Football

Pigs are flying ... O.J. Simpson is supporting Los Angeles County law enforcement.

The ex-con took a stand (not THE stand) Wednesday for the L.A. County Sheriff's Department with a video rant ripping West Hollywood for voting to cut funding for the agency.

Simpson says the decision is all wrong, pointing  out his infamous history with the law in L.A. and saying, "Trust me, we need police, we need the sheriffs' department" ... referring to the time he spent behind bars during his murder trial.

Frankly, the fact O.J. is supporting L.A. County law enforcement is rich, and probably pretty galling to cops -- considering his murder trial defense team famously and viciously attacked LAPD for allegedly contaminating evidence and being racist.

They effectively made the trial more about LAPD actions than O.J.'s.

Now years later, Simpson says he's always been against defunding the police ... claiming he's always said instead of cutting funding, money should be redirected and used for better training and expanding Internal Affairs departments where police investigate other police.

Besides his eye-brow-raising thoughts on police, O.J. is also weighing in on Donald Trump's actions on January 6th and what's going on at the southern border.

Adorable moment between Tom Brady and Gisele on their Italian vacay this week ... the two lovingly shared an ice cream cone -- but it's got us all wondering, is that avocado flavor?!?!

You'll recall ... the NFL legend is famous for never putting away sweets, and turning to the ultra-healthy avocado ice cream alternative whenever he wants to be somewhat naughty with his diet.

But, it sure seems he deviated from that TB12 Method out in Portofino while on vacation with his wife and fam on Tuesday ... 'cause that definitely looks like a chocolate/vanilla swirl to us!!!

To be fair to the 44-year-old GOAT, it seemed he only had a couple bites of the treat ... so, breathe easy, Alex Guerrero and Bucs fans.

And, yes, if you were wondering, Brady is still working out despite the vacation ... he was spotted getting in a sweat sesh on a yacht on Tuesday before the QT time with his supermodel bae.

FYI -- as for Brady's trademark avo ice cream, our sources tell us it SUCKS.

OBJ is getting out of O-H-I-O -- Odell Beckham has found a buyer for his $3.3 million Ohio mansion ... and it only took the NFL superstar exactly two months to sell it.

TMZ Sports has learned -- the lucky buyer is getting a sick deal for the 13,800-square-foot Columbia Station crib ... which is located about 20 miles west of Cleveland.

The two-story pad has 4 bedrooms, 7 baths, a decked-out kitchen, 3-car garage, movie theatre, golf simulator, a game room and game streaming room.

Yeah, pretty lit.

There's also a huge pool in the backyard and plenty of space -- 2.13 acres to be exact -- for some dope barbeques and outdoor kickbacks.

But, the best part of the place might be the custom-made walk-in closet ... which can hold about as many pairs of sneakers as a Foot Locker.

The mansion had a ton of interest after it hit the market in April via Megan Pettine of Keller Williams ... and an offer was accepted on Monday.

Of course, OBJ's time in Ohio was short-lived -- he had a rollercoaster experience with the Browns for two and a half seasons -- and now he has no reason to live in the Buckeye state.

But as of now, the 29-year-old is a free agent and recovering from ACL surgery ... so ya can't count out a return to the Midwest just yet.

Buffalo Bills owner Kim Pegula is on the road to recovery after a health issue left her hospitalized earlier this month ... with the team saying she is "progressing well."

The Pegula family said in a statement two weeks ago that Kim had been "receiving medical care as a result of some unexpected health issues" ... and on Tuesday, they shared a positive update.

"Kim is progressing well and is resting and rehabilitating from a health issue," the statement reads.

"We are grateful for the medical professionals providing her care and to everyone for their prayers and well wishes."

Pegula was reportedly in the ICU at Baptist Health Boca Raton Regional, according to Spectrum News 1.

Kim, who married Terry Pegula, a billionaire businessman, back in 1993 ... is an integral part of both the Buffalo Sabres and the Bills, two teams the Pegula family owns.

She's the team president of both squads ... and, in fact, is the first female to hold that title in both the NFL and NHL.

Marlin "The Magician" Briscoe -- the first black quarterback to start in the American Football League  -- has passed away. He was 76.

Briscoe's daughter, Angela Marriott, confirmed the tragic news on Monday ... saying Marlin was hospitalized over poor circulation in his legs prior to dying of pneumonia at a Norwalk, California hospital.

Briscoe kicked off his career as a star quarterback for Omaha University in the 1960s. He led the team to three conference titles and set 22 school records including passing yards (4,935) and touchdowns (52).

The Omaha native was selected by the Denver Broncos in the 14th round of the 1968 AFL draft ... and the team tried to convert him into a cornerback.

But, after Denver's starter got hurt and the backup showed inconsistencies at the beginning of the 1968 season, the Broncos put Briscoe at QB1 ... making him the first black quarterback to start in the AFL.

Briscoe thrived in the opportunity ... setting a Broncos rookie record that year with 14 passing touchdowns.

During his 8-year NFL career, the Pro Bowler played for the Bills, Chargers, Lions, Patriots, and Dolphins, where he won two Super Bowls.

He was a member of the 1972 Miami team that went undefeated.

Post-NFL career, Briscoe worked as a director for a Boys and Girls Club in Long Beach and launched a football camp for kids.

The University of Nebraska Omaha unveiled a statue in his honor in 2016.

Ex-NFL star Martellus Bennett just unloaded on Jimmy Garoppolo ... saying his former QB in New England is a "bitch" -- and Julian Edelman seems to be cosigning the jab.

Martellus made the remarks when he joined his former Patriots teammates, Devin and Jason McCourty, on their "Double Coverage" podcast ... claiming no NFL team can win with Jimmy G at the helm because he believes the signal-caller is soft.

Bennett went on to explain he developed that opinion following the way Garoppolo filled in for Tom Brady during the GOAT's four-game suspension back in the 2016 season.

You'll recall, Garoppolo helped the Pats win the first two games of the season ... but he injured his non-throwing shoulder in Week 2, and sat out the ensuing two games due to the ailment -- something Bennett clearly thinks was a no-no.

"We lost two games," Bennett said. "One of them is because Jimmy Garappolo was being a bitch. He quit before us on the last -- decided not to play right before the game."

"So, we went out there, Jacoby [Brissett] came out and played with a f***ked-up thumb, [and] played his heart out. But, Jimmy was just being a bitch about it all."

Bennett added, "And he's still being -- like, that's why, you can't win with a bitch for a quarterback."

Julian Edelman, who played alongside Bennett on the Pats, was asked about Martellus' feelings toward Jimmy on a recent episode of the "I Am Athlete" podcast ... and the 3x Super Bowl champ said he felt similarly to Bennett.

"A lot of guys got mad about it," Edelman said. "I'm not going to lie, I got mad about it. I sacrifice my body all day long. I was taking shots for this, numbing up that."

"Ribs, broken ribs, shoulders. You know, Grade 3, hanging on by limbs, just to play," Edelman said. "And, you know, I can understand why Marty thinks like that."

The Houston Texans have just been sued ... by a woman alleging the team "enabled" Deshaun Watson's sexual misconduct against her and other female masseuses.

Plaintiff Toi Garner claims during a November 2020 massage, Watson "assaulted and harassed [Garner] by aggressively exposing his naked body to her, purposely touching her with his penis, and ultimately ejaculating onto her."

What’s more, Garner claims the Houston Texans are partly to blame for what Watson did to her and to dozens of other woman.

Garner’s attorney, Tony Buzbee -- who represents the more than 20 female massage therapists who have alleged Watson was inappropriate with them during therapy sessions – writes in the suit that the Texans not only turned "a blind eye" to Watson's "egregious behavior," but in fact helped.

The suit claims despite the fact the Texans were well aware of Watson’s conduct, they allowed him to use one of their massage tables and provided a non-disclosure agreement to Watson which he then "pressed women to sign at the massage sessions."

Buzbee, in a statement following the suit's filing, said this case was the first "of what will likely be many against the Houston Texans related to Deshaun Watson’s behavior."

"Suffice it to say," Buzbee added, "the overwhelming evidence collected indicating that the Houston Texans enabled Watson’s behavior is incredibly damning. We believe the Texans knew or most certainly should have known of Watson’s conduct. Beyond that, we believe the filing speaks for itself."

The Texans also issued a statement following the suit's filing, saying, "We are aware of the lawsuit filed against us today. Since March 2021, we have fully supported and complied with law enforcement and the various investigations."

"We will continue to take the necessary steps to address the allegations against our organization."

A boxing showdown between two NFL superstars is in the works -- Adrian Peterson is currently in the process of becoming Le'Veon Bell's opponent at Crypto.com Arena next month, TMZ Sports has learned.

We broke the story earlier this month, 30-year-old Bell is slated to take his first boxing match as part of YouTube superstar Austin McBroom's Social Gloves event in Los Angeles ... but his opponent had het to be announced.

Now, we're told the 37-year-old former NFL MVP is in talks to take the ring against Bell on July 30 ... in what would be a massive fight between two accomplished running backs.

Adrian -- a 4-time first-team All-Pro and 7-time Pro Bowler -- last played for the Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks in 2021 ... suiting up for 4 total games last season.

Bell -- a 2-time first-team All-Pro and 3-time Pro Bowler -- played for the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021 ... appearing in 8 games.

The fight card is already stacked with big names -- as we previously reported, ex-NBA player Nick Young is fighting against rapper Blueface ... and McBroom is going up against YouTuber AnEsonGib.

Raiders star Johnathan Abram has a big heart -- and, apparently, some good construction skills -- 'cause he just donated beds to a family in need, and he built the frames himself!

The NFL safety and his foundation, Johnathan's Journey For Better, partnered up with Sleep in Heavenly Peace for the awesome gesture ... helping gift three beds, sheet sets, and pillows to a Las Vegas family this month.

Abram -- who, according to his reps, has gained a newfound passion for home improvement and construction -- assembled the beds with his own hands and power tools, and then personally delivered them to the Vegas fam.

"Basically they went from having no beds to being able to sleep here tonight," Abram said.

The 25-year-old chilled with the kids after the beds were all set up ... and TMZ Sports has learned they even talked a little football!

"It's been amazing," Abram said of the day. "I was glad to see the family smiling and happy. They were really grateful for their new beds and everything."

Abram -- a former first-round pick -- is known to help those in need since becoming a Raider in 2019. Just last year, he donated athletic sneakers to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Nevada, and in 2020, he gifted laptops to the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Nevada.

Warren Sapp says he was told Colin Kaepernick's tryout with the Raiders last month did not go well at all for the QB ... explaining, "I heard it was a disaster."

"I heard it was one the worst workouts ever," the Hall of Famer added.

Sapp, who played for the Raiders when they were in Oakland from 2004 to 2007, made the claims in a recent interview with VladTV.

The 49-year-old former defensive lineman did not reveal who within Las Vegas' org. made the claims ... but he did say he was surprised footage from the workout never got leaked.

"I'm wondering how the hell this happened," Sapp said, "and the tape didn't get out, right?"

As we reported, Kaepernick tried out for Vegas in late May ... but the Raiders have been tight-lipped about the workout ever since, with head coach Josh McDaniels declining to get into specifics of how it all went.

Kaepernick's agent, Jeff Nalley, denied Sapp's claims in a text message to Pro Football Talk on Sunday ... saying he was told the workout was actually a success.

"I guess Warren didn’t talk to the General Manager or the head coach," Nalley said.

"I spoke to the G.M. [Dave Zieger] several times and he said they all thought Kap was in great shape and threw the ball really well and encouraged any team to call him about the workout and he would tell them the same."

Nalley continued, "I'm surprised Warren would say that, because it's not true and you would think he would want Kap on a team."

Micah Parsons is so proud to be a Dallas Cowboy ... he just turned his #11 jersey into a diamond chain -- that's worth around $50k!!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... the 2021 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year hit up Christian Johnston a while back to get some new America's Team bling.

Johnston -- the founder of Shopgld -- says Parsons came through to his Miami store this week ... and he was very happy with what the jeweler churned out, calling the guy, "The G.O.A.T. man!!!"

We even got footage of Parsons rockin' the new piece during a photo shoot -- while wearing his actual Cowboys jersey!

We're told the chain and the pendant -- featuring the #11 and his last name on the back -- has a total of 30 carats of natural VVS diamonds.

"Micah has been working with me and Gld for a few years," said Johnston, who's known Micah since his Penn State days. "We've actually made all of his jewelry and he's become a great friend since we met about five years ago."

The coolest part of the bling? Johnston tells us he got the NFL's approval to sell smaller versions of this pendant for fans ... and they'll be dropping next season.

Just how big was Arch Manning's Texas commitment this week? Former UT superstar Jamaal Charles said he and other Longhorn legends straight-up had a celebration over it in a group chat!!

The ex-running back tells TMZ Sports ... in the hours after Manning made the pledge on Thursday, his GC with Vince Young, Brian Orakpo and Chris Ogbonnaya went off.

"Anybody that went to UT that played ball, they lying if they say they ain't happy right now," said Charles, who starred at the university in the mid-2000s. "The guys -- we've been texting today like, 'Hey, y'all just seen what happen?'"

"I'm like, man, Texas got that big bag, then!"

Charles wouldn't guarantee the Manning commitment will eventually bring a title -- after all, the 18-year-old quarterback has yet to even graduate high school -- but he did say he expects Peyton and Eli's nephew to bring plenty more top recruits with him.

As for a message to the future Longhorns star, Charles kept things short and sweet ... "Congrats and I hope you bring back the tradition of making this one of the top programs again."

"We need that and hopefully, we can see you in the national championship cheering you on."

Folks in Ibiza got an eyeful this week ... courtesy of NFL star Kenny Stills droppin' trou and going balls-out at the pool!!

The 30-year-old wide receiver shared the view with all his Instagram followers on Friday ... posting a shot of him lying down on a yellow float in a swimming pool with two women chilling nearby.

Of course, goin' nekkid is a lot more common in Europe than in the States ...  so ya can't blame Stills for showin' off all his ass-ets with a hilarious smirk on his face.

Stills leaned into the hilarious moment ... dropping a 🍑 emoji in the caption instead of using words.

It's obvious Stills is enjoying the first week of summer -- besides skinny dipping, he also made an appearance at Louboutin's event in Paris and stopped by Duomo di Milano Cathedral in Italy.

The 9-year NFL vet is currently a free agent after his second stint with the Saints last season ... and has shown some interest in playing for the Tennessee Titans.

NFL linebacker Matt Adams' time in Chicago is off to a bad start -- the 26-year-old was arrested for gun possession on Thursday, TMZ Sports has learned.

We're told Adams -- who signed a 1-year deal with the Bears in April -- was questioned by cops around 6:45 PM after he was spotted near a Jeep that was reported stolen.

Adams allegedly claimed to have bought the car ... but when cops searched the vehicle, they found a loaded handgun in the center console and an extended mag in the trunk.

Adams was arrested and booked on misdemeanor unlawful use of a weapon -- carrying/possessing a firearm ... and was cited for having a high capacity magazine and metal piercing bullets.

We're told Adams had a permit for the gun ... but it was NOT issued by the state of Illinois.

Adams -- who is still in custody at the time of this post -- is due in court in August.

As for the car, we're told the owner did not want to press charges ... chalking the whole thing up as a misunderstanding.

Ready or not, there will be another Manning-James backfield in the NFL coming soon ... so says Edgerrin James, who's guaranteeing to TMZ Sports that it will happen!!!

James told us out in NYC that he believes his son, Eden James, and Peyton Manning's nephew, Arch Manning, will rekindle the legendary James-Manning connection in the league in just a few years.

"I'm calling it right now," Edgerrin told us. "They're both going to be in the NFL together. The next wave -- 2.0!"

Edgerrin, whose son will be a freshman running back on the Howard Univ. football team this year, made the promise just hours after Arch, the top-ranked QB in the 2023 H.S. class, committed to Texas.

"When I saw Arch Manning coming out in 2023, I have my son that's at Howard, so I said it's going to be a reconnection in the future," Edgerrin said. "You're going to see my son -- you're going to see James-Manning connection."

Of course, the first iteration of Manning and James went extremely well ... Edgerrin lined up in a backfield with Peyton from 1999 to 2005 in Indianapolis -- and the pair piled up gaudy numbers together.

Seems Edgerrin -- who, by the way, also told us about a cool NFT project he's been working on with Upstream -- can't wait for Round 2 to go down.

Former NFL running back Hugh McElhenny -- whose #39 is retired by the San Francisco 49ers -- has passed away, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Thursday.

He was 93 years old.

The Hall of Fame said McElhenny died of natural causes at his home in Nevada.

"We pass along our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and to the many whose lives he touched," The Hall wrote in a tweet when announcing the news.

McElhenny -- whose nickname was "The King" -- was taken by the 49ers with the 9th overall pick in the 1952 NFL Draft ... and he went on to star for the team for 9 seasons.

A 6x-Pro Bowler and 2-time All-Pro, Hugh was a unique offensive weapon who posed a threat to opposing defenses rushing, receiving and in special teams.

In his first NFL season (1952), McElhenny was unanimously elected Rookie of the Year and earned All-Pro status as well as a spot on the Pro Bowl team.

McElhenny's final year came in 1964 with the Detroit Lions, but he also played for the Vikings and Giants.

McElhenny -- who finished his career with 38 rushing touchdowns and 5,281 rushing yards -- was inducted into the Pro Football of Fame in 1970, and he's also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.