Football

Breathe easy, Longhorns fans ... Brett Favre says despite Arch Manning's early-season struggles -- he's just sure the Texas quarterback is going to be fine.

TMZ Sports chatted with the Hall of Famer following Manning's up-and-down start to the 2025-26 season ... and he told us, despite some hiccups, UT supporters will be loving what they see out of Arch in no time.

Favre explained opening the season on the road against Ohio State -- the defending national champions -- is a brutal way for any player to start, let alone one entering his first year as QB1.

Eric and Jessie James Decker are starring in the upcoming season of "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test" ... and when they reflected on their experience on the show with TMZ Sports this week, they ensured it was "grueling."

The couple talked all about their time on the hit Fox program while out at LAX ... and they said while it was certainly challenging, they both had an awesome time.

"I enjoyed seeing her in that kind of element," Eric said. "We obviously had each other for support, but to see her kind of in a rugged, tough environment showed me a lot of character."

Congratulations are in order for Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy and his fiancée, Katya Kuropas -- the couple just welcomed a baby boy!!

The two shared the announcement in a joint Instagram post on Friday ... introducing the world to their new bundle of joy, Rome Micah McCarthy.

"The sweetest, most perfect gift from God," they said. "We are so unbelievably blessed to be your parents."

A lot of football fans were livid about "NFL RedZone" including commercials for the first time this season ... but the program's beloved host, Scott Hanson, tells TMZ Sports he's thankful fans are still loving the product after Week 1.

The commotion was sparked prior to the 2025-26 campaign ... when folks learned "seven hours of commercial-free football" was a thing of the past.

The reality -- a whopping one total minute of ads (four 15-second spots) sprinkled throughout the day of coverage ... proving the product largely remained the same.

Brett Favre took in the Packers vs. Lions game on Sunday, and while he loved what his former team did on the field, he made it clear he was not impressed one bit by Detroit's play.

The Hall of Famer sat down with TMZ Sports a day after his ex-squad beat up its NFC North rival at Lambeau Field ... and he glowed about the green and gold's performance.

He told us he thought Jordan Love was "outstanding" in the 27-13 win ... adding that Green Bay "dominated every facet of the game."

Jerry Jones still has one very large Cowboys fan in his corner despite his shocking trade of Micah Parsons -- Shaquille O'Neal!!!

The Big Diesel told TMZ Sports this week he still has Jones' back ... this despite the Dallas owner jettisoning his favorite team's best player to Green Bay late last month.

In fact, Shaq jokingly threatened to get physical with our Michael Babcock for even remotely implying that Dallas supporters should turn on the Cowboys' boss.

Travis Kelce is owning up to his role in a collision that forced Xavier Worthy out of the Chiefs' Week 1 loss to the Chargers ... saying he simply has to be better.

The superstar tight end shared his regret over the freak accident during the latest "New Heights" episode with his brother, Jason, on Wednesday ... and he chalked it all up to not being prepared out the gate.

"I wasn’t ready that first drive, I ran into one of my guys and offed him out of the game, I literally took one of my players out," Travis said. "That's one of the most frustrating parts, and it's hard to get your juices back going knowing you just hurt a guy."

Caleb Williams has garnered plenty of attention throughout his football career ... and not all of it's been for his skills on the field!

The Chicago Bears quarterback's also made a name for himself by painting his nails prior to big games, which he's done since before entering the NFL.

We're going to check out how the pro football star received notice over the years for his style choices, as well as what he's said about his manicure.

Caleb first received notice for his painted nails during his time at the University of Southern California, where he played football from 2022 to 2023.

The thing is, the QB's been around nail professionals his whole life ... because his mother was a nail technician for several years.

He spoke about his mani history in a video shared on USC Athletics' TikTok account back in 2022, explaining the process of getting nails done had "kind of always been around me."

CW subsequently told People he saw it as "another way of expression" and acknowledged his style choice "took everybody by surprise" on the gridiron.

Williams' efforts at USC eventually landed him in the 2024 NFL draft -- the Bears picked him in the first round -- and he immediately became Chicago's starting QB.

However, his rookie season was a rocky one, as the team endured a 10-game losing streak, and opponents ended up sacking Caleb 68 times!

He briefly stopped painting his nails in response to the team's hardships, and told ESPN he was focusing on "trying to figure out how to get things back on track."

Caleb admitted feeling pressure weighing on him as the season went on, which he described as "a little tiring at the end."

The Bears ended up finishing out the 2024 season with a 5-12 record, and underwent various personnel changes in preparation for their 2025 season.

Another change was in the books for the team, as Williams resumed painting his nails during the team's off-season training.

The athlete said any criticism over it "doesn't bother me," and he wasn't "going to apologize" for expressing himself on the field.

Rhode Island locals are eager to host Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's forthcoming wedding ... RI State Representative Brian Patrick Kennedy tells TMZ.

The local politician tells TMZ ... he hasn't heard whether or not Swelce plans to have their nuptials in the Ocean State, but he's hopeful it happens ... given the star-studded wedding could bring serious business to his constituents.

Per Rep. Kennedy, the wedding would be great for the state's economy, as Tay and Trav's celeb friends would likely flock to the area and spend big bucks ... on everything from housing to restaurants to entertainment.

Jalen Carter's spit just cost him a wad of cash -- the NFL just hit the Eagles defensive tackle with a $57K fine for his role in a wet incident with Dak Prescott in the season opener.

The NFL revealed the punishment on Tuesday ... days after Carter was caught in the act at the beginning of "Thursday Night Football" last week.

The league stated the fine will be Carter's game check -- which comes out to $57,222.

Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce's new restaurant isn't just about good eats -- it'll also give fans a chance to drink like the NFL superstars AND their lovely ladies ... thanks to signature cocktails in honor of the Chiefs besties, Taylor Swift and Brittany!!

The 1587 Prime steakhouse is gearing up for its grand opening next week in Kansas City, Missouri ... and the eatery features a detailed interior, a menu personally taste-tested by Mahomes and Kelce themselves -- and four drinks inspired by the famous couples.

TMZ Sports has learned Mahomes' signature drink, "Showtime," is a mix of aged rum blend with coconut, Coors Light syrup, lime and soda.

Ray Lewis had no problem playfully running his mouth at Andre Reed before their teams faced off on "Sunday Night Football" ... but after the Buffalo Bills pulled off an incredible comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens -- guess who's talking now??

TMZ Sports spoke with the Pro Football Hall of Famer fresh off his Bills' Week 1 victory ... and he had a fun response to the legendary linebacker, who warned him prior to kickoff of a "storm" making its way to Upstate New York.

"Ray knew what was up," Andre said Monday. "He's coming to Buffalo, he's coming to the best fans in the NFL. The storm was coming, you're right -- it's not December. These two teams were a storm and it was here, but we had 70,000 plows ready for that storm and we cleared 'em out in the end."

Jalen Carter's made a name for himself with his prowess on the gridiron ... not that he got to show much of it in the first game of the 2025 season, because he was kicked out after just a few seconds of play.

The Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman was caught in an unsportsmanlike moment, and  promptly removed from the matchup, much to the dismay of Birds fans.

We're going to see how the professional football player made his bones in the world of football ... prior to some stray saliva landing him in hot water.

Carter started playing football for a youth team in his hometown of Apopka, Florida, and he played several positions ... including receiver, cornerback, and outside linebacker, according to ESPN.

He eventually took his talents to Apopka High School, where he continued playing football, but also developed his skills on the basketball court.

Jalen later committed to the University of Georgia, debuted on the football team as a freshman in 2020 ... and helped lead the Bulldogs to the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship, where they beat the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide.

JC declared for the 2023 NFL Draft shortly after the Bulldogs' championship.

He was ultimately drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, and he's played as defensive tackle since signing with the team.

Jalen's first season with the Eagles saw the team finish with an 11-6 record, and they ended up in second place in the NFC East division.

However, the team fared much better in the 2024 season, as Jalen and his teammates won it all at Super Bowl LIX ... preventing the Kansas City Chiefs from achieving a three-peat.

Jalen's 2025 season certainly started off with a bang, because he got ejected for spitting on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. ... just six seconds into the first game!

Dak and Jalen were jawing at each other following the opening kickoff, which is when the Eagles' DT spat on his opponent ... earning the ejection for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Prescott opened up about the incident after the game, admitting to spitting in the direction of the Eagles at the start of the matchup. However, he claimed he spits "a thousand times throughout the game," according to NBC Sports.

One of the NFL's fresh faces in the 2025 season is J.J. McCarthy, the Minnesota Vikings' starting quarterback, who's on a comeback mission!

The thing is, McCarthy actually joined the league in 2024, but ended up sitting out his first season after suffering a serious injury.

We're going to see how the athlete moved past his setback in pursuit of his pro football goals ... and how he's preparing for some pretty big changes in his personal life.

J.J.'s football career kicked off back when he was attending high school at Nazareth Academy, located outside of Chicago.

He played several seasons for the school before transferring to IMG Academy in Florida for his senior season.

McCarthy went on to join the University of Michigan's football squad, and he made his debut with the Wolverines in 2021.

He remained with the team for a total of three seasons, and helped lead the Wolverines to a national championship in 2023.

McCarthy's time in the NFL started in 2024, when the Vikings drafted him in the first round, making him the tenth overall pick.

He wasn't a starting player right away, as he spent his rookie season on the sidelines after undergoing surgery on his meniscus.

J.J.'s set to make his debut as the Vikings' QB1 on September 8th, when the team opens the season against NFC North rivals, the Chicago Bears.

Fun fact: He'll become the fourth quarterback in NFL history to make his pro debut during a week one Monday Night Football game, according to ESPN.

McCarthy's start in the NFL isn't the only big thing happening for him in September ... because he's expecting to become a father, too!

The pro baller will share the soon-to-arrive child with his longtime partner, Katya Kuropas, who he met in high school.

The pair dated for five years before they announced their engagement with a January 2024 joint Instagram post.

Everyone knows a big part of playing in the NFL is taking a few knocks every now and then ... and we think Justin Jefferson's had his fair share over the years!

The wide receiver's spent several years with the Minnesota Vikings, and although he's become one of the flashiest guys on the gridiron -- with his jewelry and his touchdown celebration dance -- his career's also been marred by a few injuries.

We're going to see how the athlete moved from college stardom to becoming one of the NFL's most talked about offensive threats ... all while dealing with physical setbacks.

Jefferson started playing football at an early age, and he was a member of the football squad at Destrehan High School in his home state of Louisiana.

JJ remained in his home state for college, as he committed to and enrolled at Louisiana State University in 2017.

While his first season with the LSU Tigers was relatively uneventful, he became one of the team's key players throughout its 2018 season, as he racked up 875 yards, according to ESPN.

Justin led the country in receptions during his junior season, and he helped lead the Tigers to a national championship.

His efforts with LSU paid off in the end, as he ended up becoming a first-round draft pick for the Minnesota Vikings in 2020.

Justin later told ESPN he "definitely didn't think" he would've been one of the team's first picks, although he expressed he felt "blessed" to have been chosen to play.

He's spent his entire NFL career with the Vikings, and it looks like he's planning on sticking with the team a little longer, because he signed a $140 million contract extension in June 2024.

Oh, and it's worth mentioning, Justin helped to popularize the Griddy -- a viral dance move he first used as a touchdown celebration during his LSU days -- and continued in the NFL. Lots of other players, in multiple sports, have picked up the move, too.

Jefferson's time in the NFL hasn't always been smooth, and he's had to deal with several hamstring injuries over the course of his career.

He missed a total of seven games during the 2023 season after he suffered a strain in his right leg, according to ESPN.

He ended up having to sit out of several practices in 2025, when he strained his left hamstring in July.

5:31 PM PT -- Tyreek Hill's attorney is adamant Keeta Vaccaro's claims are false, saying in a statement to TMZ Sports the allegations "are nothing more than an attempt by Ms. Vacarro, her mother and/or her counsel to shake Mr. Hill down."

"These new allegations are further proof that Ms. Vacarro and/or her counsel are set on
partaking in a smear campaign in hopes that Mr. Hill will settle and give she and her counsel an unreasonable and unwarranted amount of money," Julius B. Collins said. "Mr. Hill will not be moved by this and awaits his day in Court to present his evidence."

Keeta Vaccaro -- Tyreek Hill's estranged wife -- is now alleging the NFL superstar roughed her up on multiple occasions during their 17-month marriage.