Football

Minnesota Vikings receiver K.J. Osborn is a straight-up hero ... the football player -- along with three others -- helped save a man from a burning car after a fiery crash on Sunday.

The 25-year-old went into details about the terrifying incident on Adam Schefter's "The Adam Schefter Podcast" Monday, saying he was in an Uber on his way home from a workout in Austin, Texas ... when he saw a car that had crashed and caught fire.

Osborn said he, his driver, and two others nearby immediately pulled over to help ... and when they realized how serious it was, all four of them rushed to the car to pull the man out of the vehicle.

"He was kind of in a daze," Osborn said. "I don't know if he was conscious but I think he felt the heat coming to his legs and obviously he just got into a big crash so he's kinda out of it."

"That's when we began to talk to him, try to get him out and he was able to a little bit, you know, muster something for himself before we were able to."

Osborn believes if he and the group didn't spring into action, the man -- who only suffered minor injuries -- would not be alive today.

"No, he doesn't live," Osborn said. "I think that car would've burned on fire. It would've been really tragic."

Osborn said he never thought in his wildest dreams that he would be a part of something like this ... but he's glad he and the other three heroes were on the scene -- calling it all, "Right Place Right Time."

"I believe God had me, us, at the right place at the exact right time," Osborn later said of the incident on his Twitter page.

Osborn's quarterback, Kirk Cousins wasn't surprised by his wideout's heroism ... saying on his social media page Tuesday, "This is totally on-brand for @KJ_Osborn. Just a tremendous person & teammate."

The Michigan native was selected by the Vikings in the 5th round of the 2020 NFL Draft. In the past two seasons, he's logged in 1,305 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.

He's also currently working on his master's degree in criminal justice at the University of Miami ... with his eyes on joining the FBI or Secret Service after his NFL career ends.

Tom Brady has a shiny toy to enjoy in retirement -- the 7-time Super Bowl champion was spotted on his brand new yacht in Florida this week!!!

TB12 was spending time aboard the 77-foot "TW12VE ANGELS" with friends in a Hollywood, Florida marina on Sunday ... and the boat is a beaut.

The Wajer 77 superyacht is a bigger version of the Wajer 55S Brady bought in 2020 ... which he named "Viva a Vida" in honor of Gisele Bundchen's environmental conservation initiative.

In May 2021, Brady announced he was upgrading to the Wajer 77 for $6 million. According to records, the boat was manufactured in 2022 ... and was officially registered at the end of February.

At the time, Brady said he was also going to name the Wajer 77 "Viva a Vida" ... but we take it he decided to call an audible after the divorce.

As we previously reported, Brady's Wajer 77 is like a hotel on water -- it can sleep 9 people comfortably, and the former Patriots and Buccaneers legend said it would be used for trips to the Bahamas.

"With a little bit bigger boat, for us, the 77 allows us to sleep overnight really comfortably and those weekend trips would be really something," Brady said in 2021. "That would be great memories for our family for years to come."

Now that he's got a lot more time on his hands, we take it Brady will be putting the floater to good use!!!

Calvin Ridley is cashing out of his suspension -- the Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver was just fully reinstated back in the NFL after getting busted for betting on games, the league announced Monday.

Ridley was banned for the entire 2022 season last March ... after investigators determined he bet on his own team while on the Non-Football Injury list as a member of the Atlanta Falcons in November 2021.

The NFL said at the time there were no signs the game was "compromised in any way" ... but handed down the punishment to prove it has zero tolerance when it comes to protecting the integrity and reputation of the sport.

Ridley also spoke out at the time ... saying he doesn't have a gambling problem, as he only bet $1,500 total.

The league says Ridley is now eligible to participate in all team activities ASAP ... which means he can finally get acquainted with his new Jags squad.

Ridley was traded to Jacksonville in November 2022 for a couple of draft picks ... but due to the ban, he has yet to suit up alongside Trevor Lawrence.

Derek Carr has found a new home ... the former Raiders quarterback is signing with the New Orleans Saints after spending the past nine seasons with Oakland/Las Vegas.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport broke the news Monday morning ... saying the Saints are giving the 31-year-old NFL veteran a new, four-year deal.

Carr confirmed the news in a tweet -- sharing a video of a raucous scene at the Superdome, while writing, "Who dat."

Carr -- a four-time Pro Bowler -- was released by the Raiders last month after being benched at the end of the season. The signal-caller finished his Raiders career with a 63-79 record.

Carr had flirted with several teams following his release -- including the New York Jets -- but ultimately landed with the Saints ... who Rapoport reported Monday were always the favorite for the QB.

Carr will be the Saints' latest attempt to replace Drew Brees ... since the future Hall of Famer's retirement, they've tried combinations of Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton and Taysom Hill without much success.

An XFL game looked more like a WWE match on Sunday -- at least for a few moments -- when several players from both teams got into a wild brawl ... and someone's helmet was tossed nearly 20 yards.

The crazy scene happened at the end of the Battlehawks vs. Defenders game in D.C. ... when St. Louis players appeared to be pissed over the way their quarterback, A.J. McCarron, was taken to the ground following a sack.

You can see in broadcast video of the game -- multiple players began piling onto each other ... before all hell broke loose.

Around 20 players shoved and pushed each other near the 15-yard line -- and at one point, a Defenders' white helmet was ripped off and thrown sky-high into the air.

"This is really unfortunate," one of the game's announcers said. "This isn't what the game's about."

The skirmish lasted roughly 30 seconds ... before, thankfully, everyone was separated.

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.