Football

Devin Willock, a redshirt sophomore and offensive lineman for the University of Georgia died in a car crash early Sunday morning, along with a UGA staffer ... just hours after the team's national championship parade.

Willock was just 20 years old.

The recruiting staffer, 24-year-old Chandler LeCroy, was driving a 2021 Ford Expedition with Willock and two other passengers south of campus when the vehicle somehow left the road around 2:45 AM Eastern and collided with two poles and several trees, according to police.

Devin was pronounced dead on the scene. LeCroy was transported to the hospital, where she later died as a result of her injuries.

The two other passengers were injured ... one seriously.

"The entire Georgia family is devastated by the tragic loss of football student-athlete Devin Willock and football staff member Chandler LeCroy," the University of Georgia said in a statement.

"Devin and Chandler were two special people who meant so much to the University of Georgia, our football program, and our athletic department. We ask that everyone keep their families in your prayers during this very difficult time."

Georgia football coach Kirby Smart also released a statement ... "We are all heartbroken and devastated with the loss of Devin Willock and Chandler LeCroy. Devin was an outstanding young man in every way. He was always smiling, was a great teammate, and was a joy to coach."

"Chandler was a valuable member of our football staff and brought an incredible attitude and energy every single day. We grieve with their families for this tragic loss and will support them in every way possible."

6'7", 335 lbs. Willock, from New Millford, NJ, played in all of Georgia's games this season, including two starts at right guard.

UGA had been celebrating their second consecutive national championship, which they won Monday night after defeating TCU, 65-7, in the title game.

Arizona Cardinals WR A.J. Green's Georgia home was burglarized Friday night, TMZ Sports has learned ... and now cops are attempting to hunt down the alleged thief.

Law enforcement sources tell us Green's house was empty -- thankfully neither A.J. nor his family was home -- when the perpetrator somehow gained entry inside the Roswell, GA estate.

It's unclear exactly what was taken before they fled the scene. Thankfully, it wasn't exactly a clean getaway. The suspect tripped a house alarm, which notified the local police department, who responded around 8 PM.

We obtained video showing multiple police vehicles with lights flashing parked outside Green's home. Officers are seen standing outside an exterior gate.

Investigators say there are surveillance cameras on the property ... which they plan to review in the hopes it captured images of the perpetrator during the alleged crime.

Green's 5,100-square-foot house, which sits on 2.7 acres, was built in 2018 ... and has 4 bedrooms and 4 baths.

Cops are also taking an inventory of what was stolen from the 7x Pro Bowler's home.

A.J., who just finished his 12th NFL season, previously starred at the University of Georgia from 2008 to 2010. Roswell is about 90 minutes from the UGA campus.

Russell Wilson and the Broncos have put O.T. Genasis in a really crappy mood ... the rapper who loves the Denver franchise tells TMZ Sports he's down bad after the team's abysmal 5-12 season.

"This s*** is awful right now," the "CoCo" crooner admitted out at LAX this week.

Thankfully for the Broncos, though, O.T. is still keepin' the faith -- at least, somewhat -- telling us he's got hopes that after giving head coach Nathaniel Hackett the boot towards the end of the season, they can turn things around.

Then again, he ain't exactly optimistic about Wilson ... saying he's got big-time regrets about the five-year, $242 MILLION contract the Broncos gave the star QB after trading for him this past offseason.

"We gave him too much money," O.T. said ... before adding, "We should have test-drove the car before we bought it!"

O.T., though, knows a thing or two about sticking by Denver in bad times. The big Broncos fan -- who's often seen rockin' Denver attire -- lived through some disappointing losses before finally seeing them win the Super Bowl in 2016.

"Hopefully, it's just coaching," he said. "Hopefully, we come up with a better scheme, bro."

FedEx is vowing to help Detroit Lions star Taylor Decker ... after the star tackle accused the delivery giant of losing a delivery of breast milk meant for his newborn baby and initially refusing to make amends.

It started when 29-year-old Decker ripped FedEx on Friday ... saying the company lost a big shipment of frozen milk for his 3-month-old baby girl, Daisy Faye Decker, and then refused to pay him back, infuriating the OT.

"Shoutout FedEx for losing a perishable 24-hour shipment of a month supply of milk for my newborn, and responding that there is nothing they can do, and will not reimburse me. What a joke", Taylor wrote on Twitter.

Well, the complaint was blasted out to Decker's 114K followers, which seemed to get the attention of the folks at FedEx HQ ... who told us they're in contact with Decker and are trying to "resolve the issue."

Decker says it's not as easy as just running to the store and replacing the milk ... it's his wife's breast milk that the couple froze and shipped to Arizona for the offseason.

Before taking to social media to air his grievances, Taylor says he drove across Phoenix to 4 different FedEx locations, trying to track down the milk.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Jadeveon Clowney is addressing his recent comments about Myles Garrett ... saying he's personally apologized to his teammate, but claiming his words were taken out of context.

The former first overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft made headlines recently ... after accusing the Browns of focusing on making Garrett look good instead of the team's overall success.

"You're all trying to get [Garrett] into the Hall of Fame instead of winning games," Clowney told reporters at the time. "I don't even think he notices."

Clowney -- who said he was 95% sure he was not returning to the Browns after the 2022-23 season -- added he didn't believe it was Garrett's fault ... but called the whole situation "B.S."

Now, Clowney is backpedaling his previous comments ... releasing a statement via his publicist Denise White on Friday.

"As a son and a parent I want to fully apologize to anyone I offended, specifically Myles Garrett and his family," the statement obtained by TMZ Sports says.

"My words in the lockerroom were not only taken out of context, but completely misrepresented."

Clowney added he personally reached out to Myles to share his regret ... and "will continue to learn and grow as I move forward."

Shaquille O'Neal's clearly a man of his word ... 'cause after he bet he'd eat a frog if TCU lost to Georgia in the national championship -- he settled his debt live on television on Thursday night!!!

Shaq initially made the wager with his "NBA On TNT" co-host Ernie Johnson last week ... saying if UGA managed to pull out the victory over the Horned Frogs on Monday, he'd scarf down a plate of toad.

The Dawgs ended up smacking TCU 65-7 ... and when it came time to pay up on the bet on Thursday's show, Shaq didn't shy away.

Ernie brought out a plate of what appeared to be multiple fried frog legs, and the NBA legend stuffed his mouth with them one by one as a nation of basketball fans looked on.

Shaq took bite after bite after bite -- while Ernie gloated with a Georgia helmet strapped to his head.

"I'm a man of my word," O'Neal said as he chomped away on the dish. "I'm a man of my word, Ernie."

Shaq had some fun with the guys on the set while finishing off the legs -- sticking a piece of the meal in his teeth while adding, "I just want to let ya'll know these frog legs are good!"

Derek Carr's days as a Raider may be numbered, but the guy was certainly a great teammate in Vegas ... 'cause the quarterback had custom diamond pendants made for Davante Adams and Maxx Crosby!!

TMZ Sports has learned, 31-year-old Carr wanted to show his appreciation for his guys ... so he asked Al The Jeweler from Labelle Jewelry in Totowa, NJ to come up with something extra special.

Al whipped together a pair of awesome pieces for Adams and Crosby -- black and white diamond pendants featuring their respective jersey numbers.

Of course, Carr and Adams go way back to their days at Fresno State ... and their friendship has continued throughout their pro careers.

Carr and Crosby have been teammates for four seasons ... and the two captains formed a tight bond during their time with the Raiders.

As we previously reported, Carr penned a goodbye message to Raider Nation earlier Thursday ... seemingly bringing his 9 years in Silver and Black to an end.

WWE Superstar Braun Strowman is teaming up with the Green Bay Packers ... to create a pair of custom boots to honor a young fan who tragically lost his life during the Waukesha Christmas Parade attack in 2021.

The Packers shared a video on Thursday ... where the 6'8", nearly 350-pound pro wrestler said he would wear the boots this Friday on Smackdown in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Strowman, wearing a No.99 Packers jersey in the video, said one of the late victims was a fan of his ... and wished to meet Braun, but that never happened.

The boots, modeled after Braun's conventional WWE footwear, are the Packers' colors -- dark green and gold -- and feature the iconic "G" logo on the side.

Back in 2021, a man drove an SUV through a crowd at the annual Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin ... killing six people and injuring 62 others.

Police arrested Darrell Brooks and charged him with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide. Brooks was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole last November.

The former WWE champ said the custom Packers boots would be auctioned off ... and all proceeds would be donated to the Waukesha Christmas Parade Foundation.

Former Alabama running back Ahmaad Galloway -- who rushed for 17 touchdowns in his Crimson Tide career -- has died ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.

He was just 42 years old.

According to principal Susan Reid at Compton-Drew Middle School in St. Louis, where Galloway was teaching eighth grade English, Galloway was found dead on Monday.

Reid tells us the former tailback, who was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2003, failed to show up to work ... prompting concerned school leaders to ask for a welfare check at his home.

Reid said when officials entered Galloway's apartment, they discovered he was deceased. A cause of death is not yet known.

Reid said Galloway was a beloved instructor at the school ... and had just attended a students' basketball game on Saturday, showing no signs of trouble.

"He was an excellent teacher," Reid said. "He bonded with his students, particularly those who were interested in athletics."

Galloway played for the Tide from 1999 to 2002, running for 1,830 yards. Following his selection in the '03 NFL Draft, he bounced around the league ... but never logged an official stat in a game.

Odell Beckham Jr. still ain't apologizing for his role in clearing out a plane back in November -- in fact, he's now blasting people who are criticizing him for the way he conducted himself ... even throwing out his famous cheese board diss again!!

OBJ fired off a series of tweets railing on his detractors on Thursday ... just one day after police released video which showed the actions that led up to him being booted off an American Airlines flight in Miami back on Nov. 27.

Odell spoke in vague terms in the social media posts ... but his message to his haters was clear -- get off my back about the incident.

"Can't address everything in this world, it's exhausting," Beckham wrote. "Errbody got an opinion on situations they weren't involved in. All u can do is kno who u truly are. Purell only kills 99.9% of germs…there's always gon be a lil left over."

He continued, "The one thing that no matter how much I've grown is still the hardest thing for me to do. Is let someone play wit my name. Period. For those tht kno me kno me, u kno exactly how I am. I really be koolin. But…..if u press that button and bring a certain energy. Do NOT be surprised when u get that same energy back."

"I kno who I am. Period. All the rest and opinions really don't matter to me."

Odell then capped off his rant by writing, "Have a blessed day and enjoy the [cheese] board!"

Of course, the charcuterie-themed line was the same barb he used on the plane ... when police video showed he got into an argument with a man who had been annoyed that officials were clearing out the ride to get Beckham off of it.

The footage showed Beckham called the guy "fat" -- before telling him, "Enjoy the cheese board on the way home with your ugly ass."

Popeyes meme kid Dieunerst Collin's dreams are finally coming true ... the internet-sensation-turned-college-athlete just inked an NIL deal with the popular fast food chain!!

Popeyes tells TMZ Sports ... the chicken joint is officially partnering with Collin after it was brought to its attention that he was the kid in the viral Vine video from back in the day.

As part of the newly-cemented business relationship, Collin will be featured on a billboard near his hometown in New Jersey.

As we previously reported, 18-year-old Dieunerst publicly campaigned to join forces with Popeyes, writing on social media, "@popeyes I JUST WANNA TALK BUISNESS."

The current Lake Erie College offensive lineman asked people on social media to help him secure the deal ... and it actually worked out for him!!

"A lot can happen with the power of the internet behind you!" Collin said. "I can’t believe I can say I’m officially sponsored by Popeyes."

"Thank you to everyone who helped spread the good word!"

Collin's NIL deal with Popeyes is the latest good news for the 6'1", 330-pound football player ... he won a state championship with his high school, East Orange Campus, in NJ in 2021.

Fresh off Georgia's blowout national championship win, the Bulldogs already have a new enemy -- PETA -- 'cause the animal rights org. is calling for the victors to officially retire their live mascot, Uga.

TMZ Sports has learned, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals fired off a letter to University of Georgia president, Jere Morehead this week ... asking the school to replace its iconic English bulldog, Uga X, with a human at sporting events.

The org. claims Uga's presence at games increases demand for breathing-impaired breeds like pugs, bulldogs and boxers ... and they want Georgia to lead by example.

PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman released a statement on the matter ... saying, "As the back-to-back national champion, can’t UGA find it in its heart to honestly examine the impact of its promotion of deformed dogs and call time on its outdated, live-animal mascot program?"

"PETA is calling on Jere Morehead to be a peach and replace poor Uga with a human mascot who can support the team in a winning way."

Of course, Georgia has used live mascots since the 1950s ... starting with Uga I. The current mascot, Uga X, did not make the trip to Los Angeles for Monday's game due to the five plus hour flight.

Several Texas high school football players were hospitalized after their coach allegedly forced them do 400 push-ups as a form of discipline, according to multiple reports.

John Harrell, head football coach at Rockwall-Heath High School, was suspended and placed on administrative leave after a group of his players required medical attention following an off-season workout, according to FoxNews4.

Harrell, who's been with the program since 2019, is accused of making the students do "a large number of push-ups" as punishment for the athletes.

The alleged incident occurred on Friday during an off-season workout program. School principal Todd Bradford sent a letter to parents saying students "needed medical attention," with "some" requiring hospitalization.

The Dallas Morning News reports at least eight students were hospitalized.

One parent, whose child is hospitalized, says the players were made to do hundreds of push-ups in just an hour with no water or break.

The parent, who didn't wish to be identified, said their child was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a severe medical condition that occurs when damaged muscle tissue releases its proteins and electrolytes into the blood. Rhabdomyolysis can be fatal or result in permanent disability.

However, not everyone believes the coach was wrong. Junior team captain, Brady Luff, told media water was available to the players, and they could've left if they wanted.

"[Coach Harrell's] treated us with nothing but respect, and he loves every single one of us like his own," Luff said.

Derek Carr is bidding farewell to the Las Vegas Raiders fanbase ... sending a heartfelt message to his first NFL team amid speculation he's played his last down for the Silver and Black.

"Raider Nation it breaks my heart I didn't get an opportunity to say goodbye in person," Carr said on Twitter. "We certainly have been on a roller coaster in our 9 years together. From the bottom of my heart, I am so grateful and appreciative of the years of support you have to my family and me."

"We had our share of both heart breaking moments and thrilling game winning drives, and it always felt like you were there next to me."

The Raiders benched Carr in favor of Jarrett Stidham for the last two games of the 2022-23 season ... and he was not with the team during that period. After that, all signs pointed to a breakup.

"It's especially hard to say goodbye because I can honestly say that I gave you everything I had, every single day, in season, and in the off season," Carr added. "It certainly wasn't perfect, but I hope that I was able to leave you with more than a few great memories as Raider fans."

"I once said that if I'm not a Raider I would rather be at home and I meant that, but I never envisioned it ending this way. That fire burning inside of me to win a championship still rages. A fire no man can extinguish; only God."

Carr says he's looking forward to joining a new team and giving 100% in hopes of winning a Super Bowl.

The Raiders selected Carr in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft ... and he went on to accumulate 35,222 passing yards, 217 touchdowns and 99 interceptions.

The Raiders made the playoffs twice during Carr's time under center ... but did not earn a postseason victory.

Former USC star Charles White -- the 1979 Heisman Trophy winner -- died on Wednesday, the Trojans announced. He was 64 years old.

According to the school, White passed away in Newport Beach, Calif. after battling cancer.

"He was the toughest player I've ever coached," White's former head coach John Robinson said in a statement following the news of the former running back's death. "He was really unusual in that regard."

SC athletic director Mike Bohn added in a statement of his own that White was "one of the all-time great Trojans."

"He will always be remembered by the Trojan Family for the history he made on the football field and the legacy he left at Troy," Bohn said.

White got to SC's campus in 1976 -- and went on to have one of the most legendary college football careers ever. He totaled 6,245 rushing yards -- still a school record -- and earned unanimous selections to two All-American teams.

In addition to the '79 Heisman Trophy, White also won the Walter Camp and Maxwell awards that same season.

White, who also helped USC win a national title and three Rose Bowls, went on to be picked by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 1980 NFL Draft. He spent five seasons with the team, before finishing his pro career with the Rams.

He was eventually inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1996.

Amazing news ... Peyton Hillis' girlfriend says the former NFL star is off the ventilator and now "on the road to recovery" -- just days after he suffered significant trauma in a swimming accident in Florida.

Singer and actress Angela Cole, who's been dating Hillis since at least 2021, provided the positive update on her social media page late Wednesday night ... writing in a caption on a video of the couple, "Please continue to pray for he's still got a ways ahead of him, but thank you for all of your prayers and love and support thus far. It truly makes all the difference."

"Today was a good day," she added.

Hillis needed to be helicoptered to a hospital back on Jan. 4, after he reportedly jumped into the ocean on Pensacola Beach in order to save two of his children who were caught in riptides.

The former running back's uncle, Greg Hillis, said in a Facebook post after the accident that Peyton suffered kidney and lung damage in the rescue ... and in the ensuing days, things looked so dire, fans, family and friends actually held a prayer vigil for him in Arkansas.

But, according to Cole, Peyton's now on the mend.

"So proud of this man and so incredibly grateful for family and this incredible hospital," she said.