Football

Peyton Hillis got a special visitor at his hospital on Thursday ... Emmitt Smith stopped by -- and the visit went so well, both former NFL running backs were seen smiling ear to ear with one another.

The Dallas Cowboys legend -- who was born and raised in Pensacola, FL -- made the trek to the Escambia County medical facility to check in on Hillis ... just over two weeks after the former Browns tailback nearly drowned in an ocean rescue effort on Pensacola Beach.

Hillis appeared to be in great spirits -- flashing a grin in a photo with Smith, who called the 36-year-old in an Instagram post following the visit "a recovering hero."

Smith didn't directly provide any updates on Hillis' condition, though he appeared optimistic about the former Madden cover athlete's prognosis.

"Stay strong Peyton!" Smith said. "Praying for you, your family and wishing you a speedy recovery."

Hillis, according to his uncle, suffered damage to his lungs and kidneys back on Jan. 4 ... after he reportedly jumped into the ocean to save his children who were caught in riptides.

Initially, things looked dire for Peyton -- who had to be life flighted to the hospital -- but his longtime girlfriend, singer and actress Angela Cole, said last week he had a big breakthrough and is now on the mend.

Hillis played in the NFL from 2008 through 2014 ... and multiple players, both past and present, have wished him a speedy recovery since the accident.

The Buffalo Bills were surprised with special gifts in honor of Damar Hamlin ahead of their playoff game against the Bengals ... receiving "3" pendants for the entire team.

Von Miller -- whose season ended prematurely after he tore his ACL on Thanksgiving Day -- showed off the new jewelry on social media ... and the team is clearly pumped about the gesture.

NYC-based jeweler Gabriel Jacobs of Rafaello and Co. gifted 80 pendants to the team and Damar's family ... which feature a 2.5-inch, 14k gold #3 and a heart.

We're told Damar will be getting his very own customized pendant ... which will also feature diamonds.

The backs of each pendant feature one of Hamlin's viral quotes -- "If you get a chance to show some love today do it! It won’t cost you nothing."

Jacobs explained his decision to gift the pendants ... saying, "Like many others, when I saw what happened to Damar Hamlin, I couldn’t help but feel connected thinking that this could happen to a family member of mine."

"I was extremely moved by all the outpouring of love and donations that came from all across the world. Being a jeweler, I wanted to give back in my own way by gifting these pendants as a way for the Buffalo Bills team to continue to honor Hamlin."

24-year-old Hamlin went into cardiac arrest after tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins on Monday Night Football ... a moment that shook the sports world.

Hamlin was since released from the hospital after spending time in the ICU ... and head coach Sean McDermott said Wednesday the Bills safety has been at the practice facility "almost daily."

McDermott said Hamlin is still taking things day by day ... and is trying to get back into a routine suitable for his current stage in recovery.

Multiple people called 911 in the moments after Univ. of Georgia football players and staffers were involved in a massive car wreck last Sunday ... and the scene they described to cops was horrifying.

In audio of some of the calls, obtained by TMZ Sports, you can hear both men and women urging authorities to get to the scene ... with one caller saying the accident and its repercussions sounded like "multiple gunshots going off in the streets."

The wreck, according to police, happened at around 2:45 AM in Athens after a 2021 Ford Expedition "failed to negotiate a left curve" and slammed into two poles and trees -- before eventually coming to a stop against an apartment building.

One 911 caller told dispatch the crash left a power line down ... and "all the electricity keeps exploding out here."

"There's been three different explosions," the caller said. "Oh my God, there's another one!"

A separate caller told dispatch, "There's arcing wires, there's people on the floor, it's a crashed vehicle. We think someone might be dead."

One woman who said she was located in the apartment building that the car eventually skidded into said the wreckage was so bad, she couldn't even open her home's door.

As we reported, the crash ultimately took the lives of UGA offensive lineman Devin Willock and football team staffer Chandler LeCroy. It left another football player, Warren McClendon, and another UGA staffer, Victoria Bowles, with injuries.

The school's community and its football players have been reeling in the days following the accident, with star quarterback Stetson Bennett writing an emotional social media post about it all on Tuesday.

NFL veteran and actor Chester Rogers will debut on 50 Cent's hit show, "BMF" Thursday night, proving it's possible to juggle pro football and acting ... but it requires a helluva lot of "sacrifice" and "discipline."

TMZ Sports spoke to Rogers -- who started acting at ten years old -- about landing a significant role on the show and how he manages to balance his career as a full-time football player and actor.

FYI, Rogers played for the Browns, Titans, and Colts over his 6 season NFL career, appearing in 72 games, and catching 141 balls for 1,522 yards and 6 touchdowns.

"When I first landed the role with BMF, I thought it was going to be one episode, one little scene," Rogers said, adding, "Then, from that, it turned to me filming for six months."

"I'm in multiple episodes. My character continued to evolve. Throughout that time, I had to turn down almost ten different contracts from NFL teams so that I could finish filming."

Of course, "BMF" is a drama series created by Randy Huggins and Fifty, inspired by the true story of two brothers who created one of the most notorious crime families in Detroit -- Black Mafia Family -- a drug trafficking and money laundering organization.

Chester costars as the best friend of "Meech", one of the brothers, played by Demetrius Flenory Jr.

It's a big part in a big show ... but it's not Chester's first acting gig. He was cast in the 2005 film "Constellation" alongside Billy Dee Williams, Gabrielle Union, Hill Harper, and Zoe Saldaña. CR played the role of a younger Billy Dee ... and it's where his passion for show business was born.

Chester says he hasn't had the chance to talk to Fifty -- executive producer for "BMF" -- in person just yet, but says he looks forward to getting some facetime with the rapper-turned-business mogul.

"I heard he's an amazing person."

"He's always been one of my idols. His entrepreneurship and his having his hands in so many different things. I can relate that way. He's definitely an icon in my eyes."

Rogers told us he's been inspired by Sidney Poitier and Denzel Washington along his journey ... and told us he would have loved to work with the legendary Tupac Shakur.

Chester also named superstar actors Damson Idris and Jonathan Majors as two people he would like to work with in the future.

Ex-Broncos defensive lineman Derek Wolfe hunted a massive mountain lion in Colorado this week ... and at the end of the day, a wild photo shows the Wolfe got the better of the big cat.

The former NFL player detailed his insane journey to nab the mountain lion in Grant on his social media page Thursday ... saying it all started after he got a call on Tuesday that the animal was terrorizing a rural neighborhood in the city.

Wolfe said he was told the mountain lion had killed two of a woman's dogs ... and was "nervous what he might do next."

The 32-year-old avid hunter and fisherman said he then set out to kill it.

He explained on his IG that after discovering a ravaged mule deer that he assumed the big cat killed, he hiked up thousands of feet of rough terrain ... and eventually encountered the mountain lion.

"Exhausted, dehydrated, cramping," Wolfe said, "I drew back my [bow] and sent an [arrow] through him."

Wolfe said he then had to drag the beast's carcass back to his truck ... falling off a 10-foot rock face in the process.

Wolfe, who played in the NFL from 2012 through 2020, wrote in the comment section of his social media post that he estimated it weighed about 195 pounds. As for its height, Derek stands at 6-foot-5 ... and the cat seemed to be bigger than him.

Aldon Smith cut a plea deal in his DUI case on Thursday morning, TMZ Sports has learned ... and the ex-NFL star is now facing prison time over it.

The San Mateo County District Attorney tells us ... Smith agreed at a hearing in Northern California to enter a plea of nolo contendere to a felony charge of drunk driving causing injury.

In exchange, the court agreed it would not impose a sentence on him higher than 16 months in state prison.

The D.A. noted probation and a county jail sentence are also on the table for Smith following the plea agreement.

The 33-year-old is slated to learn his fate at a sentencing hearing in March.

As we reported, Smith was initially hit with two felony DUI charges in the case back in December 2021 ... after he was accused of driving drunk and slamming his GMC Sierra pickup truck into the back of a stopped vehicle on a freeway off ramp in Redwood City.

Officials said the collision caused injuries to the other driver's back, wrist, knee, leg and foot. They also said Smith told the alleged victim at the scene that he "cannot have cops there."

Prosecutors claimed Smith had a BAC of greater than .15 at the time of the wreck. Smith had first pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The NFL Pro Bowl captains have been announced ... but they're not superstar athletes like Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes -- it's Pete Davidson and Snoop Dogg!!

TMZ Sports has confirmed ... the "Saturday Night Live" alum and rap legend will be going head-to-head when the festivities go down next month near Las Vegas ... with Pete representing the NFC, and Snoop leading the AFC.

It's unclear what exactly their roles will be ... but we're assuming they'll be working alongside Peyton and Eli Manning, who were named the coaches for each conference.

Of course, Eli and Pete (a massive Giants fan) have built a tight friendship recently -- they even share a joint Instagram account -- so we take it their chemistry will certainly be a plus when the competition goes down.

As for Snoop, he's always had ties to the sport ... and he even has his own youth football league. On top of that, he gave a helluva performance at Super Bowl LVI last year.

Snoop spoke about his captaincy in a statement to People ... saying, "I'm comin' back to the NFL field, but this time, instead of performing, I'm going head-to-head with Pete and competing for the title of The Pro Bowl Games Champion."

"The competition is going to go off, but we all know that Peyton and our AFC squad are gonna do some big things. We'll end up on that podium."

Davidson kept it short and sweet ... adding, "I'm doing this to impress my Uncle Mike."

CeeDee Lamb is an All-Pro receiver, but he might be an even better teammate ... 'cause the Dallas Cowboys star gave kicker Brett Maher some solid words of encouragement after missing multiple PATs during Monday's playoff game against the Buccaneers.

The Cowboys just released footage of players mic'd up for the Wild Card matchup ... showing the rollercoaster of emotions the team went through amid the 31-14 blowout.

One clip shows Lamb quickly consoling Maher after missing a second-straight point attempt ... making sure the special teams star wasn't beating himself up too much for the blunders.

"We're behind you, bro, you're good," Lamb said as Maher made his way back to the bench. "You're good, bro."

Maher was clearly happy to hear the kind words ... saying, "Appreciate you."

Lamb followed up with even more nice things to say ... adding, "S***, you've done bailed us out hella times. We're with you, bro. I promise you, we're with you."

Maher -- who was still visibly trying to wrap his head around the failed attempts -- replied, "Appreciate you, buddy."

Despite the solid gesture, Maher went on to miss a total of four extra points -- an NFL record -- but eventually was able to get one through the uprights.

Damar Hamlin is continuing to make huge strides in his road to recovery ... Bills head coach Sean McDermott said the defensive back is now at Buffalo's practice facility "almost daily," and nearing a return to team meetings and more.

McDermott provided the good news in a Wednesday chat with media members ... saying Hamlin has recovered enough from his medical emergency two and a half weeks ago to the point where he's now "just trying to get back to a little bit of a routine."

"It's limited just overall," the Bills' head man said ... explaining Hamlin isn't quite ready for meetings or a full day of work just yet. "Just getting himself acclimated again and taking it one step, one baby step at a time here."

As we reported, Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on Jan. 2 during the Bills vs. Bengals "Monday Night Football" game ... but has steadily improved over the last couple weeks.

He's been up, walking and talking ... though he's yet to attend a Bills game since his release from the hospital. But, he's watched his teammates intently from home, even tweeting his thoughts on Buffalo's playoff game against the Dolphins last Sunday throughout the contest.

It's not yet clear if he'll make it to the sidelines to catch the Bills' huge playoff game against Cincinnati on Sunday ... McDermott stressed it's a day-by-day process for the 24-year-old.

Lisa Guerrero says her one season as a reporter for "Monday Night Football" was absolute hell ... revealing things got so bad at the gig, she actually suffered a miscarriage while on the sidelines during a game.

The 58-year-old, who took over the 'MNF' role from Melissa Stark in the 2003 NFL season, explained the horrifying situation in her new book, Warrior: My Path to Being Brave.

She said from the day she first got the job, she faced unfair ridicule and criticism from males in the sports world ... particularly from her 'MNF' boss, executive producer Freddie Gaudelli.

Guerrero claimed in the memoir Gaudelli criticized her work often ... and it, combined with the misogynistic trolling she received regularly from viewers, gave her such stress, she had actually considered dying by suicide.

Guerrero -- who had gotten pregnant with her fiancé, former MLB pitcher Scott Erickson, during the season -- says the mountain of pressure eventually came to a head late in the year ... when she suffered a miscarriage while on the job.

In the book, according to an excerpt obtained by PEOPLE, the former "Best Damn Sports Show Period" host said she was doing her reports from the sideline, when all of a sudden, she felt intense pain in her abdomen. Moments later, she said, "I could feel blood leaking."

Guerrero said she wanted to bolt to the bathroom, but had to do a live shot first. She said she felt "dizzy and nauseated" during the hit. Eventually, she made her way to the restroom.

"As I sat on the toilet," Guerrero said, "I couldn't believe the blood pouring out of me. It had soaked through my pants. I shoved a bunch of paper towels in my underwear."

Guerrero said she didn't tell anybody about the episode, and finished her work for the night, before heading to the airport.

"I don't blame one person for this," said Guerrero, who was fired from 'MNF' following the '03 season. "The miscarriage wasn't because of Freddie, and it wasn't because of one radio talk show host or one bad column. It was a culmination of the entire season of negativity and cruelty. It was really cruel."

She added that she's now hoping her story can deter bullying and trolling moving forward.

The Packers will donate $100,000 worth of Automated External Defibrillators to schools and recreational sports leagues in the Green Bay area ... in light of Damar Hamlin's medical emergency, the team announced Wednesday.

The team collaborated with Bellin Health, the team's official healthcare provider, to donate money for 80 AED devices ... which typically cost around $1,000, and can save lives. Unfortunately, many places aren't equipped. Green Bay is looking to change that.

The Packers and Bellin Health released a joint statement ... saying the donation would provide the AEDs where youth and recreational sports are played across Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

"After seeing Damar Hamlin's shocking cardiac arrest and witnessing the incredible response from the emergency personnel and medical professionals who treated him, we recognized our responsibility to take action in our own community," said Packers Exec Mark Murphy.

He continued ... "Damar's injury also reminds us that cardiac emergencies are experienced each day throughout the country and our region."

"We're proud to work with Bellin Health to equip more athletic facilities and organizations with AEDs, as well as the tools and skills they need to save a life."

After the facilities receive the AEDs, which administer a shock to the heart to reestablish an effective rhythm, Bellin Health said they would ensure reps from the various organizations are adequately trained in CPR and AED use.

"We are extremely grateful to the Green Bay Packers for this incredible donation of life-saving equipment to the communities we serve," said Bellin Health President Chris Woleske.

"Access to this equipment combined with education surrounding how to provide aid in a cardiac emergency is proven to save lives."

Joe Burrow had a digit disaster at his press conference on Wednesday ... 'cause the superstar quarterback wore the wrong jersey!!

The 26-year-old showed off the new look as he met with reporters ... and he was immediately asked if he was ditching #9 for #8.

Naturally, as soon as Burrow looked down to check what they were talking about ... he started cracking up.

"I guess I put the wrong one on," Burrow laughed. "So what happened was, I forgot about the press conference ... so I put my jersey back on. But apparently, it wasn't my jersey."

"Guess it's been that kind of day, huh?"

FYI -- #8 belongs to Brandon Allen, the backup quarterback who resigned with the Bengals last March.

Hopefully, Burrow remembers to wear his own jersey when the Bengals take on the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round of the playoffs on Sunday.

Speaking of the game, Burrow eventually got to talkin' about the big road matchup ... and he's not concerned about the Bills being the betting favorite.

"I always enjoy going on the road. Just you and your guys," Burrow said. "It feels like it's you against the world and that's where we like to be."

"Never feel like an underdog."

Don't fret, Cowboys fans ... Martin Gramatica -- one of the best kickers in NFL history -- is predicting a bounce-back game for Brett Maher, explaining all the guy has to do is just "forget" about his dreadful performance in Tampa.

Maher missed four extra points in the Cowboys' playoff win over the Buccaneers on Monday night -- and he looked downright beat up over the performance both during and afterward.

But, Gramatica told Babcock on "TMZ Sports" on Tuesday that he doesn't think the Dallas placekicker should be all that concerned ... explaining it was just one game.

Gramatica advises the 33-year-old to move on quickly ... adding that he believes Maher has a whole season of success that should trump his bad evening in South Florida.

"I would just say, do what you did throughout the year," said Gramatica, who made 76.4 percent of his kicks in his 11-year NFL career. "Short memory. Forget about it. You're good enough. You got us here."

Maher made 29 of his 32 field goal attempts this season ... and rarely struggled prior to the playoff stinker. Gramatica made it clear both the kicker and his team should focus on that -- as opposed to the missed kicks against the Bucs.

"The message I guarantee you from his teammates and coaches is, You got us here," the former Bucs and Cowboys kicker said. "You helped us get here. Some of your game-winners got us here."

"So, forget about it. Next game, we're going to need you."

Tusk V, the University of Arkansas' legendary live mascot, has died, the school announced Tuesday. He was 4 years old.

The University released a statement on Tusk V's passing ... saying he died of natural causes at his home outside of Dardanelle, Arkansas.

Tusk, born on April 19, 2018, served as the school's official live mascot for three years (2019-2022) and witnessed the football team win two bowl games during his tenure.

Tusk V was a staple on the sidelines at Razorbacks games ... and would routinely interact with fans throughout the season.

Tusk V's last regular season appearance was on Nov. 19 at the team's home finale ... when Arkansas defeated Ole Miss 42-27 at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

The Russian boar was most recently on hand for the Hogs' 55-53 win in triple overtime over Kansas in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

Tusk V became the official live mascot after his father, Tusk IV, retired in 2019. He will be succeeded by his brother, Tusk VI, who will continue the live mascot tradition.

Tusk V -- who would have turned 5 in April -- was laid to rest on the Stokes family farm, the caretakers for the university's mascots.

Devin Willock -- the Univ. of Georgia offensive lineman who tragically died in a car accident on Sunday -- was ejected from the vehicle during the wreck after not wearing a seat belt ... this according to the crash report, obtained by TMZ Sports.

In the documents, authorities say the crash happened at around 2:45 AM in Athens ... after the driver of the 2021 Ford Expedition, UGA staffer Chandler LeCroy, "failed to negotiate a left curve" and barreled into two poles and trees -- before eventually coming to a halt against an apartment building.

Excessive speed was listed as a contributing factor in the crash, the report states. The posted speed limit in the area was 40 MPH.

The report adds LeCroy was not tested for alcohol or drugs.

In the docs, authorities say LeCroy and another passenger, UGA offensive lineman Warren McClendon, were both wearing lap and shoulder belts. But, according to the report, Willock and the car's fourth passenger, 26-year-old Victoria Bowles, were not using theirs.

The report states Willock, who was just 20 years old, died at the scene after being thrown from the vehicle. LeCroy was transported to a hospital after the crash but died a short time later.

According to the docs, McClendon and Bowles were transported to medical facilities for treatment for what were described as "suspected minor or visible" injuries.

The UGA community -- which had celebrated the team's national championship win over TCU just hours before the fatal crash -- is still reeling from the accident ... with star quarterback Stetson Bennett saying in a social media post on Tuesday, he's devastated over it all.

Tom Brady's biggest fan is taking a page out of Gisele Bundchen's book ... calling out the quarterback's teammates for the Buccaneers' playoff loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Stunning model Veronika Rajek -- who sports 3.5 million followers on Instagram -- has gone viral for her TB12 support this season ... even going as far as to say she loves the 7-time Super Bowl champ.

Just like all Tampa Bay fans, Rajek was left in disbelief after Brady and Co. were torn apart on Monday Night Football and booted from the postseason ... and instead of focusing on TB12's less-than-stellar performance, she pointed fingers at the other 52 men on the roster.

"I'm just sorry," Rajek said on IG after the game. "But one guy cannot play for everyone on the field. TB you did your best. Like always."

"But one piece of the puzzle doesn't make a picture."

The comments are similar to what Brady's ex-wife said after the New England Patriots lost to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI ... when she infamously stated, "My husband can not f***ing throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time. I can't believe they dropped the ball so many times."