Football

John Keller -- a 20-year-old quarterback for the Central Michigan Univ. football team -- was shot Saturday morning ... and his family says he's now "fighting for his life" at a hospital.

Police say Keller was involved in a dispute at a party near the CMU campus at around 1 AM Saturday when he was struck by gunfire.

The QB was rushed to the hospital in "serious condition," according to the Isabella County Sheriff's Office.

The gunman, meanwhile, fled the scene and is still at large, cops say.

Keller's family and friends said in a GoFundMe set up on Sunday to help cover the cost of the quarterback's medical bills that Keller was shot in the chest and "remains in critical condition."

Officials added in an update Sunday afternoon that Keller -- and another CMU student who was shot during the altercation -- were "recovering."

Cops say they are still searching for the shooter ... and are asking anyone with information to call 989-773-1000.

"Julian Edelman will be in the Hall of Fame."

That's Terrell Davis saying it's not a matter of if but when Julian Edelman gets into Canton ... telling TMZ Sports the Patriots legend HAS done enough to get the call someday.

"For me, I'm saying yes," Davis says. "I think he is a Hall of Famer."

Edelman retired earlier this month after he said his body couldn't withstand the rigors of the NFL anymore ... and the debate over his HOF candidacy has been intense ever since.

Julian's regular-season numbers are historically not good enough to get him in ... but when we spoke to Davis -- who did get into the Hall despite unconventional career statistics -- he guaranteed Edelman would get a bust eventually.

"Always to me, it's looking at impact," Davis says. "I don't care about whether you made it to the Pro Bowl or 1st Team All-Pro -- I mean, those are great to have and they signify how great you've played."

"But, my eyes tell me that when I watch this man play every single Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, whatever day they played on, he was a playmaker. He was a difference-maker. And, he made huge plays in the Super Bowl as we saw."

Davis says he's not sure if Edelman will be a first-ballot guy ... but he added that shouldn't matter in the end regardless.

"Once you're in, once we're amongst each other," Davis says. "There is no, 'Oh, yeah, that's the guy that waited 11 years to get in the Hall of Fame.'"

TMZ Sports has obtained police video from Justin Layne's arrest Friday ... and the Steelers DB can be heard in the back of a squad car saying, "They acting like I got some drugs -- I got one blunt!"

The 23-year-old -- who was a Steelers third-round pick in 2019 -- was pulled over after cops say he was doing 89 MPH in a 60 MPH zone in his 2020 Dodge Charger.

During the stop, officers put him in the back of a patrol car while they searched his ride ... and that's when Layne got on the phone with some of his friends to talk them through his situation.

While on the line ... Layne can be heard telling one friend, "I'm nervous as f***, bro. They about to get me."

Layne continued, "They might get me for the pistol, bro." He later told his friend that he had a blunt in the car.

Cops say they eventually found weed residue, a grinder and a loaded Glock 9mm pistol during their search of his car ... and released photos of their findings to TMZ Sports.

Layne was ultimately arrested and booked on a felony charge of improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle.

What's interesting ... Layne mentioned twice during the stop he was an NFL player -- and even at one point told an officer he played for the Steelers.

For their part, the Steelers said they were aware of the situation and were gathering more information.

Bengals star Tyler Boyd won't change into a swaggier jersey number this season ... he says even though he's allowed to now -- he ain't about to open up his wallet for it!!

The NFL passed a new rule this week that'll give skill position players like Boyd the ability to rock basically any digits they want for the 2021 season.

And, as a guy who currently wears a forgettable #83, Boyd seemed like a prime candidate to switch.

But, when the 26-year-old -- who wore #23 in college -- was leaving Catch on Thursday night ... he said point-blank he's sticking with the ocho tres.

"I'mma keep my same number, bro," the Cincinnati wideout said. "I'mma keep my s***. I'mma have to pay if I want to get my s*** changed!"

As for why Boyd would have to shell out coins to get a fancier number ... the league is forcing players to buy out the inventory of current unsold jerseys in order to make the switch.

The move could cost hundreds of thousands -- if not MILLIONS -- so, yeah, Boyd says he's sticking with his number for now.

Chicago Bears legend Steve McMichael -- who later became a pro wrestling star -- has been diagnosed with ALS and is already paralyzed from the shoulders down.

The 63-year-old -- who was a key part of the famous 1985 Bears championship team -- revealed the diagnosis to the Chicago Tribune ... admitting, "This ain't ever how I envisioned [my life] was going to end."

"Mongo" McMichael was a 5-time All-Pro during his 14-year NFL career and was named one of the 100 Greatest Chicago Bears of All Time.

He later became a star pro wrestler with a stint in the WWE in 1995 before moving over to WCW where he took on the likes of Bill Goldberg and Ric Flair.

Steve was diagnosed with ALS -- also known as Lou Gehrig's disease -- back in February ... and unfortunately, it's ravaging his body rather quickly.

ALS is an "always fatal" progressive neurodegenerative disease -- that essentially shuts down the body's ability to function. Average life expectancy is 2 to 5 years from diagnosis, according to ALS.org.

According to Steve's official GoFundMe page, Steve's wife Misty "feeds him and supports him with all hygiene needs."

Steve is losing function in his legs -- and the Chicago Bears actually bought him a special custom wheelchair to help him get around.

Despite his medical situation, McMichael is still cracking jokes about the diagnosis ... telling The Tribute, "I thought I was ready for anything. But man, this will sneak up on you like a cheap-shotting Green Bay Packer."

This is incredibly disturbing ...

A flag football coach in Michigan punched a parent in the face during a meltdown at a game over the weekend -- igniting a police investigation.

Officials confirm the incident took place Saturday at the Midwest Performance Academy in Niles, MI ... in front of a bunch of young kids.

Unclear what set off the coach ... but you can see in the video he appeared to be arguing with a parent or coach from the other team and as he storms off the field, he stops to square up with a parent on the sideline.

The parent did NOT impose any sort of physical threat -- but the coach apparently didn't like his body language and sucker-punched him in the face, sending the dad crashing to the floor.

Chaos ensues ... you can hear kids crying and other parents screaming in shock.

At one point, other adults attempt to subdue to the coach.

So far, the name of the coach has not been released -- but WNDU's Ibrahim Samra reports the victim has reached out to the Niles Police Dept. and an investigation is underway.

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Justin Layne was arrested Friday ... after cops say he illegally had a loaded firearm in his car during a traffic stop in Ohio.

Officials for Willoughby Hills Police Dept. say Layne was pulled over at around 1:20 AM after an officer clocked him going 89 MPH in a 60 MPH zone in his 2020 Dodge Charger.

Police say during the stop, they discovered Layne had a suspended driver's license and a warrant for his arrest stemming from a failure to appear in court for a previous traffic violation.

Officers claim they also smelled an odor of marijuana in the car -- and after searching the vehicle, they say they found a loaded Glock 9mm pistol in the center console.

Cops say Layne did NOT have a licensed concealed carry permit, so they arrested him and booked him on a charge of felony improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle.

Cops noted in police documents 23-year-old Layne "was cooperative during the entire process."

In the docs, officers also say patrol squad camera footage caught Layne saying on phone calls "it's over, I'm goin down" and "they acting like I got some drugs, I got one blunt" on his ride to the station.

The Steelers say they are aware of the incident and are gathering information.

Stefon Diggs' flashy Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon was found abandoned near train tracks in Miami over the weekend, TMZ Sports has learned ... but the NFL star is denying any wrongdoing in the situation.

Here's the deal ... law enforcement officials tell us they responded to a call of an abandoned vehicle sitting in dirt just feet from train tracks near the Miami Airport Station in Florida at around 5 AM on Sunday.

According to officials, the car -- a silver Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV with Maryland license plates -- was registered to Diggs.

But, authorities say there was no indication of the Buffalo Bills receiver, a driver OR passengers on the scene ... so after a short investigation, they simply had the vehicle towed.

The entire situation is bizarre ... especially given the Mercedes' six-figure price tag -- but when we reached out to Diggs' camp for comment, they had a simple explanation.

According to a spokesperson for the wideout, Diggs was not in Florida at the time, and had lent the car to a friend in the area.

That friend, the spokesperson said, got a flat tire, called for a tow, but did not wait for the company to arrive and left the ride at the scene.

"[Stefon] was not driving the car," Diggs' rep says. "He allowed a friend to use the car while he was gone. Unfortunately, the friend had got a flat tire with the car."

The rep says Diggs was eventually informed of the situation and is now having the car repaired at a Mercedes-Benz dealership.

Diggs' spokesperson was adamant the car was NOT stolen, and added there was absolutely no wrongdoing involved in the incident.

Cops, meanwhile, say a report on the abandoned car is still pending. It's unclear if police are investigating further into it.

Did you know the Greatest Of All-Time also moonlights as captain of the No Fun Police???

It's true ... 'cause Tom Brady just crapped all over the NFL's awesome, new jersey number rule change in one of the most old-man "Get Off My Lawn" rants we've ever seen!

If you missed it ... the league announced this week it's easing up its uniform restrictions for 2021, allowing most players to now wear single digits and other fun numbers.

Most of the dudes are pumped for the change ... it'll allow guys to continue to wear their college jersey numbers into the pros -- but Brady made it clear Thursday he HATES it.

"Good luck trying to block the right people now!!!!" 43-year-old Brady said in social media post. "going to make for a lot of bad football."

Brady's tantrum didn't stop there ... he continued in a SECOND post, "Why not Let the lineman wear whatever they want too?"

"Why have numbers? Just have colored jerseys ...why not wear the same number?"

Brady finished it all off with an emphatic, all-caps line that read "DUMB."

Look, TB12 probably has a point ... it's going to be much harder to identify who plays what position on the field -- but honestly, who cares? Have you seen how swaggy some of the stars look in the new jersey numbers?!?

If you needed further proof Tim Tebow is the sweetest boy on Earth -- here it is ...

The former Heisman Trophy winner granted a 105-year-old's birthday wish this week ... sending an adorable video shout-out to the woman -- and the whole thing was cute as hell!!

Here's the deal ... Cora Belle Edison has been a Tebow superfan for YEARS, never missing one of his games and even calling the former quarterback "handsome!" during her 105th bday party last week.

And, after she told local station WJTV in Jackson, Miss. her wish for her big 1-0-5 was to meet Tim ... TEBOW ACTUALLY REACHED OUT!!!

The 33-year-old -- alongside all his dogs -- sent the woman a heartfelt message ... saying, "Hey, Mrs. Edison. This is Tim Tebow. I wanted to make this video to say happy birthday."

"I know last Tuesday that you turned 105 years old and that is so incredible."

He continued, "I also know we have a lot in common. I know that you have five children, and I’m the baby of five, so we have that in common. And, I know that you were a nurse, and you loved helping people and that's also what I feel called to do. But, most importantly, I also know that you love the Lord, which is most important."

Tebow then praised Edison for the legacy she's left on the planet ... and added, "I really hope I get the chance to see you and give you a hug."

"But, even if I don’t get the chance to give you a huge here on Earth, I know I will in heaven and I look forward to that day."

Brett Favre is weighing in on the Derek Chauvin verdict ... saying he truly believes the ex-cop did NOT intentionally kill George Floyd, but his actions were downright inexcusable.

Chauvin was found guilty on all 3 charges stemming from the May 2020 incident on Tuesday ... and is now facing up to 40 years behind bars.

The NFL legend spoke about Floyd's death on his "Bolling With Favre" podcast on Wednesday ... condemning Chauvin's handling of the situation, but explaining why he feels it's "hard to believe" he intended to kill the 46-year-old man.

"I’m aware of the outcome. I find it hard to believe, and I’m not defending Derek Chauvin in any way. I find it hard to believe, first of all, that he intentionally meant to kill George Floyd," Favre said on Wednesday.

"That being said, his actions were uncalled for. I don’t care what color the person is on the street, you do not, I don’t know what lead to that video that we saw, where his knee is on his neck, but the man had thrown in the towel."

Favre continued ... "It was just uncalled for. Much like the video that surfaced last week of the cop who pulled over the African-American service man, who was afraid to pull over in the dark and chose to ride it out until he got to a gas station. Understandably so, especially in today’s world."

"And the cops actions, of course he was fired immediately, was uncalled for. Just absolutely uncalled for, and wrong. So Derek Chauvin, I obviously don’t know him, know anything about him, but he should not, he should’ve gotten up.

"Long before that. I didn’t watch the day-to-day ins and outs of the trial, but I’m really not surprised at the outcomes. Fair or not, he deserves something. What, I don’t know, but he was absolutely wrong."

Favre also addressed the backlash he faced last week after his comments about wanting to keep politics out of sports ... saying he stands by what he said.

Philonise issued a statement reinforcing the family's position regarding the Raiders' statement.

"On behalf of our family, I would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the Las Vegas Raiders organization and its leadership for their support of our family and for our nation’s ongoing pursuit of justice and equality for all."

"Now, more than ever, we must come together as one and continue on in this fight. For the first time in almost a year, our family has taken a breath. And I know that goes for so many across the nation and globe, as well."

"Let’s take this breath together in honor of my big brother who couldn’t. Let’s do it for George."

George Floyd's brother, Philonise, has a message for the Las Vegas Raiders -- he's not offended by the team's "I Can Breathe" post and is not demanding they take it down.

We spoke with Philonise moments ago ... and he told us he does not believe the message was intended to be negative and he hasn't had any negative thoughts about it all.

In fact, Philonise kind of agrees with the post -- explaining how the world can finally take a breath now that the man who killed his brother has been convicted and will be held accountable.

As we previously reported, Raiders owner Mark Davis took responsibility for posting "I Can Breathe" on the team's social media accounts on Tuesday, moments after Derek Chauvin was found guilty on 3 counts in the murder of George Floyd.

Davis has said the post was inspired by the comments Philonise made at a news conference following the conviction when he explained, "Today, we are able to breathe again."

David and the Raiders have been getting a TON of pushback online from people who feel the post was insensitive -- considering Floyd told officers "I can't breathe" more than 20 times during the May 2020 encounter with Chauvin.

On Tuesday evening, Davis said he's sorry IF the tweet hurt the Floyd family ... "If I offended the family, then I'm deeply, deeply disappointed."

Clearly, Philonise feels no apology is necessary.

Antonio Brown's rep claims the NFL star has struck a settlement with the woman who sued him for sexual assault back in 2019 -- insisting, "The dispute is resolved."

In her original lawsuit, Britney Taylor -- who worked for AB as a personal trainer -- alleged Brown sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions, including a violent rape in 2018.

Taylor claimed she was so traumatized from the alleged incidents she "had near-daily panic attacks, frequent suicidal ideations, and insomnia."

Brown had denied the allegations -- with his attorney claiming, "Any sexual interaction with Mr. Brown was entirely consensual."

Now, Brown's rep, Alana Burstyn, claims the saga is over ... the two have reached some sort of settlement and the insinuation is Taylor will drop her lawsuit against the NFL star.

Burstyn is not revealing the details of the agreement -- however, she issued a statement explaining the situation ...

"Antonio and Britney have been friends for over a decade. Several years ago they almost became business partners. Recently, they were involved in aggressive litigation."

"Having reflected on their relationship, both feel that the time has come to move on. Antonio is grateful for Britney’s excellent training assistance. They are pleased that Antonio is doing so well with the Bucs and has a ring. Their dispute is resolved and they wish each other great continued success."

Story developing ...

NFL QB Ryan Fitzpatrick had a real palm-to-the-face moment after Alex Smith's life-threatening leg injury ... admitting he sent the guy a SUPER embarrassing text that he's calling "one of my biggest regrets to date."

So ... what could Fitzy have *possibly* said that was so bad?? Well, here's the Washington Football Team signal caller's take on the incident.

"When Alex broke his leg in that game a few years ago, I had what I thought was a similar injury," Fitzpatrick told Chris Long's "Green Light" podcast. ... citing the fractured tibia he suffered in 2014.

"So the single worst text I've ever sent out, I sent it to Alex. I said, 'Hey, Alex, just want to let you know they'll fix you right up, you'll be good as new! I'm out here and I don't feel any pain from my injury 3 years later!'"

Fitz says he "felt good" about sending the positive vibes his buddy's way ... but of course, Smith's injury was actually WAY worse.

After all, the guy had 17 surgeries, could've lost part of his leg and battled a flesh-eating bacteria. Yeah ... it was no cakewalk.

Despite the confusion, Fitzpatrick says Smith couldn't have been nicer in his response.

"(Alex) said 'Well ... mine might be a little more complicated.' And 17 surgeries later, and the story of what he had to overcome, I felt like the biggest a**hole!"

But, the 2 guys are able to laugh it off now ... especially since Smith was able to make a miraculous comeback and return to the field.

Here's a refreshingly candid moment from Jameis Winston ... the Saints QB admitted to kids he went from top NFL prospect to league laughingstock -- but he's now vowing to work his ass off to change that.

The 27-year-old was helping out at Kenny Shaw's football camp in Orlando, FL on Saturday when he delivered the speech ... and it was a very cool, self-aware moment from the former #1 overall pick.

Winston, in addressing dozens of campers, said, "I went from being the #1 draft pick to being everybody laugh at me."

Jameis, of course, is not wrong ... the guy has been mocked for issue after issue after issue during and after his rise to national fame at Florida State.

There was the crab leg incident. The "f*** her right in the p****" debacle. There was the incredibly awkward "Eat A W" celebration. And, who can forget his quirky training methods??

But, Jameis told the young footballers he's doing everything in his power to change all of that and be the heir to Drew Brees' throne in New Orleans.

"Guess what?" Jameis said. "I'm about that business. I'm outworking everybody at my position."

Winston had to pause, 'cause Dallas Cowboys star QB Dak Prescott was standing right next to him helping out at the camp -- but he continued nonetheless!!

"I know Dak right there," he said as Prescott smiled. "But, I'm doing things every single day. Committing to the dream."

Winston then encouraged the kids to believe in themselves and always approach the game with a little kid's perspective ... because he says that's how he's going about his business now.

Joe Burrow showed off his ACL surgery scar during the Bengals' jersey reveal sesh this week ... and the thing is massive AND gnarly.

The former Heisman Trophy winner shredded his knee during a game on Nov. 22 ... and he required a surgical procedure to fix multiple tears in the leg just days later.

Burrow's recovery has gone well -- his parents just said earlier this month the 24-year-old is still on track to start next season for Cincy -- but it's clear, the damage done to his knee was significant.

Check out the Bengals' photo of the QB's left leg ... you can see surgeons had to open him up from the top of the knee cap all the way down to the start of his shin to fix the issues.

The wound -- which appears to be at least half a foot long -- is still purple, red and fresh ... about 4 months after it was made.

For his part, Burrow hasn't spoken much publicly about his rehab process ... but he's been spotted out in the public recently, moving his knee fine and putting pressure on it while walking and sitting.