Football

Huge blow for the Dallas Cowboys ... star defensive tackle Gerald McCoy just suffered a gnarly quad injury in practice -- and the team now says he's DONE for the 2021 season.

Reporters on scene in Dallas say the defensive lineman -- who just signed a 3-year, $18 MILLION contract with the team this offseason -- went down awkwardly during Monday's workout.

According to multiple witnesses, McCoy was stepped on by a teammate in a routine drill -- and could NOT put weight on the leg as trainers helped the 6-time Pro Bowler to the locker room.

Cowboys exec Stephen Jones confirmed a short time later that McCoy ruptured his right quad tendon -- and will now be headed for season-ending surgery.

32-year-old McCoy was expected to be a key player in the middle of the Cowboys' defense this season ... head coach Mike McCarthy had just praised him earlier this month, saying, "we look for him to be a force inside."

New threads, same number for Patriots quarterback Cam Newton ... 'cause the ex-MVP made his practice debut on Monday ... and the man is still Numero Uno!!

Now the question is -- will he be #1 on the depth chart?!

As of right now, Newton is currently sharing first-string duties with young QB Jarrett Stidham, according to the team's official site ... but obviously, only one guy can be under center come September.

It's the first ~official~ time we've seen Cam decked head-to-toe in Pats gear ... but the former #1-overall draft pick has stayed busy this offseason by working out with his new teammates like Julian Edelman ... and even Logan Paul.

The image of Cam in red, white and blue is definitely still taking some time getting used to -- especially after 20 years of seeing Tom Brady taking the snaps in Foxborough.

Speaking of, a bunch of new faces are showing up to camp recently -- from LSU hero Joe Burrow joining the Cincinnati Bengals, Tua Tagovailoa taking his talents to the Miami Dolphins and longtime vet Philip Rivers trading his Chargers jersey for Indianapolis Colts blue.

Here's hoping the NFL can successfully find a way to SAFELY proceed with the season -- because football is awesome and we're already getting fired up about it.

The CFL is shutting it down, ay.

Canadian football League commissioner Randy Ambrosie just announced there will be NO games 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Instead, the CFL is "shifting its focus to 2021 and beyond."

“Our league governors decided today it is in the best long-term interests of the CFL to concentrate on the future,” the Commish said.

"We are absolutely committed to 2021, to the future of our league and the pursuit of our vision of a bigger, stronger, more global CFL."

Longo story short, the CFL says unlike the NFL, it relies HEAVILY on the revenue from live attendance -- AKA "fans in the stands."

And, with pandemic protocols limiting the amount of people allowed to gather at one location, the league realized it didn't make sense to push forward this season.

"Unlike US-based leagues that can count on television or streaming to provide the lion’s share of their revenue, the CFL depends heavily on its live gate," the league said in a statement.

CFL honchos had been working plans for a shortened season in a bubble style environment in Winnipeg -- but again, the money just wasn't there to justify the costs.

The league was hoping the Canadian govt. would help out with the costs to keep the sport going -- but it never panned out.

"Despite months of discussions, the government ultimately declined the CFL’s appeal for financial support," the league says.

The owners of the Cleveland Browns say they support Baker Mayfield's plan to kneel for the national anthem in 2020 ... hoping it will lead to more "thoughtful dialogue" about tough issues in the future.

The star QB has said multiple times he plans to kneel during the anthem in 2020 -- claiming it will shine a spotlight on police brutality and social injustice ... which he recently described as "human rights issues."

Jimmy Haslam and his wife, Dee, were asked about Baker's comments on Sunday -- and they insist the organization will support "freedom of speech" and expression for any Browns player who wants to take a knee.

"One of the great things about this country, one of the many great things, is the ability to have freedom of speech and to be able to express yourself, so we're gonna support our players," Jimmy said.

He hopes the demonstration will lead to more constructive conversations between people on both sides of the issues -- claiming, "One of the unfortunate things in the country today is that there's not enough thoughtful dialogue."

Dee says she hopes the Browns can show the rest of the country it's possible to have "respectful" conversations about the tough issues.

High school football is officially underway in Utah -- where two teams faced off for the first time this year despite the looming pandemic.

The Herriman Mustangs took on the Davis Darts on Thursday in a stadium that was only filled to 25% of capacity in order to allow fans to keep a safe distance. All fans were required to mask up.

On the field, coaches, refs and other essential personnel wore neck gaiters to cover their mouths and noses while interacting with the players and each other.

The cheerleaders were allowed on-site too -- again, everyone wearing a mask.

Although some of the players wore masks during warm-ups, they were NOT required during the game and it doesn't appear anyone wore one after the opening kick off.

School officials said extra staff and security were brought on to make sure everyone was in compliance with the COVID-19 protocols.

In the end, Davis emerged victorious in a 24-20 nailbiter -- with running back Spencer Ferguson rushing for 197 yards and a TD.

It was an interesting site considering several states have postponed high school football due to the pandemic -- including Arizona, California, New York, New Jersey and more.

Of course, college football is divided -- with the PAC-12 and Big Ten also pushing to the spring.

Ohio State superstar QB Justin Fields is leading a campaign to resurrect the BIG Ten football season -- saying he believes it can be done in a safe and responsible way.

The 21-year-old Heisman hopeful launched a petition Sunday aimed at the Big Ten Conference in hopes of getting officials to reconsider postponing the fall season ... and it's already racked up more than 220,000 signatures.

"We believe that safety protocols have been established and can be maintained to mitigate concerns of exposure to COVID-19," Fields said in the petition ... adding it should be up to the players to decide if they want to suit up or the season.

"Don’t let our hard work and sacrifice be in vain. #LetUsPlay!"

Fields joined ESPN Radio on Monday and said he believes if the other conferences are able to play, the Big Ten should find a way to figure it out as well.

"I think if the SEC, ACC and Big 12 all feel like we can have a season safely, I think we can do the same thing in the Big Ten."

"I don’t think it’s hit everyone that we’re not playing, but if we’re sitting at home and other conferences are playing, that’s gonna hurt down deep."

Fields adds he and his teammates want to play for the seniors who may not get the opportunity to play college football again ... saying, "We owe it to those guys first."

Fields says he's working directly with Clemson's Trevor Lawrence to find ways to move forward -- they're trying o unify the biggest names in college football to speak out together to help save the season.

"We're finally now realizing how big of a voice that we have."

As we previously reported, both the Big Ten and the PAC-12 have postponed their football seasons to at least January, which the hopes of playing a season in the spring, if the pandemic allows for it.

The Washington Football Team has named Jason Wright as team president, the 1st Black team president in NFL history.

Yep, this is a big deal.

The 38-year-old spent 7 years as an NFL running back as an undrafted free agent out of Northwestern in 2004.

He spent time with the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals -- racking up 1,214 total yards and 5 TDs.

During the 2011 NFL lockout, Wright decided to leave go back to school -- and got his Masters Degree in Business from the University of Chicago. He later went on to become a partner for McKinsey & Co., a major consulting company.

Wright spoke with 'GMA' about his new job -- and explained why he's so excited about the gig.

"The fact that I happen to be Black and the most qualified person is a boost," Wright said.

Wright says he's well-aware of the PR issues the team faces -- from the team name controversy to the allegations of sexual harassment -- and says he looks forward to helping the "culture transformation."

As for the new name of the team, Wright says he's not spilling the beans yet. He just got hired!

Wright is Washington's 2nd major non-white hire in the past few months -- after naming Ron Rivera head coach.

Rivera replaced Jay Gruden. Wright takes over for Bruce Allen -- both of whom were fired in 2019.

Wright later tweeted, "So excited to join the movement that the Snyders and Coach Rivera have launched. Ready to dive in!"

He lost his job. He's fighting domestic violence allegations -- and now, Derrius Guice has been ordered to appear in court over a reckless driving incident.

TMZ Sports has learned ... the ex-Washington Football Team running back was popped going 95 in a 55 near Dulles Airport back in June -- the latest in a string of speeding incidents in Virginia.

He was cited for misdemeanor reckless driving and a court date has been set for Sept.

Normally, this isn't a big deal ... but for Guice, it's another strike against a once-promising NFL star battling to keep his career.

As previously reported, Guice was arrested earlier this month on several serious domestic violence-related charges ... including felony strangulation.

Officials say Guice attacked his GF on 3 separate occasions from February to April -- and if convicted on all counts, he faces serious prison time.

While digging around on the domestic violence case, we came across a bunch of speeding incidents involving Guice dating back to May 2019.

In total, 4 speeding tickets over the course of 13 months -- seems Guice has a lead foot.

Guice's attorney has said the RB "adamantly denies" the domestic violence charges.

Baker Mayfield is holding firm to his promise to kneel for the national anthem ... saying he's proud to use his platform to speak out for human rights.

Remember, the Cleveland Browns QB clapped back at a fan who begged him to NOT take a knee this upcoming season ... saying, "pull your head out. I absolutely am."

During a virtual media session Friday, Bake was asked if he regretted going public with his kneeling plans because of social media backlash he received afterward.

"I don't have any regrets," Mayfield says. "I think being in my position, which is a blessing, to be out on a platform where I can speak on issues that ... they're just wrong."

"Right is right, wrong is wrong. This is a human rights issue that's been going on for a long time and I believe in that."

#6 continued ... "It's nothing against military, anybody who served. And anybody who knows my history knows that I completely support military and the people that serve our country for the right reasons and do it for justice."

Mayfield isn't all talk -- he's shown serious love for those who have protected the country over the years ... and even met with every single member of the military who attended Browns training camp in the past.

Baker's also helped the Browns send a bunch of care packages to the military in 2019 ... so yeah, the dude does a lot more for the troops than what some anti-kneelers will ever do.

FILE UNDER: Things you NEVER want to see your star left tackle do.

San Francisco 49ers star offensive lineman Trent Williams posted video on his IG story which appears to show him in the driver's seat pushing 125 MPH in a super-expensive Ferrari ... and it's concerning, to say the least.

The video is shot by the driver as the speedometer ticks upward from the 90s into a top speed of 125 -- and you can see the whip racing by other vehicles on the Freeway.

Obviously, the driver is smashing speed limits and endangering other drivers -- all while Lil Durk's "Fabricated" blasts in the background.

We reached out to Williams for comment but haven't heard back yet.

It's important to note, Williams recently posted a photo with what appears to be a 2019 Ferrari 488 Pista ... and the IG story video looks like the same car.

FYI -- the thing is a rocket ship on wheels ... and usually sells for more than $400,000!!

Of course, we're pretty sure Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch ain't going to love seeing this ... especially after they traded draft picks to Washington to acquire the guy in April.

Also, remember NFL star Jason Pierre Paul got into a bad accident while behind the wheel of a Ferrari 488 Pista back in May 2019 ... suffering a neck injury that required major surgery.

Williams is a potential future Hall of Famer -- he's made seven Pro Bowls in nine seasons ... but sat out all of 2019 over a dispute with Washington because he says team docs misdiagnosed his cancer.

He's hoopin' with Kevin Durant, playing football with Odell Beckham -- and getting tackled by Marshawn Lynch!

It's all in Drake's new music video for "Laugh Now Cry Later" ... which he dropped at midnight on Friday.

The video starts off at Nike World Headquarters in Oregon -- featuring Drake pulling up in a sick Mercedes.

After that, it was off to the basketball gym for some 1-on-1 with KD. Then to the field for some route running with OBJ.

They even recreate Odell's famous 1-handed grab.

The funniest part of the whole thing is when Marshawn comes out of nowhere to lay a big hit on Drake -- and then says, "Get the f*ck off the block -- f*ck's wrong with you?!!"

And, then he was out!

There's more ... Drake golfs, swings the baseball bat, hits the treadmill -- and even recreates that famous Muhammad Ali underwater video from back in the day.

The song knocks too -- and will be featured on his upcoming album, "Certified Lover Boy."

Pacman Jones tells TMZ Sports he spoke with Joe Haden and no longer believes the Steelers star orchestrated the jersey prank that resulted in a bonfire.

But, Pacman DOES suspect it was another Steelers legend who concocted the plan ... Joey Porter!

Pacman says he initially attacked Haden because his "instinct" led him to believe the DB was behind the prank.

But, the two men talked it out ... and he believes Haden is telling the truth -- that he had nothing to do with shipping the box of autographed Steelers jerseys to Pacman's crib.

"I don't think Joe sent them after I talked to Joe -- so, I don't have no problem with Joe," Pacman says.

"But, I do think somebody over there in that ballpark or whatever they doing over there, Sh*ttsburgh, that somebody from over there sent them. I wouldn't even be surprised if Joey Porter sent them."

Ya gotta watch the video -- Pacman says Haden's agent Drew Rosenhaus tried to play peacemaker, but Pacman hates Drew so it didn't work out.

"I'm not a big fan of Drew. I have no problem with Joe. For all I care, Drew can go f*ck himself for what it's worth to me."

We asked Pacman if he's still harboring a beef with the Pittsburgh Steelers over the intense rivalry from his days with the Cincinnati Bengals ... and his answer -- well, WATCH!

"I don't give two f*cks about nothing that's going on in Pittsburgh. I'm riding and dying about what I believe in and what I stand for and Pittsburgh have nothing that I believe in or stand for."

"I gives a f*ck about anything that's going on in Pittsburgh."

There's more ... Pacman recently launched a new CBD and THC company called PAC24 to help with pain relief -- and says the weed helped him get off potentially dangerous painkillers after years of football-related injuries.

Former All-Pro linebacker Chip Banks -- the #3 overall pick in the 1982 NFL Draft -- is fighting for his life after he was shot in an apparent targeted attack in Georgia ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Cops tell us officers responded to a call about a shooting in the Atlanta area around noon on Wednesday and arrived to find 3 victims -- including Banks -- suffering from gunshot wounds.

One of the men, cops say, was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel.

The other two men -- including Banks -- were "alert, conscious and breathing" and transported to a local hospital for treatment, officials added.

We're told 60-year-old Banks, the 1982 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, is currently in "serious condition."

As for how the shooting went down ... cops told local media outlets Wednesday they believe a group of 5 or 6 men with masks on rolled up to the residence, shot a man in the driveway and then went inside and shot the other two men before running off.

Cops told local outlets they do not believe the shooting was random -- in other words, it appears at least one of the men was the target of a hit.

"Detectives are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident," a spokesperson for the Atlanta Police Dept. tells us. "The investigation continues."

Banks was a pretty big star in the NFL in the 1980s and early 1990s ... playing for the Cleveland Browns, San Diego Chargers and Indianapolis Colts.

Wanna live like an NFL running back but don't have the talent?

Well, you can buy Todd Gurley's L.A. pad if you've got $2.3 mil to spend.

The ex-Rams star -- who signed with the ATL Falcons -- is selling the 5,100 square foot crib in Chatsworth where he's lived for the past 3 years after buying an ever BIGGER place nearby from 'Twilight' actor Taylor Lautner.

Gurley's old crib was famous for hosting celebrity pickup games on his private court ... featuring stars like Cam Newton, YG and Quavo.

But, now that Gurley scooped up Lautner's 10,560-square-foot mansion just down the way ... he's looking to unload the smaller place.

It's a nice spot -- custom-built in 2005 and features a cool resort-style pool, waterfall and hot tub.

And, there's another celebrity connection -- Snoop Dogg's son Julian Broadus is working with the listing agents, Tai Savetsila and Michael Chambers of Agents of LA.

We're told Julian is interested in real estate -- and will help out in an "apprentice" role so he can learn the business.

"They ask my advice, I tell them, and then they don't take it."

Joe Montana says Tom Brady told him that was a real issue in New England ... and Joe Cool believes it's one of the biggest reasons why TB12 is no longer a Patriot.

"I think that was one of his beefs up there," Montana told USA Today Sports on Wednesday ... "I think he would like a little bit of input."

Joe said in another interview Wednesday with SportsMap Radio that Brady broke it all down for him when the two were at NFL 100 ceremonies at the Super Bowl in February.

"I don’t think he was happy with the way things were progressing there and his ability to have input," Montana said.

Of course, Brady has never publicly explained what made him leave New England for Tampa ... but it's clear, Montana believes if Bill Belichick had given the QB more say in the offense, he might still be a Patriot.

Regardless, Joe says he thinks Bruce Arians and Co. will be more than willing to give Brady a big role in play-calling and game-planning down in Florida.

"I think they'll probably let him have that," Montana said, "especially with the success that he's had."

Florida State wide receiver Warren Thompson claims he's been "lied to" about COVID exposure on the FSU football team ... this after another FSU WR tested positive on Wednesday.

Thompson -- a 6'3", 200-lb. sophomore -- put the team on blast in a lengthy IG post Thursday ... saying "the proper leadership does not exist" to address the COVID threat.

"During this entire week of camp I have been lied to multiple times about the conditions of other players' health as well as mine."

"It has been shown to myself and the rest, that our leadership is based off an 'I' mentality with them only worried about their own future rather than their own athletes."

Thompson's allegations come one day after his fellow WR D.J. Matthews confirmed on social media that he has tested positive for coronavirus.

Matthews is the 2nd Noles player to confirm a COVID case -- with lineman Andrew Boselli testing positive back in March.

We've reached out to FSU for comment -- no word back. But, FSU has not given out any info on the number of players infected since the pandemic began.

As for Thompson, he claims he's already been "ridiculed" for speaking up about his concerns ... but wanted to go public in hopes of resolving the issues before the season.

"The lies from our leaders have backed myself into a corner putting my overall well being in jeopardy," Thompson continued. "The neglect to respond to this issue is very concerning and why I’ve drawn attention to it."

Thompson makes it clear he WANTS to play for FSU this season and has done everything in his power to stay safe ... but he's demanding transparency from the school.