Football

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy dropped $250,000 for a private meeting with Roger Goodell ... and tells TMZ Sports he plans to grill the NFL commish like a cheeseburger.

The NFL posted the auction to raise money for COVID-19 relief -- with the winner getting to watch a Monday Night Football game with Goodell in his personal "Man Cave."

Portnoy -- who made a fortune when Barstool was purchased by Penn National Gaming -- decided to drop some of his personal fortune on the opportunity for a face-to-face with Roger.

For those unaware, Portnoy has been very, VERY, critical of Goodell over the years for his handling of Deflategate, the Ray Rice situation and more.

In fact, Portnoy was handcuffed and removed from Super Bowl LIII in 2019 ... days after using bogus credentials to get into a SB media day event.

Portnoy tells TMZ Sports he doesn't know if the NFL has connected the dots and realized that he won the auction -- but says he wouldn't be surprised if they refund his winning bid and gave the prize to the next highest bidder instead.

"I could easily see them canceling this and running."

We reached out to the NFL for comment -- but so far, no word back.

But, you gotta watch the video ... Portnoy makes it clear he will have no mercy for Goodell if the commish goes through with the meeting.

The fans wanted it ... and Nike listened!!

The epic "740" area code shirt Joe Burrow wore during the NFL Draft is hitting the market ... this, after Nike initially said it wouldn't see the light of day, TMZ Sports has learned.

Remember, we reached out to the Swoosh shortly after the draft to get all the info we could about Joe's look when he went #1 overall to the Bengals.

The white long-sleeved shirt featuring the outline of Ohio and his hometown's area code quickly became a fan favorite on draft night ... but unfortunately, Nike said it was a 1-of-1.

But, that's all about to change, because we're told the plan is to release the shirts on May 22 ... which is great news for fans wanting to cop Joe's look.

It's a smart idea, considering a bunch of knockoff websites made bootleg versions to get a quick buck after the draft ... but now, the legit shirts will take over.

"Mike the Tiger is not my favorite part of campus."

Heisman winner Joe Burrow says he's not a big fan of LSU having a live mascot ... saying he's against keeping wild animals in captivity.

The #1 overall pick made the revelation while discussing the super-popular Netflix doc, "Tiger King," on Barstool Sports' "Pardon My Take" on Friday ... saying he probably won't tune in to the series due to the subject matter.

"Actually, I haven't watched it yet," Burrow says. "I'm anti animal in cage. So, I'm not gonna watch it, I don't think."

That's when co-host Big Cat brought up Mike VII -- LSU's beloved mascot that lives on campus -- and Burrow said he was against the idea.

FWIW -- Mike has a huge habitat on campus for students to check out the kitty in between classes ... and there's a vet on-site to make sure all is well.

There's even a live cam for people across the world to check in on Mike ... although the thing seems to be chilling most of the time.

As for "Tiger King," Big Cat and PFT Commenter say it's probably for the best he sits that one out ... and Burrow agrees.

"Very sad, yeah."

The good news?? Burrow's Cincinnati Bengals don't have a live mascot ... they just have a grown-ass dude dressed up as a tiger named "Who Dey" ... so, silver lining!!

Seems Earl Thomas is on decent terms with his wife -- despite allegations she held a gun to his head -- because he's flashing a new diamond chain she got him for his birthday.

The Baltimore Ravens star turned 31 on Thursday -- and showed off his flashy new gift on social media ... a diamond pendant featuring a picture of Earl with his late grandfather, Pastor Earl Thomas.

His grandfather passed away in 2018 -- but Earl has spoken publicly about how much Pastor Earl meant to him.

Earl praised Nina Thomas for the gift -- saying, "Thank You [Nina Thomas]."

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Nina was arrested on April 13 after cops say she stormed an Airbnb home in Texas and held Earl at gunpoint after she caught him cheating.

Earl posted a video statement on May 6 saying, "Stuff like this happens" -- and noting that he has "been talking" with his wife.

So, does the chain represent a full reconciliation?

"The tournament had to be in Florida after Tom's [breaking and entering] arrest. With the ankle monitor, he couldn't leave the state."

Peyton Manning just ROASTED Tom Brady over his bungled April visit to Byron Leftwich's house ... and seriously, the clip is the funniest thing you'll see all day!!

Manning, Brady, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson all joined Ernie Johnson on Thursday to preview their charity golf match set for May 24 in Hobe Sound, Fla. ... and it didn't take long for the zingers to start flying.

Brady hit Manning with a joke about Archie Manning ... saying, "I actually thought I was going to be Tiger's partner. But then Peyton's dad called and switched the teams."

Funny, right!?!

Manning laughed ... and then dropped a HAMMER on the NFL's G.O.A.T. in return -- deciding to bust Brady's balls for accidentally barging into a Tampa resident's home last month!!

"Tiger and I talked to the sheriff in Tampa," Manning said, "[Tom's] going to be allowed to go to Palm Beach to play."

Of course, Brady took the ribbing in stride ... he cracked up over the jokes -- and even wrote on social media after, "Sorry not sorry..."

Rob Gronkowski better WATCH OUT ... 'cause Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians says he's got his eyes on the WWE 24/7 belt ... so he better keep his head on a swivel!!!

Of course, Gronk feared this exact scenario last week ... saying he had to defend his shiny, new belt from everyone at all times -- even at the Bucs facility.

"Imagine coming out of the meeting room, I'm like looking to my left down the hallway ... looking to my right to make sure no one is out of the meetings yet, and then all of a sudden ... Coach Arians just comes out of nowhere with a flying elbow and takes me out and pins me and becomes the 24/7 champ," Gronk said on the "Gronk'd UP" podcast.

It's for good reason ... because Bruce joined ESPN on Thursday and said he's already plotting his plan of attack.

"[Gronk] better keep his head on a swivel ... I may take it from him," Coach said on "NFL Live."

Of course, Arians was kidding ... or was he!?

We can't really be sure at this point. Maybe we're all just pawns in his strategy to get the belt from Gronk??

"First of all, let’s not put the words fitness and Ben Roethlisberger together, they are allergic to each other."

That's Jay Glazer keeping it ALL THE WAY real about Big Ben's offseason workout routines ... and it's pretty savage/hilarious.

The NFL insider was filling out a mailbag piece for The Athletic this week ... when one fan asked about the Steelers QB and a return to "85% plus fitness" after arm surgery.

Glazer's response?

"There is no fitness in Ben Roethlisberger."

Ouch.

Jay continued, "His idea of a great off-season workout program is doing one yoga session, playing golf, and drinking some beer."

Don't get it twisted ... Jay had some compliments for Big Ben too, saying the way the QB and coach Mike Tomlin have won over the years in Pitt is nothing short of "incredible."

Of course, it ain't like Glazer was wrong anyhow ... have you seen Big Ben this offseason?!?!

NFL star Earl Thomas is lucky to be alive after cops say his wife held a loaded gun less than a foot from his head ... after she allegedly caught him cheating with another woman.

It's all spelled out in court documents obtained by TMZ Sports ... detailing a violent April 13 altercation involving the Baltimore Ravens player, Nina Thomas and several other people.

The Austin Police Dept. responded to a home in the Austin, Texas area at 3:41 AM after getting a call about a disturbance.

When cops arrived, they say "we observed that a black female wearing an orange sweater with a knife in her hand, later identified as Nina Thomas, was chasing a shirtless black male, later identified as Earl Thomas, with a pistol in his hand around a vehicle."

Cops drew their weapons and ordered both Nina and Earl to the ground -- and they complied without incident. That's when the investigation began and things got WILD.

Here's Nina's story, according to court docs ...

Nina claims Earl, 30, left their home earlier in the day after an argument over the NFL player's drinking. She claims Earl's brother, Seth Thomas, picked him up.

But, a short time later, she decided to check on his whereabouts by logging into his Snapchat account -- and that's when she says she found video of Earl with another woman.

Nina says she used Earl's Snapchat account to track his location to a nearby Airbnb rental home ... and says she called up two other women to help her confront Earl at the pad. Nina also claims she grabbed Earl's pistol, a 9mm Berreta, in the process with the intention to "scare him."

When the women arrived at the house, they "discovered Earl and Seth naked in bed with other women."

That's when Nina admits she pulled out the gun and put it to Earl's head -- stating "that she took out the magazine thinking that the gun could not fire." But, cops say Nina was "unaware that the gun had a round in the chamber."

Cops say one of the women in the house shot cell phone video of the incident ... which they say shows Nina pointing the gun at Earl's head "from less than a foot away and it can clearly be seen that Nina's finger was on the trigger and the safety is disengaged."

Fortunately for Earl, cops say the Ravens defensive back was able to wrestle the gun away from her.

Cops say the cell phone video also shows Nina striking Earl in the nose before it ends.

Cops also spoke with Earl, who essentially corroborated the story ... adding that Nina repeatedly hit him while he attempted to take the firearm away.

In an interview with Earl's alleged mistress at the scene, she claimed Nina also threatened her and the other woman in the house -- pointing the gun at them and yelling "I got something for all you hoes!"

The woman claims one of Nina's other friends was carrying a knife and swinging it aggressively during the altercation as well.

After speaking with everyone, cops ultimately arrested Nina and both members of her posse. Nina was booked for burglary of a residence with intent to commit aggravated assault with a deadly weapon -- family violence, and later bonded out.

Earl was NOT arrested.

Court records show Nina was also hit with an emergency protective order ... requiring her to stay 200 yards away from Earl and his alleged mistress.

As we previously reported, Earl and Nina were married in an extravagant wedding back in April 2016 ... Russell Wilson and Ciara even attended the ceremony.

Earl is one of the best defensive players in the NFL -- he's a 7-time Pro Bowl defensive back who won Super Bowl XLVIII as a member of the Seattle Seahawks.

Thomas was a key part of Seattle's legendary "Legion of Boom" -- along with Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor.

When contacted by TMZ Sports, Nina's attorney, Jonathan Goins, told us, "I am here to declare that my client unequivocally and categorically denies these allegations and we look forward to our day in court where we can clear her good name."

We also reached out to Earl Thomas for comment before we published the story -- and he released a statement on social media.

"Instead of talking about us, just keep us in y'all prayers," Thomas says. "Stuff like this happens. We try to live the best lives we possibly can. Sometimes it doesn't go as planned."

Alex Smith's wife is celebrating the QB's 36th birthday by showing just how hard he's working to get back on the field ... and praising him for refusing to give up after his life-threatening leg injury.

It's been a roller coaster 18 months for the Smiths after the Redskins QB broke his leg during a game in November 2018 ... an injury that required 17 follow-up surgeries due to a flesh-eating bacteria.

Despite being told it would be nearly impossible to return to football, Smith has been working out like crazy to prove everyone wrong ... and Elizabeth gave an inside look at his progress on Thursday,

"Happy Happy Birthday to this handsome, hard working man❤️" Elizabeth said on IG ... while thanking fans for their support following the debut of ESPN's "Project 11" documentary.

"The last week we’ve been overwhelmed with love, support and sweet messages. We cannot thank you enough."

Elizabeth shared several shots of Smith crushing workouts on his repaired leg (with a bit of help from his 2 sons) ... from cone drills to throwing -- and the dude looks GOOD.

"#project11 was a look into what the last 18 months have been (mostly Alex refusing to give up)." Elizabeth continued.

"I am in awe of his perseverance everyday. He just keeps getting stronger and refuses to give up... Forever grateful"

As for Alex, he knows his NFL future is uncertain ... but he's made it clear he's not giving up without a fight.

Brett Favre is already taking steps to return $1.1 MILLION in payments he received from the state of Mississippi ... claiming he had NO IDEA the cash was coming from a welfare program.

The backstory is bizarre ... officials claim the Mississippi Dept. of Human Services handed out $98 MILLION in welfare funds to 2 non-profit orgs., which were supposed to use the money to help the poor.

Instead, officials say several crooked people in those groups spent MILLIONS on things like concert tickets, football games, lobbyists and more.

Officials say $1.1 million was paid to Favre to deliver speeches in 2017 and 2018 -- but Favre never actually performed.

Auditors flagged the payments -- and although he has not been accused of any wrongdoing, Brett is speaking out to explain his side of the story.

"My agent is often approached by different products and brands for me to appear in one way or another. This request was no different, and I did numerous ads for Families First," Favre said.

"I have never received monies for obligations I didn't meet. To reiterate Auditors White's statement, I was unaware that the money being dispersed was paid for out of funds not intended for that purpose, and because of that I am refunding the full amount back to Mississippi."

"I have spent my entire career helping children through Favre 4 Hope donating nearly $10 million to underserved and underprivileged children in Mississippi and Wisconsin."

"It has brought a ton of joy to my life, and I would certainly never do anything to take away from the children I have fought to help! I love Mississippi and I would never knowingly do anything to take away from those that need it most."

Officials have confirmed Favre has already repaid $500,000 -- and plans to return the remaining $600,000 in various installments.

"I want to applaud Mr. Favre for his good faith effort to make this right and make the taxpayers and TANF families whole,'' Auditor Shad White said in a statement Wednesday.

Tennessee State running back Jordan Bell is recovering after doctors amputated part of his left leg following a motorcycle crash ... and he's already got his sites set on playing football again!

20-year-old Bell was riding his red 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000 in Nashville on April 4 -- when he hit a pothole, lost control and was thrown from the bike into a concrete wall.

Several bystanders rushed to help -- and emergency responders were called to the scene to treat the severe injuries, including broken bones and severed nerves.

Unfortunately, Bell's left leg was so damaged in the crash, doctors decided it was in his best interest to amputate below the knee.

Now, the running back is recovering at home -- which SUCKS even more because of the COVID-19 pandemic -- which is why his teammates organized a social distancing visit to show their support.

Several players and coaches (wearing masks) brought signs and balloons to Bell's home on April 29 -- and you can see in the pics, Bell was clearly moved by the gesture.

Bell is currently undergoing physical therapy and will be fitted for a prosthetic so he can walk again.

But, get this ... according to family members, one of Jordan's goals is to "eventually play football again."

Hey, with his work ethic and attitude, anything's possible!

Meanwhile, Bell's family has started a GoFundMe to raise money for the medical bills -- and the fundraiser was already approved by the NCAA.

"I would honestly say this is probably going to be one of my best seasons. Bigger, stronger, faster ... this is my time."

The Dawg Pound's gotta be salivating after hearing Odell Beckham's prediction for the upcoming season ... with the Cleveland Browns superstar WR saying he'll be more than ready to bounce back after a disappointing 2019.

Remember, OBJ says he played all of last season with a sports hernia injury he suffered during training camp ... which ultimately led to a lackluster start to his career in Orange and Brown.

The injury ultimately required surgery ... which Beckham had after the season.

"So pretty much, I was just f***ed up the whole year," Odell says. "I really didn't try and say anything about it. Probably one of the worst surgeries I've ever had."

Beckham gave an update on his status in a vlog posted on Monday ... saying he's putting in the work during rehab to get back to 100% during quarantine.

"Recovery's going well. Guess I'm really just trying to put my body back together. I've been playing for 23 years, so for me, I'm trying to put it all back together in seven months."

Beckham had just 4 TDs in 2019 as the Browns went 6-10 ... but this talk has to get fans fired up for 2020.

Larry Csonka and his Miami Dolphins teammate Manny Fernandez once caught a live alligator and hid it in Don Shula's shower ... and the story is nuts!!

The Dolphins legendary running back was remembering Shula on a Zoom call with reporters when he explained how he pulled off one of the most DANGEROUS pranks ever!!

It all started during a fishing trip in Florida with Manny -- a stud defensive end -- the day after an exhibition game.

Csonka says they saw alligators on the beach and Manny said he could catch one.

That's when Manny -- a MANIAC -- jumped out of the boat and caught a 3-foot gator with his bare hands!!

"It was like something in a movie. There was tumbling and screaming and growling and pretty soon Manny Fernandez came walking out of the bushes with a baby alligator!"

"Walked over and threw it in the boat. I jumped out of the boat!"

Larry says the guys threw the gator into his car and brought it back to the team practice facility the next day ... "and then we had the great idea of putting it in his shower."

Larry says the players took a vote on whether to tape the gator's mouth shut -- and it passed by ONE VOTE!

How'd it go over with the Coach???

BEAST MODE MIGHT NOT BE DONE YET!!!

Marshawn Lynch just said he's "in talks" with the Seattle Seahawks about yet another NFL comeback ... this time telling ESPN's Scott Van Pelt to "expect the unexpected" from him in 2020.

"Just as far as right now," Lynch said Monday, "what I do know is, imma keep it solid. My agent has been in talks with Seattle, so like I said, we'll see what happens."

Lynch has retired and unretired multiple times in his NFL career ... but after his short stint with the 'Hawks at the end of last season, most thought the 34-year-old was officially done.

But, Lynch sure seems like a guy who wouldn't mind making a run at Year No. 13 in the NFL.

"If it works out and I get back up there, it is what it is," Lynch said. "And, if not, sh*t, I'm looking good. So I ain't really trippin' too much."

Marshawn -- who's had a Hall of Fame-caliber career -- famously quit the NFL after the 2015 season ... but came back to the Oakland Raiders in 2017 after sitting out all of '16.

After playing 21 games for Oakland in two seasons, it appeared Lynch was finally done with football ... but then he surprisingly returned to Seattle to help with their playoff run last year.

AND, HE LOOKED GOOD!!

So, could he come back for a full season this time with the 'Hawks???

Everything's bigger in Texas ... including the mansions -- just check out the place Jason Witten is trying to sell!!

Now that the former Dallas Cowboys tight end is playing for the Las Vegas Raiders, he's parting ways with his 8,800-square-foot estate ... and this place is SICK!!!

We're talkin' 17 ROOMS -- including 6 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, wine cellar, movie theater, game room and wet bar!

OH, AND THE POOL AREA LOOKS LIKE A RESORT!

Waterslide? Yep. Diving board? OF COURSE!

It's all located in a very exclusive guard-gated community on a golf course in Westlake, Texas ... about a 30-minute drive from Dallas.

The neighborhood is also packed with other NFL and MLB players. Glenn Beck is also a neighbor.

Got guests? There's an 828-square-foot guesthouse too!

The property, listed by Engel & Volkers, sits on 1.2 acres of land. Asking price -- a cool $4.6 MILLION!

37-year-old Witten just wrapped up a 15-season run with the Cowboys -- he made over $70 million in contract money alone.

Now that he's playing in Vegas, seems he's ready to part ways with his longtime pad.