Football

Usher's doubling down on his claim he was Beyoncé's babysitter for a second in the early '90s ... though he's not comfortable calling himself a "manny."

The singer-songwriter, and upcoming Super Bowl Halftime performer, stopped by Shannon Sharpe's "Club Shay Shay" podcast, released Wednesday, when the question of babysitting Queen Bey herself came up again.

ICYMI ... Usher revealed back in August that he'd watched over Beyoncé when she was just 11 or 12-years-old -- though he didn't say if anyone paid him for his services!

So, Sharpe asked him about being "Beyoncé''s nanny" and, after joking he'd actually be a "manny" ... Usher said it's probably a step too far to give him that title.

The 45-year-old explained Bey came to Atlanta with Destiny's Child -- before they "became Destiny's Child," as Usher describes it -- when he was in his teens, and he was tasked with watching the kids while they hung out at musician Daryl Simmons' house.

The way Usher explained it, his responsibilities were simple ... make sure none of the girls broke anything! So, more like a chaperone on a school field trip than a full-time caretaker, it sounds like.

And, if you're wondering if Usher's always had an eye for talent ... he says he did, claiming he saw a "brilliance and brightness" to Bey and the rest of DC that he was sure would take them all far.

On Beyoncé, he added, "[It’s] really great for my sister, to see that she’s done so amazing and continue to thrive and just get bigger and better."

Obviously, both Usher and Beyoncé have taken off since then with each winning multiple Grammys and selling millions of records worldwide ... and soon, Usher will tie Beyoncé in two Super Bowl Halftime Show performances a piece.

Move over, Tom Brady ... Patrick Mahomes' teammate, Justin Reid, says the Chiefs star is making a real-deal run at the NFL's GOAT title!!

In fact, the Kansas City defensive back tells TMZ Sports his quarterback might already have supplanted TB12 for the honor!!

"The guy is a Hall of Famer," Reid said of Mahomes. "First ballot. Probably the best player in NFL history. And he just keeps getting better."

Reid gushed over Mahomes just days after the 28-year-old signal-caller helped the Chiefs beat the Ravens in the AFC Championship Game ... saying point blank he and his squadmates never think they're out of a game as long as Mahomes is under center.

"You can be down 24," he told us. "You can be up 15. Whatever it is -- as long as Fifteen has the ball in his hands, you know you've got a shot to win."

Reid obviously has a little bias -- after all, Mahomes might help earn his second Super Bowl ring next week -- but he might not be wrong.

Pat is about to make his FOURTH trip to the Super Bowl in his sixth season as a starter -- and with two MVPs and six Pro Bowl honors already on his resume ... he'd almost certainly have a bust in Canton in five years if he retired following next week's big game.

Reid also had a bunch of other complimentary things to say about his team ... including kind words for his defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo.

Reid said the assistant coach "really cares" about his players ... and he loves him so much, he's actually created "In Spags We Trust" tees, which he's selling for a good cause.

Patrick Mahomes is continuing to put up big numbers -- but he didn't even have to lift a finger this time around ... 'cause the Kansas City Chiefs superstar's game-worn jersey just sold at an auction for a record-breaking amount!!

Mahomes' No. 15 home threads worn during Week 5 of the 2022 season -- when the Chiefs hosted the Las Vegas Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium -- hit the auction block with Goldin recently ... and after 32 bids, it found a new owner for $213,500.

The final price tag is significant -- as it marks the most expensive Mahomes jersey ever sold at auction.

The two-time NFL MVP wore the red jersey as he led his Chiefs squad to victory with 292 yards and four touchdowns ... and it's still in its original shape -- including stains and contact marks.

Speaking of records, Mahomes can move up an important list in a few weeks in Las Vegas -- if he throws two TD passes in the Super Bowl, he will pass Peyton Manning for the 5th-most in NFL postseason history.

If that happens, the 28-year-old will only trail Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Montana, and, of course, Tom Brady ... and all his memorabilia will continue to rise in value.

El hombre que organizó la fiesta para apoyar a los Chiefs y que terminó con tres personas muertas está buscando ayuda para lidiar con las adicciones, y TMZ ha averiguado más información sobre los fallecidos que podrían dar algunas pistas de lo que pasó.

Jordan Willis, quien invitó a varios amigos a su casa en el área de Kansas City para ver a los Chiefs a principios de enero, ahora está buscando tratamiento para superar el abuso de sustancias. Su abogado dice que este "reconoció que tenía un problema con la adicción", después de que sus tres amigos aparecieran muertos en su patio trasero tras una noche viendo fútbol, según informa Fox News.

Recuerden, las familias de estos tres hombres levantaron las alertas luego de varios días sin tener noticias de sus seres queridos. La policía se presentó en casa de Willis el 9 de enero y lo esposó cuando solo estaba en ropa interior, aunque no fue detenido.

Allí encontraron a David Harrington, Ricky Johnson y Clayton McGeeney sin vida en su casa. Un quinto hombre, Alex Waemer-Lee, también asistió al evento, pero al parecer abandonó la fiesta un poco antes.

Ahora, es interesante que Willis vaya a ingresar a rehabilitación porque TMZ ha hecho algunas investigaciones que coinciden con la idea de que esta tragedia podría estar relacionada con las drogas después de todo.

Por ejemplo, hemos averiguado que uno de los hombres, Clayton, tenía conexiones con productos farmacéuticos que podrían arrojar algo de luz: McGeeney tenía una licencia farmacéutica activa que fue emitida el año pasado y que expira a fines de mayo de 2024.

Aunque no sabemos si estaba trabajando en alguna farmacia en particular o practicando la farmacología de alguna manera al momento de su muerte, sí sabemos que la licencia le permitía trabajar como técnico de farmacia si lo deseaba.

Otro hecho interesante es que David Harrington, otro de los hombres que falleció, fue detenido en Colorado en 2011 por posesión de una sustancia controlada de la Lista II aunque parece que terminó con un año de libertad condicional y pagando algunas multas.

No sabemos a ciencia cierta cuál fue la sustancia que dio lugar a la detención de Harrington, pero las drogas que están dentro de la Lista II en Colorado incluyen los opiáceos como la oxicodona y el fentanilo, y otros narcóticos similares.

A primera vista, algunos de estos hechos parecen alinearse con lo que la policía ha mantenido desde el principio, es decir, que no hay evidencia de juego sucio y que por ahora tampoco sospechan de homicidio, aunque la investigación sigue en curso.

Alex Caprariello, un reportero de NewsNation que ha estado cubriendo la historia desde el principio, informó que las familias de las víctimas se están reuniendo con el fiscal del condado de Platte para "discutir la investigación y la posibilidad de un proceso penal".

The man who hosted the ill-fated Kansas City Chiefs watch party that ended with three deaths is reportedly seeking addiction help in rehab -- and TMZ has learned more info about the deceased that could provide clues about what might've happened.

Jordan Willis -- who invited several friends to his K.C.-area home to watch the Chiefs play in early January -- is now seeking treatment for substance abuse -- with his attorney saying he "recognized that he had a problem with addiction" ... this in the aftermath of his three friends turning up dead in his backyard after a night of watching football ... according to Fox News.

Remember ... families of the three men raised the alarm after they hadn't heard from their loved ones for several days. Police showed up at Willis' house on January 9 and placed JW in handcuffs while he was just in his underwear -- though he was not arrested.

They found David Harrington, Ricky Johnson, and Clayton McGeeney dead at his home. A fifth man, Alex Waemer-Lee, attended the event but reportedly left the party early.

Now, it's interesting that Willis is heading to rehab -- because TMZ has done some digging that jibes with the notion that this tragedy may, perhaps, be drug-related after all.

For instance, we've learned that one of the men, Clayton, had a connection to pharmaceuticals which might shed some light. We've uncovered that McGeeney had an active pharmacist license which was issued last year and set to expire at the end of May 2024.

While we don't know if he was working at any pharmacy in particular or practicing pharmacology in any way at the time of his death ... we do know the license would allow him to work as a pharmacy technician if he so desired.

Another interesting fact ... David Harrington -- another one of the men who died -- was arrested back in Colorado in 2011 for possession of a Schedule II controlled substance ... although it seems he ended up with just a year of probation and paying some fines.

We don't know for certain what the substance was that resulted in Harrington's arrest, but Schedule II drugs in Colorado include opiates such as oxycodone and fentanyl, and other similar narcotics.

On the face of things, some of these facts appear to line up with what police have maintained since the beginning ... namely, that there's no evidence of foul play, and that for now, they don't suspect homicide either -- though, the investigation remains ongoing.

Alex Caprariello, a NewsNation reporter who's been chasing the story since the beginning, reported the families of the victims are meeting with the Platte County prosecutor to "discuss the ongoing investigation and possibility of criminal prosecution."

Travis Kelce se burló de Justin Tucker por su altercado antes del partido del Campeonato de la AFC, criticando al pateador de los Baltimore Ravens por actuar como un "m***ito i***" y meterse a propósito en el camino de Patrick Mahomes durante el calentamiento.

Ambas partes han seguido reviviendo el viral episodio esta semana, con Tucker, Mahomes y ahora Kelce hablando sobre ella.

Travis no se contuvo al discutir la disputa en su podcast "New Heights" con su hermano Jason el miércoles, diciendo que podía decir que Tucker estaba bromeando, pero los Chiefs no estaban de humor para payasadas.

Kelce explicó que hay una regla no escrita cuando se trata de especialistas: se aseguran de mantenerse fuera del camino de sus oponentes cuando se preparan para un enfrentamiento. Pero Tucker no lo hizo y causó molestia.

"Si quieres ser un jodido imbécil al respecto, toma tu casco, tu balón y tu jodida camiseta de pateador justo donde los quarterbacks calientan", dijo Kelce.

"Si no vas a recoger eso, con gusto lo moveré por ti".

Por supuesto, Kelce demostró ser un hombre de palabra, pues tomó el casco de Tucker y lo lanzó lejos de Mahomes el domingo.

Kelce se disculpó por sus acciones y admitió que Tucker le guiñó un ojo durante el altercado para indicar que solo estaba jugando, pero reiteró que no estaba de humor para bromear.

"Si vas a ser un d*** te prometo que puedo superarte cada vez".

Taylor Swift got a special shoutout from her boo on Wednesday ... with Travis Kelce giving a playful "thank you" to the pop superstar for jumping on the Chiefs bandwagon just in time for their Super Bowl run.

The "Cruel Summer" crooner has been Kelce's biggest supporter since they first started dating last year ... making numerous appearances at home and away matchups, including every game during the Chiefs' current playoff run.

The love hasn't gone unnoticed in the Kelce fam ... with Jason Kelce jokingly congratulating Swift on reaching the biggest sporting event of the year so early in her fandom.

"Shout out to the newest members of the Chiefs Kingdom," Jason said on the 'New Heights' podcast. "Taylor Swift who has officially reached the Super Bowl in her rookie year."

Travis played along ... adding, "Shout out to Tay! Thanks for joining the team!"

Of course, the Swifties have followed in her footsteps ... tuning in to every Chiefs game to get a glimpse of "mother" catching games from her usual suite seats.

The Traylor craze has left a huge impact on Kelce's jersey sales and TV ratings ... further solidifying the defending Super Bowl champs as the must-see game every week.

Worth noting -- Swift used to show love for her Philadelphia Eagles ... something Travis mentioned when addressing the musician's interaction with his head coach Andy Reid after Sunday's AFC Championship Game.

Travis Kelce just teed off on Justin Tucker over their pregame altercation at the AFC Championship ... calling out the Baltimore Ravens kicker for acting like a "f***ing d***" and purposely getting in Patrick Mahomes' way during warmups.

Both sides of the tiff have continued to breathe life into the viral moment this week ... with Tucker, Mahomes and now Kelce weighing in on it.

Travis didn't hold back when discussing the spat on his "New Heights" podcast with his brother, Jason, on Wednesday ... saying he could tell Tucker was playing around, but the Chiefs weren't in the mood for tomfoolery.

Kelce explained there's an unwritten rule when it comes to specialists -- they make sure to stay out of their opponents' way when prepping for a matchup. But, Tucker didn't do that ... which rubbed him the wrong way.

"If you want to be a f***ing d*** about it, you keep your helmet and your football and your f***ing kicking tee right where the quarterbacks are warming up and they’re dropping, eyes are looking left and they’ve got a helmet down by their feet," Kelce said.

"If you’re not going to pick that up, I’ll happily move that for you."

Of course, Kelce proved to be a man of his word ... taking Tucker's helmet and tossing it away from Mahomes on Sunday.

Kelce apologized for his actions ... admitting Tucker winked at him during the altercation to indicate he was just messing around, but reiterated he was not in a joking mood.

"If you're gonna be a d*** I promise you, I can one-up you every time."

The San Francisco 49ers are feeling the love from their city after clinching their spot in the Super Bowl ... with the Golden State Warriors hosting the squad for a celebration at Tuesday's game!!

The NFC Champs were treated as such at the Chase Center as the Dubs faced off against the Philadelphia 76ers ... with the home team setting up a nice spread in honor of their big win on Sunday.

All the players like Trent Williams, Ray-Ray McCloud and Chase Young were gifted their very own customized Warriors jerseys ... complete with their names and numbers.

Deebo Samuel was soaking in the hospitality ... which also included a special cake and what appeared to be rosé.

The gang certainly appreciated the gesture ... cheering as they chowed down on some snacks and enjoyed the private gathering.

Stephen Curry also acknowledged the NFC Champs at the game ... sharing a moment with star tight end George Kittle, who was sitting courtside for the 119-107 victory.

In fact, Curry said the Dubs were a bit inspired by the Niners being in the building for the matchup ... and they may have given Golden State the motivation to keep the winning going.

Two balls that Tom Brady used to throw touchdown passes in one of his Super Bowl victories can now be all yours ... that is, of course, if your bank account has a whole lot of zeros in it!

TMZ Sports has learned ... two pigskins from the Patriots vs. Seahawks matchup in Super Bowl XLIX are going up for sale at the Gotta Have Rock and Roll auction house -- and they both have some significant ties to Brady.

One of the balls was hurled by TB12 and caught by Rob Gronkowski for a score in the first half of the big game. The second was also tossed by Brady to Danny Amendola for six late in the contest. Brady and the Pats went on to win, 28-24.

The Gronk ball actually tied Brady with Joe Montana for the most touchdown passes in Super Bowl history with 11. The one to Amendola ended up breaking that record.

Amendola and Brady ultimately signed their TD ball together ... with Danny writing on the piece, "Super Bowl XLIX Game Used TD Ball." He also wrote a personalized letter that will accompany the ball ensuring its authenticity.

Gotta Have Rock and Roll experts tell us they expect both to fetch $1 MILLION by the time the final gavel comes down.

Patrick Mahomes believes Justin Tucker being all up in his space before the AFC Championship Game was no accident ... claiming the Ravens kicker's pregame run-in was an attempt to get under the Chiefs' skin.

The incident was all the talk before kickoff on Sunday ... with Mahomes and Travis Kelce getting into it with the veteran NFL kicker over his spot on the field while both sides were trying to warm up for the big playoff game.

Tucker downplayed the incident on Monday ... calling the whole thing "silly," but Mahomes clearly doesn't see it that way -- accusing the All-Pro specialist of going out of his way to play some mind games on the defending Super Bowl champions.

"He does that little stuff, I think to try to get under our skin," Mahomes said Tuesday on The Drive on Audacy's 610 Sports Radio. "I asked him to move his stuff. He got up and moved it, I think, two inches but didn’t move it out of the way. I was gonna let it slide, but Travis got in and moved it for me. And after that, I wasn’t gonna let him put it back down."

Mahomes said he's only had similar issues three times in his NFL career ... and each happened to be before games against the Ravens.

"I have a lot of respect for him as a player, one of the best kickers of all time, probably the best kicker of all time," he added. "But at the same time, you’ve got to have respect for each team, and we all share the field, and we try to do that in a respectful way."

Taylor Swift ha estado presente en los partidos de su novio Travis Kelce para animarlo, pero este no va a devolverle la mano durante su gran noche en los Grammy, aunque por una buena razón.

Fuentes con conocimiento directo le dicen a TMZ que el jugador de los Kansas City Chiefs va a llegar a Las Vegas el mismo fin de semana de los Grammys, donde él y su equipo estarán bajo un estricto horario estricto antes de enfrentarse a los 49ers para el Super Bowl.

Esto mata cualquier esperanza de los Swifties de que Travis Kelce esté junto Taylor en los Grammys como su acompañante. Estos se dieron cuenta de que su lugar en el Super Bowl significaba que ya no jugaría en el Pro Bowl el mismo día, y por lo tanto, técnicamente estaría libre para aparecer en los Grammys con Tay Tay.

Por desgracia, eso no va a suceder. Nuestras fuentes dicen que no hay ninguna posibilidad de que Travis aparezca en Los Ángeles este fin de semana. Por lo tanto, parece que Taylor tendrá que encontrar compañía en otro lugar o incluso viajar sola para la noche de glamour de este fin de semana, donde ella opta a 6 premios.

Por supuesto, este conflicto en sus agendas no parece ser un problema en el paraíso de estos dos. Recuerden que él acaba de hacerle la gran declaración de amor después de que los Chiefs ganaron su paso al Super Bowl tras una victoria 17-10 sobre los Ravens de Baltimore. Lo que significa, que están muy bien como pareja.

Mientras Taylor ha estado inundando a Travis de caricias y abrazos para apoyarlo durante sus partidos, muchos NFL'ers han estado criticando a la cantante por tomar protagonismo en los juegos, a pesar de que ella no tiene control sobre las cámaras del estadio, algo que ambos han dejado muy claro en diferentes oportunidades.

Por su parte, Travis es totalmente consciente del veneno dirigido a su mujer y le ha dicho a los reporteros que antes de los partidos discuten sobre cómo bloquear el "ruido exterior".

Afortunadamente para él, no tendrá que escuchar nada de esto en la gran noche de la música. Su mente está estrictamente centrada en el fútbol en este momento y su novia es más que capaz de manejar su negocio en el ojo público.

11:15 AM -- Travis expressed his disappointment over not being able to jet to L.A. for the awards show ... saying on "The Pat McAfee Show" he wishes he could go and "watch her win every single award that she's nominated for" -- but his day job simply won't allow it.

Just like we reported, Travis explained he will be traveling to Sin City on Sunday -- the same day of the Grammys -- and while he'll be supporting in spirit, he'll have to be with the team as they focus on bringing a Lombardi Trophy back to Kansas City.

Taylor Swift's been showing up to her boo Travis Kelce's games to cheer him on ... but he won't be returning the favor during her big night at the Grammys -- but for good reason.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the Kansas City Chiefs tight end will actually be arriving in Vegas the same weekend as music's biggest night ... where he and the team will be on a strict schedule ahead of squaring up to the 49ers for the Super Bowl.

This kills any hope from Swifties that TK would show up as Taylor's plus-one at the Grammys -- as they all realized his spot in the SB meant he'd no longer play in the Pro Bowl the same day ... and would therefore technically be free to hit up the Grammys with Tay Tay.

Alas, it ain't gonna happen -- our sources say there's no chance Travis shows up in L.A. this weekend. So, it looks like Taylor's gotta find company elsewhere or even ride solo for the glam evening this weekend. ... where she's up for 6 awards.

Of course, the conflict in their schedule doesn't signal any trouble in paradise between the pair ... remember, he just dropped the L-bomb after the Chiefs earned their way to the Super Bowl following a 17-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens. AKA, they're doing just fine.

While TK's been soaking up Taylor's PDA-packed show of support lately, many NFL'ers haven't ... blasting the singer for making the games about her -- even though she has no control over the stadium cameras ... something both he and she have made abundantly clear.

For his part, Travis is totally aware of the venom directed at his woman ... telling off-field reporters days ahead of the AFC Championship Game they frequently discuss blocking out all of the "outside noise."

Fortunately for him, he won't have to hear any of it on a huge showbiz stage -- his mind's strictly focused on football right now ... and his GF's more than capable of handling her business in the spotlight.

David Letterman is telling Taylor Swift's NFL haters to "shut up" about her romance with Travis Kelce -- even though he seems a little confused about who her boyfriend is.

The talk show host offered up a passionate defense of Taylor in a new clip he posted to his social media ... and yes, it's a fierce cosign of all things Taylor, whom he calls a bright light in a world full of darkness.

Also ... DL hilariously confused TK for Kelsey Grammer -- something he continued to mistakenly say, even after being corrected a couple times. Point being ... he loves Taylor!

According to David, Tay doesn't deserve any hate whatsoever ... especially if her stadium-packing credentials are anything to go by -- but to those who couldn't care less about her pop culture icon status and don't want her anywhere near the pitch ... he tells 'em to zip it.

David says T&T's PDA-packed relationship is a lovely, positive, and good thing for both the NFL camp and Taylor's own. He just wants more unity in the world, not division -- and he seems to think Tay-Tay provides that.

ICYMI, Taylor's been coming out to cheer on the KC Chiefs tight end since September ... though she's been heavily criticized for distracting from the sport by fuming diehard fans.

In fact, Tony Dungy even recently compared her to outside noise affecting the game itself in a Fox News interview -- and who can forget Taylor's viral stare-down with Golden Globes host Jo Koy when he mocked her NFL appearances during his opening monologue?

Clearly, the whole thing's a very divisive matter, but David's saying just let them love and live -- adding: "God, bless Taylor Swift and Kelsey Grammar (Travis Kelce)."

Kristin Juszczyk has gone official ... just days after her custom NFL fits went viral -- with some help from Taylor Swift -- the league granted her a licensing deal to use their logos on her designs!

The deal was struck this week, according to Sportico ... allowing Juszczyk -- who is married to 49ers star fullback Kyle Juszczyk -- will be able to legally use the logos of NFL teams for men's and women's clothing.

The financial terms of the agreement aren't known.

Kristin's brand is one of the hottest things going right now ... all since she received the best free marketing ever from Swift, who rocked her puffer coat design (an ode to Travis' #87) to the frigid Chiefs vs. Dolphins game in Kansas City on January 13.

Brittany Mahomes also wore a custom Juszczyk jacket with Patrick Mahomes' jersey number ... as did Olympic gymnastics legend Simone Biles, who wore a bubble vest representing her husband Jonathan Owens.

Olivia Culpo -- who's engaged to Christian McCaffrey -- also modeled a 49ers bustier by Juszczyk for the Divisional Round game this month.

And, it's not just the WAGs rockin' Juszczyk's custom designs ... "Twilight" actor Taylor Lautner wore a dope Aidan Hutchinson jacket at a Detroit Lions playoff game a few weeks ago.

While Juszczyk's amazing work has just recently grabbed the public's attention, she's been building the business for years, and now the hard work has paid off.

"She’s been grinding for years now and working so hard," Kyle said.

"I'm so happy to see her get her stuff out there, everybody sees it and recognizes it was hers."

Tom Brady has a new team -- the seven-time Super Bowl champ's "TB12" and "Brady Brand" businesses are merging with sportswear company NoBull.

46-year-old Brady announced the big move on Tuesday ... which makes him the second-largest NoBull shareholder behind friend and BodyArmor founder Mike Repole, who joined the company in 2023.

The plan is to make NoBull -- a popular brand in the CrossFit community -- a one-stop shop for all things fitness ... from shoes to clothes and nutrition.

According to reports, the company will keep the NoBull branding, but Brady's name and image will be used in some capacity.

Brady spoke about the news on Instagram ... saying, "I’m proud to announce that today, @tb12sports and @bradybrand are merging with @nobull, forming one complete wellness company that at its core, will help people become the best version of themselves."

"We’re going to push harder than ever to help EVERYONE find the path to success on their own journey," he added. "The goal for us is massive growth that will change the game in training and nutrition for the world. There’s no limit on how many people we can impact and that’s what I’m most excited about."

Brady also gave a shoutout to his staff at TB12 and 'Brady' ... saying their hard-working mentality will roll over into the new venture.