Football

Ryan McKenna, once famous for snapping a pic with Justin Timberlake at the Super Bowl, stands accused of striking a cop during his allegedly drunken arrest ... but new video shows cops tossing him to the ground pretty hard.

The clip, obtained by TMZ, shows 18-year-old Ryan with multiple cops around him as they try to detain him -- they're struggling to get his arms behind his back.

After the attempts to cuff him don't work ... you can see one of the deputies yank him by the leg, flipping him down on a concrete floor. Even after the brutal takedown, Ryan kept his arms tucked to his chest, instead of putting them behind his back.

TMZ broke the story ... law enforcement was called on the eve of this year's Super Bowl to a CPK in Naples, FL for a report of a man who was drunk and hitting his friend.

According to cops, Ryan and a 15-year-old boy got into an argument, and things escalated to the point where Ryan aggressively pushed their table and started shouting obscenities at the boy's GF.

In their report, cops admit putting hands on Ryan to calm him down, but claim he yanked their hands off his chest. Deputies then tried to detain Ryan, which is apparently when the video begins.

Cops said Ryan was taken to jail and booked for felony battery on a law enforcement officer and 2 misdemeanors -- resisting arrest and obstruction of an officer.

BTW, Ryan's mom Tracy told us her son was NOT drunk during the incident ... and instead was just joking around with his friends, trying to be funny by pushing the table.

Travis Kelce just took the stage at Studio 8H ... and the Kansas City Chiefs superstar crushed his "Saturday Night Live" monologue -- hilariously mocking Patrick Mahomes in the process.

Kelce -- wearing a sharp double-breasted suit -- had the crowd laughing from start to finish ... with jokes about getting busted for weed in college, his infamous dating show, his QB's unique voice and, of course, beating his older brother, Jason, in the Super Bowl.

The Philadelphia Eagles star was in the front row for the whole thing ... and cameras even cut to him multiple times as Travis talked about growing up together.

"Jason and I have actually been playing football together since we were little kids, and he was always better than me at everything," Kelce said.

"In high school, he was an honor student, and I got kicked off the team because I failed French ... and English too, but French sounds way better."

"Then when we were in college, I actually got kicked off the team because I tested positive for marijuana. So, it just goes to show you if you smoke weed and you're bad at school, you can win the Super Bowl twice."

Travis' family -- including Mama Kelce -- were also present for the monologue.

Kelce explained it was an emotional moment for him ... as he grew up watching Will Ferrell and Adam Sandler on the same stage.

Jason also made an appearance in a skit later in the show ... just as 'SNL' producers previously told us they were trying to make happen.

Darrelle Revis is offering up some seriously high praise for Sauce Gardner ... telling TMZ Sports he's such a big fan of the NY Jets' new star -- he actually sees a lot of himself in the corner!!

"He's a 2.0 of myself," the newly named Hall of Famer said. "I love the way he plays."

Revis poured out the compliments -- and plenty more -- just weeks after Gardner wrapped up one of the most impressive rookie seasons in Jets history.

The 22-year-old, who NY took with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, started all 17 games, logged 75 tackles, recorded two interceptions and earned All-Pro and Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.

Revis told us he was a fan of it all ... and as a guy who had one of the best nicknames in the NFL -- "Revis Island" -- he even gave two thumbs up to Sauce's "Lost In The Sauce" moniker as well!

"It's pretty cool," he said. "I think it's a great branding and marketing tool for him. I think he definitely backs it up."

Raiders star tight end Darren Waller and WNBA champion Kelsey Plum officially tied the knot ... the two Las Vegas stars got married Saturday in front of family and friends!

Plum posted a series of pictures on Instagram ... of her and the Pro Bowl TE kissing each other, and the two looked extremely happy after saying "I do."

Kelsey captioned the pics of her and Waller, "Him 🖤 3.4.23."

Waller wore a cream-colored jacket with black slacks, a black bow tie, and black shoes ... while the bride wore a traditional white dress for the big occasion.

Of course, Darren and Kelsey's marriage is a big deal ... after all, the power sports couple are among the top athletes in their respective sports.

Superstars across the sports world congratulated Waller and Plum after they tied the knot ... Odell Beckham Jr. and Candace Parker showed them love on their wedding day.

"Congrats man you look beautiful," Parker wrote on Plum's post, followed by the Super Bowl champ, OBJ, who wrote, "congrats to yallll!!"

Waller and Plum have reportedly been dating since last year ... and filed for a marriage license on January 22, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Kelsey -- drafted with the first overall pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft -- won a title with the Aces last season ... and now, she's added another ring to her finger.

JuJu Smith-Schuster's making it clear ahead of his impending free agency that he LOVED playing with Patrick Mahomes ... telling TMZ Sports the quarterback is a straight-up "dog."

The star wide receiver can choose to sign with any team in the NFL later this month ... but when we saw him out at LAX this week, we had to ask if he was leaning toward a return to K.C.

JuJu was a bit coy about it all -- but he did note that catching passes from the Chiefs star QB was a dream.

"Ah, man," Smith-Schuster said. "He's the MVP. He's a dog, man."

The 26-year-old then admitted it'd be hard to turn down playing with the signal-caller again in 2023.

"Yeah, man," he said. "It's Patty Mahomes. He's a dog."

Free agency officially kicks off on March 15 -- and Smith-Schuster figures to be a hot commodity -- after recording 78 receptions for 933 yards in 2022.

It's unclear if the Chiefs have made him any sort of offer or will be willing to let him explore the market -- but JuJu clearly isn't sweating any of it.

Wearing a pair of sweet shades, Smith-Schuster -- fresh off his first-ever Super Bowl win -- said he'll be spending the leadup to free agency in Japan!!

If Aaron Rodgers ends up packing his bags and taking his talents to the Jets, former Giants stars Eli Manning and Shaun O'Hara have some simple advice on how he can thrive in New York -- "just win!!"

The two-time Super Bowl MVP and his good buddy/former teammate took a few minutes from their Easter extravaganza with The Children's Place in New Jersey on Friday to chat with Babcock and Lucas on the TMZ Sports TV show (airs weekdays on FS1) about the biggest story of the NFL offseason ... and they both offered a solid perspective on what's going through Aaron's head as he contemplates his future.

"It's hard just because your whole life, you work towards it," Eli tells us. "You're dedicated to the game, you've been doing it the past 25 years since high school, preparing to play this game. To say, 'Alright, I'm not doing it anymore,' it's a really tough decision."

"Usually, in your heart, you just know you're not willing to do the preparation, to do the work, to do the full commitment it takes to play at that level."

Eli -- who retired in 2020 -- says he knew he made the right call when he called it a career ... because when he started watching games as a spectator, the tackles made on the field looked "brutal."

O'Hara added even after players retire, they will continue to think they can still play ... but he says since Rodgers is playing at such a high level, he'd be shocked if he left the game behind right now.

If O'Hara is right, there's a good chance Rodgers could end up with a new home after 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers ... and there's rumblings that next team could be the Jets.

Since Manning and O'Hara have a ton of experience playing in the Big Apple, we asked if they had some wise words for the 4-time MVP ... and Eli thinks Rodgers would do just fine, especially after he spent several days on an isolation retreat in Oregon.

"I don't think Aaron needs any advice from us," Eli says. "The guy's been playing at an unbelievable level for so long, MVP. If he wants to come to New York and play if that's an option, he'll think about it."

"He's had his time in the darkness to debate that. And, he honestly can still play at a high level and come to New York with a young team, they have a talented roster there with the Jets."

O'Hara added all Rodgers has to do to keep the fierce New York media off his back is to rack up victories ... and Eli agreed.

"Yeah, everything works out if you win."

Manning and O'Hara were together for a really special reason -- they teamed up with The Children's Place to host more than 300 kids for a day of fun at Superdome Sports in Waldwick to kick off the brand's Spring collection.

There were football drills, giveaways, obstacle courses and Easter egg hunts ... and it was clear everyone had a blast.

Eli even showed he's still got a great arm in some throwing drills ... and gave some pointers to the youngins as well.

Eli also visited the Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital in Hackensack earlier on Friday ... meeting with a bunch of amazing kids and handing out Easter baskets and autographs!!

Reggie Bush's wife channeled her inner-Teyana Taylor, making an extremely sexy dance video to celebrate her hubby's birthday, and the video's so hot, not even pouring rain could cool things off! 🥵

Lilit -- who married the former NFL running back in 2014 -- shared the dance video on Instagram on Thursday ... Bush's 38th birthday.

"Happy Birthday Daddy @reggiebush 🥰," the 35-year-old said in the caption. "I dedicate this dance to you my love."

Lilit showed off her moves to Chris Brown's "Under The Influence," popular amongst dancers, and performed in a two-piece black fit.

"Sometimes mommy dances 🤪", she said.

Remember, Bush started dating Lilit in 2011, a few years after his very publicized relationship with Kim Kardashian ended. The couple has 3 children together.

Happy birthday, Reggie!

Live from New York, it's Jason Kelce!!! Oh, and his kid brother whatshisname, Super Bowl champ guy ... Travis Kelce too.

Yep, there's a good chance it happens, because the Eagles star -- who lost to Travis' Chiefs last month -- was asked to make a special cameo appearance this weekend on "Saturday Night Live" for Travis' hosting gig.

Sources close to production tell TMZ Sports ... Travis will have some familiar faces in the crowd for his big night, including his famous mom Donna Kelce, his Uncle Don, Aunt Joan, and possibly his dad, Ed.

'SNL' producers are hoping Jason joins the family affair too, and not just to sit in the audience. We're told they want him in front of the camera at some point during the show.

Sources say Jason's attendance will be a last-minute decision, though, considering he and his wife just welcomed a baby girl, Bennett, last week -- plus he's also busy with the NFL Combine and his 'New Heights' podcast.

Having Jason join in on Travis' show makes total sense ... especially considering Super Bowl LVII was dubbed "The Kelce Bowl" as their teams faced off in the big game.

Both Kelces are also known to be two of the most talented and charismatic guys in the NFL, so the possibilities in the writers' room are endless. Travis has already dropped two hilarious promos for his comedic debut.

Sources say the Kelce clan is "very excited" for Travis' moment ... but Jason's gonna get his own shine when the fam heads to Philly Sunday to spend time with his new bundle of joy.

Ya wouldn't usually say this to athletes, but in this case, you can -- break a leg, Travis ... and possibly Jason!

Frank Gore just cut a deal with prosecutors, TMZ Sports has learned ... agreeing to plead guilty to an ordinance violation to close out his domestic violence case.

The San Francisco 49ers legend pled guilty to violating the public health nuisance code in New Jersey on Monday -- a downgrade from his initial charge of simple assault. He was ordered to pay fines and fees, which, according to court records, totaled around $2,000.

His other false imprisonment charge in the case was dismissed.

It's somewhat surprising, considering the heinous allegations against him. You'll recall, the former NFL running back was accused of grabbing a naked 28-year-old woman by her hair on July 31, 2022 and dragging her across the 59th floor of the Tropicana Casino's Havana Tower in Atlantic City.

At the time, police who spoke with the woman said she "did not exhibit signs of injury" following the incident. But, Gore was ultimately charged after cops said they further investigated the claims.

Frank, 39, never publicly commented on the matter.

Lavel Davis Jr.'s home state of South Carolina is making sure his name lives on -- and officials are doing it by naming a portion of a highway after the slain UVA football player.

The proposal was submitted to the South Carolina General Assembly in February, which is three months after Davis and two of his teammates were gunned down on the Virginia campus.

The request on the bill read, "Whereas, it would be fitting and proper to pay homage to Lavel 'Tyler' Norman Davis, Jr., an outstanding athlete and accomplished young man whose life held such promise but was tragically cut short by naming a portion of highway in Dorchester County in his memory."

According to Davis' cousin Sean Lampkin, Lavel's mother informed him of the great news on Thursday.

"Lavel’s mother, Simone, has informed me that the State of SC has decided to name a highway after Lavel Tyler Norman Davis Jr. near his HS," Lampkin said via Twitter on Thursday.

Lampkin says there will also be a ceremony to officially welcome the tribute.

The 9.6-mile stretch of Highway 78 will be named the "Lavel ‘Tyler’ Norman Davis, Jr. Memorial Highway" and will start from the 12.79-mile point to the 22.39 marker.

This dedication is one of the many that's happened since Davis, D'Sean Perry, and Devin Chandler were killed on Nov 13, 2022.

The University of Virginia posthumously awarded the three football players with their degrees ... and the Washington Commanders paid tribute with helmet decals featuring their jerseys numbers 1, 15, and 41.

The shooting suspect, Christopher Jones Jr., was arrested and charged with three counts of second-degree murder and three counts of using a handgun in the commission of a felony.

Ex-NFL owner Jerry Richardson -- the founder of the Carolina Panthers -- has died, his former team announced Thursday.

He was 86 years old. No cause of death has been revealed.

Richardson officially became an NFL owner in 1995, when the Panthers entered the league as an expansion franchise. He went on to be the honcho of the org. until 2018, when he sold the team to billionaire David Tepper.

"Jerry Richardson's contributions to professional football in the Carolinas are historic," Tepper said after learning the news of his death on Thursday. "With the arrival of the Panthers in 1995, he changed the landscape of sports in the region and gave the NFL fans a team to call their own.''

Tepper added, "He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful."

The Panthers made the playoffs eight times under Richardson's watch, making two Super Bowl appearances.

His tenure, however, was not without controversy. He was accused of sexually harassing female staffers and using racist language while running the team.

The league investigated the claims, and in 2018 -- just before he sold the franchise to Tepper -- he was hit with a $2.75 million fine.

A statue of Richardson that stood in front of the Panthers' stadium for years was eventually removed in 2020 -- after the team said it feared people would try to take it down during a summer of national protests.

Alvin Kamara just pled not guilty to two criminal charges stemming from his alleged role in the beatdown of a man outside of a Las Vegas nightclub last year.

The New Orleans Saints superstar appeared in a Vegas courtroom on Thursday morning with his attorneys to enter the plea.

He wore all black, and said very few words during the hearing.

A trial date for the 27-year-old was tentatively set for July 31 -- right around the time the Saints will kick off their 2023 training camp.

Kamara's co-defendants in the case -- which includes Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Chris Lammons -- also pled not guilty to the charges at the hearing.

Prosecutors have charged Kamara with one gross misdemeanor count of conspiracy to commit battery and one felony count of battery with substantial bodily harm after they say he attacked a man inside The Cromwell Hotel and Casino in February 2022.

According to a lawsuit filed by the alleged victim, Darnell Greene, the altercation happened after he and Kamara got into an argument over the use of an elevator outside of the hotel's popular Drai's Nightclub.

Video of the incident, obtained by TMZ Sports, appears to show Kamara throwing multiple blows at Greene ... while others kicked and punched the man as well.

Kamara was initially arrested over it all after the 2022 Pro Bowl game. He went on to play the entire 2022 season, starting 13 games and rushing for 897 yards.

Antonio Brown is officially walking away from football -- but only as a player -- because the newly retired NFL superstar just became part owner of a National Arena League team.

The former All-Pro receiver officially shut the door on his NFL career this week, according to ML Football ... and now, he's fully focused on his new role as part owner of the Albany Empire -- the same franchise his father, Eddie, played for back in the day.

TMZ Sports is told AB is 100% committed to his new position with the team ... and will be as hands-on as his schedule allows.

Eddie is also involved in his son's new journey ... and will serve as vice president of football operations.

Of course, AB grew up near the area during part of his childhood as his dad starred for the Albany Firebirds ... making the move a full-circle moment for him. The transaction came to be rather quickly ... as we're told after a few social media interactions and phone calls, it was a done deal.

AB was officially introduced at a press conference on Thursday ... and said he was "excited and grateful to be a part of the Albany Empire."

FYI -- the Empire are back-to-back champions in the NAL ... and AB said he's ready for a three-peat.

We're told AB has big plans for his role as part owner alongside Mike Kwarta ... and will help boost media coverage and promotion for the team.

AB finishes his NFL career -- which was marred by controversy on and off the field -- with more than 900 receptions and 12,000 receiving yards, 83 touchdowns and a Super Bowl ring.

Joe Montana's iconic jersey, worn during Super Bowl XXIII (and SB XIX), when the legendary quarterback engineered "The Drive," the most iconic drive in football history, sold for an astounding $1.212 million, smashing the previous record of $480K, which a fan paid for a Tom Brady jersey last year.

Goldin brokered the historic sale.

"It's only right that the two greatest quarterbacks of all-time are still trading off records, even in retirement," said Ken Goldin. "Montana was already in rarefied air with four championship rings and three Super Bowl MVPs -- [and] with the record-breaking sale of his Super Bowl XXIII jersey, Montana has surpassed Tom Brady on top of that mountain."

Montana -- who went undefeated in Super Bowls during his career (4-0) -- first sported the record-breaking jersey in Super Bowl XIX (1985) when the 49ers defeated the Dolphins, 38-16. Joe was named SB MVP.

The 4x Super Bowl champ -- regarded by many as the G.O.A.T. -- also wore the same jersey in Super Bowl XXIII (imagine that happening now) against the Cincinnati Bengals at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami on January 22, 1989.

The 49ers were trailing the Bengals 16-13 late in the fourth quarter when Montana cemented his legendary status by marching his team down the field 92 yards, scoring a touchdown with less than 3 minutes to go in the game.

The game-winning 92-yard drive is historic among sports fans -- as it propelled the Niners to a 20-16 victory over the Bengals. It was Montana's third Super Bowl championship.

XFL star A.J. McCarron says the NFL could "100 percent" adopt some of Dwayne Johnson's new league's rules ... as a way to make the National Football League more exciting!

Of course, The Rock's iteration of the XFL launched a couple of weeks back ... and the games featured some very interesting, new rules. For example, teams have the option to go for 3 after a touchdown. Also, instead of an onside kick, teams have the opportunity to attempt to convert a 4th and 15. Get the yards, and keep the ball.

Fans have enjoyed the new rules to such a degree, there's talk about the NFL implementing them. We asked the 3x National Champion and St. Louis BattleHawks QB if he believed it could actually happen.

"I do, 100%," A.J. told us.

"If you look at it, the NFL itself, a couple of years ago changed the extra point rule," McCarron said, explaining, "They moved the extra point back because the percentages were almost 100 percent on making extra points, and so they wanted to figure out ways to make the game more interesting."

The XFL's rules certainly make things interesting. During Week 1, McCarron's squad was trailing the San Antonio Brahmas 15-3 with under 2 minutes to go in the fourth quarter. But, thanks to the league's new rules, St. Louis was able to pull off the otherwise impossible upset.

After the dub, A.J., who has been a part of some huge football games throughout his career, was visibly emotional after the come-from-behind win. McCarron explained why he's still playing the game when he doesn't necessarily need to do it for the money.

As for the rules actually being instituted ... McCarron believes the NFL could start by replacing the onside kick with the long 4th down attempt, and he feels the transition would be seamless.

Willie McGinest is now facing serious time behind bars for his role in a December restaurant beatdown ... TMZ Sports has learned the ex-NFL star has just been charged with two felonies.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office filed the charges this week ... hitting the New England Patriots legend with one count of assault with a deadly weapon, and one count of assault by means of force likely to cause great bodily injury.

Each charge carries up to four years in prison.

McGinest's arraignment in the case has been set for April.

We broke the story, McGinest was initially arrested in the case back in late December ... after video showed him and several others beating the hell out of a man on Dec. 9 at Delilah in West Hollywood.

The footage appears to show McGinest socking the guy in the face ... before later picking up a bottle and smashing it into the man's head.

McGinest eventually apologized for his role in the brawl -- calling everything a "lapse in judgment and behavior."

"To my family, community, friends and youth I mentor," the 51-year-old said, "please know I feel horrible for my actions and take full responsibility."