Football

Washington Commanders president Jason Wright just went OFF on a reporter over an interview the guy did with Carson Wentz ... calling it and the media member a "pompous, unprofessional mess."

"I recognize you have made a living on childlike provocation," Wright said in a scathing statement aimed at the reporter, "but it needs to be called out. Don't expect special access and good luck building rapport with the guys."

Wright's anger stems from a chat that 7News D.C.'s Scott Abraham had with Wentz earlier this week.

In the talk with the Commanders' quarterback, Abraham pointed out a lot of Wentz's flaws -- and then said during the sit-down "Philly didn't want you" and "Indy didn't want you."

Wentz didn't appear too bothered by the comments and questions -- answering them the best he could -- but Wright was obviously enraged.

"It's not that the guys can't take criticism," the 40-year-old said. "Just be a journalist and follow standard practices. Others have found a way to do both."

Wright went on to praise Wentz for demonstrating "grace & class" during the interview.

Wentz -- who is playing for his third team in the last three years -- is expected to be Washington's starting quarterback this season.

Deion Sanders says the Pro Football Hall of Fame has lowered its standards for entry, and now undeserving players have been enshrined ... and Prime's pissed!

“The Hall of Fame ain’t the Hall of Fame no more," Sanders said. "This thing is becoming a free for all. If you play good, no! It's people that changed the game. That's what the Hall of Fame is; a game changer."

55-year-old Sanders made the comments on Friday ... and while he didn't single any players out, it's clear he believes not all Hall of Famers are created equally.

"My jacket’s [Hall of Fame] gotta be a different color," Prime said. "There needs to be a starting 11. There needs to be an upper room."

"My head don’t belong with some of these other heads that’s in the Hall of Fame."

Sanders -- widely regarded as the best cornerback in NFL history -- was inducted into the Hall in 2011.

It's not the first time Deion has been vocal about the HOF.

During an interview with Dan Patrick in 2020, Sanders said the Hall of Fame was no longer exclusive.

"Once upon a time, a Hall of Famer was a player who changed the dern game, who made you want to, to provoke you to reach in your pocket and pay your admission to go see that guy play."

"Everybody Tom, Dick and Harry, you’re a Hall of Famer, you’re a Hall of Famer, you’re a Hall of Famer. They let everybody in this thing now."

"It’s not exclusive anymore. And I don’t like it.”

Firefighters are currently battling a massive blaze at Earl Thomas' home in Texas ... after officials say it was struck by lightning.

The Orange, Texas residence caught fire just minutes ago -- according to Orange's deputy fire chief, Payton Smith, who told Fox 4 that, thankfully, no one is currently believed to be inside.

Pictures from the scene, shared by 12 News, show the flames at the former NFL star's house are massive.

In the photos, you can see multiple firefighters are working to put out the blaze ... though the brush and trees surrounding the residence are reportedly making it difficult for them to knock down all of the flames.

Earl has yet to publicly comment on the scene.

Marshawn Lynch was dragged out of his car by the hood of his sweatshirt and forcibly thrown to the ground during his DUI arrest earlier this week ... new police video shows.

In the footage, which was captured shortly after cops had begun questioning the former NFL star on Aug. 9 in Las Vegas, you can see Lynch was leaned back in the driver's seat of a 2020 Shelby GT500 -- appearing to be uncooperative with cops who were asking him to get out of the ride.

The officers can be heard in the video asking Lynch repeatedly to step out of the car -- but Lynch refused continuously, asking over and over again why he had to leave the vehicle.

After officers told him he was "obstructing an investigation," one of the cops reached in and grabbed him by the orange sweatshirt he was wearing.

The cop then threw the ex-Seattle Seahawks running back on the ground ... and told him, "Roll over. Hands behind your back. No more games today."

Officers then can be heard on the video saying he smelled like alcohol.

In police documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, cops say when they got Lynch back to the station, he was uncooperative there -- and said they "had to use a restraint chair" to draw blood from him after obtaining a search warrant.

Lynch was ultimately booked on several charges, including DUI. He's due in court for a hearing on the matter in December.

The 36-year-old's attorneys, Richard A. Schonfeld and David Z. Chesnoff, released a statement on the matter Thursday afternoon ... saying, "Marshawn was not pulled over for a DUI. Rather the vehicle was safely parked and not in operation. We are confident that when all evidence is presented, this will not be a DUI under Nevada law. Marshawn appreciates and is thankful for everyone’s concern and support."

Cops say Marshawn Lynch appeared to be completely wasted during his DUI arrest earlier this week -- falling in and out of sleep during questioning and reeking of booze -- while telling officers he had stolen the car he was in.

The allegations are all spelled out in new police documents, obtained by TMZ Sports on Thursday.

In the report, cops say they initially found Lynch at around 7:25 AM on Aug. 9 asleep at the wheel of a 2020 Shelby GT500 near the strip in Las Vegas.

According to officers in the docs, Lynch's car was beat up -- missing a tire and rim, while displaying "dents and dings" elsewhere. They also said roadway markings seemingly showed Lynch's car had slammed into sidewalk areas repeatedly before it had come to a stop.

Cops also say in the docs, when they were trying to speak to Lynch, he would talk, but would "then fall back asleep several times throughout the encounter."

Cops noted Lynch had just one shoe on, and claim the smell of an "alcoholic beverage" was coming out of the former Seattle Seahawks running back's car.

During the stop, cops say Lynch "stated that he was not drinking and he does not do drugs, but that he stole the vehicle."

Lynch then allegedly refused to get out of the car after officers asked him to exit the ride.

The 36-year-old was eventually arrested about half an hour after the stop was initiated ... but cops in the docs claim he continued to be uncooperative after officers had obtained a search warrant to get a blood sample from him.

"Lynch was not cooperative or willing to comply with the Search Warrant and corrections officers from the City of Las Vegas had to use a restraint chair to force a blood draw," officers wrote in the police report.

Lynch was ultimately booked on several charges, including DUI.

Marshawn's attorneys, Richard A. Schonfeld and David Z. Chesnoff, released a statement on the matter Thursday afternoon ... saying, "Marshawn was not pulled over for a DUI. Rather the vehicle was safely parked and not in operation. We are confident that when all evidence is presented, this will not be a DUI under Nevada law. Marshawn appreciates and is thankful for everyone’s concern and support."

The GOAT is GONE in Tampa -- at least for the next roughly two weeks -- the Buccaneers revealed on Thursday that Tom Brady is now out of training camp while handling a "personal issue."

Todd Bowles was just peppered with questions about his star QB -- who left training camp Thursday and is not expected to return until sometime in late August -- but the Bucs head coach declined to get into specifics of it all.

Instead, Bowles would only say Brady is out dealing "with some personal things."

"It's something he needed to handle," Bowles said. "We trust him. We talked about it. It was scheduled way before training camp and he will not be here until after Tennessee."

The Bucs are slated to play the Titans in a preseason contest in Nashville on Aug. 20 -- which means a return date for Brady won't come until at least Aug 21.

And, it seems the 45-year-old's absence could extend longer than that, 'cause Bowles wouldn't guarantee the signal-caller would be under center for their season-opener against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 11.

But, Bowles did say his confidence is "pretty high" that Brady will be there.

"It's a personal issue," Bowles said. "That's all I can tell you."

Brady didn't appear to be hampered by any injuries at all while attending Bucs practices earlier this week -- throwing completions and touchdowns with regularity throughout the workouts.

James White is hanging up his cleats ... the New England Patriots running back announced Thursday he's retiring from the NFL after 8 seasons in the league.

White -- AKA "Sweet Feet" -- shared the announcement on social media ... in a heartfelt post where he addressed the Pats organization.

"It has been an honor to represent my family, my teammates, and the people of New England as a Patriot!" said White.

"Reflecting on my nine years in the NFL, and all the sacrifices it took to get here, there are many people that were just as much part of this journey."

The three-time Super Bowl champ thanked Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick for "giving me the opportunity to live out my childhood dream" ... calling it a "tremendous blessing" and "honor."

"To say that Foxboro will always hold a special place in my heart is an understatement. It's been the most significant chapter of my adulthood; my kids were born here," James wrote.

"It's the place we know the best as adults and where I have grown and created my family."

Kraft released a statement on White's retirement ... saying, "James White has always been one of the most reliable and dependable players on the field."

"Our fans will remain eternally grateful for his record-setting performance in Super Bowl LI when he helped the Patriots overcome a 20-3 deficit by scoring 20 points, including the game-winning touchdown in overtime."

White -- selected by the Pats in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft -- was one of the most reliable weapons for Tom Brady out of the backfield and as a receiver.

The highlight of White's career was his performance in Super Bowl LI against the Falcons. With the game knotted at 28-28 in overtime, "Sweet Feet" scored the decisive touchdown ... sealing the game for the Pats.

JW finished the game with 14 receptions for 110 yards (129 yards total), scoring 3 touchdowns and a 2-point conversion. A legitimate argument could be made he earned SB MVP honors ... and Brady may have agreed. Tom gave James his MVP prize ... a brand new truck.

White only played in 3 games last season ... due to a hip injury that sidelined him for most of the year.

White's ex-teammate, Julian Edelman, showed respect to James' career, writing, "Mr. Reliable. Congrats on a legendary career bubs @SweetFeet_White."

In March, White signed a 2-year, $5 million contract extension keeping him in New England ... but, it appears he's had a change of heart.

Aaron Rodgers gave a group of kids from the Washington County Boys & Girls Club the experience of a lifetime yesterday ... surprising them with some facetime while on a tour of iconic Lambeau Field!

The Green Bay Packers star QB was in the building, as he gears up for his 18th NFL season, when he ran into a group of about 20 kids who were soaking up the sights of historic Lambeau.

That's when the tour took an awesome turn for the kids. Rodgers, who was leaving the locker room, emerged and asked, “Does anyone know which locker is Aaron Rodgers?” ... as the youngers looked at him in disbelief.

Aaron stopped and posed for a group photo with the kids ... and dished out a few high fives to the little ones.

It's not uncommon for groups to run into Packers players during the tour (the tour route takes you by the locker room), but tour participants never know who, if anyone, they may see.

It just so happened to be perfect timing for the B&G Club ... because they got some facetime with a future 1st ballot Hall of Famer.

Brett Favre says based on everything he's learned since he's retired, he believes he suffered "thousands" of concussions in his NFL career.

The Hall of Famer explained his theory on The Bubba Army radio show this week ... after he was asked how many serious head injuries he had while playing QB in the NFL.

Favre said if he had gotten that question a few years ago -- he would've said just three. But, after digesting recent studies on concussions, the 52-year-old believes the number is now actually in the four-figure range.

"Concussions happen all the time," Favre said. "You get tackled and your head hits the turf, you see flashes of light or ringing in your ears but you're able to play -- that's a concussion."

"So, based on that, [I've suffered] thousands," he continued. "Had to be, because every time my head hit the turf, there was ringing or stars going, flash bulbs ... but I was still able to play."

Favre was obviously never formally diagnosed with that many -- but he certainly did hit the turf a lot in his 20-year career. In his stints with the Falcons, Packers, NY Jets and Vikings, he was sacked 525 times just in regular season games alone.

One of Favre's scariest head injuries came in a 2004 game against the Giants ... when the Packers star threw a touchdown pass to Javon Walker after hitting his head -- something he didn't remember doing, according to then-Giants QB Kurt Warner.

"That's what's kind of frightening about the concussion thing -- it's the ones that seem minor that do the damage 'cause you're able to play and keep going," Favre said.

Eli Manning is going from football to futbol -- the two-time Super Bowl champ just revealed he's officially joining the NJ/NY Gotham FC ownership group.

The former NY Giants superstar was formally introduced as one of the club's newest minority owners on Wednesday ... alongside current Giants exec Pete Guelli, who's also taking a slice of the franchise.

Manning explained his reasoning behind the business move -- saying it made complete sense.

"I have lived and worked in this community for almost two decades," said Manning, who played his entire career with the G Men. "It's home to me, and Gotham FC is my family's favorite soccer club."

"Combine that with the organization's strong leadership, talented roster, and sustained growth, and it became clear that joining this great group was a fantastic opportunity."

Gotham FC chair Tammy Murphy is excited about bringing Manning on board ... saying, "Eli is known for the positive and influential impact he has on our communities."

"His legendary work ethic, drive for success, and passion for giving back to the community will be tremendous assets for our club."

Gotham FC exec Ed Nalbandian also lauded the new additions ... saying, "Having two people with track records like Eli and Pete recognize the value of our club and the strength of our brand speaks volumes about Gotham FC's upward trajectory."

"Their investment, influence, and additional resources will allow us to be even more successful on and off the field."

Manning and Guelli join big names like Kevin Durant and Carli Lloyd ... who also recently joined the ownership group.

Manning -- who spent 16 seasons with the Giants -- retired from the NFL after the 2019 season, but it's clear Eli still has a soft spot for the area.

Frank Gore grabbed a naked woman by her hair and dragged her across a hotel room's hallway during an altercation in Atlantic City, N.J. last month ... according to new, bombshell court documents obtained by TMZ Sports.

Cops say the incident between the NFL legend and a 28-year-old woman happened in the early morning hours of July 31 on the 59th floor of the Tropicana Casino's Havana Tower.

According to the docs, Gore "forcibly" gripped the woman by her hair ... before "violently dragging her nude person along the floor of the 59th hallway."

As we previously reported, Atlantic City Police said officers were initially called out to the scene at around 8:11 AM on the 31, but did not make any arrests after they said the woman "did not exhibit signs of injury."

Gore, though, was ultimately charged days later with simple assault after cops said they further investigated the allegations.

Gore, according to records, is due in court for a hearing in the case in October.

He's yet to publicly comment on the accusations.

NFL legend Frank Gore has been hit with an assault charge ... after cops say he was involved in a domestic violence incident with a 28-year-old woman last month.

The Atlantic City Police Dept. tells TMZ Sports ... back on July 31 at around 8:11 AM, officers were called to the Tropicana Atlantic City in New Jersey regarding a report of a domestic violence dispute.

Cops say a 28-year-old woman, who they did not identify, was speaking with hotel security ... but "did not exhibit signs of injury and complaints were not filed at the time."

Police, though, say after an investigation was launched ... Gore was ultimately charged this week with simple assault "related to the domestic violence incident."

No further details regarding the allegations were revealed.

According to court records, the 39-year-old former San Francisco 49ers superstar is due for a hearing on the matter in mid-October.

Gore is widely considered one of the greatest NFL running backs ever -- he played 16 seasons in the league, and rushed for 16,000 yards ... the third-most all-time.

Marshawn Lynch's car appeared undrivable by the time cops arrived and busted him for DUI on Tuesday ... with one tire completely missing, and at least one other flattened.

TMZ Sports has obtained pictures of the 2020 Shelby GT500 cops believe Lynch was driving prior to his arrest ... showing the front-left wheel's rim resting on the pavement, with no tire in sight.

Witnesses tell us they saw Lynch parked at the scene around 5:45 AM -- roughly two hours before his arrest -- and claim at one point, the running back exited his car to sit on the curb with the driver-side door wide open.

We're told Lynch remained at the scene until cops arrived ... who ultimately determined he was impaired and arrested him for driving under the influence.

We're told Lynch left a trail of damage on the road until his car reached its resting point ... with visible marks on the pavement and curbs. As we previously reported, sources say Lynch was driving into roadside curbs prior to the arrest.

Lynch was taken to jail and booked for DUI -- he's also facing charges of failure/refusing to surrender proof of security, unregistered vehicle and failure to drive in a travel lane.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell didn't hold back when talking about Deshaun Watson on Tuesday ... calling the Browns' star quarterback's behavior "egregious" and "predatory."

Reporters talked to Goodell on Tuesday at a meeting to approve the sale of the Broncos ... with the commish being asked why the league is appealing Watson's six-game suspension.

“Because we’ve seen the evidence,” Goodell said.

“[Judge Sue L. Robinson] was very clear about the evidence," Roger told reporters, adding ... "There were multiple violations here, and they were egregious and it was predatory behavior."

The commissioner continued ... "Those are things that we always felt were important for us to address in a way that’s responsible," the statement read.

Of course, the NFL announced Wednesday they were appealing the 6-game suspension handed down to the former Texans QB.

The NFL Players Association has been critical of the decision to appeal ... saying the league should respect the ruling. But, Goodell flat out says the appeal is their right, so they took it.

“As you know, it’s part of the CBA that two parties had the right. Either party could certainly challenge and appeal that, and that was something we thought was our right to do, as well as the NFLPA," Goodell said.

"So we decided it was the right thing to do.”

Ex-NFL star running back Marshawn Lynch was arrested in Las Vegas on Tuesday ... after cops claim he was driving under the influence.

LVMPD says 36-year-old Lynch was pulled over near the Las Vegas Strip on Fairfield Avenue and West Utah Avenue around 7:25 AM on Tuesday. Sources tell TMZ Sports he was driving into curbs on the side of the road before the traffic stop.

After speaking with Lynch, cops believe he was driving under the influence ... and was taken to jail.

Lynch did not submit to a breathalyzer, but we're told he had his blood drawn.

Marshawn played for 12 seasons in the league ... winning Super Bowl XLVIII with the Seahawks in Feb. 2014.

Lynch -- who played for the Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks and Oakland Raiders during his career -- is a 5-time Pro Bowler and 2-time NFL rushing touchdown leader.

In the regular season, he had 10,413 rushing yards, 85 rushing TDs, 2,214 receiving yards and 9 receiving TDs.

Off the field, Lynch co-owns the Beasts of the Fan Controlled Football league ... and Bay Area Panthers in Indoor Football League.

It's not the first time Lynch has been arrested for DUI -- in 2012, he was busted after cops determined his blood alcohol level was above the .08 limit while driving in Oakland.

Story developing ...

Aaron Rodgers wanted no parts of crass jokes about COVID-19, vaccines, and the deaths associated with the virus ... shutting down the attempts at humor in a hurry this week.

Rodgers appeared on Monday's episode of Barstool Sports' "Pardon My Take" -- and he was having a blast with the hosts of the show, Big Cat and PFT Commenter ... but the Packers star got serious quickly when the quips turned toward coronavirus-related deaths.

As Rodgers was speaking about the backlash he received for going public with his vaccine stance last year -- PFT joked, "How many people do you think you killed? What's your count?"

Big Cat added on, "How many grandmothers? Let's just do grandmothers."

Rodgers, who had been in a very playful mood the entire interview leading up to that point, said sternly, "I mean, I know you guys are f***ing around, but I don't find that part funny."

"I really don't," he added.

The trio changed topics moments later -- and the guys went on to laugh and joke with each other for another half an hour or so on the show.

There didn't appear to be any further awkward moments between the guys, and all three took a pic together following the conclusion of the interview.

The 38-year-old has been willing to discuss his thoughts on COVID and the vaccines repeatedly throughout the last 12 months ... and has said that while he's not anti-vax, he doesn't feel like anyone should have to be forced to take the shots.