Football

The Super Bowl halftime show is being protected at all costs ... with organizers blaring rock music outside SoFi Stadium during rehearsals to keep the highly-anticipated performance under wraps.

Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige and Eminem have been perfecting their 12-minute set with the big game just days away ... and TMZ Sports has learned anyone within earshot isn't hearing any of it, thanks to a pretty clever plan.

We're told the stadium has been playing music like Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bon Jovi over the speakers to cover up the actual tunes that will be performed on Sunday ... in hopes of keeping everything top secret.

Of course, there are several residential neighborhoods right outside SoFi ... and if it weren't for the decoy music, there's a great chance some secrets would start to leak.

One downside -- we're told some folks living close to the stadium aren't too pleased with hearing "Livin' On A Prayer" while tucking their kids into bed ... as the rehearsals have been going on late into the night.

Fans have been hoping for even the smallest of tidbits about the show ... but it sure seems tougher than ever to get anything before the show.

There is one thing we know about the performance -- MJB has been teasing how epic it is ... saying the whole set gave her goosebumps.

Iowa born athlete Kurt Warner was thrust into the spotlight his very first year as a starting quarterback for the St. Louis Rams as he led the offense on what was called "The Greatest Show On Turf" ... which culminated in their win over the Tennessee Titans (23-16) at Super Bowl XXXIV and even scored Warner the honor of being named Super Bowl MVP.

The Lombardi Trophy-winning offense was packed with high-profile platers including running Hall Of Famer Marshall Faulk and the clutch catching wide receivers Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt.

Warner's success was so inspiring his story was made into a film in 2021 called 'American Underdog.'

NFL star Jonathan Allen -- one of the best defenders in the league -- apologized Wednesday afternoon for saying he wanted to have dinner with Hitler ... calling the comment "dumb."

The Washington Commanders' defensive lineman tweeted early Wednesday morning that if he could choose any three people to dine with -- dead or alive -- one of them would be Hitler.

In now-deleted tweets, Allen explained he'd pick Hitler as a guest because the football player said the German dictator was "a military genius."

"I love military tactics," said Allen, who added that his other two guests would be his grandfather and Michael Jackson, "but honestly I would want to pick his brain as to why he did what he did."

Allen was immediately hit with criticism following the comments ... and it didn't take long for the 27-year-old to issue a mea culpa.

"Early I tweeted something that probably hurt people and I apologize about what I said," Allen said on Twitter. "I didn't express properly what I was trying to say and I realize it was dumb!"

Allen also responded to a fan who said his comments were hurtful ... writing in a tweet to the person, "I'm sorry I offended you that definitely was not my attention, I was just answering a question."

Roger Goodell says the NFL will re-evaluate its hiring process rules in the wake of the Brian Flores lawsuit ... telling media members Wednesday, "We want to see Black head coaches in the NFL."

Goodell addressed the media in person for the first time since Flores alleged teams have been racist when it comes to hiring coaches -- and the commissioner made it clear the league is taking the claims seriously.

Goodell, who spoke at length with reporters in front of SoFi Stadium ahead of Super Bowl LVI, said they're going to look at everything from top to bottom to make sure the NFL has an equal hiring process.

"We want to see Black head coaches in the NFL," Goodell said. "And coaches of people of color, and eventually gender. That we think is all important."

Goodell said the league will look at the Rooney Rule -- which requires teams to interview minority candidates for vacant head coaching roles -- and will consider abolishing it if he thinks it'll help lead to more diverse hirings.

Goodell also said they'll look into adding and removing policies in an attempt to ensure teams are being all-inclusive in their searches for coaches.

"We're going to talk to other people -- have independent people come in and look and help us evaluate it -- because it's sometimes hard to evaluate your own policies and procedures," Goodell said. "And make sure that we're doing everything that we possibly can to create that opportunity for everybody to make sure that we are an inclusive league and make sure we get the outcomes that we want."

The NFL currently has just two Black head coaches -- Houston's Lovie Smith and Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin. Former 49ers coordinator Mike McDaniel -- who is bi-racial -- was also hired by the Dolphins last week.

Forget jinxes -- the mayor of Cincinnati is so confident the Bengals will beat the Rams in the Super Bowl this Sunday, he already started planning their championship parade!!

Aftab Pureval joined Harvey and Charles on "TMZ Live" before the city's big matchup against Los Angeles ... and he said he's been in constant communication with fellow mayor Eric Garcetti and having some friendly fun ahead of the matchup.

"We talked about maybe changing the name of Los Angeles to L-O-S-S Angeles," Pureval joked ... adding they even discussed putting a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame if Cincy pulls off the upset.

FYI -- Aftab has been successful in his bets with other mayors throughout the playoffs ... the Bengals defeated the Titans and Chiefs on their way to the Super Bowl, so he's already stacked up some bragging rights so far.

With all that success, it's no wonder Pureval is already figuring out all the details for the city's celebration ... and he ain't worried about potentially cursing the Bengals in the process.

Greg Robinson -- the #2 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft -- has been arrested again ... after cops say they found the former Cleveland Browns tackle was in possession of $120,000 worth of illegal drugs.

According to the Thibodaux Police Department in Louisiana, Robinson was pulled over on Monday at around 12 AM for a routine traffic stop.

Cops say a Police K-9 smelled an odor of drugs coming from inside of the football player's 2021 Black Cadillac Escalade ... and when they searched it, they say they found suspected cocaine, suspected crack cocaine and much more.

The officers say the stop led them to search Robinson's properties in the area, and they claim they found more illegal narcotics at those residences.

In total, cops say they found pounds of what appeared to be crystal meth, cocaine, weed and more at the homes. They also say they found firearm magazines and ammunition. They said in a statement they believed it all had a wholesale value of approximately $120,810.

Robinson was arrested and booked on a litany of charges, including felony possession with intent to distribute cocaine and felony possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

Jail records show the 29-year-old is still behind bars.

You'll recall, this is not the first time Robinson has been accused of being in possession of a large amount of illegal drugs ... the offensive lineman was arrested back in Feb. 2020 after he allegedly had 157 pounds of marijuana in his car.

Robinson was eventually sentenced to 5 years of probation in that case.

Eric Musselman is a man of his word -- the Razorbacks head coach partied shirtless after a HUGE upset win over #1-ranked Auburn on Tuesday night ... and it was epic!!

Here's the deal -- Muss met with a group of Arkansas students outside Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville before the game ... and was asked if he would do a topless celebration if they knocked off the top team in the country.

Not only did coach make the promise, he kept it after Arkansas knocked off Auburn, 80-76 ... ripping his shirt off and celebrating like crazy!!

Check out the video, Muss was the center of attention, dancing, and having fun ... all while wearing a shoulder brace.

In case you were wondering, Eric is wearing that sling due to shoulder surgery he had to repair a torn rotator cuff in January.

But, somehow, the guy managed to back up his end of the deal despite the injury ... and thanked local officials for allowing him to rage peacefully with the crowd.

"Can’t thank these two enough for letting me celebrate with our fans tonight! Detective Ramirez & Sargent Robertson appreciate you both! #HogYeah," Muss wrote on Twitter.

Eminem is headed to L.A. to perform in the Super Bowl halftime show, but he's not coming empty-handed ... he's bringing grub from his super popular restaurant, Mom's Spaghetti.

The restaurant is killing it in Detroit, and now Los Angelenos and people visiting the City of Angels can sample Em's fare at a pop-up shop in DTLA.

The shop opens Wednesday, Feb 9 and shuts down after game day. For folks who don't want to venture to Downtown L.A., they can order exclusively on Postmates with free delivery for orders over $20. Pickup will also be available from Uncle Paulie's Deli DTLA location.

Eminem opened his 'Mom's Spaghetti' brick-and-mortar restaurant in his hometown back in September. The menu is inspired by the rapper's lyrics in "Lose Yourself" ... Spaghetti with Toasted Garlic Bread, Spaghetti with Beef or Vegan Meatball, and a S'ghetti Sandwich (which is literally a piece of Eminem's childhood).

“It’s not the kind of pasta you’d expect if your grandma came from Italy on a boat … it’s more like the spaghetti you’d know if your mom came from Michigan on a bus,” says Mom’s Spaghetti co-owner Curt Catallo.

Wouldn't it be perfect if ya didn't have to worry about school or work after a Sunday filled with awesome playoff football??

Well, if it were up to Congressman Tim Ryan, you wouldn't -- 'cause he tells TMZ Sports he believes everyone should have Mondays off during the NFL playoffs!!

"Every Monday during NFL playoffs we should have federal holidays," Ryan tells us. "I mean, you shouldn’t have to go to work or school after some of these football games. You kidding me?!"

Of course, Cincinnati's public schools announced last week that staff and kids would have the day after the Super Bowl off to celebrate (or mourn) the result of Sunday's big game.

Ryan -- who's a native of Ohio --  is prepared to take that move a step further ... saying that should be the norm for everyone during the playoffs!!

Finally -- some politics we all can agree on ... now make it happen!!

There's more. Ryan -- a representative for Ohio's 13th congressional district -- is a lifelong Browns fan ... and although his team won't be playing in Super Bowl LVI, Tim made it very clear who he'll be rooting for.

“You gotta go with Joe [Burrow]," Ryan said, "1000 percent."

Wanna ball out in Shaq-like proportions?! The NBA legend is offering an incredible "Ultra-VIP" package to his "Fun House" Super Bowl party in LA this weekend ... and it comes with a whopping $1 MILLION price tag!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... Shaquille O'Neal's yearly rage fest is providing a once in a lifetime experience for some super-rich party people ... and it comes with a round trip on a private jet, a VIP table ON the stage, Rolls-Royce Phantoms for transportation to the party and -- of course -- unlimited booze.

Shaq partnered with Wynn Nightlife in Vegas to put the whole deal together ... which means the group will get a dedicated security and host team via the resort.

Of course, there's no way an "Ultra-VIP" would have to wait in any sort of line ... so naturally, there's a special expedited entrance for the group.

But, the best part of the package?? The "Ultra-VIP" group will get the chance to take part in Shaq's DJ Diesel set.

The Fun House ain't only for the outrageously bougie -- everyone in attendance will get to experience carnival rides, food from L.A. hotspots, an open bar and music from Zedd, Lil Wayne, Diplo and Shaq himself.

There will even be fire-breathers!!

Shaq's party has had a ton of celebs attend in the past -- from Migos to Gronk to T-Pain to Patrick Mahomes -- and we're told this year's guest list is even bigger.

Raiders star rookie Nate Hobbs begged an officer to not arrest him during his speeding stop last month ... with police video showing the football player told the cop, "I've already been arrested two weeks ago!"

In the footage, obtained by TMZ Sports, you can see a Nevada State Police officer was livid with Hobbs on Jan. 16 in the Las Vegas area after he said he observed the guy going 110 MPH in a 65 MPH zone.

The cop can be heard chastising Hobbs in the clip after taking him out of his Mercedes ... saying the Raiders cornerback was putting everyone in danger by driving recklessly.

Hobbs tried to explain that he was in a hurry to make it to a football meeting on time ... but the officer was not pleased to hear that explanation.

"Why would you put yourself and everybody else out here on the roadway in extreme danger because you're going to a meeting?" the cop said. "Explain that to me."

When Hobbs apologized and insinuated it was a mistake ... the officer retorted, "Over 110 miles an hour? No signaling, cutting cars off, that's an honest mistake? No, that's a poor choice."

The cop then threatened to arrest Hobbs -- and that's when the Las Vegas player began pleading with him to reconsider.

Hobbs -- who had just been arrested for DUI in Vegas on Jan. 3 -- said, "I've already been arrested two weeks ago! I cannot be arrested again, sir. Please."

He added, "I'm begging you. I swear, I'm begging you."

Fortunately for Hobbs, the cop decided to not arrest him ... and instead hit him with a citation, towed his car and allowed him to leave.

Philadelphia Eagles safety Anthony Harris made 11-year-old Audrey Soape's night when he accompanied her to a daddy-daughter dance after her dad passed away, but the pro football player tells us it was also an incredibly "special moment" for him, too.

"I try to show fans my support whenever I can," Harris told Harvey and Charles on "TMZ Live," adding ... "It just kind of unfolded organically. Over the past few years, they’ve been following my career since I was in Minnesota."

Harris -- the NFL's interception leader in 2019 -- says Audrey's dad and grandpa recently died ... so as the dance approached, the Soape family asked Anthony if he'd like to attend.

Once it became clear Harris' Eagles were eliminated from the playoffs, the 7-year NFL vet told Audrey he'd love to escort her to the dance in Texas.

"I thought it would be a great way to uplift her and utilize my platform I’ve been blessed with to try and brighten people's day and be a blessing to others," the safety told us.

Once they arrived at the dance (in style -- Harris rented a car with a driver), Anthony says he had a blast.

"It was a great event. There was a ton of kids there. It was really nice, really cute to see other fathers there."

Harris later continued ... "I was just all about having fun. The DJ was playing a little bit of the Disney music. I wasn't quite familiar with some of those songs but I had fun embarrassing myself trying to sing those lyrics."

"But the dancing was fun. And seeing the energy of the other young ladies there and the fathers, it was a great time!"

Washington Commanders safety Deshazor Everett has been arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter over his alleged role in a fatal December car crash, authorities announced Tuesday.

In a statement, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office said an investigation revealed Everett was going "over twice the posted 45 mph speed limit" before he crashed his Nissan GT-R in Virginia on Dec. 23, killing his girlfriend Olivia Peters.

In the statement, cops said Everett turned himself in on Tuesday afternoon ... and remained in custody on a $10,000 secured bond.

Everett's attorney confirmed the football player did turn himself in ... but said in a statement, "Our team continues to investigate this matter as we intend on vigorously defending Mr. Everett against these allegations."

The Commanders, meanwhile, added in a statement of their own, "We are aware of these charges and are continuing to monitor the situation. We will have no further comment at this time."

As we previously reported, Everett -- a team captain for the Commanders -- was injured in the crash -- which 911 callers described as a terrifying scene.

NFL officials were informed Alvin Kamara was a suspect in a felony battery case by Las Vegas Metro PD prior to the Pro Bowl, but cops and the league allowed the Saints star to still play in the game ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ Sports.

We're told NFL security was notified several hours before kickoff that police were looking for the 26-year-old running back, but the parties essentially came to an agreement that Kamara would be allowed to play in the game, and cooperate with authorities afterward.

"We got in touch with NFL security about 10 o'clock in the morning and let them know that [Kamara] was a suspect in the case and they located him and he was already on the field," Assistant Sheriff John McGrath told the Nevada Current.

He continued ... "So they contacted him and he agreed to meet with us after the game. And so that's just the way we did it since he was cooperating."

Kamara played ... catching 4 passes for 23 yards.

Waiting to make the arrest seemed to payoff for the police.

After the game, police Mirandized the Saints star at Allegiant Stadium ... where he then spoke with investigators, and gave his side of the story.

Kamara admitted he punched the alleged victim at least 1 time early Saturday morning inside a Vegas hotel after he claims a man made a disrespectful comment to someone in his group.

However, the alleged victim tells a different story. He claims Kamara pushed him for an unknown reason, before Alvin and his 3 friends beat the man down.

Cops say they reviewed surveillance video and the footage showed Kamara punching the man at least 8 times.

Kamara was arrested on 1 count of battery w/ serious bodily injury, a felony.

Breaking news -- NFL legends Brett Favre and Michael Vick are coming out of retirement and making a huge return to football!!!

Flag football, that is.

TMZ Sports has learned -- the former superstars are dusting off their arms to suit up for a flag football game hosted by the NFL and FaZe Clan ... and the whole thing will help raise some serious cash for youth sports.

FaZe will be going up against creator collective A.M.P. ... with FaZe Temperrr, FaZe Adapt, FaZe Swagg, FaZe Nate Hill, and FaZe Kaysan set to play for the video game giant.

We're told the competition is set to go down at the Super Bowl Experience in L.A. on Saturday, Feb. 12 ... with Favre and Vick slated to play QB for each team.

52-year-old Favre last played in 2010 ... and Vick, 41, walked away from the game in 2015. Needless to say, folks are gonna LOVE to see these two guys toss the pigskin again.

In fact, just a few years ago, the Gunslinger showed he's still got an arm!!

Each team will donate $25,000 each to youth sports ... with FaZe's contribution going to Snoop Dogg's football league.

The NFL and FaZe linked up to help gain fans in both sports and gaming ... with plans to continue the partnership moving forward.

Brian Flores would have the Texans job if it weren't for his lawsuit against the NFL ... so says the coach's lawyers, who claim his legal battle is the main reason Lovie Smith got hired.

Houston announced the 63-year-old defensive coordinator would be taking over as head coach of the Texans on Monday ... and Flores, per his team, is happy with the hire -- but feels he should have been the guy.

"Mr. Flores is happy to hear that the Texans have hired a Black head coach, Lovie Smith, as Mr. Flores' goal in bringing his case is to provide real opportunities for Black and minority candidates to be considered for coaching and executive positions within the NFL," Douglas H. Wigdor and John Elefterakis said in a statement.

"However, we would be remiss not to mention that Mr. Flores was one of three finalists for the Texans' head coach position and, after a great interview and mutual interest, it is obvious that the only reason Mr. Flores was not selected was his decision to stand up against racial inequality across the NFL."

As we previously reported, Flores is currently suing the league over its alleged racist hiring process ... in hopes of bringing change to the NFL.