Controversial S#!T

Jalen Ramsey's scorched-earth trash talk on nearly every QB in the NFL could actually make the Jaguars a BETTER team ... so says ex-NFL star Asante Samuel.

Samuel -- a 2-time Super Bowl champ (who will be on the Hall of Fame ballot next year) -- says the comments will essentially force his teammates to step up and play better.

The former Pro Bowl corner LOVES Ramsey's confidence -- but warns the 23-year-old that he can't just be about that hype ... he's gotta go and back it up.

And, if his Jaguars teammates REALLY have his back, they'll step up and play harder for Ramsey.

Reggie Bush says Drew Brees will call it a career after this season only if the Saints do one thing ... WIN THE SUPER BOWL!!

There's been a lot of talk about Brees' potential retirement lately -- the dude does turn 40 in January -- so, we went to one of his ex-New Orleans teammates to get a read on the situation.

Bush was blunt ... telling TMZ Sports there's no way the QB calls it quits after this season -- UNLESS the Saints get a ring.

LaVar Ball's JBA league is now facing allegations from a former player that he got stiffed out of his full paycheck ... but, just last week, LaVar was adamant he's paying ALL of his guys.

Brandon Phillips -- who played for the L.A. Ballers this season -- claims he's only been paid roughly one-third of what he was promised ... and had to come out of pocket to pay for travel expenses.

Phillips told Cycle Media's Thomas Duffy that no one from the league has returned his calls regarding the 2 paychecks he never received.

But, we spoke with LaVar on August 10 -- and he didn't seem like a man with anything to hide.

In fact, he was bragging about how his league pays their players -- saying, "We ain't letting you play for free!"

The demonstrations in the NFL continued in Foxboro on Thursday night -- where three Philadelphia Eagles players stayed inside the tunnel during the national anthem.

Malcolm Jenkins, Michael Bennett and De'Vante Bausby stood quietly in the field entrance tunnel while "The Star-Spangled Banner" played out before the Eagles took on the New England Patriots.

All three came out onto the field when the song ended.

Jenkins and Bennett have been leaders in the demonstration movement -- Jenkins has raised his fist during the anthem while Bennett has sat down.

Both players have said they are demonstrating to help put a spotlight on racial injustice and police violence in minority communities.

Omarosa had some trouble explaining why she was a fierce supporter of Donald Trump given that she says very clearly in a secret conversation she recorded in 2016 that she knew he had used the n-word.

We talked to the ex-White House staffer on "TMZ Live" about the barrage of secret recordings she's revealed to promote her new book, 'Unhinged,' including the latest in which Donald Trump's daughter-in-law, Lara, tried bribing her with hush money after she got fired.

We also asked about the 2016 conversation she had with Trump campaign staffers to figure out a spin in case Trump had used the n-word. A staffer said she had talked to Trump who denied ever using the word, to which Omarosa said, "That's not true."

Al Sharpton wants someone to blast Donald Trump with a little of Aretha Franklin's "Respect" ... 'cause dude really needs it.

We got the reverend out in NYC Thursday and, of course, had to ask him about The Queen of Soul passing away several hours earlier. Al paid heavy tribute and went down memory lane when it came to her iconic performances.

But more than anything, Al says on the heels of Trump calling Omarosa a dog he, more than anyone else, should soak in the classic track. As we reported ... Aretha died Thursday after a long battle with cancer.

Well, this is interesting ...

Serena Williams -- who owns a minority stake in the Miami Dolphins -- says she's convinced, if a team hired Colin Kaepernick, he would win the Super Bowl.

However, she's also convinced no one will ever hire Colin Kaepernick.

It's all part of her new interview with Time -- where Serena says she supports the rights of NFL players to protest during the national anthem.

When asked specifically about Colin -- whom she's only met twice -- Williams said she doubts an NFL team will hire him, especially after he filed his collusion grievance against the league.

But, as the Time article states, "She’s convinced Kaepernick would win a Super Bowl."

"He’d have so much to prove," Williams said ... "I would. I can’t imagine he would be any different. 'Man, I’m about to show out. Y’all gonna see stuff you’ve never seen before.'"

Interesting, since some think the Dolphins could use a QB right now ...

Williams also says she doesn't believe Kaepernick is a broken man because of the alleged blackballing -- she thinks it's the opposite because he's focusing on raising money for nonprofits.

"Colin is happy with what he’s doing ... Some people are different. He’s just different."

Thomas Markle certainly has his own style, but the idea of him starting his own clothing line is "ridiculous" ... so say sources close to Meghan's dad.

Rumors of Tom M. trying to become the next Tom Ford began Wednesday when the Duchess of Sussex's half-sister, Samantha Markle, tweeted it out ... saying she was excited about her dad's new clothing line for men.

We're told this is absolutely untrue and the only credible part of Samantha's additional claim that Thomas is focusing on a line of hoodies for older dudes ... is that he does indeed like to wear hoodies.

The Urban X Awards -- a show that honors black porn performers -- is just a few days away ... but the main ticket, The AVN Awards, remains almost totally dominated by white people.

This year's AVNs had about 20 main categories, and almost every category -- with the exception of the Best Comedy, "Jews Love Black C**k" -- was won by white actors or a predominantly white cast. Even the award for Most Epic Ass was taken home by a white chick.

Van Lathan tackled the issue head-on during this week's episode of his podcast, 'The Red Pill' with black porn legend Nat Turnher.

Turnher certainly agrees, #AVNsSoWhite holds a hell of a lotta truth ... but he's got his mind on cash, not plaques.

With such a switch in Hollywood award shows over the last year to include people of color ... it's time for the AVNs to take note.

LaDainian Tomlinson tells TMZ Sports he has no problems with Dak Prescott's national anthem opinions -- ONLY IF they're actually his.

Remember ... the Cowboys star backed Jerry Jones just days after the team owner insinuated he'd cut players for kneeling during the anthem.

When we got L.T. out at LAX ... he told us the criticism Dak received for that stance was BS ... but only if that's what the star QB truly believed.

"Dak has to be his own man," the NFL legend says. "Hopefully he's not influenced by ownership or anybody else. He has to be his own man."

Bottom line ... L.T. says players are gonna get flak for their opinions on protests regardless -- so Dak shouldn't even have to think about being a pawn for Jerry.

Ex-NFL lineman Willie Colon has a strategy for dealing with President Trump's personal attacks on his enemies -- "When they go low, we go high."

The former Steelers and Jets player was out in NYC (wearing a sweet NY Knicks shirt) when we asked for his thoughts on a possible tape of Trump saying the n-word.

"Nobody should use the n-word," Colon said ... "Let alone Trump!"

Omarosa is getting called every name in the book for leaking secretly recorded convos with and about Trump --- but you'd never guess she was bothered, based on her pearly whites.

Trump's former aide-turned-foe was seen leaving Trevor Noah's 'Daily Show' set in NYC Tuesday night alongside her husband, John Allen Newman. She was smiling ear-to-ear while exiting the building -- which we'll take to mean her appearance went well.

She certainly had a lot to talk about. From a new tape in which other Trump campaigners discussed alleged audio of the Prez using the n-word, to her Situation Room firing and, of course, Trump calling her a dog ... topics were anything but scant.

Let's not kid ourselves though -- Omarosa is doing a full blitz book tour right now, so you know she's loving the attention, good or bad. As long as it sells ... she's happy.

The 2017 Oakland Raiders coach has some advice for the 2018 Oakland Raiders -- PAY KHALIL MACK ALREADY!!!

Jack Del Rio -- who was fired after the '17 season and replaced by Jon Gruden -- decided to weigh in on the Khalil Mack holdout ... the biggest roster news in Raiders camp right now.

"Gotta pay the man!" Del Rio said ... "[Mack] is the total package. Great player and an even better person!"

Del Rio coached Mack for 3 seasons ('15, '16, '17) and clearly thinks the 2017 NFL Defensive Player of the Year is worth splurging for.

Topher Grace is getting an ominous warning about his KKK role in the new movie, "BlacKkKlansman," and it's serious enough he's had to get police involved ... TMZ has learned.

Topher got a phone call from someone who called him a gay slur, and warned his role was going to ruin race relations in America ... according to our law enforcement sources. If you haven't seen the movie, Topher plays former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke.

We're told Topher described the caller as angry and aggressive. It's unclear how the person tracked down the actor's personal cell phone number.

YG was sober as a judge when a flight attendant claimed he was drunk and kicked him off a plane Monday night ... according to rapper Slim 400, who was also on the flight.

Slim, one of YG's artists, says the trouble started when YG asked the American Airlines flight attendant if he could change his seat. He says there was no yelling or cussing ... just a calm request, but still things went south.

He says it only escalated because of the flight attendant's reaction to YG's request. You gotta see his description of what went down. Slim suggests the attendant's attitude was racially motivated because he's positive YG wasn't drunk and shows us why.

As we reported, YG posted a video as he was leaving the plane, claiming the airline was a bunch of "Racist ass muthaf***as." American tells us he was kicked off "due to being intoxicated."

Carmelo Anthony wants all the talk of him coming off the bench for the Houston Rockets to slooooow down ... with the NBA superstar telling TMZ Sports, "Let's just let it play out!"

FYI ... Melo is one of TWO NBA players to have never started a game on the bench in their first 1,000-plus career games -- joining Patrick Ewing.

But, some critics are predicting that streak to end now that Anthony's in his mid-30s with a lot of NBA miles on his body. Plus, there's so much talent in H-Town with guys like James Harden and Chris Paul -- so, there might not be enough basketball to go around.

Carmelo ain't so sure about all that, though ... telling us, "I just signed, let it start first!"