Football

Cincinnati Bengals rookie quarterback Joe Burrow just got himself an amazing welcome-to-the-NFL gift ... a diamond chain of his jersey number!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... the Heisman Trophy winner wanted to do something special after inking his massive, $36 million rookie deal, so he hit up celeb jeweler Leo Frost to whip up the one-of-a-kind piece.

We're told the awesome #9 pendant is made of 18k white gold and VVS diamonds ... sitting on an 18k white gold prong-set Cuban chain with VVS diamonds.

In other words, the rook's got taste!!

For those who paid close attention to our pre-draft jewelry roundup back in February, this should come as no surprise. As Leo told Burrow at the time, "After the draft, I'm thinking we make this a fat ass piece for you, #9? A fat #9."

Leo delivered on his promise ... flying to Cincinnati this week to hand over the final product ... and Joe loved it!!

It's been one crazy year for the Ohio boy -- he won a natty, won the Heisman, helped raise $500k for his hometown food bank, and went #1 overall in the Draft.

Marshal Yanda has gone from All-Pro offensive lineman to absolute SNACK in just a few months ... dude's shaved off a ton of weight since his retirement -- and looks amazing!

Yanda -- one of the best linemen in the NFL for the past decade-plus -- just retired in March ... but it's clear he's got no chance of playing in the gridiron trenches any time soon.

Check out a photo the 6'3" potential future Hall of Famer posted Monday ... he looks NOTHING like the guy who used to crush D-lineman for the Ravens at over 300 pounds!!!

"Family RV Trip Out West," Yanda captioned the pic. "August is looking a lot different this year!!!"

No kidding!!!

The Detroit Lions canceled practice Tuesday at the request of the players -- so they could take action in the wake of the shooting of Jacob Blake.

Several players -- along with coach Matt Patricia -- instead met with the media outside of the Lions' headquarters in Detroit to give their thoughts on the shooting.

The players made signs -- one reading, "The world can't go on" ... another said, "We won't be silent."

Duron Harmon, a lions safety, gave an emotional speech -- saying, "Some people think were just football players."

"This league, 67%, of its players are African American. Jacob Blake could have been anybody’s brother, cousin, uncle, friend, could have been them. And it wasn’t okay."

Harmon added, "Football is not important today."

Blake was shot multiple times in the back Sunday by police officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin (about a 5-hour drive from Lions headquarters).

Blake's father has said he sustained 8 shots and is currently paralyzed from the waist down.

QB Matt Stafford also spoke on the issue -- saying, "Football was the last thing on our mind at the moment to be honest with you."

"We're all just trying to figure a way out to help or make a change and help out. The last thing we thought about was playing football."

Russell Wilson claims he's got AT LEAST another decade and a half left in his football gas tank ... saying he's trying to play quarterback until he's 46 years old!!!

"I'm right in the beginning of my prime," the Seattle Seahawks superstar told Sports Illustrated. "I got so many more years left."

Of course, Russ is 31 years old right now and has a TON of miles on his body -- dude's already been in the league since 2012 and has played in 128 regular-season games.

But, Wilson says he's feeling better than ever ... and thinks everything he's done up until this point is just the tip of his potential iceberg!!

"For me, I'm just getting started," Russ said. "That's the fun part for me. I'm just getting started. And, so, I want to keep going."

If you're wondering ... only a handful of quarterbacks have ever started past the age of 40 -- with Brett Favre, Vinny Testaverde and, most notably, Tom Brady all accomplishing that feat.

Russ seems confident as hell that he can join that list no problem ... saying straight up it's now "my mission" to make it there.

Great news for Minnesota Vikings LB Cameron Smith ... the team says he had successful open heart surgery Monday -- just a few weeks after COVID testing found a congenital issue.

Smith said earlier this month that after he was diagnosed with coronavirus ... his doctors did further testing and discovered he had an irregular valve in his heart that could have killed him.

"It is really a blessing that we found this," Smith said, "as my heart is severely enlarged and wouldn’t have lasted much longer."

Vikes head coach Mike Zimmer said Tuesday that Smith underwent the operation Monday and is still recovering at the hospital ... but added he's hopeful the 23-year-old can rejoin his teammates later this season.

Of course, Smith is out for the year and his future as a football player is in jeopardy ... but the former USC star has vowed to make every effort to one day get back on the field.

"By no means am I ready to be done playing football," Smith said. "There is still so much more I want to accomplish on the field."

"I've seen racism up close. I know what it is. And, it isn't Donald Trump."

Football legend Herschel Walker delivered a passionate speech defending Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention Monday ... insisting his longtime buddy is an ally for Black people.

"It hurt my soul to hear the terrible names that people called Donald," Walker said. "The worst one is racist."

Walker says he's known Trump for nearly four decades ... and has never once experienced a racist act from him.

"I take it as a personal insult that people would think I've had a 37-year friendship with a racist," the 58-year-old former running back said. "People who think that don't know what they're talking about."

Walker says Trump has always been a fair and loving person toward him ... giving him business advice and setting an example for how to treat everyone the same.

Walker added he's seen tremendous family values from Donald up close as well ... explaining how Trump joined a family vacation to Disney World at the last minute in a suit and tie.

"There he was, in a business suit, on It's A Small World ride," Walker said with a laugh. "That was something to see."

Kap hasn't responded to Goodell yet -- but his good friend Kenny Stills just did ... saying he wants to see more meaningful action from the NFL that leads to "REAL" change.

"Look at the NFL," the Houston Texans WR said Monday ... "We're supposed to be the leaders in our country. We're reactive instead of proactive when it comes to a lot of the issues in our country."

"I hope that we can do a better job moving forward of listening to our players and understanding our issues and doing something about it."

There's more ... it's powerful stuff.

Roger Goodell says he understands the national anthem kneelers are NOT disrespecting the flag or the military -- and wishes he would have listened sooner to Colin Kaepernick.

The NFL commish spells out his position during an interview on "Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man" with ex-NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho -- who asked straight-up what Goodell would say in a public apology to Kaepernick.

"The first thing I'd say is I wish we had listened earlier, Kap, to what you were kneeling about and what you were trying to bring attention to," Goodell said during the interview which dropped Sunday.

The Commish insists he had invited Kaepernick to the NFL offices "to have the dialogue," but they never sat down together.

"I wish we had the benefit of that. We never did. And we would've benefited from that, absolutely."

But, Goodell made a bunch of interesting comments -- including this one, that seems to directly contradict Donald Trump's position on the kneeling.

"It is not about the flag," Goodell said ... "The message here, what are players are doing, is being mischaracterized."

"These are not people who are unpatriotic. They're not disloyal. They're not against our military."

"In fact, many of those guys were in the military, and they're a military family. And what they were trying to do is exercise their right to bring attention to something that needs to get fixed. And that misrepresentation of who they were and what they were doing was the thing that really gnawed at me."

Trump, even recently, has said he finds the kneeling to be disrespectful to the flag and the military -- and has urged fans to boycott sports where players are allowed to take a kneel.

Goodell says he was particularly moved by the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed by a white police officer in Minnesota.

"It was horrific to see that play out on the screen -- there was a part of me that said, 'I hope people realize that's what the players were protesting. That's what's been going on in our communities. You see it now on TV, but that's been going on for a long, long time."

Goodell says the NFL can't solve all of the problems in the world -- but admits the league should have "listened sooner" when it came to issues of police brutality and social injustice.

Kaepernick began his kneeling demonstration in 2016 -- but hasn't played in the league since that season. He's since accused the league of conspiring to blackball him from the NFL due to the kneeling.

Vernon Davis tells TMZ Sports he was straight-up "hurt" when Washington's NFL team changed its nickname ... saying it felt like "part of me has been taken away."

"I grew up a Washington Redskins fan, right?" the ex-NFL tight end tells us. "I've always wanted to play for the team as a kid. I always had dreams and aspirations to play for that team."

"So, for them to change the name, it really hurt. It hurt deep down inside."

But, Davis -- who grew up in the D.C. area and ultimately played 4 seasons for Washington -- says he gets why Dan Snyder and Co. pulled the trigger on dropping the moniker last month.

"I understand it's a business," Davis says. "It's all business."

Davis tells us he's sure the decision all came down to fans wanting the name change to happen ... and says, "If they're happy, I'm happy."

"If there's a lot of complaints and everyone's asking and if it's going to shine a better light on the organization, and just everything in general, I think it's best," Davis added.

"I'm all about doing the right thing. And I feel like if everyone's on board, and they think it's right, then it's right for me."

By the way, Davis has been working on some cool things since he played his last snap for Washington ... telling us he's partnered with cold brew drink company Riff -- and he's fired up about it!

"I'm going in there hoping to kick his ass pretty quick!"

That's Pat McAfee laying out his gameplan for beating Adam Cole at NXT TakeOver XXX ... with the ex-NFL punter telling TMZ Live he thinks he's got a real shot to win!!

Of course, McAfee's never professionally wrestled in his life ... but he's had a serious bone to pick with Cole ever since the wrestling star blew up on him on his show last month.

If you missed it ... the scene was crazy -- Pat made a comment implying Cole had used other wrestlers to grow his status -- and Adam WENT OFF!!

Cole got in McAfee's face, yelled and screamed ... and even pushed one of Pat's coworkers!!

The two have since had some dust-ups in the NXT ring ... with Pat legit PUNTING Cole in a confrontation two weeks ago!!

But, most believe as a pro wrestler ... Cole's got Saturday's official matchup in the bag -- although McAfee says he feels he's got destiny on his side!!

"My entire life," McAfee says, "I always thought that I was born for the professional wrestling world."

Pat tells us being an athlete with a huge personality has set him on this path ... and he's hoping to lay the hammer down quickly on Adam in the squared circle.

"I'm getting an opportunity to put up or shut up," Pat says. "And, I'm excited to see how it goes."

"Greetings. Welcome to the Death Star, where our opponent's dreams come to die."

Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis gave a helluva pump-up speech before the first practice at the new Allegiant Stadium on Friday ... introducing the team's state-of-the-art facility and revealing its official 'Star Wars'-themed nickname.

"My father always said that the greatness of the Raiders is in its future. Well today, that future really starts."

Of course, Friday marked the first time the team practiced inside the new stadium ... which, might we add, is really badass.

Davis hit the players with some inspirational words and a number of cliches ... but overall, the guys have to be jacked to get to play in this thing.

The NFL owner said the stadium was "built on the backs of thousands of players coaches, administrators, and fans, who for the past 60 years have proudly worn the Silver and Black ... adding, "This is our field of dreams. This is our house."

"The stadium's personality will be defined by you, so take pride every time you step on this field wearing those famed black jerseys and silver helmets. You are the Raiders. There will be many personal accomplishments out here on this field."

There's more ... it's good stuff!!!

"Someone on this field today will make the first tackle, somebody will score the first touchdown and somebody will make the first interception, but most importantly ... it is what we do as a team."

What sucks is that fans won't be able to experience the epic Death Star until next season (maybe) ... but at least the games are on schedule to happen on location in 2020.

It's The People's XFL now!

Dwayne Johnson -- AKA The Rock -- says the deal to buy the XFL is officially DONE ... and he can't wait to get to work.

As we previously reported, Rock and his partners -- Dany Garcia (Rock's business partner and ex-wife) and RedBird Capital (led by Gerry Cardinale) -- made a $15 million deal to take over Vince McMahon's beloved pro football league after it filed for bankruptcy earlier this year.

The deal was approved in bankruptcy court earlier this month -- and Rock says all of the I's have finally been dotted and the T's have been crossed.

"The deal is official closed and 'the keys' to the XFL have been handed over," Rock says.

"I humbly accept and promise to put my callouses to hard work building our new brand. Congrats to my partners @DanyGarciaCo & #GerryCardinale and our sharp, hungry team."

Rock included a graphic of the "key" -- which says the word "Mana" ... a Polynesian word for spiritual power.

No word on Rock's timeline to bring back the league -- but his good friend, Dana White, advised the WWE legend to get moving ASAP because there's a hungry market for live sports.

White even offered to council the XFL on how to properly navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, as he has done himself with the UFC.

It was long-rumored that 74-year-old Vince McMahon personally jumped off a 10-foot platform before WrestleMania 36 to ease Rob Gronkowski's fears ...

Turns out, IT'S TRUE -- AND THE WHOLE THING WAS CAPTURED ON VIDEO!!!

The whole incident was captured by "WWE 24: WrestleMania: The Show Must Go On" [h/t ProWrestlingSheet] -- which shows everything that happened behind WWE's biggest event of the year.

Remember, the event was taped on March 25 and 26 -- and aired on April 5 and 6 -- featuring Gronk serving as the "host" of the 2-day PPV event.

One of the big 'Mania moments featured Gronk jumping from the platform -- but before that happened, Vince McMahon personally walked the NFL star through the stunt.

Again, VINCE IS 74 YEARS OLD AND THREW HIMSELF OFF A PLATFORM!!!

No sweat for Vince! Gronk noted that the stunt was more like a "trust fall" with spotters.

In the end, Gronk executed his jump perfectly -- winning the WWE 24/7 title in the process!!

LSU head coach Ed Orgeron says he NEVER knew of alleged Derrius Guice sexual assault ... insisting a report to the contrary is "completely false."

As we previously reported ... 2 former LSU students told USA Today Sports that the former Tigers superstar RB raped them at their own apartments after nights of heavy drinking.

One of the women says she passed out on her bed and has flashback memories of Guice assaulting her.

She also says it was all particularly troubling because her boyfriend at the time was Guice's teammate on the LSU football team.

In the report, the boyfriend alleged Orgeron had at least some knowledge of the incident ... and says the coach brushed it all off to him when they had a conversation about it.

In fact, the boyfriend said to USA Today Sports that Orgeron had told him, "everybody’s girlfriend sleeps with other people."

Orgeron, however, fired back at the report in a lengthy statement Thursday night ... saying he had absolutely ZERO knowledge of an alleged Guice assault.

"The anonymous quote attributed to me by a former player in USA Today is not accurate," the coach said. "Out of respect for the young man's privacy, I will not reveal the full details of the conversation. What I will say is that a player came into my office to discuss transferring from our program."

"We also discussed the player's relationship challenges with his girlfriend. I told him what I would tell my own sons: 'We all experience heartbreak growing up. Do not throw away a promising academic and football career at LSU because of a personal obstacle.'"

"Any insinuation that I had knowledge of his girlfriend and Derrius Guice is completely false."

Orgeron added that he is complying with investigators ... saying, "The sexual assault allegations made against Derrius Guice should be taken very seriously and the alleged victims must be heard and supported."

Ron Rivera has announced he's been diagnosed with a form of skin cancer -- but says it won't stop him from coaching then Washington Football Team in 2020.

58-year-old Rivera informed his players Thursday night he's undergoing treatment for squamous cell carcinoma located in a lymph node.

The coach says it's "very treatable and curable."

Rivera told ESPN's Adam Schefter, "I'm planning to go on coaching. Doctors encouraged me to do it, too. They said, 'If you feel strongly, do it. Don't slow down, do your physical activities.' But everyone keeps telling me by week three or four, you'll start feeling it."

Rivera says he first discovered an unusual lump on his neck back in July -- and followed up with a doctor. He was formally diagnosed with cancer just two weeks ago.

"I was stunned," Rivera said ... "But I was angry because I feel like I'm in the best health I've been in."

"I'm going through the proper treatment. This will be fine."

The Michael Strahan Super Bowl 42 jersey auction has been temporarily suspended ... after the NFL legend claimed the auction house has a FAKE.

As we previously reported, Goldin Auctions is adamant their jersey is 100% real -- and insist it was authenticated by multiple professional (and reputable) photo-matching services.

But, Strahan claims to have the real jersey framed in his home -- and both sides were digging in their heels about which is the actual jersey from the 2008 game when the Giants defeated Tom Brady's New England Patriots.

Now, Goldin has announced the jersey has been pulled from the auction block "until the consigner of the jersey and Strahan can settle their dispute."

"At this time, it is unfair to the potential buyers and the seller of the jersey to continue with the sale due to the recent claims made."

Goldin Auctions still believes their jersey is the real one -- but says they are "not interested in a dispute with the former athlete."

Goldin insists a 3rd party authentication company studied the jersey in Strahan's home -- and believes it is NOT the real deal.

Strahan claims he gave the jersey to a friend directly after the game and instructed him to bring it to his hotel room -- and he's had it ever since.

The auction house claims the jersey ended up with a NY Giants equipment manager -- who eventually got it to another person, who brought it to Goldin.

The K.C. Chiefs will no longer allow their fans at Arrowhead Stadium to wear headdresses or paint their faces in Native American style ... announcing a permanent ban on both things Thursday.

The team says it's all a part of an effort to be more sensitive toward Native American cultures ... with Chiefs officials adding there might be even more changes coming.

K.C. says it's also reviewing the "Arrowhead Chop" -- a stadium-wide chant where fans pretend they have tomahawks while screaming at the top of their lungs.

The Chiefs also say they might be doing away with their famous drum-pounding pregame ceremony too.

K.C. says Thursday's changes all come as a result of 6 years worth of discussions with Native American leaders.

"We are grateful for the meaningful conversations we have had with all of these American Indian leaders," the Chiefs said.

"It is important that we continue the dialogue on these significant topics, and we look forward to continuing to work together in the future."

Of course, others in major sports are taking similar steps ... NFL's Washington team just changed its name -- while the Cleveland Indians say they're considering doing the same.