Football

Travis Kelce got asked to finish a Taylor Swift lyric this week ahead of the Super Bowl -- and it sounds like he might not have known it off the top ... which is interesting.

The Chiefs tight end was talking to media members Thursday in Vegas, and yes -- he was getting asked about his girlfriend a lot, including a question from one journo who compared him and Tay Tay to the American version of the Royals. Yep, major sucking up, no doubt.

She then asked why he thinks people are so fascinated with them as a couple -- and he said people love the "values" they stand for, etc. Legit answer, and probably true ... but ya know what else they love? Taylor's lyrics, and that's where this exchange got interesting.

The reporter asked Trav to complete a line from a VERY well-known Taylor song, "Karma," and she lobbed up the lyric even a mild Taylor fan could recite.

And yet ... TK appeared to fumble on the play, as he chuckled and asked the reporter to jump to her next question.

The actual lyric in question is, "Karma is the guy on the screen // Coming straight home to me."

The reporter gave him, "Karma is the guy on the" ... and Travis confidently added, "Chiefs" -- a nod to the lyric change Taylor made while he was in the crowd for one of her Argentina shows last year.

It's unclear if he realizes that's not the OG lyric. BTW, he wasn't able to finish the rest of the lyric either.

Jason Kelce is ready to follow in his lil' bro Travis' footsteps ... telling TMZ Sports if "Saturday Night Live" wants to make him a host, he's giving an emphatic HELL YEAH!!

The elder Kelce bro is no stranger to Studio 8H -- he famously made a cameo appearance during Travis' debut back in March 2023, even lending his talents during a skit.

So when we caught up with the Philadelphia Eagles great out in Las Vegas during Super Bowl week, we asked if he'd ever want to get his own shot at headlining the sketch comedy show ... and the dude couldn't be more on board.

"Of course, I love 'SNL,'" 36-year-old Jason said. "It's one of the shows I grew up watching, an iconic show of great proportions and hilarity. Yeah, I would obviously do it."

"I was fortunate to watch Travis do it last year and really see what all goes into it. I came away beyond impressed with all the people involved in making that show work and all the talent that was there."

The billing would make a ton of sense -- the Kelces are household names (partially thanks to the Taylor Swift effect and shirtless antics on gameday) and are some of the most charismatic players in the NFL.

We reached out to our 'SNL' sources ... and they couldn't say enough good things about Jason, and would love to have him back in some capacity in the future.

In fact, we're told that could even mean giving him the hosting gig ... which is something he wouldn't take lightly.

"It would be beyond an honor to participate in something like that, for sure," Jason added.

Taylor Swift is having trouble lately finding her footing ... 'cause she just nearly took a spill onstage at her Tokyo concert.

Taylor hit the stage for performance #2 at the Tokyo Dome as part of the new leg of her international "Eras" tour through Asia, Australia and Europe. Video has now surfaced on Instagram showing the pop star suffering another snafu like she did the previous night.

Check out the footage ... Taylor was walking down a flight of stairs when she tripped and almost tumbled down to the floor. But, thankfully, Taylor caught herself and kept moving down the stairs. Nice recovery!

It doesn't look like Taylor was injured ... but we'll keep you posted.

Taylor was performing onstage Wednesday at the same venue as she plunked down on a chair, missing her mark on the seat cover and having to adjust her rump for the save. Of course, Taylor carried on as if nothing happened and finished the show.

Yet, her back-to-back mishaps might be attributed to all the drama surrounding Sunday's Super Bowl extravaganza in Las Vegas.

Taylor's boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, will be front and center playing alongside his team against the San Francisco 49ers.

Will Taylor rip herself away from her busy concert schedule to make a cameo at the big game to cheer on Travis?

Michael Irvin is stoked his Cowboys are planning to bring back Mike Zimmer to their coaching staff ... telling TMZ Sports he thinks the move could finally get his former squad over the hump.

Mike McCarthy reportedly made the decision to hire Zimmer as his new defensive coordinator on Thursday after Dan Quinn bolted for Washington earlier this month ... and when we got Irvin at the "A Night Out With Legends" bash in Las Vegas on Thursday night, he was clearly pumped for the addition.

The playmaker said he believes the Cowboys were a little too boom or bust under DQ -- but that should change with Zimmer running the show in 2024.

"Mike Zimmer will bring a more calm approach," Irvin said outside the Tommy Gucciardo party, which was presented by Ticketbash.com, "and he'll make every team walk the ball down the field."

Irvin said that should be a game-changer for the Cowboys -- as they already have one of the best units in the league on the other side of the ball.

"If you've got an explosive offense," Irvin said, "and the other team has to walk the ball down the field, it gives you a better chance at winning."

Irvin, of course, knows firsthand what Zimmer can bring to a team ... the coach was actually with Dallas during Irvin's playing days in the 90s.

However, Michael obviously doesn't think the hire will lengthen McCarthy's leash one bit in Big D ... telling us the head coach's seat isn't getting any colder no matter what happens this offseason.

"I ain't feeling sorry for Mike McCarthy or any other man with pressure," Irvin said.

Prince Harry flew back to the U.S. and made a surprise appearance at the 2024 NFL Honors -- after a short visit with his cancer-stricken father King Charles III in England.

The Duke of Sussex strolled out onstage at the Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas Thursday evening to present the Walter Payton Man of the Year award to Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward.

Heyward seemed totally awestruck by Harry as the NFL star accepted his statue and stepped up to the mic to make a speech.

Check out the vid ... Heyward addressed the audience while motioning with his arm to Harry, saying, "That's freakin' Harry. Oh my god, I'm in shock. That's Prince Harry."

Harry smiled, taking it all in stride while shaking hands with Heyward on the stage and posing for photos with him after the event.

As you know ... Harry hopped a Tuesday flight to London from L.A. to visit King Charles after his recent cancer diagnosis. When he arrived in the UK capital, Harry went straight to the royal residence, where he reportedly stayed with Charles for about 45 minutes before taking off.

While his exit appeared abrupt, it's no secret Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, have been estranged from Charles and the rest of the Royal Family for quite some time. And the world has had a front-row seat to all their drama.

El príncipe Harry voló de regreso a los Estados Unidos e hizo una aparición sorpresa en el NFL Honors 2024, después de hacer una breve visita a su padre, el rey Carlos III en Inglaterra luego de que este fuera diagnosticado de cáncer.

El duque de Sussex se paseó por el escenario del Teatro Resorts World en Las Vegas el jueves por la noche para presentar el premio Walter Payton al Hombre del Año, que fue otorgado al jugador defensivo de los Pittsburgh Steelers Cameron Heyward.

Heyward parecía totalmente impresionado por la presencia de Harry mientras aceptaba su estatua de la NFL y se acercaba al micrófono para hacer su discurso.

Mira el video: Heyward se dirigió al público mientras señalaba a Harry con el brazo, diciendo: "Ese es el maldito Harry. Dios mío, estoy en shock. Ese es el Príncipe Harry".

Harry sonrió y se tomó todo con mucha calma mientras estrechaba su mano con Heyward en el escenario y posaba para las fotos después del evento.

Como ustedes saben, Harry viajó a Londres desde Los Ángeles el martes para visitar al rey Carlos después de que fuera diagnosticado recientemente de cáncer. Cuando llegó a la capital del Reino Unido, Harry fue directamente a la residencia real, donde al parecer se quedó con Charles durante unos 45 minutos antes de despegar.

Aunque su salida pareció abrupta, no es ningún secreto que Harry y su esposa Meghan Markle llevan bastante tiempo distanciados de Carlos y del resto de la Familia Real. Y el mundo ha podido presenciar todo su drama desde la primera fila.

Antonio Gates will have to wait at least 12 more months for his gold jacket ... TMZ Sports has learned the NFL legend did NOT make this year's Hall of Fame cut.

Our sources tell us when officials made calls Thursday morning to inform finalists and their reps if they got the green light or not to Canton ... Gates received bad news.

It's, of course, shocking ... as most pundits believed the 43-year-old was definitely deserving of the first-ballot nod.

After all, the ex-tight end compiled 11,841 receiving yards on 955 catches ... while recording 116 total touchdowns. According to Pro Football Reference's Hall of Fame Monitor metric system, only three tight ends in the history of the league -- Tony Gonzalez, Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce -- were more deserving of a bust.

Gates himself certainly appeared to think he was in ... he told us back in November he believed he and Julius Peppers were going to get the call.

It's unclear who got in ahead of Gates this year ... but other finalists included Dwight Freeney, Devin Hester, Andre Johnson, Torry Holt, and Patrick Willis.

Kaskade will be in the DJ booth when Super Bowl LVIII kicks off on Sunday ... stepping in at the last minute to replace Tiësto, who backed out of the gig due to a sudden family emergency.

As we previously reported, the "Godfather of EDM" was originally set to spin tracks throughout the entire game ... but was forced to return home hours before the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers take the field.

TMZ Sports has learned ... Kaskade is taking the reins from Tiësto -- making him the league's first-ever in-game DJ in the history of the Super Bowl.

Kaskade spoke about the news on Thursday ... saying, "As a kid who grew up in Chicago watching the Super Bowl every year with my family this chance to actually be part of it is absolutely mind-blowing."

Moving forward with Kaskade is a no-brainer -- he's one of the biggest names in the industry ... and has had residencies at pretty much every big venue in Sin City, most recently at Zouk nightclub at Resorts World.

"Las Vegas has been my second home for the past decade, as an architect of creating a landscape that includes House and Dance Music residencies as part of its destination," Kaskade continued.

International star Tiësto just announced he will not be performing at Super Bowl LVIII after all ... saying he will miss the big game due to a "personal family emergency."

The "Godfather of EDM" shared the update with his fans on Thursday ... just days before he was slated to hit the 1s and 2s for the 49ers vs. Chiefs matchup at Allegiant Stadium.

"Me and my team have been preparing something truly special for months, but a personal family emergency is forcing me to return home Sunday morning," Tiësto said via the X app.

"It was a tough decision to miss the game, but family always comes first."

This would've been the first time the NFL had an in-game DJ for the Super Bowl ... and Tiësto -- who sold more than 36 million albums -- was honored to take on the role.

"Thank you to the @NFL for the collaboration," the 55-year-old DJ said ... adding he still plans to work with the league on something "incredible" at a later date.

La estrella internacional Tiësto acaba de anunciar que no actuará en el Super Bowl LVIII, debido a una "emergencia familiar personal".

El "Padrino de EDM" compartió la actualización con sus fans el jueves, apenas unos días antes de su aparición para el encuentro entre los 49ers y los Chiefs en el Allegiant Stadium.

"Yo y mi equipo hemos estado preparando algo realmente especial durante meses, pero una emergencia familiar personal me obliga a volver a casa el domingo por la mañana", dijo Tiësto a través de la aplicación X.

"Ha sido una decisión difícil perderme el partido, pero la familia siempre es lo primero".

Esta habría sido la primera vez que la NFL tenía a un DJ en el juego para el Super Bowl, y Tiësto, que vendió más de 36 millones de álbumes, tuvo el honor de asumir el papel.

"Gracias a la @NFL por la colaboración", dijo el DJ de 55 años, agregando que todavía planea trabajar con la liga en algo "increíble" para una fecha posterior.

The Raiders took time to thank the men and women keeping Vegas safe this Super Bowl week, swinging by LVMPD HQ to chill, and they even hooked up a volunteer worker with tix to the big game!

LB Divine Deablo and DT Matthew Butler pulled up to the Las Vegas Metro Police Department station, along with team president Sandra Douglass Morgan, a gang of cheerleaders, and even the Raiders mascot ... to take photos and speak to the staff. They also brought some grub!

TMZ Sports is told everyone had an awesome time ... but none better than a volunteer named Renee Sorensen, who has given up thousands of hours of her time without pay, simply to help her community.

The Raiders contingency wanted to say thank you, so they hooked Renee up with SB 58 tix, one of the hottest tix in the world.

Of course, tix to the Super Bowl are going for thousands of dollars each ... but Sorensen won't have to pay a dime.

It was a nice break for police officers ... who are now in the midst of one of the busiest times of the year, as hundreds of thousands of fans descend on Sin City for the game and all the festivities.

The first-ever Super Bowl in Las Vegas is going to pay tribute to the city in a way that truly screams Sin City -- or sings, rather ... 'cause it's gonna include the late, great Frank Sinatra.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... there will be several "My Way" tributes prominently featured throughout the Super Bowl LVIII broadcast, with Sinatra's famous rendition of the tune -- written by Paul Anka -- being the one to lead the opening segment.

What this is, we're told, is a cheers moment for Vegas itself -- and what better way to pay honor the storied desert town than with a song that kinda encapsulates it. And yes, Frank's version of "My Way" is the most well-known ... so they're kicking it off with that one.

Anyway, we're told the Super Bowl broadcast on CBS will show action shots of the players ... like Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes and Christian McCaffrey.

From there, our sources say CBS will transition to interviews with players' families ... talking about their dads, sons, husbands and brothers ... all underscored by a new mix of "My Way."

We know what the new "My Way" mix entails too ... our sources tell us there's going to be a live orchestra, with Sinatra singing on the big screens inside and outside The Sphere, the newest concert venue on The Strip.

BTW, Usher himself will also give a "My Way" shout-out during his Halftime performance ...  and we're told it'll be one for the books and incredibly powerful. So, yeah ... the 'MW' theme will be running throughout the course of the game, it seems -- start to finish.

Bottom line ... it's a tip of the hat to Fabulous Las Vegas, and CBS/the NFL are leaning all the way into it.

The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers are all set to hit the gridiron for the Super Bowl this weekend -- and even their after-parties are now set in stone ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us each team has picked out their postgame locations for their potential celebrations on Sunday -- of course, only one of 'em will actually be partying afterward ... but we know both squads have lined up a plan in the case of a W Sunday.

Let's start with the 49ers. We're told the Bay Area boys are scheduled to pull up up to OMNIA Nightclub -- one of the hottest nightclubs in Sin City -- located inside Caesars Palace, smack in the center of the Las Vegas Strip.

Kansas City, we're told, has another huge venue locked down, Zouk Nightclub ... located inside Resorts World, a relatively new hotel to the Sin City scene.

Our sources say Kansas City's even got their music ready to go -- 'cause we're told The Chainsmokers will play tunes for the Chiefs post-Super Bowl ... and maybe K.C. can talk Taylor Swift into accompanying the group if she attends the championship game.

Patrick Mahomes has a longstanding relationship with The Chainsmokers, which consists of Alex Pall and Drew Taggart, even partying with them after their Super Bowl victory last year -- so, it probably didn't take much convincing to book the Grammy-winning duo.

These star-studded bashes are sure to excite any football fanatic ... but hold your horses, super fans, because it won't be easy to crash either of these wild times -- 'cause sources tell us the police presence is gonna be heavy.

Las Vegas Metro Police and agents from the FBI will be positioned at the exclusive events -- limited to the players, their families and front office execs ... so, taking a shot with Travis Kelce or Christian McCaffrey isn't on the menu for the die-hards.

Now, the obvious note here ... while both teams have their party locations secured, it remains to be seen whether they'll both rage after the Super Bowl. It makes sense for the actual winners to show up and have a blowout, but usually the losers go straight home.

Patrick Mahomes has graced the cover of Sports Illustrated countless times, but it's his wife who's getting the shine now -- Brittany was just named a rookie for the publication's swimsuit issue.

S.I. and Brittany shared the big news on Thursday ... showing the Kansas City Chiefs partner sporting several red one-pieces and bikinis during a photoshoot in Belize.

S.I. Swim editor M.J. Day addressed the decision to feature the famous WAG this year ... saying, "Owner of the Kansas City Current NWSL team, former pro athlete, wife and mother, Brittany emerges as the epitome of a modern-day powerhouse."

"Founder of the world’s first ever dedicated stadium for women’s sports, Brittany’s journey has surpassed all expectations, inspiring others with her tenacity and unyielding determination. We are proud to welcome her to the SI Swimsuit family where she will undoubtedly continue to empower women worldwide."

Brittany -- who married Patrick in 2022 -- also spoke out on the honor ... calling it a dream come true and hoping her spread inspires women all over.

"I want people to know that they can accomplish anything, even things you never thought would be possible in your wildest dreams," the mother of two said.

It's huge for the family ... and comes just days before Patrick's huge Super Bowl matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.

Andrew Whitworth's playing days are officially in his rearview mirror ... the former NFL star tells TMZ Sports there's absolutely "no chance" he comes back to the gridiron.

Of course, ever since the 42-year-old said he was done playing following his Super Bowl LVI win in 2022 ... there's been rumors he could return.

After all, at the time that he hung up his spikes, he was still widely considered one of the best left tackles in the game ... and in the two years since he's stopped playing, a championship contender has been in need of his talents.

But, Whitworth made it clear to us this week ... he'll never strap on a helmet and shoulder pads for an NFL team again.

"I get in the weight room every now and then and I kind of convince myself maybe I could do it," he said. "But I tell you what, there's no chance."

Whitworth -- who's become a star analyst for Prime Video's "Thursday Night Football" in retirement -- explained he's simply enjoying watching ball from the sidelines too much to get back into it.

"I feel too good walking around, hanging out, eating food, having drinks and watching people play football," the 16-year NFL vet said. "It's a much more fun way to do it. So, I'm going to stick with that. That's for sure."

As for this weekend's big game ... Whitworth, unsurprisingly, told us he thinks it could come down to the trenches. For the Chiefs, he said it's paramount they stop Nick Bosa and Javon Hargrave. For the Niners, he said they need to build a strategy around slowing down Chris Jones.

Whitworth also said it'll be key for Brock Purdy to control his jitters -- though he's confident the SF quarterback will get it done.

Elon Musk and Mark Cuban are far from friends, but they are united on one front, that's NOT betting on Super Bowl Sunday ... because, as you might've figured, they're not big on burning money.

TMZ reached out to both mega billionaires days leading up to the big game, and we got shockingly similar responses from each guy -- no, they won't bet on the Super Bowl ... and, in fact, they say they don't bet on sports at all.

Elon tells TMZ there are "plenty of other risky things going on" ... so it sounds like he might be taking other risks with his cash -- he did gamble $44 billion on X (née Twitter) after all.

As for Mark ... he told us he's not allowed to bet on NBA games because of his ownership stake in the Dallas Mavericks. While he doesn't know if that betting extends to the NFL, he'd rather skip any "potential hassle" altogether. Smart move.

Cubes noted that betting money, IF you can afford to lose it, can be fun and the uber-competitive billionaire does love to win ... it's just not something he'll be doing on Sunday.

MC also tells us he's not attending the Super Bowl, but he'll be watching and rooting for the Chiefs ... unsurprising, given how complimentary he was of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's relationship when news of it first broke.

BTW ... Elon and Mark being aligned on anything is pretty wild news in and of itself -- they've been in a very public feud, with Elon calling Mark a "racist" last month for supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion hiring practices and challenging him to a MMA fight.

Cuban defended his stance on DEI, and called X Elon's "little echo chamber" ... a savage blow, considering Musk touts the platform as a paragon of free speech.

Bottom line, Musk and Cuban are saving their money this Super Bowl Sunday -- bad news for bookies, no doubt.