it picks him at the top of the draft.

In fact, ex-Bengals star Carson Palmer seemed to advise Joe to do exactly that in an interview with CBS Sports last month ... saying he doesn't believe Bengals ownership truly wants to win a Super Bowl.

Of course, the move wouldn't be unprecedented ... Eli Manning famously balked when the San Diego Chargers picked him in 2004 -- leading to an eventual trade to the NY Giants.

But, when we got Tyrann -- a former LSU superstar who's become bros with Burrow the past couple years -- at Mr. Chow in L.A. this week ... he told us don't bet on Joe pulling the same trick.

"I think he'll have a great opportunity to kind of help, hopefully, Cincinnati change things around as a franchise," Mathieu says.

There's more ... the Chiefs superstar also spoke with us about who his favorite non-Patrick Mahomes QB is -- and his answer might surprise you.

Here it is ... a KEY piece of the video at the center of the Patriots SpyGate II scandal -- and it's reallllllly bad for the Pats.

The footage, obtained by "NFL on FOX" reporter Jay Glazer, shows the moments the Patriots video crew is confronted by Cincinnati Bengals' security last weekend over concerns the crew was illegally shooting video of their sidelines.

During the exchange, you can hear Bengals security express major concerns over the video -- since it REALLY looks like the videographer was SPYING!!

Remember, the Patriots say the video team was tasked to shoot a behind-the-scenes segment on an advanced scout for a show on the Pats website called "Do Your Job."

But, as the Bengals security official points out to the video crew, there's a large chunk of the video where you don't see the scout ... only the Bengals sidelines.

Here's an exchange from the video ...

Bengals Security: "And, this is a piece your filming on your advanced scout?

Pat's video crew: "Yeah."

Bengals Security: "Yeah? C'mon guys! I don't see the advanced scout in this footage!"

Patriots video crew: "No, that's not. We were trying to get some field perspective. That's my bad."

The Patriots crew offered to delete the video but the Bengals security told him, "The damage is done my friend!"

The Bengals immediately referred the matter to NFL security and the league has launched an investigation.

The Patriots have admitted the video team broke league rules -- but they insist the video team was NOT tasked to spy, claiming the whole thing was an accident.

For his part, Glazer says there WILL be a punishment -- but it's unclear what it will be at this point.

Bill Belichick has denied involvement -- claiming the video team does not report to him.

During the "NFL On FOX" pregame show on Sunday, both Michael Strahan and Curt Menefee expressed how BAD of a look it is on the team.

Especially since the Patriots were caught in a video cheating scandal back in 2007 and were punished heavily for it.

The NFL has launched an investigation into the New England Patriots over allegations a team staffer illegally recorded the Cincinnati Bengals sidelines during Sunday's game.

Of course, the Patriots were at home playing the Chiefs on Sunday -- but the team claims they sent a video crew to FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland to shoot a behind-the-scenes segment on a team scout during the Browns vs. the Bengals game.

FYI, the Patriots are playing the Bengals next week ... which is why the scout was there in the first place.

But, a Bengals team official believes there may have something fishy going on -- and reported a possible incident to the NFL, which is now investigating.

ESPN's Adam Schefter says the Patriots were credentialed by the Browns (the home team) to shoot that day for a segment called "Do Your Job" which spotlights key Patriots staffers behind the scenes.

Schefter says a team official for the Bengals saw the videographer -- who was wearing a Pats shirt -- and reported it to the league.

The NFL confiscated the video, according to Schefter and they're currently reviewing the footage to see if there was an attempt to spy.

Earlier today, a reporter asked Bengals head coach Zac Taylor about the incident -- and while he didn't say much, Taylor confirmed a league probe into the matter.

"I'm aware that there was an incident but the league is investigating it, so I've got no comment," Taylor explained.

The Patriots, for their part, tell Schefter there was nothing scandalous about the incident -- suggesting it was just a misunderstanding.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says the Patriots got pre-game permission from the Browns to shoot but they didn't inform the NFL until after the segment was in the can. That could be why the Bengals weren't in the loop and may have suspected other intentions.

Of course, the Patriots have gotten in HUGE trouble in the past for videotaping another NFL team -- remember SpyGate?

That took place in 2007 when the Patriots illegally recorded NY Jets defensive coaches during a Sept. 2007 game.

Bill Belichick was fined $500k, the Pats were fined $250k and the team was docked a 1st round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft.

Cris Collinsworth is publicly lobbying for his old team to sign Colin Kaepernick -- telling TMZ Sports the 32-year-old can help the Cincinnati Bengals turn things around.

Of course, Cris was a star WR for the Bengals in the '80s and now he's one of the most powerful broadcasters in sports ... so what he says matters.

And, on his way into Craig's in L.A., we asked if he thinks a team will sign Kaepernick after his workout in Atlanta on Saturday.

"I hope so. He's a good player. That would be great."

And, where would Kap be the best fit?

"The Bengals hopefully. He'll fix 'em!"

It's BAD in Cinci right now -- the Bengals have the worst record in pro football, 0-9. Winless. Sad. Pathetic.

The team benched starter Andy Dalton earlier this season in place of rookie Ryan Finley, but it hasn't gone much better.

TMZ Sports has obtained video of ex-Cincinnati Bengals RB Mark Walton's arrest earlier this year ... and it's wild -- showing the NFL player getting tased ... and getting up and running away!!

The former Miami Hurricanes star was arrested last month stemming from a March 12 incident where cops say he led them on a crazy high-speed chase in his rented BMW.

Cops say Walton -- a 4th-round draft pick last year out of the Univ. of Miami -- was speeding and weaving through traffic in the Miami area when he came to an abrupt stop in the front yard of somebody's home.

You can see in the video what happens next ... cops order the running back to the ground -- but he gets up and runs away.

While the officers are chasing him -- they hit him with a taser ... but he pulls out the prongs and keeps going!!!

Walton shockingly loses the cops ... but when the officers search his car ... they say they found weed, a carbine rifle and ammunition.

Walton later surrendered on April 4.

Walton -- who was cut by Cincinnati after the incident -- is now facing a felony and 3 misdemeanor charges ... and could spend at least 5 years behind bars if convicted.

It's the third time the running back has been arrested in the last few months -- he was busted for weed back in January, and was also hit with a battery charge after he allegedly snatched a phone from a neighbor at his condo in February.

TMZ Sports has obtained footage of Adam "Pacman" Jones being arrested at an Indiana casino -- footage the NFL star believes will prove officials overreacted that day.

The footage was shot by Pacman's wife around 3 AM on Feb. 27 -- after he had been placed in handcuffs at the Rising Star Casino Resort.

Authorities accused Pacman of cheating at a table game -- but in the footage, you can see the NFL star adamantly denying the allegations ... and demanding cops let him go.

"Who said I was cheating?" Jones says ... "Let the handcuffs go!"

The footage appears to be shot in the bowels of the casino after Jones had been removed from the gaming area. There are two officers attempting to walk him to another section in the building.

As we previously reported, authorities say Jones was adding chips to his stack after he knew the outcomes of the games ... which is obviously illegal.

Officials say the former Cincinnati Bengals star got aggressive -- cussing out law enforcement and threatening to kill one of the responding law enforcement agents.

Jones believes the video will show he was NOT out of control but rather restrained considering he was being taken into custody in front of his wife and other people who recognized him.

During the video, you can hear Pacman's wife telling police that he had spent $20,000 at the casino that night -- and there's no reason he would have to cheat.

She can also be heard saying, "He didn't put his hands on nobody."

Both Pacman and his wife repeatedly tell cops they can say whatever they want because of "freedom of speech."

At one point during the incident, Pacman turns to one of the arresting officers and calls him a "bitch ass n***a."

We spoke with Pacman's agent, Peter Schaffer, who tells us, "Adam was very controlled. We think the authorities overreacted, they love the attention ... Adam showed great restraint."

Remember that disgusting bone-snapping injury Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert suffered in 2018???

Dude's doing MUCH better now ... crushing foot drills with a big smile on his face as he preps for his big comeback in 2019!!!

TE suffered a gruesome injury on Sept. 30 against the Falcons, when he got pummeled by linebacker De'Vondre Campbell, who awkwardly fell on Tyler's right ankle and snapped it sideways.

Relive the experience below (or don't. We wouldn't blame you one bit. It's so nasty).

Eifert appears to have put the horrific experience behind him ... rippin' through a set of drills in a workout vid he posted Thursday.

"Looks a lot better than the last time you saw my ankle! #LETSGO," Eifert says.

Devon Still says he's rooting hard for Marvin Lewis to get another shot to coach in the NFL -- telling TMZ Sports he'll always be grateful to Lewis for helping to save his daughter's life.

Remember, it was Lewis who kept Still on the Cincinnati Bengals roster back in 2014 when his daughter Leah was battling cancer ... so she could keep the team health insurance coverage.

The story made national news -- and people from all over the country bought Still's Bengals jersey to show their support for Devon, Leah and the Bengals organization. It was an amazing thing.

The good news ... we got Still out in New York with 8-year-old Leah -- who's been cancer-free for 4 YEARS! It's an amazing story and Devon tells us he'll always be grateful for his former coach.

"He did a lot for me and my family during a time where I really couldn't do nothing for that organization," Still says ... "So, I definitely want to see him fall on his feet."

Lewis got the ax in Cinci last month after 16 years with the organization. The 60-year-old has suggested that he wants to continue coaching.

Still has chronicled Leah's battle in his new book "Still In the Game" -- in which he describes how he handled the pain and stress of watching his daughter fight for her life.

"I basically wanted to share my playbook that I taught my daughter how to beat cancer with, so people can overcome the struggles they're facing in their life."

Jim Brown is going to bat for Hue Jackson ... telling TMZ Sports the bitterness toward Cleveland's ex-head coach needs to end.

Of course, Hue took only a few days to join up with the Browns' rivals -- the Bengals -- after he got canned in Cleveland ... and dudes like Baker Mayfield were REALLY upset about it.

But, Jim tells us the QB and others shouldn't be ... saying Hue made "a good move."

"No bitterness with him. He's got a job right away. It tells you that he had a value. But, it didn't work out with him and the Browns. That's it."

As for Baker's snub of the coach after Cleveland beat Cincinnati on Sunday ... Jim sees no controversy there, saying Mayfield just got caught up in the moment of competition.

"When you're getting ready for a game, you're getting ready for a game. You're not trying to make friends."

As for the Browns themselves ... Jim can see a playoff game in their future this season -- IF they do just one unlikely thing.

The Browns are 4-6-1 and sitting at the bottom of the AFC North -- but they're definitely NOT mathematically eliminated ... only 3 games out of 1st place.

They've got 5 games left -- facing the Texans, Panthers, Bengals, Broncos and Ravens.

NFL linebacker Rey Maualuga dodged a bullet ... 'cause he ain't gonna spend a single minute behind bars for allegedly grabbing a club employee by the throat -- as long as he stays outta trouble.

As we previously reported, Maualuga -- who spent 9 seasons in the NFL with the Bengals and Dolphins -- was arrested in Miami in Nov. 2017 after officials say he got into a physical altercation over a $40 bar tab. He's accused of shoving and grabbing a bar employee by the throat.

31-year-old Maualuga was initially charged with misdemeanor battery and faced up to a year in jail if convicted.

But, TMZ Sports learned, the former USC Trojan cut a deal with prosecutors in which he agreed to complete a pretrial diversion program and, in exchange, the charge will be dropped.

The program requires Rey to attend two 6-hour anger management courses -- designed to teach conflict resolution and impulse control ... and he's gotta stay away from the club.

Seems like a good deal to us.

Mike Vick would be rockin' a Super Bowl ring on his finger these days if somehow one of his teams had managed to trade for Chad Ochocinco ... so says the legendary QB himself.

We got Vick and Chad promoting WinView out in Bev Hills when we asked the two what would've happened if they were on the same team ... and Vick couldn't help but dream.

"Man, I mean, to have him, I would have probably had a ring for sure," Mike says.

Chad seemed to agree, saying, "That woulda been dope."

So, why'd it never go down?? Chad was locked in with the Bengals and Vick was entrenched with the Falcons during their primes.

"He woulda never got traded and I woulda never got traded, so we woulda had to have been drafted at the same time," Vick says.

As for how their careers went without each other and if they warrant busts in the NFL's Hall of Fame ... both surprisingly didn't seem too worried about that just yet.

"I'm not one that really needed validation," Ochocinco tells us.

Added Vick, "You leave that up to the people."

Great news for Tyler Eifert -- who had his ankle snapped in half on Sunday -- 'cause the Cincinnati Bengals TE is in good spirits after going under the knife ... and vows to be back better than ever!!

ICYMI -- Eifert suffered a nasty right ankle injury in the 3rd quarter of the Falcons game this week ... after De'Vondre Campbell accidentally fell on him while making a tackle.

It was a disgusting sight ... and if you haven't already seen it, DON'T CLICK ON IT.

Eifert shared a post-surgery pic with a thumbs-up on Monday night ... saying "At least my end zone celebration was fun! Thanks to everyone for the kind words. I’m all fixed, Dr. Anderson is the best. I’ll be back!"

Eifert has had his fair share of injuries since he was drafted in 2013 ... a dislocated elbow in 2014, stinger injuries in 2013 and 2015, back injury in 2016 and 2017. But, he's clearly not fazed by his history.

Those who are quick to get queasy should look away-- Bengals star Tyler Eifert's ankle went in a direction it definitely shouldn't have during a game against the Falcons ... and his season is likely over.

Cincinnati's starting tight end suffered a gruesome injury Sunday against Atlanta, where he was attempting to run the ball downfield ... but got pummeled by linebacker De'Vondre Campbell, who awkwardly fell on Tyler's right ankle, and snapped it sideways.

Tyler was eventually carted off the field, and he appeared to be in sheer agony as they drove him away. It's almost certainly a season-ending break, which sucks for the dude since he's had a series of injuries over the last few years that have kept him from playing.

He missed the entire 2014 season to an elbow injury, hurt his other ankle in 2015 and had both his 2016 and 2017 seasons delayed due to back issues. Tyler's 2017 season ended after just two games due to another injury as well. He's never played a full 16-game season.

Chad Ochocinco's first go-around with the MLS didn't go so well ... but he's got a new plan to make the futbol league -- telling TMZ Sports he's coming back as a keeper!!

And, yeah, he says he's "dead ass" serious.

Remember ... Chad once tried out for Sporting Kansas City during the NFL lockout in 2011 -- and actually got in a reserve game ... but the MLS told him "thanks, but no thanks" afterward.

Now ... Chad's telling us he's got a new way to revive that soccer dream ... getting set to return to the pitch as a goalie for David Beckham's Miami club -- which kicks off its inaugural season in 2020.

"I really think I can be exceptional at goalie with the proper training for the next two years," Chad says.

"So, when Beckham has his team, I'm going to go try out for goalie. Period."

It makes sense ... dude is a freak athlete who caught everything that came his way as an NFL wideout for 11 seasons -- so why not?!

A.J. Green says he's not mad at Julio Jones for holding out in his contract dispute with the ATL Falcons -- telling TMZ Sports, "He gotta do what he gotta do, man."

The Bengals superstar WR was out shopping in Bev Hills -- and explained that when it comes to getting paid at the pro level, you gotta strike while ya can.

"The NFL stands for 'Not For Long,' so you gotta get it while it lasts."

Green knows what he's talking about -- he signed a 4-year $60 MILLION contract extension in 2015.

But, if things don't work out for Julio in ATL, Green says he's down to share some of the pass-catching workload in Cinci.