Football

The Titans officially have a new quarterback ... Cam Ward!!

Brian Callahan and Co. just took the former University of Miami signal-caller with the first overall pick in Thursday night's NFL draft ... and based on some early reaction around the internet, Tennessee fans everywhere are stoked with the acquisition.

Ward, too, seemed pumped to be heading to the Volunteer State ... as he had a huge grin on his face while he walked toward Roger Goodell at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. to accept the honor.

NFL prospects are bringing new meaning to "Frozen Tundra" on Draft Day ... 'cause former Texas A&M star Shemar Stewart showed up to Lambeau Field with plenty of ice -- like 100 carats of VVS diamonds!!

TMZ Sports got the lowdown on all the flashy accessories the young athletes are wearing for their big moment in Green Bay on Thursday ... and Stewart, a top defensive end in the 2025 class, made sure to leave a lasting impression with his look.

Al the Jeweler of Labelle Jewelry in Totowa, NJ tells us Stewart is thrilled with his new pieces ... which include a reversible beastlike logo pendant that features his initials -- and it's reversible, so he can choose to either go flashy or subtle depending on the day.

Those close to Shannon Sharpe are adamant his relationship with his rape accuser was "purely" a BDSM one -- where the two would meet up for rough sex about once a week ... and nothing more.

Sources close to the Pro Football Hall of Famer told TMZ Sports on Thursday the ex-NFL star engaged in kinky, consensual sexual activity with Jane Doe "about 100 times" in both Los Angeles and Nevada -- from late 2022 to January 2025.

They insist that while the intimate encounters featured choking and role playing -- none of it was ever nonconsensual, forcible sex.

The Washington Commanders are getting a taste of playoff hockey in the nation's capital -- and beer -- 'cause backup quarterback Sam Hartman drained a cold one in the middle of the Capitals' matchup against the Montreal Canadians ... while Jayden Daniels played cheerleader!!

Washington's quarterback room of Daniels, Hartman and Marcus Mariota -- as well as some members of the offensive line -- were on glass to watch Washington take a 2-0 lead in the series on Wednesday ... and while there was plenty of action on the ice, they also provided some entertainment.

The group was a hit among the fans ... especially after Hartman crushed a beer to rile up the crowd. Hartman joked in an Instagram Story that six years of college had helped prepare him for the moment.

Some New York Giants fans are clamoring for general manager Joe Schoen to take a quarterback in the first round of the NFL draft ... and it sure looks like his son knows the right guy for the job -- Jaxson Dart.

On Wednesday night, Carson -- who very well could be quite a quarterback guru -- appeared to repost a highlight reel from Dart’s Instagram account on his own Story ... and fans wondered if he might know something they don’t.

To make things even more suspicious, Carson set his account to private later in the night -- which seems awfully suspicious. Regardless of whether he knows anything about the Giants' plans, his pops probably isn't happy about the internet attention.

If the Titans are looking for some last-minute draft advice, they can get plenty from a familiar face -- Jeff Fisher!!

The former Tennessee head coach sat down with TMZ Sports as the Titans prepare to make the No. 1 overall pick in Thursday's annual NFL selection party ... and he issued a few warnings to his old team.

First and foremost, Fisher said if Brian Callahan and Co. have a quarterback they love ... he said they shouldn't overthink it -- and race to the podium to select the signal-caller.

Chicago Bears legend Steve 'Mongo' McMichael is dead after a long battle with ALS.

The death comes just hours after McMichael's wife, Misty, said her husband would be moved to hospice, as his health declined while battling ALS.

He was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease in 2021 and became paralyzed from the shoulders down.

McMichael's friend, Jarrett Payton, made the sad announcement, saying ... "With deep sorrow, I share that Steve McMichael passed at 5:28 PM after a brave fight with #ALS, surrounded by loved ones. I’m grateful to have been with him in his final moments. Please keep Steve and his family your prayers."

Tetairoa McMillan is firing back at Todd McShay after the NFL draft pundit trashed his game this month ... telling TMZ Sports the analyst -- and anyone else who doubts him -- will have their minds changed if they just simply watch his film.

McShay went in on the former Univ. of Arizona star multiple times in the past few days -- saying he doesn't "trust" the wideout ... while revealing he has him all the way down at No. 50 on his big board of prospects.

"Tet didn't like to work out," McShay said when giving his opinion of the 22-year-old, "or practice hard unless a scout was in attendance."

Shannon Sharpe's accuser's lawyer has released new audio in which you can hear the ESPN commentator threatening to choke the woman in public -- but the Pro Football Hall of Famer's team is adamant it's not what it sounds like.

Attorney Tony Buzbee dropped the file Wednesday morning and issued a statement, saying Sharpe’s attacks on him and his "Jane Doe" client were a "big, stupid mistake."

Buzbee goes on to say the audio "provides a fair picture of the relationship shortly before the alleged assault in this case," although he has not said when it was recorded.

Shannon Sharpe's attorney just revealed the Pro Football Hall of Famer made an offer to his rape accuser of "at least" $10 million to close out the case before it went public.

Lanny J. Davis -- who's representing Sharpe in the ESPN personality's civil sexual assault case against Jane Doe -- said in a meeting with reporters Tuesday the proposal was doled out during mediations with the plaintiff "within the last month or so."

Davis said Doe initially seemed to be considering it ... before she "suddenly without warning, walked away from our offer."

Shannon Sharpe is vowing to sue his rape accuser for defamation ... in wake of the allegations she made against him in a bombshell lawsuit she filed on Sunday.

The ESPN personality addressed Jane Doe's explosive claims in a video that he posted to his Instagram page on Tuesday morning ... just minutes after the woman's attorney, Tony Buzbee, released an audio file to TMZ Sports that he says shows Sharpe threatening his client with "disturbing, aggressive, and dangerous" language.

Sharpe opened up his statement by claiming Doe's case "is a shakedown." He then accused Buzbee of orchestrating the attempted cash grab -- explaining he believes "Tony Buzbee targets Black men."

Jeremiah Kelly -- a freshman offensive lineman for the University of Cincinnati football team -- died unexpectedly Tuesday morning at his Ohio home.

The Bearcats shared the shocking news in a press release, with head coach Scott Satterfield saying ... "The Bearcats football family is heartbroken by the sudden loss of this outstanding young man."

Coach continued ... "In the short time Jeremiah has spent with our team, he has made a real impact, both on the field and in our locker room. My prayers are with the Kelly family and those who had the pleasure of knowing Jeremiah."

Jalen Hurts has more than just a Super Bowl ring to flex -- the Philadelphia Eagles star just married his longtime girlfriend, Bryonna 'Bry' Burrows!!!

The Super Bowl MVP dropped the big news during a recent interview with Men's Health ... saying the two recently officially tied the knot.

Hurts and Burrows -- an AI partner for IBM -- have been together since they met at the University of Alabama, where Jalen played three seasons and was a member of the 2018 national championship team.

Jeff Fisher's now the honcho of an arena football league, and he tells TMZ Sports he's looking to grow it drastically in the next year ... perhaps with the help of a few high-profile celebs.

The former NFL head coach was recently named commissioner of Arena Football One ... and while the org.'s enjoying a successful inaugural season this year -- he said 2026 "is going to be an eye-opener for everybody."

Currently, the league has just eight teams -- but Fisher said there could be as many as 16 by next season.

Former college football star Justin Blackmon couldn't fit in the back of a cop car during his public intoxication arrest ... with a police report obtained by TMZ Sports stating a larger vehicle was required to transport him to jail.

The 35-year-old ex-Oklahoma State Cowboys receiver's most recent run-in with the law made rounds on social media over the weekend ... with sports fans noting the drastic change in Blackmon's appearance in his mug shot.

According to the incident report, OSU cops responded to a call regarding a "larger black male" laying on the ground at 1:32 AM on Saturday morning.

Shannon Sharpe has just been sued for allegedly raping a woman on multiple occasions ... and the plaintiff in the case is asking for tens of millions in damages.

The lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, was filed by a Jane Doe on Sunday in Nevada ... after she says Sharpe brutally sexually assaulted her several times at the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025 -- following a yearslong, abusive relationship.

According to the suit, Doe met Sharpe in 2023 at a gym in Los Angeles -- when she was 20 years old and he was in his mid-50s. She stated in the docs during their first encounter, Sharpe told her he would "buy her fake t**s" if she won a weight-loss competition with him.