Football

Chicago Bears defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr. has been charged with assault over an alleged domestic violence incident -- but Edwards is adamant he did NOTHING wrong.

TMZ Sports has learned ... prosecutors in North Carolina are moving forward with an assault case against the 26-year-old NFL player, a 2nd round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.

We've obtained court documents outlining the allegations against Edwards by a woman who says she had a dating relationship with him.

In the docs, the woman claims Edwards got violent with her in a North Carolina hotel room on October 17, 2020 (the day before the Bears played the Carolina Panthers). She says Edwards got aggressive when she turned down his sexual advances that night.

The woman claims she took out her phone to record Edwards yelling at her -- and he reacted by smacking her in the eye with his hand.

Then, she claims, Edwards grabbed her by the arm and "dragged her to the door of the hotel room."

The woman claims Edwards continued his attack down the hotel hall by an elevator where he struck her in her arm.

In court docs obtained by TMZ Sports, the woman claims she was hospitalized for injuries sustained during the alleged attack. She also says she was pregnant at the time of the incident.

The woman claims this was not a one-off -- insisting Edwards has a history of violent outbursts with her.

But, Edwards is calling B.S. on the allegations -- his agent tells TMZ Sports that Mario denies ever striking the woman.

In fact, Edwards told cops he's the real victim -- claiming the woman was the aggressor.

We've obtained a police report from the night in question where Edwards is also listed as a victim. In the narrative section, cops say they were called in reference to a woman hitting a man and scratching his forehead.

Mario's agent, Peter Schaffer, tells us, "Mario Edwards doesn’t condone domestic violence. At no time did Mario Edwards do anything that raised to the level of domestic violence, or any violence."

Schaffer says Mario acknowledges there was a verbal dispute -- but "When she started to scream and yell, Mario did what he’s been told. Walk away and de-escalate the situation."

That said, a spokesperson for the Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office tells us Edwards has a criminal summons for a misdemeanor assault on a female -- which means the case is expected to go in front of a judge at some point.

No word on when that's expected to happen.

The high school football star, who attacked a referee in the middle of a game earlier this month, has been suspended from all high school sports for the rest of the school year.

And, since 18-year-old Emmanuel Duron is a senior -- the punishment will effectively end his career as a high school athlete.

Officials from the University Interscholastic League -- which oversees high school sports in Texas -- announced the punishment Monday stemming from the December 3 incident.

Duron was captured on video charging after head official Fred Gracia and smashing him to the ground in the 2nd quarter of a playoff game -- an apparent retaliation for being ejected from the game due to a late hit penalty.

Gracia was injured in the attack. Afterward, the ref's daughter said he was recovering and expected to be okay.

Duron -- one of the top players in the area -- was arrested and booked for assault causing bodily injury.

The UIL announced Duron's head coach at Edinburg High School, J.J. Leija, will also be placed on "probation" for the 2021-2022 school year over the incident.

There's more ... "Additionally, the Edinburg High School Athletic Department received a public reprimand and probation for all athletic activities for 2 years," the UIL added.

Seems everyone in Philly is ready to anoint Jalen Hurts the next starting QB of the Eagles ... except the one guy who matters.

Eagles head coach Doug Pederson says he still needs to "take a look" at the game film before making a decision -- despite the fact Hurts led the Birds to a 24 to 21 win over the 1st place New Orleans Saints in his very first NFL start.

Hurts was 17 for 30 with 167 yards, a TD and most importantly ZERO interceptions in the victory ... not bad against one of the best defenses in the league!

But, when asked Monday morning if Hurts will be QB1 next week instead of Carson Wentz, Pederson wouldn't commit.

"I'm gonna take a look at yesterday," Pederson told SportsRadio "94WIP" ... "I'm gonna look at a lot of different things before I make that determination this week."

What? Why? Hurts plays great! Carson Wentz has been struggling like crazy. Seems like an obvious move to most people.

Pederson was complimentary when asked about Jalen's performance ... saying "There was some really, really good plays. He played well. He managed the team, he did everything we asked him to do."

"He played smart, he played physical with the run. Some of it was designed run, some of it was just him being him and what he can do. It's gonna be a really good film for him to look at and learn from and get better but I thought he did a really nice job."

So, start him!

She made NFL history. Now she's being honored at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Check out the new display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio celebrating Callie Brownson ... the 1st woman to serve as a positions coach in a regular-season NFL game.

31-year-old Brownson made her historic debut on Nov. 29 against the Jacksonville Jaguars -- when she filled in for tight ends coach Drew Petzing who left the team to welcome his first child.

Brownson's usual role with the Browns is "chief of staff" -- but she's got prior experience as both a coach and a player!

She played for the D.C. Divas in the Women's Football Alliance from 2010-17 -- WHERE SHE STRAIGHT TRUCKED FOOLS!!!

After that, she served as a scouting intern with the New York Jets, the offensive quality control coach at Dartmouth and ultimately joined the Browns in 2020.

So, when the Browns needed someone to step up on game day, they realized Brownson was more than equipped to handle the situation.

In fact, Cleveland's tight end Austin Hooper caught a key TD in the Browns' 27 to 25 victory over Jacksonville ... giving the Orange and Brown their 8th win of the season.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame thought Brownson's accomplishment was so important and impressive, they've put her sideline jacket from the game on display ... next to an autographed game ball.

Chase Young's mom was THRILLED to see her son ball the hell out for the Washington Football Team on Sunday ... and we know this -- 'cause the rookie brought her to his postgame press conference!!!

Just minutes after Young tore apart the San Francisco 49ers in a 23-15 win ... the 21-year-old stepped to the podium to talk about his monster game.

That's when a reporter asked for his mom's opinion of his afternoon ... and, fortunately for all of us, she just happened to be on the phone with him!!!

Chase introduced her to the media ... and she then showered her baby boy with nothing but praise!

"Oh my gosh, I’m just so worn out," Young's mom, Carla, said. "This game was just outstanding I couldn’t even believe it. I was in shock."

The moment was super cool and super sweet ... especially because Carla has been one of Chase's biggest critics this season.

If you're unfamiliar, she famously gave him just a C+ grade for his first few games this year because his sack totals weren't up to her liking.

But, after Chase piled up 6 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery for a TD ... there were absolutely no complaints from Mama!

"He knows how to pick that ball up and not fall on it!" Carla said. "And, he got it and kept trucking!"

Ever seen a facemask with a FIST designed in the grill?!?

Las Vegas Raiders star lineman Trent Brown found one -- and rocked the hell out of it during pregame warmups before taking on the Indianapolis Colts.

The design is the same one used in Black Lives Matter imagery -- a closed, raised fist.

We know what you're thinking ... no, the facemask is not legal to use during the game -- so Brown swapped it out with a standard facemask by the time the game kicked off.

We've seen wild cut facemasks in the past -- but never one with a political statement weaved into the design!

The facemask looked awesome -- but it didn't provide the spark the Raiders needed ... they ended up getting blown out by the Colts in a 44 to 27 beatdown.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins just cut a deal with prosecutors to put an end to his DUI case ... and TMZ Sports has learned he'll now have to complete probation and more to get his charges officially dropped.

ASJ -- a 28-year-old former Buccaneers, Jets and Jaguars tight end -- was pulled over in Gig Harbor, Wash. on March 9 at around 1 AM after cops say they saw him doing 48 MPH in a 30.

In police documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, cops say ASJ was also swerving in his 2016 Dodge Charger ... and nearly turned onto a wrong-way offramp before he cut across multiple lanes of traffic without a blinker.

In the docs, police say when they questioned the ex-NFL player ... he reeked of booze and burnt weed. Cops also say they noticed he had red, bloodshot eyes.

Police say ASJ refused to take field sobriety tests ... so they arrested him -- and prosecutors ultimately charged him with 1 count of DUI, 1 count of driving with a suspended license, and 1 count of operating a vehicle without an ignition interlock device.

FYI -- the order for the device appeared to stem from a previous DUI arrest -- Seferian-Jenkins had been busted for DUI twice before ... once in 2013 and again in 2016.

Seferian-Jenkins battled the most recent charges in court for the past nine months ... but according to a court official, ASJ cut a deal with prosecutors this week.

The court official tells us Seferian-Jenkins took a deferred prosecution deal from prosecutors ... essentially, Seferian-Jenkins agreed to keep his nose clean for five years, complete a 2-year outpatient treatment program, attend a victim impact panel and pay fees.

In exchange, the court official says prosecutors agreed to drop the charges in 5 years if ASJ completes all of the above.

Seferian-Jenkins is due back in court in Dec. 2022 to make sure he's completed the 2-year outpatient program.

ASJ had an up-and-down career after getting picked by the Bucs in the 2nd round of the 2014 draft ... he played in just 43 games, totaling 1,160 receiving yards and 11 receiving TDs.

The Bills absolutely did NOT give up too much to get Stefon Diggs ... so says Bruce Smith, who tells TMZ Sports the wide receiver has completely changed Buffalo's offense!!

"[He's] doing an outstanding job," the Bills legend said of the former Vikings star. "I mean, he's making everyone around him better."

Buffalo gave up quite the haul to steal Diggs away from Minnesota this offseason ... trading away a shipload of picks -- including its 2020 1st-rounder -- for the 27-year-old.

And, at the time, many thought that was way too much to give up for a guy who hadn't necessarily proven he was a legit #1 wideout in Minnesota.

But, Smith says Diggs has been worth all of it AND more ... telling us the receiver is one of the biggest reasons Josh Allen and the whole Bills offense has lurched forward this season.

"He's making [Cole] Beasley better," Smith says. "He's making the running game better. He's making the offensive linemen better."

In fact, Smith praised the hell out of the Bills' brass for pulling the trigger on a trade not everyone loved initially!!

Diggs is tied for the NFL lead in catches with 90 and he's also 5th in the league with 1,037 receiving yards ... which, as Smith says, sure seems worth all those picks to us!

Sarah Fuller went from being the first woman to play in a Power 5 college football game to now becoming the first woman to score in a Power 5 game ... this after putting her kicking skills to good use.

The Vanderbilt University athlete trotted out to the gridiron Saturday in a game against the Tennessee Volunteers, where she kicked a field goal for an extra point in the first quarter to help tie things up 7 to 7.

Fuller showed no hesitation ... she shot the ball straight through the goalposts, and made history in the process. You could tell she was pretty excited, as were male teammates ... all of whom gave her props and dabbed her up after scoring. It was an awesome moment.

Just a few weeks ago, she made history by becoming the first female player to partake in a Power 5 game -- kicking off to the opposing team, but failing to score at the time.

She was named the SEC Player of the Week after that -- a huge honor -- and something tells us she'll get it again now.

Johnny Manziel may not be done with pro football after all -- he's in "serious talks" to join a new league, TMZ Sports has learned.

We're told the 28-year-old is close to inking a deal with the new "Fan Controlled Football" league, which is set to debut in Feb. 2021.

FYI, the FCF is an arena football-style league consisting of 4 teams where almost everything -- including the play calls -- is picked by the fans.

So far, HUGE names like Quavo, Mike Tyson and Marshawn Lynch have all signed on to be team owners and the league has a deal for the games to stream live on Twitch.

Our sources tells us Manziel is currently in talks with comedian Bob Menery -- who co-owns the Zappers team with Mets pitcher Trevor May.

Obviously, it'd be a huge get for the league ... Manziel was one of the most electric college football players EVER -- and was a former Browns first-round pick in 2014. He also brought viewers to the TV in record numbers during his stint in the Canadian Football League.

But, Manziel hasn't played ball since 2019 -- and just a few months ago, he told TMZ Sports he was officially retired from football and moving on with his life.

Manziel apparently had a change of heart -- hey, he's allowed -- and this week, even posted about the opportunity on social media.

"Currently the starting QB of [Bob Menery's Zappers]. Time to tear old town down in my owners honor."

Getcha popcorn ready!

The youth football coach who smacked a 9-year-old player TWICE will be hit with child abuse charges, prosecutors announced.

"The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office along with our local state attorney’s office have reviewed this case and the decision has been made that charges for child abuse will be filed, regardless of parent’s decision not to press charges," Maj. Jacob Ruiz said.

"The actions of this person are despicable and there is zero-tolerance when it comes to the abuse of a child."

As we first reported, law enforcement already launched a child abuse investigation into Gerrell Williams over the Dec. 7 incident that took place at a youth football event in Kissimmee, Florida.

During the course of the investigation, officers spoke with the victim's mother who said she did NOT want to move forward with criminal charges against Williams.

It can be tough for prosecutors to get a conviction without a cooperating victim -- but in this case, officials feel the video and witnesses will be enough to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Williams was fired from his job as a counselor at the Chatham County Sheriff's Office detention center as a result of his actions in the video.

He later issued a video apology -- in which he admits to smacking the child and says, "I’m gonna apologize for my actions."

Christmas came early in Green Bay ... 'cause Davante Adams just hooked up his Packers teammates with a fresh pair of Air Jordans -- and the dudes lost their minds over the gifts!!

Adams' squadmates posted about the presents on social media on Friday ... and they were all STOKED -- with guys praising and thanking Adams repeatedly.

"You know what it is man," Adams said in a video shot by wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling. "I love ya'll boys, man!"

The kicks are all super clean ... Adams gifted pairs of Mocha AJ1s and also Dark Concord 12s -- which both go for about $300 a pop on StockX.

Of course, Adams is a Jordan athlete AND he's in the middle of a 4-year, $58 MILLION contract ... but still, it's the thought that counts, right?!

"Appreciate you, Tae!" defensive back Kevin King said. "Shout out the GOAT. Yessir!"

Added pass rusher Preston Smith, "Shout out to the big bro, Tae! The boy got the team Jordans! Yessir! You already know what the f*ck going on!"

NFL legend Bruce Smith says he was FURIOUS when he saw the footage of a youth football coach punching a 9-year-old player ... because Smith endured similar abuse as a kid.

"This was disturbing," the 57-year-old Hall of Famer tells us ... "In my opinion, it was an assault and it made me reflect back when I was attacked and dragged around a baseball field by a baseball coach as a young kid."

Smith is obviously referring to the incident in Florida -- in which former law enforcement employee Gerrell Williams belts one of his young players multiple times during a game.

Smith didn't get into the details of his own abuse -- but it clearly affected him.

"I never played for that coach or that team anymore but the scars still remain."

Bruce says when his dad learned about the abuse, he didn't get violent -- he took the dirtbag coach to court.

"Sometimes parents and people choose to take matters into their own hands. But, in this particular situation, my father kept his emotions somewhat out of it to a certain extent and chose the path of letting the legal process handle it."

Now, as a grown man with his own child, Smith says watching the disturbing footage of the youth football coach stirred up some emotions.

"Coaches are supposed to protect kids. They're supposed to mentor kids and make sure they're in a safe environment," Smith said.

"Just as disturbing as the attack was, I was even more concerned and outraged that none of the other adults stepped in."

Smith also sent a message to the 9-year-old -- "Keep your head up."

Dez Bryant is trying to figure out what the heck is going on with his COVID-19 status ... revealing he's now tested negative 3 times in a row after initially testing positive on Tuesday.

The Ravens WR was warming up minutes before Baltimore's matchup against the Dallas Cowboys when he was required to take a COVID test ... which came back positive.

Bryant was clearly frustrated with not being able to play in the game ... and even tweeted he was going to "call it a quit" for the remainder of the season.

The 32-year-old says he has now tested negative 3 times in a row following Tuesday's positive ... and he's confused.

"I’m not trying to be a pain... I’m just looking for clarity dealing with covid," Bryant said on Friday. "help me understand ... I’m going to take this matter serious."

Andrew Luck might FOR REAL never play football again ... at least that's what Jim Irsay believes, with the Colts owner saying this week he thinks the QB will stay retired after all.

"I think that door's closed," Irsay told NFL.com.

You'll recall ... Andrew had one of the most shocking retirements in NFL history -- calling it quits just days before the 2019 season officially began.

Some thought it was a rash and impulsive decision ... and believed he'd return to action at SOME point.

But, Luck has remained retired since making the choice ... and when Irsay was asked if the 31-year-old might come back, the Indy honcho said, "You know, I don't think so."

"I really don't," he added.

It's a bummer for not only the Colts but all of the NFL ... Luck was on a Hall of Fame pace before he hung up the cleats -- making the Pro Bowl FOUR times in six seasons.

In his 86 games as Colts starter ... Luck -- who became a father in retirement -- threw for 23,671 yards and 171 passing TDs. He ended his career with an 89.5 passer rating.

SF 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel is showing love to the man who inspired his nickname ... saying it was a "blessing" to meet Tiny Lister before he passed away.

In case you didn't know ... Samuel earned the nickname "Deebo" when he was a kid because he had that bully swagger that reminded his father of Deebo from the movie "Friday."

Tiny Lister LOVED the fact that Deebo Samuel was having success in the league -- telling us in 2019, "I'm a big fan."

At the time, Lister told us Samuel had his "blessing" to use the name forever and ever ... and was lobbying Ice Cube to cast Samuel to play 'Little Deebo' in the next "Friday" movie.

The two eventually came face-to-face during an interview for "NFL Countdown" -- Samuel was smiling ear-to-ear like a kid who just met his idol.

So, when Samuel learned Lister died this week -- he went to social media to say a few words and post a tribute.

"This crazy man frfrf. Was a blessing meeting you and getting to know you for sure. Rest up big bro."

Samuel is nursing a foot injury and may not play this weekend when the 49ers take on the Buffalo Bills, but here's hoping he balls out for Deebo whenever he does get back on the field.

BTW, tons of athletes have spoken about Lister since his tragic passing including Magic Johnson.

"Rest In Peace to my good friend of over 30 years, Tommy “Tiny” Lister," Magic tweeted ... "Sending prayer to his family and loved ones."

The SF 49ers also tweeted about Deebo -- "One of the nicest bullies we've come across. RIP Deebo. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Lister family."