Football

Huge break for Adrian Peterson ... TMZ Sports has learned the future Hall of Famer will not face charges in his domestic violence case.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us ... Peterson had a City Attorney hearing in Los Angeles on April 29 -- but the former Minnesota Vikings running back and prosecutors met beforehand to resolve the matter.

We're told prosecutors declined to criminally charge Peterson ... and Adrian agreed to complete 20 sessions of domestic violence and alcohol counseling within the next 6 months.

It's a huge deal for A.P. -- because, as we previously reported, he could have been hit with misdemeanor charges for his alleged role in an altercation on a plane with his wife on Super Bowl Sunday back in February.

You'll recall, Peterson was thrown in jail after cops say Ashley Brown Peterson sustained a small mark on her hand following the alleged incident.

Peterson had denied ever getting physical with her -- saying, "We just had a disagreement."

The L.A. County District Attorney's Office declined to charge the 36-year-old with a felony just days after the arrest ... but kicked the case over to the L.A. City Attorney for possible misdemeanor charges.

Horrifying scene at a youth flag football event in Virginia on Sunday ... two people were hit by bullets after an argument broke out on the sidelines in the middle of a game.

Prince Williams County Police confirmed to TMZ Sports that they were dispatched to Benton Middle School in Manassas on Sunday after receiving a call about gunfire at around 10:15 a.m.

When officers arrived, PWCPD says they found two men had been shot while a youth flag football game was taking place.

Dean Ladson -- who's part of the 703 United Youth Football team -- captured PWCPD carrying out one of the shooting victims ... and later told FOX 5 that it all appeared to start after people got into a verbal altercation at the game.

"The guy standing maybe closer than you and I pulls out a gun," Ladson said, "he shoots the other gentleman, then he takes off running up the hill."

Ladson says his 11-year-old son was there when the terrifying incident happened ... but he -- and all the other children at the game -- are thankfully safe and sound.

"He's fine," Ladson said. "He made a statement to my wife, she asked how he was doing and he said he's just glad to be alive. That's harsh for an 11-year-old to have to say."

PWCPD says the two shooting victims are expected to survive.

Police added that they have not yet apprehended the shooter ... telling us they're still on the hunt for a suspect described as a "black male, with a medium complexion, between 5’6”-5’10” and a thin build." Anyone with information is asked to call PWCPD at 703-792-7000.

Another parent, Amanda Proch, made a comment on the PWCPD Facebook page about the shooting -- and thanked law enforcement for their service.

"Thank you PWC Police Department for your quick actions! My kids were at that game and I am blessed to say they are safe," Proch said.

Dez Bryant ain't done with football yet ... the former Dallas Cowboys superstar tells TMZ Sports he's not retired -- and still wants to catch passes from Kyler Murray in the desert.

We got Bryant out at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas this week ... and he made it clear, despite not playing since the 2020 season, he's not callin' it a career yet.

In fact, Dez told us he's still gunnin' to get a contract with the Arizona Cardinals.

"Kyler, the coach -- I love the swagger over there," said the 33-year-old, who initially revealed to us back in 2021 that he wanted to be a Card. "I just love the guys, especially DeAndre Hopkins -- that's my boy. We real close."

Bryant said he'd be willing to take a bit of a backseat in order to play for Kliff Kingsbury -- explaining he wouldn't mind being a backup wideout and a locker room guy if needed.

Bryant told us being a mentor to young players is something that's important to him ... and, clearly, he believes he could be valuable in that role and beyond for the Cardinals.

As for if he's still in shape -- Bryant said not quite yet, but he told us he ain't too far off.

Charles Cross is unsure what to get his mom when the cash starts to roll in from his new Seahawks contract ... but she tells TMZ Sports she knows exactly what she wants -- a new home!

The former Mississippi State offensive tackle was taken by Seattle with the #9 overall pick in Thursday's NFL draft -- and with that slotting, he's set to make a whole lot of money.

So, a few hours after he got picked, we had to ask him -- what's the first purchase going to be?!

"I'ma do something for my mom," the 21-year-old said.

Charles, though, didn't know exactly what to get her ... but when we asked her, she made it pretty clear!

"A home," Cross' mother said. "Just a nice home."

Cross' mom told us she's very proud of her son -- who went from being a redshirt freshman to being named First Team All-SEC in 2021 ... adding that she and him are "very excited" to be the newest members of the 12s.

It'll either be the couch or Tampa Bay for Rob Gronkowski in 2022 ... 'cause the tight end tells TMZ Sports the only team he'd come back to the NFL for is the Buccaneers.

We got Gronk just before he partied his face off at his "Gronk Beach" fiesta in Las Vegas on Friday ... and he told us he's down to just two options for his immediate future.

The first, retirement. The second, the Bucs. And, that's it.

"It's just the Bucs," Gronkowski said. "Love that organization, man. Love the guys there. It's family over there."

Gronk had appeared to flirt with the idea of playing for another team earlier this offseason ... at one point, praising Joe Burrow so heavily, some wondered if he could end up in Cincinnati.

But, the 32-year-old future Hall of Famer made it clear this week, if he does come back, "it'll be the Bucs."

Gronk still appears to be a ways away from making any final decision, though ... instead, he's focused solely on getting after it in Sin City this weekend.

It ain't ranch, blue cheese or honey mustard ... no, the best sauce in the world, according to New York Jets top pick Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, is BBQ!!!

Gardner dubbed the sweet, tangy dip #1 to TMZ Sports shortly after he was selected with the fourth overall pick in Thursday night's NFL draft ... but he insisted that he does like "all" of the sauces.

When it comes to the heat category ... Ahmad tells us he loves hot sauces, too -- and watch the clip, he revealed his favorite one to us as well.

As for why he's so closely associated with sauces ... Gardner, widely considered the best cornerback prospect in this weekend's draft, said he got the nickname "Sauce" from a youth football coach back in the day.

The 21-year-old said that he was so smooth and quick, his coach called him "A1 Sauce Sweet Feet Gardner." It was later shortened to just "Sauce."

Turns out, Ahmad is a huge fan of dipping sauces too -- and thus, the nickname has stuck for over a decade.

Future NY Giants star Kayvon Thibodeaux was shinin' brighter than the Las Vegas lights -- with this insane 40-carat diamond pendant the DE rocked while being drafted 5th overall by the G-Men.

Jeweler Saki Diamonds tells TMZ Sports he made KT the iced out chain to honor his "Jream" (pronounced dream) foundation ... where Kayvon helps underprivileged kids.

"It meant a lot to me," Saki, a former football coach (before he switch professions), told us.

The pendant looks just like the Jream logo ... with a little boy reaching for the stars in the cloudy sky. It's filled with 40 carats of canary yellow, black and white VVS diamonds.

And, if the piece wasn't cool enough ... the chain and pendant are both reversible!

"He can have 4 different looks in one chain and pendant," Saki said.

Saki says it also glows in the dark ... "when the lights go off on the pendant, you still see the clouds and the stars."

The Jacksonville jeweler says the 1st round pick came up with the idea and it took two weeks to get the piece ready for his big night.

Kayvon wasn't the only athlete wearing Saki's work at the draft ... former Georgia Bulldog Nakobe Dean copped an iced-out rose gold Cuban link chain and a two-tone Cuban bracelet.

Garrett Wilson -- who went 10th overall to the NY Jets -- was also seen rockin' a Saltwater Akoya pearl necklace and Cartier shades.

Saki -- whose client list ranges from NFL's Marlon Mack to Za'Darius Smith -- says it's an honor they chose him to put something together for a life-changing moment.

Daniel Jones, are you ready?!?

Kayvon Thibodeaux and Evan Neal -- the New York Giants' top picks in the 2022 NFL Draft -- tell TMZ Sports they can't wait to get started and work towards bringing a Super Bowl back to the Big Apple!!

The Giants were able to snag some of the best athletes in the draft class in the first round on Thursday ... using the #5 pick on Thibodeaux, the edge rusher out of Oregon.

The #7 pick was used to get Neal, the offensive tackle out of Alabama ... a must-have for Jones, who's been punished in the last three seasons with a struggling offensive line.

The stats don't lie -- since 2019, Danny's been sacked 105 times, has 29 interceptions and 36 fumbles ... and let's not forget the infamous fall (although that's not the O-line's fault).

But, that could all change soon ... 'cause we asked Neal if he's gonna keep the 24-year-old QB safe from now on, and he hit us with an, "Oh, yeah!"

"I'm going out there and working my hardest to be the absolute best player that I can be."

And, Thibodeaux -- who won 2020's Morris Trophy as the best defensive lineman in the Pac-12 -- wants to add another Lombardi Trophy in MetLife Stadium's display case ... and has a message for DJ.

"It's time," Thibs said. "We're ready to work!"

The hours leading up to Sam Bruce's death were frantic and tragic ... because a 911 call, obtained by TMZ Sports on Friday, revealed the former Miami Hurricane was trapped inside of a crashed car while having a seizure.

In the audio, a caller can be heard telling dispatch that Bruce -- a Florida high school football legend -- had just suffered a seizure at around 8:23 PM on Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and crashed his car into a pole as a result.

"They can't get him out," the woman on the call said. "And, the car is still in gear."

"People are trying to assist him," she added. "But, the car is still in gear. You can see it because the tires are spinning. Can't nobody seem to get in."

The woman said Bruce, a former wide receiver, appeared to be convulsing as he was locked inside of the car ... telling dispatch, "Every time the seizure hits, the tire spins."

"Nobody seems to be able to get inside the vehicle to assist him."

Cops and medical personnel eventually arrived on the scene ... and a Fort Lauderdale Police Dept. spokesperson tells us they performed CPR on Bruce and ultimately transported him to a nearby hospital.

Sadly, Bruce passed away at the hospital hours later on Thursday morning.

The spokesperson tells us "the circumstances surrounding this incident are not suspicious and foul play is not suspected." A rep for the Broward County Medical Examiner said Friday that a cause and manner of death are still pending.

Bruce was a superstar on the gridiron during his high school football days at St. Thomas Aquinas -- blowing by defenders so often, he earned the nickname "The Samborghini."

Bruce signed to play receiver for the Miami Hurricanes in 2016 ... but he was dismissed from the school just months into his freshman year. He went to attend Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C. and Southeastern University ... and he later played for the Indoor Football League.

Even though Lamar Jackson seemed shocked the Ravens traded Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, the receiver says it's all cap -- claiming the QB knew about it.

The Ravens made the swap with the Cardinals during the 2022 NFL Draft on Thursday night ... exchanging the 24-year-old wideout and a 3rd-rounder for the 23rd overall pick.

The deal came off as a surprise for NFL fans and players -- including Jackson, who wrote in a tweet, "Wtf."

He also retweeted a fan's comment that said, "WHAT THE F***ING F*** BRO! WE TRADED AWAY HOLLYWOOD 💔💔💔💔💔"

But, Brown says the former NFL MVP knew he wanted out ... saying on the "I Am Athlete Tonight" SiriusXM radio show that he talked to Jackson several times about leaving the Ravens.

"Nah, he wasn't surprised," Brown said. "I talked to Lamar about it after my second year. Then, after my third year leading up to the end of the season, you know, he wasn't playing. I let him know again like, 'Yeah bro, I can't do it.'"

Brown insists his request to leave Baltimore had nothing to do with Jackson, but more about the Ravens' offense in general.

"I love Lamar," Brown said, "The system wasn't for me, personally. I love all my teammates. I love the guys, but it was something I had to think about for myself."

The relationship between Brown and the Ravens ended on good terms, according to the receiver ... who said, "We both handled it the right way."

"I didn't go out and make anything public. I just kept it in house, kept working and it all worked out."

Brown was the first receiver selected in the 2019 NFL Draft and caught 2,361 yards and 21 touchdowns during his three seasons with the Ravens.

Now, he will reunite with his former Oklahoma QB, Kyler Murray, in Arizona.

"Let's run it back!" Murray said after the trade. "Hollywood to the desert … Y'all welcome my boy!"

No need to read NFL draft grades or Round 1 recaps anymore ... Jameson Williams says the Detroit Lions are the clear winners of the event!!

TMZ Sports got the former Alabama superstar in Las Vegas just hours after the Lions took him with the 12th overall pick ... and he told us he believes Detroit won the draft by selecting him and Aidan Hutchinson in the first round on Thursday.

"I think so!" Williams said.

The Hutchinson pick at #2 overall was a no-brainer -- most had the Michigan defensive end as the best player in the pool -- but the Lions had to do some serious maneuvering to draft the speedy Williams.

Detroit dealt picks to Minnesota to move all the way up to 12 ... nabbing the wideout before the Philadelphia Eagles could.

And, Williams clearly believes the moves cemented the Lions as the day's biggest winners.

As for his future in Detroit, Jameson tells us he hasn't spoken with Jared Goff yet ... but says he's feeling good about playing for the Lions and connecting with the QB on some deep-ball magic in the future.

It was a great night to be a "Drake" on Thursday ... 'cause Drake London got picked in the top 10 of the NFL Draft -- and Drake the rapper made a boatload of cash because of it!!!

Here's the deal ... a few months before Roger Goodell officially put the Jacksonville Jaguars on the clock in Las Vegas -- Drake decided to bet some cash on USC wideout and top prospect Drake London.

The "Toosie Slide" rapper threw down $100K -- saying "Drake betting on Drake just feels right" -- believing London would be the first wide receiver off the board. It was a bold bet, considering most had Garrett Wilson as the favorite for that honor.

Turns out, though, London was the top wideout picked -- going #8 overall to the Atlanta Falcons -- and according to Drake's betting slip, that earned him $225k!

London knew about Drake's bet ahead of the draft ... and told the Falcons' official team website that he and his buddies actually got a kick out of it before the event began.

"My friends were hitting my phone saying Champagne Papi bet on me," London said. "So, I thought that was funny."

Of course, placing -- and winning -- big bets is nothing new for Drake ... in fact, the 35-year-old recently got a huge payday for winning at an online roulette table.

But, he doesn't win 'em all ... remember, he famously lost $275k when he thought Jorge Masvidal would beat Colby Covington at UFC 272.

As for London, all bets side, he said he was thrilled to be picked by the Falcons on Thursday.

"I cannot wait to go out there and put on that jersey and just be a Dirty Bird at the end of the day."

Sean McVay couldn't help but chuckle after the New England Patriots drafted Cole Strange with the 29th overall pick ... admitting he thought the Chattanooga center would be available MUCH later in the draft!!

The L.A. Rams coach and GM, Les Snead, chopped it up with reporters after Thursday's first round ... and the two were in really great spirits as they answered questions.

The duo cracked jokes for 5 straight minutes -- after all, with zero picks until the third round, they didn't have too much to worry about.

But, the funniest part of the media sesh came when McVay and Snead found out about the Pats drafting Strange late in the first round ... which came as a shock to them both.

"Wow, Strange just went!" McVay said. "How 'bout that?! And, we wasted our time watching him, thinking he'd be at 104, baby."

Here's the thing -- some people are taking the reaction as shade at Bill Belichick and the Pats, with the interpretation being McVay thinks they reached for the center.

But, as Snead points out, Strange is an incredible talent ... and one of the quickest linemen in the draft.

So, chances are, the guys were laughing at how off they were on the possibility of landing prospect ... but either way, the reaction is hilarious.

Cops say Jacksonville Jaguars top pick Travon Walker "lost control" of his ride before he hit two parked cars in a pre-NFL Draft crash ... but they also noted he was wearing a seatbelt and suffered no apparent injuries.

TMZ Sports has obtained the crash report from the April 16 incident in Athens, GA ... and it shows that despite apparently running his 2021 Dodge Durango into two vehicles, he escaped without issue.

In the docs, officials say Walker was driving at around 11 PM "when he lost control of the vehicle and hit 2 parked cars." They noted the posted speed limit in the area was 35 MPH.

The officials in the docs say Walker was "not drinking" -- and was properly wearing a seatbelt. They also said he was not tested for drugs or booze at the scene ... and was uninjured.

Officials released a diagram of the wreck, showing the front of Walker's SUV hit the fronts of the two parked rides in the wreck.

Cops said Walker's car was towed after it suffered "disabling damage."

The 21-year-old spoke about the crash after he was taken with the #1 overall pick ... and he explained to a reporter that it was truly no big deal.

"Just a little fender bender," Walker said. "Nothing crazy. No one was hurt."

Rob Gronkowski tells TMZ Sports he's no closer to making a decision on his football future ... but he did admit he's "staying in shape a little bit" just in case.

Tom Brady's all-time favorite target broke it down with Mojo and Babcock on the TMZ Sports show this week -- just days before he's set to throw his "Gronk Beach" bash in Las Vegas.

The tight end says, for now, he's still relaxing and enjoying his offseason -- and is completely up in the air about his gridiron future.

Gronk, though, did say he hasn't completely let himself go -- leaving the door open for a reunion with Brady in Tampa Bay in 2022.

"We'll see," Gronk said. "I'm staying in shape a little bit. So, we'll see if I don't get too out of shape either. That won't be good for me."

Gronkowski joked this weekend could be the one that ultimately kickstarts his prep for an NFL comeback ... saying he might catch some footballs at his Vegas party and get the itch to play again.

Gronk added that he's sure the fiesta will be a workout of its own, too.

"Gronk Beach may be the party that gets me back to football," Rob said with a smile. "Someone's going to throw me a pass on stage, I'll probably catch it, and be like, 'Man, I miss football.'"

Party goes down at Encore Beach Club on Friday ... could a decision follow soon after???

It's official ... with the #1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars have selected Travon Walker!!!

Roger Goodell just announced the selection on a stage built near the strip in Las Vegas ... officially making the Georgia defensive end the newest Jag.

Of course, the pick is not a total surprise ... most experts' mock drafts in recent weeks have had Walker projected to go #1 overall.

The selection of Walker marks the second time in two years that the Jaguars have picked at the top of the draft -- remember, Jacksonville took Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence #1 in 2021.

Walker, meanwhile, is expected to be getting after quarterbacks right away in Duval. The guy was a star for the Bulldogs in his three seasons in Athens, recording 61 total tackles, 9.5 sacks, 1 interception and 1 forced fumble in his career.

He also helped UGA beat Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide in January's National Championship ... registering three total tackles and one sack in the game.

Doug Pederson and Jaguars fans everywhere are certainly hoping that kind of production continues in Florida in 2022.