Football

The Las Vegas Bowl was on the verge of an all-out brawl in the crowd, but after the punches started flying one man stomped out the fuse with a colorful threat.

Ya gotta see the video ... Arizona State fans are jawboning each other in the stands at Allegiant Stadium and the Sun Devil on Sun Devil crime escalates to some haymakers.

Then, a Wisconsin Badgers fan runs over and lays down the law ... putting his fingers in the ASU supporters' faces and telling them he'll knock them out cold if they don't cut the crap.

Folks who nearly had a front-row seat to a much bigger fight roar in approval after the Wisconsin fan silences the trash talkers ... and both fan bases bond over a "Let's Go Badgers" chant.

The Wisconsin fan saved others a headache ... we're told police and security didn't come to the section, and this all happened midway through the 4th quarter.

South Carolina Coach Shane Beamer either loves mayo, or he's got a strong stomach ... as evidenced in the BUCKET of the condiment he was doused in after his team's victory.

The Gamecocks took down North Carolina 38-21 in the Duke's Mayo Bowl Thursday, and part of the victory celebration for the winning team included Beamer getting a mayo bath.

Apparently, a mass quantity of mayo can get heavy, as it took two people to lift it -- and slightly drop it -- over Beamer's head ... but he took the whole thing like a champ and with a smile on his face.

It's not the first time the Duke's Mayo Bowl has gotten some post-game-celebratory attention ... it was back in 2020 when Wisconsin took the trophy -- and then shattered it into a million pieces -- that garnered the game some big-time coverage.

This time, it's just a little less glass to tidy up, and much more mayo.

Warren Moon says of all the non-athletes in the sports world ... John Madden was by far the most legendary.

"I think he's probably the biggest sports icon of a non-athlete that there is," the Hall of Famer told TMZ Sports just one day after the famed football coach and broadcaster passed away.

"He's probably the biggest icon sports has had of a non-athlete."

Moon spent a lot of time with Madden over the years -- the two were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame together back in 2006 -- and he said the coach's passing devastated him.

Moon tells us he knew John was "in bad health" -- but he was shocked to hear the news of his death on Tuesday.

Moon, though, says John will never be forgotten ... telling us that while athletes like Michael Jordan, Jim Brown and Babe Ruth might be more iconic, no non-athlete was more memorable than Madden.

"12 Gauge" ain't out of ammo yet ... Cardale Jones tells TMZ Sports he's not retired, and he still wants to play pro football.

The former Ohio State star quarterback -- who bounced around the NFL from 2016 to 2019 -- says he's working out and staying in shape, ready for any role in either the NFL or XFL.

"That's still the goal," Jones said.

Jones is still only 29 years old, and he did have some bright moments the last time he took the field for the DC Defenders in the most recent iteration of the XFL.

Jones tells us he's eager to prove he's still got more left in the tank, saying he's confident he can still lead a team to wins.

John Madden -- the NFL coaching and broadcasting legend who's also the namesake of the famed "Madden" video game franchise -- has died, the NFL announced.

He was 85 years old.

The league said he passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday morning.

"Nobody loved football more than Coach," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement Tuesday evening. "He was football. He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others."

"There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today."

Madden is one of the most iconic figures in NFL history -- he dominated as a head coach of the Oakland Raiders, winning Super Bowl XI and finishing his career with a 103-32-7 record.

After his time as a head man on the sidelines ended, he went on to become one of the greatest color commentators ever -- famously teaming up with Pat Summerall to break down key NFL games for decades.

He was eventually inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006 -- and his popular terms "Boom!" and "Turducken" are still used around NFL broadcast booths to this day.

"I am not aware of anyone who has made a more meaningful impact on the National Football League than John Madden," Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement Tuesday. "And I know of no one who loved the game more."

Madden, though, is perhaps most known for his association with the insanely popular "Madden" football video game.

Casual fans, NFL players, and even coaches around the league play it religiously ... and the franchise -- which comes out with a new iteration yearly -- is reportedly worth around $4 billion.

Madden also gained fame in his career for his role as a pitchman -- he hawked products like Miller Lite and Tinactin, and appeared in notable commercials regularly.

Madden is survived by his wife Virginia, and his two sons, Joseph and Michael.

Baker Mayfield's wife says the hateful comments toward her husband following the Browns' loss to the Packers have turned scary ... saying the QB is now getting death threats.

Emily Mayfield said in a social media post that after the Cleveland star played poorly in Green Bay, fans have now begun to come at her and her husband with "death threats," "lies," and "blatant disrespect."

"I pray for those of you who even think those thoughts, let alone type them out," Emily said.

"I hope you can find some happiness so you stop trying to steal it from others."

Emily did not divulge if law enforcement has been notified of the threats ... but she added, "It's crazy how much negativity is amplified via social media."

Baker has been the quarterback of the Browns since he was drafted No. 1 overall in 2018 ... but the criticism of his play has grown loudly this season after he's had an up-and-down year.

Tom Brady's wallet did not get lighter after his infamous tablet smashing incident earlier this month ... the Bucs QB says the NFL did not fine him for hurling the electronic device.

Just over a week after Brady destroyed a Microsoft Surface in a fit of rage in Tampa Bay's loss to the Saints ... the football player told Jim Gray on the "Let's Go!" podcast that he was not punished by the league.

Brady said he was only issued a warning ... though he did say league officials told him they would fine him in the future if he does it again.

"I did get warned from the NFL on that," Brady said. "So, I won't throw another Surface."

Brady apologized for his actions ... but listen to the audio, he clearly thinks he actually helped Microsoft by chucking the device into the turf.

"I think it was pretty good marketing for the surface at the end of the day," Brady said with a laugh. "I think it worked out pretty well for them."

Microsoft -- which has been the NFL's tablet since 2014 -- had some fun over the incident as well, tweeting instructions about how to care for the device after Brady threw it.

Allen Robinson's fight with COVID-19 was so bad ... the Bears star said he lost 10 pounds -- and is still recovering weeks after contracting the virus.

The wide receiver -- who's missed Chicago's last two games due to COVID -- opened up about his battle with coronavirus on Tuesday ... and he called it all a "beast."

The 28-year-old told reporters he experienced all of the common symptoms associated with COVID -- and added that even though he's getting better, he's still not 100 percent.

"Still kind of fighting through it," Robinson said.

Allen, though, said he's hopeful he can play for the Bears this weekend ... which would be big for the wideout, because he's had a mostly forgettable season so far.

A game-worn Tom Brady jersey that the quarterback wrote "G.O.A.T" on has just hit the auction block -- and TMZ Sports has learned it's so rare, it could fetch over $600,000.

Check out the uniform ... it's an all-black Buccaneers kit that Brady wore when he carved up the Atlanta Falcons on Jan. 3, 2021, just a few weeks before he won Super Bowl LV in Tampa.

Brady autographed it uniquely -- writing down his stats from the game (26/41 for 399 yards and 4 TDs) and also jotting down "SB LV MVP."

But, he also added another inscription at the bottom of the #2 -- putting the letters "G.O.A.T."

The guys at Goldin -- which is handling the auction -- tell us it's believed to be the only game-worn jersey in Brady history that he's written "G.O.A.T." on.

We're told it's such a one-of-a-kind piece, getting over half a million dollars for it should be no problem.

Brett Favre says, at most, there are only 4 NFL QBs who have ever played better than Aaron Rodgers ... telling TMZ Sports the Packers star is a top-5 signal-caller of all time.

The Green Bay legend made the claim just days after Rodgers tied his Packers record for most passing TDs ... saying he thinks Aaron has just been that prolific in his 17-year career.

"You have to put Tom Brady and Joe Montana right at the top," Favre says. "And I think Aaron Rodgers falls in the top five."

Favre didn't elaborate on who the other two quarterbacks on the list would be ... but it's obviously high praise for Rodgers nonetheless.

A top-five ranking would mean Rodgers could be considered to be better than Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Dan Marino, John Elway, Troy Aikman, and a bevy of other Hall of Famers.

"I think Aaron should be in the top five," Favre said. "If he quit today, he's a top five guy."

Rodgers' resume is certainly deserving of the honor, he has a Super Bowl ring, 3 MVP trophies and he's been selected to 10 Pro Bowls.

The Grinch will be making its way to the NFL this Christmas ... courtesy of Indianapolis Colts running back Nyheim Hines' super furry cleats!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... Hines hit up his go-to guy, artist Rodney Jackson, to make some cleats that will get him in the holiday spirit before taking on the Cardinals on Christmas Day.

The finished product channels one of the most iconic Christmas movies ever -- "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" -- and they came out mean and furry!

Each cleat is covered with a crazy amount of green hair -- just like the Grinch's signature fur -- and features the Mean One's evil grin sketched on the side.

Jackson tells us it took 3 days to put this masterpiece together ... with the help of a sewing machine and glue.

But, Hines ain't the only Colts player celebrating the holidays on his feet -- cornerback Isaiah Rodgers also copped some pre-game Christmas cleats.

Rodgers went with a different holiday classic, "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" ... and Jackson used a tricky wiring technique to get Rudolph's very shiny nose to light up!

A woman is dead after suffering injuries in a car crash where the driver was Washington Football Team Safety Deshazor Everett.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, Deshazor was behind the wheel of the car when it hit multiple trees, killing a female passenger, 29-year-old Olivia S. Peters, who lived in Las Vegas. She was taken to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Everett was taken to a local hospital, where he remained Friday morning. His injuries are reportedly serious but not life-threatening.

The accident occurred at around 9:15 Thursday night in Loudoun County, Virginia. Everett was driving a 2010 Nissan GT-R and actually hit a few trees before it rolled over.

Cops tell us the crash is under investigation but so far ... no arrests and no charges.

The cause of the crash has not been disclosed.

Cardale Jones believes Urban Meyer will never roam a sideline as a head coach again ... telling TMZ Sports he thinks the former Ohio State headman is done after the Jaguars debacle.

The ex-OSU quarterback -- who won a national championship with Urban and the Buckeyes in the 2014 season -- tells us Meyer's quick firing in Jacksonville shows the game has just passed by the coach.

"It's almost like the term, 'You can't teach an old dog new tricks,'" Jones said. "I think [Urban's] ways are a little behind us."

Jones explained he thinks Urban's bristly coaching style and the way he recruits, plus the NCAA's new rules regarding NIL deals and the transfer portal, all make it unlikely that Urban would get another job at the college ranks.

As for the NFL -- it seems pretty clear he wouldn't get a second shot there either.

"I wouldn't say [his coaching style] is outdated, because he was just coaching college three years ago," Jones said. "It's just times have changed."

"And I don't know if he's willing to make that sacrifice and change in his demeanor, his personality, or his coaching style to keep up with times today."

As for the allegations against Meyer in Jacksonville -- ones that involved being downright mean to players and even kicking his kicker -- Jones says he has no idea if they're true. He did say, though, that he and Meyer did not have the world's greatest relationship at OSU.

"Out of my four years at Ohio State, I probably had 10 conversations with Coach Meyer," Jones said. "And that's including hi and bye walking through the freakin' facility."

Rachel Bush -- wife of Bills star Jordan Poyer -- is furious her husband didn't make the Pro Bowl this season ... going on a rant and calling for the NFL to change its ways.

"Said it last year, going to say it again lol," Bush said on Twitter. "Pro Bowl should have the PROS in it."

"Enough of this voting nonsense."

Currently, coaches, players and fans get to vote for the Pro Bowl. Each group counts for 1/3 of the votes.

With that being said, you can have the best stats and still not get in. For example, Poyer has 5 interceptions -- currently tied 4th in the league -- and 60 solo tackles.

That's more than Tyrann Mathieu's 3 interceptions and 51 tackles -- but he was selected for the Pro Bowl.

"Jordan and Micah [Hyde] are the best," Rachel added. "Simple facts. Can’t argue with stats. FIVE picks. Top graded coverage. Give me a damn break."

Bush also points out that Buffalo has one of the best defenses in the league -- and yet, not one Bills player made the Pro Bowl.

"#1 defense in the NFL and not a single defensive player from the Bills in the dang Pro Bowl," Bush says, "How is that a pro bowl then?"

Robbie Roper -- a star high school quarterback from the 2022 class in Georgia -- tragically died on Wednesday after complications from surgery.

He was only 18.

Roper's family made the devastating announcement via Twitter ... saying, "We just wanted to update everyone on Robbie. Robbie just passed."

"He was the biggest joy to our family. We are proud of the young man he has become."

"He will be missed by his friends and family dearly."

Roswell High School football coach, Chris Prewett, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Roper was in the hospital on Sunday after suffering complications from a routine surgery.

"Robbie fought hard," Coach Prewett said, "and battled until the very end like he did everything else."

Roper was a dual-threat QB who had 3,010 yards and 37 touchdowns this season -- in one of those games, he had 447 yards and 6 TDs.

The 6'4", 215 pound QB led Roswell High to a 10-3 winning record and was named Georgia's Region 5 Class 7A Player Of The Year.

Roper received several college offers including Massachusetts, Morehead State and recently the Florida Gators who were informed of the terrible news.

"During this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers are with the Roper family," the Florida team said.

Roper was also a great student and earned a 3.9 GPA.

Adrian Peterson just melted down over the officiating in Tuesday's Rams vs. Seahawks game ... going off on the refs, claiming they "robbed" Seattle of a win.

A.P. posted a lengthy rant on social media just minutes ago ... blasting the refs at SoFi Stadium for what he says were a bunch of missed calls in the key NFC West matchup.

"Can we please come together and figure out a better solution that'll hold [NFL refs] more accountable," said Peterson, who just joined the Seahawks earlier this month.

"These blatantly missed and unwarranted calls literally change the outcome of games."

Peterson said there were a couple of plays that really rubbed him the wrong way -- but he said it was the non-pass interference call on DeeJay Dallas late in the game that had him irate.

"I don't make excuses and I also feel any situation can be overcome," the future Hall of Famer said, "but, opportunities are all you need to create change. We got robbed of that last night."

Peterson said the officiating was so bad, his kids actually came up to him following the game and asked, "Dad why are they not making the right calls?! Do they just want the Rams to win?"