Football

"Hi, I'm Cole Beasley and I'm not vaccinated! I will be outside doing what I do. I'll be out in the public. If you're scared of me then steer clear or get vaccinated. Point. Blank. Period."

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley just went on a passionate rant on his decision to NOT get vaccinated -- not now, not EVER -- saying, "I may die of COVID, but I'd rather die actually living."

The 32-year-old has been going OFF on Twitter over the past 2 days ... calling out the NFL Players Association over new protocols for unvaccinated players during preseason.

Long story short -- vaccinated players will pretty much be able to go back to normal, while unvaccinated will still be required to wear masks and stay at the team hotel ... among other restrictions at team facilities.

While folks have raised the question -- why not just get vaccinated? -- Beasley makes it clear that's not an option ... and will sacrifice whatever it takes to stick to his beliefs.

"I don't play for the money anymore," he added. "My family has been taken care of. Fine me if you want. My way of living and my values are more important to me than a dollar."

"I'm not going to take meds for a leg that isn't broken. I'd rather take my chances with COVID and build my immunity that way."

"Eat better. Drink water. Exercise and do what I think is necessary to be a healthy individual. That is MY CHOICE based on MY experiences and what I think is best."

Beasley says if he's forced to walk away from football over his stance, he'll welcome it with open arms and make up for all the time he's missed with his family over the years.

But, Beasley says he's not alone -- he claims a lot of other guys in the league feel the same way ... he's just not afraid to say it.

Calvin Johnson says he's THRILLED to see his ex-teammate Matthew Stafford get traded from the Lions to the Rams ... but the WR admits it "sucked" Detroit didn't let him move on to another squad before he retired.

35-year-old Johnson has distanced himself from the Lions following his abrupt retirement in 2016 ... a relationship that still hasn't been mended, despite his Hall of Fame announcement in 2021.

Megatron spoke about how things got so sour in an interview with Woodward Sports this week ... saying he begged the team to let him start fresh with a different franchise before retiring -- and they refused.

"We asked would they release me or let me go to another team ... they wouldn't," Johnson said ... adding he was willing to play literally "anywhere."

So, when the Lions granted Stafford's trade request after 12 seasons, Johnson hints he's a bit jealous he didn't get the same treatment.

"You know what, it sucked that they didn’t let me go, but they let Matthew go, but hey, you know, it is what it is," Johnson said.

"I’m not mad at Matthew. I love Matthew."

In fact, Johnson says he talked to Stafford this week ... and claims the QB is loving his new home on the west coast.

As for his relationship with the Lions, Johnson is open to making peace with the organization ... if they ever want to extend that olive branch.

"I’m not back in the family with the Lions or anything like that," Johnson added. "It would be nice to if they try to resolve things, but that’s neither here nor there."

Johnson is one of the best to ever suit up for the Lions -- he was a 3-time All-Pro and a 6-time Pro Bowler. He also set the record for most receiving yards in a season (1,964), had 8-straight 100-yard games, caught 83 career touchdowns and posted 11,619 total yards.

No matter what his relationship is with the team, Johnson says he'll always be there for the players.

Turns out, there IS an expiration date on Tom Brady's football career after all ... the QB says he ain't committing to playing 'til he's 50, explaining, "That's a long time."

The NFL's G.O.A.T. revealed to USA Today Sports this month his goal is still just to play until he's 45 in two years ... and then perhaps end the run at that point.

"50? That’s a long time," Brady said. "Even for me, that’s a long time."

"I’ve always said 45 was the age that I wanted to reach and that was my goal. This year I’ll be 44, so next year I’ll be 45. I got a two-year contract."

Don't get it twisted, though ... Brady didn't exactly slam the door on the idea of another 6 years under center either.

"I’m going to be able to obviously play this year and God forbid anything happens but play next year and then see what happens after that," Brady said.

"If I still want to keep playing, I might be able to do that. And, if that’s enough, then that would be enough.”

If Brady does want to make the extended run ... his Buccaneers team certainly ain't stopping him, 'cause Tampa Bay GM Jason Licht said back in May he'd allow the QB to go that long if he wanted.

But, Tom's coming off knee surgery ... and certainly seems to be at peace with the idea his playing days could be done in two years.

NY Jets running back La'Mical Perine SUUUUCKS at shotgunning beers.

Like, he's spectacularly bad ... and he put his non-skills on display Thursday while pre-gaming for the NY Islanders playoff game!

The 23-year-old -- who played college ball at the Univ. of Florida (isn't that supposed to be a party school!?) -- was turning up on a party bus on the way to the game when someone called for a shotgun chugging contest.

First, Perine tries chugging from the hole in the side of the can BEFORE he opens the top -- which is obviously a huge problem.

Then, when he realizes his mistake ... he can't keep the beer in his mouth and spills ALL OVER HIS JORDANS!!!

What a disaster!!!

By the end, a defeated Perine admits, "I almost threw up" ... while the brew continues to drip down his beard.

As for the hockey game, it didn't go much better for the Islanders ... they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 2-1 defeat.

Did you know NFL star Henry Ruggs is a ridiculously good football player AND bowler?!

It's true ... 'cause the Raiders wide receiver nearly rolled a PERFECT GAME this week -- missing the 300 figure by just one pin on his last frame!!!

The incredible feat all went down Wednesday in Las Vegas ... when Ruggs was bowling with some friends at a local alley in Sin City.

Ruggs had hit 10 straight strikes ... and needed just two more good rolls to give him the unblemished evening.

You can see in footage of Ruggs' final balls, though ... after hitting the first strike no problem -- he left just one pin standing on his final throw!!!

Henry was both elated and defeated ... 'cause, ya know, a 299 is an insane score -- but missing the 300 mark CLEARLY hurt.

In fact, after the game, Ruggs took to social media to say, "I am sick" about not knocking down the final pin.

Don't worry, Henry's only 22 years old, so he's got plenty of visits to the alley left in him.

Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes are out to prove the Madden Curse is officially dead ... with the Super Bowl LV foes set to appear on the video game's cover yet again!!

Remember, EA Sports' biggest franchise was notorious for the bad luck each cover athlete would have after receiving the honor -- from Mike Vick to Marshall Faulk to Vince Young, Peyton Hillis and more.

Both TB12 and Mahomes were able to dodge any serious mishaps when they both appeared on the cover in the past ... as Brady was on Madden NFL 18 and the Chiefs QB was on Madden NFL 20.

Now, the superstar athletes are set to stare the curse right in the eyes yet again ... and if they have baller years, it may be time to put the "Madden Curse" to rest for good.

The game had been teasing "2 goats" would appear on the cover ... and anyone who's been watching football the past few years had to see this one coming.

Vontaze Burfict bawled his eyes out outside of a Las Vegas casino after he was restrained by SEVEN people ... and the whole thing was captured on police video obtained by TMZ Sports.

The former Cincinnati Bengals and Oakland Raiders star was arrested at the Cosmopolitan back on Dec. 4, 2020 after he allegedly got into a physical altercation with security guards.

The story was wild ... cops say Burfict and a friend snapped on guards because they were allegedly "irate" while on the hunt for the "Secret Pizza" restaurant inside the famed Vegas hotel.

In the police video, you can see what happened next ... Burfict was pinned down to the ground by more than half a dozen people and eventually placed in handcuffs.

But, Burfict sounded so upset over the tightness of the cuffs ... he moaned in apparent pain and yelled, "I can't breathe!"

Eventually, the 30-year-old football player was taken outside to a squad car ... and the police footage shows he was still VERY emotional there, too.

Burfict could be seen sobbing, all while begging cops to loosen his cuffs.

Eventually, Burfict was taken to a nearby station where he posed for a mug shot ... and he was ultimately charged with one count of misdemeanor battery.

Burfict, though, cut a deal with prosecutors last week to close out the case ... court records show he agreed to keep his nose clean in exchange for the charge being dropped.

Court records also show a judge formally dismissed the case Wednesday morning.

Awesome update from ex-NFL star Greg Olsen -- his son, TJ, just "rang the bell" to symbolize the end of treatment after receiving a heart transplant!!!

Olsen shared footage of the special moment at the hospital in Charlotte on Wednesday, saying, "Today we 'rang the bell,' and for the first time our family whole again."

"To everyone who prayed for our little buddy and sent us words of encouragement and support ... All we can say is THANK YOU and WE 💚 YOU ALL"

As we previously reported, TJ was born with a congenital heart disease that required 3 open-heart surgeries before his 3rd birthday.

Olsen revealed late last month TJ's heart was failing ... and doctors said he would need a transplant immediately.

TJ was quickly able to find a match and underwent surgery earlier this month ... and despite all the struggles, Greg says his son remained optimistic throughout the journey.

"TJ’s positive attitude and selflessness throughout has been an inspiration to us all," he added. "Never did he feel sorry for him self or play the victim. All he did was talk about what the future held and the things he looked forward to doing."

Brett Favre isn't freaking out about the GB Packers QB situation just yet -- telling everyone why they should hold off on pressing the "panic button" ... at least for now!

Favre's speaking his mind on everything from Aaron Rodgers missing mandatory mini-camp to how the coaching staff should prepare the offense with Jordan Love at the helm.

"It's not the first time someone's missed a mini-camp or an OTA," Brett said on "Bolling with Favre" on PodcastOne.

Favre says he has no idea how the Rodgers situation will play out -- but implores the Packers to start preparing as if Love will be the guy.

What that means is the coaches need to figure out a Plan B offense custom fit for Jordan Love -- and they need to figure it out fast.

"Now, you're really kinda studying what Jordan does best, what he does similar to Aaron, how that relates to how I call the game in the future," Favre said.

"Do I do certain formations and plays that Aaron ran well because Jordan seems to run these well, or is he a totally different quarterback?"

"That's a question that they gotta answer and answer very quickly."

Tom Brady just hit Aaron Rodgers below the belt -- jabbing at the Packers star over his sad loss in their NFC Championship Game -- and the hilarious dig was all captured on video!

TB12 made the joke while promoting his upcoming golf match against Rodgers ... ribbing Aaron for not being allowed to go for it on that famous 4th down play back in January.

The set-up was great ... Rodgers' partner for the golf match, Bryson DeChambeau, was talking about their strategy for the big event, when Brady interrupted to poke fun at AR.

"I do think you have a partner that would probably have liked to GO FOR IT a little more often than he has in the past," Brady told DeChambeau with a wry smile on his face.

"So, Bryson, I'm glad you're encouraging him to kind of GO FOR IT when it's on the line rather than, you know, just not getting to the fairway or something like that and try to play for the next shot."

You'll recall, during Brady's battle with Rodgers in the big game ... Aaron was down at the Buccaneers' 8-yard line, trailing by 8 with just minutes remaining, but rather than going for it, Green Bay opted to kick the field goal.

Of course, Rodgers never got the ball back, and Brady went on to win the game and then his SEVENTH Super Bowl ring.

But, Rodgers took the trolling in stride Tuesday ... laughing off Brady's barb and saying, "I usually don't get the option [to go for it] in my experience."

Dig at Packers' coach Matt LaFleur??? Sure seems like it!

Tom laughed and responded, "I know the pain!"

All the guys let out a big laugh ... and good times were had by all.

Tom Burke -- one of the best Univ. of Wisconsin football players ever -- has been charged with a felony after he was accused of sexually assaulting a 7-year-old girl.

According to court documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, the girl came forward to authorities in February 2021 alleging the 44-year-old was inappropriate with her on as many as 5 different occasions at her home in Minnesota.

For his part, the docs show Burke told investigators he flat-out denied the allegations ... saying he believed he was being "railroaded."

Burke, however, did confirm he was a caretaker for the girl ... according to the docs.

Officials ultimately hit Burke with a felony charge of criminal sexual conduct in wake of the girl's allegations, and issued a warrant for the former football player's arrest earlier this month.

Burke was eventually taken into custody and posed for a mug shot. He had a court hearing Monday in the case, and is due back for another hearing in early July.

If convicted, Burke is facing up to 30 years behind bars, court documents show.

Burke was a megastar for the Badgers from 1995 through 1998 -- famously logging a staggering 22 sacks in his senior season.

He was picked by the Arizona Cardinals in the 3rd round of the 1999 NFL Draft, though he only went on to play in 36 games before bouncing out of the league following the 2002 season.

Lights, camera, PAYTON!

That's New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton getting all Hollywood in Louisiana ... where he's shooting a new movie based on the fallout from the NFL's "Bountygate" scandal.

Kevin James is playing Sean Payton in the flick, called "Home Team" -- and even though they don't look exactly alike, you get the point.

Payton has a cameo in the film -- looks like he's playing a mechanic or something?!

As for the movie itself ... here's the backstory.

Payton received a 1-year suspension from the NFL in 2012 for Bountygate  -- when Saints players were getting cash payouts from 2009 to 2011 for targeting and injuring opponents during games.

During his suspension, Payton coached his son's youth football team -- and reportedly used the time away from the league to "reassess his life and put it in some perspective."

The movie will focus on Payton's time away from his job -- and how he grew as a person because of the experience.

The movie is being produced by Adam Sandler's Happy Madison Productions -- so it seems the flick will be a lighthearted, family-friendly depiction of the situation ... despite the heavy and despicable nature of the suspension in the first place.

The cast includes stars like Taylor Lautner and Rob Schneider -- as well as Isaiah Mustafa ... aka the Old Spice guy!!

Michael Brockers says revenge WILL be had over his former team this October ... the new Lions star tells TMZ Sports he's already giving Detroit a win over the Rams in their 2021 matchup!!

"Definitely," Brockers said when we asked the pass rusher out at LAX if he's already got a W circled on the calendar. "Come on, now!"

Michael took it a step further ... and said he's gunning for at least one sack on Matt Stafford when he heads back to L.A. on Oct. 24 for the big tilt!

"I got to get at least one," Brockers told us. "I'm trying to sack every quarterback, but I got to get that one."

Brockers was traded to Detroit from L.A. in March ... a shocking move considering just days prior, he had gassed up the Rams and Stafford HARD.

At the time, the 30-year-old told us Stafford was a better QB than Jared Goff ... and insisted the Rams were a legit Super Bowl contender.

Brockers, though, tells us it hasn't been weird at all being sent to Detroit with Goff despite the comments ... he reiterated to us there is absolutely no beef between them whatsoever.

Le'Veon Bell is apologizing -- sorta -- for unloading on Andy Reid ... saying he's sorry for his heated comment, but adding he still flat-out doesn't like the guy.

The ex-KC Chiefs running back took a massive shot at his former coach on social media Saturday ... saying he'd straight-up rather RETIRE than play for the 63-year-old again.

Bell didn't explain his beef with the ball coach -- but after he was trashed on social media for the opinion ... he ultimately said Sunday he was sorry for airing the dirty laundry.

"I’ll admit that’s somethin I could’ve and should’ve kept to myself & I apologize about that and that only..." Bell said on Twitter. "but I don’t regret what I said, because that’s how I feel..."

He added, "so you can love me or hate me, I’m gonna be fine regardless ... I’m just giving you a small version from my point of view on why I said what I said ..."

29-year-old Bell joined the Chiefs in October after he was cut by the NY Jets ... but he was largely underwhelming in Reid's system, starting just 2 games and rushing for only 254 yards.

Le'Veon insinuated his problems with Reid stemmed from a conversation with the head coach, though he didn't elaborate.

"For those who have a PERSONAL PROBLEM with me because of what I SAID, that’s fine...you have your right!" Bell said. "just understand I ALSO have MY RIGHT for how I feel about MY PERSONAL problem with dude because of what HE SAID to me."

Bell added that he had ZERO issues with Kansas City and his teammates, explaining his beef was solely with Andy.

"I loved my time there," Bell said.

Rap star 2 Chainz says he's sad as hell to see the Atlanta Falcons trade his good friend Julio Jones ... but tells TMZ Sports he's still gonna support his guy by coppin' his new Titans jersey!!

Of course, the "Grey Area" MC is a diehard Dirty Birds fan ... and has been tight with JJ over the years.

Now that the Falcons are entering their first season since 2011 without Julio ... we had to ask how 2 Chainz is holding up.

"I'm bummed out about it, man," Julio told us outside Amiri on Rodeo Drive. "I'm a Falcons fan, but "I'm a Julio fan. He's a great friend of mine."

"I'm a huge Julio fan," he added. "Somebody today called me about the suites up there at the Falcons. I don't know how I feel yet."

2 Chainz explains Falcons fans had a strong relationship with Julio ... which is why it stings to see him go.

But, good news for Julio -- 2 Chainz says he's gonna be sure to get Jones' new #2 jersey with the Titans ... after all, the number couldn't be more perfect.

Police say they've identified the two guys who stole -- and then crashed -- Thomas Davis Sr.'s McLaren 720S supercar ... and they're just kids.

The Union County Sheriff's Office says investigators working the case believe the suspects are only 17 and 15 -- and officials are currently scrambling to take them into custody.

Despite their age, officials say both suspects "face juvenile petitions charging them with Burglary, two counts of Larceny of a Firearm, 5 counts of Breaking and Entering of a Motor Vehicle and 1 count of Motor Vehicle Theft."

As we previously reported, cops believe the guys broke into the ex-NFL star's North Carolina home early Tuesday morning, rummaged through his belongings and eventually stole the McLaren as well as two firearms.

During the getaway, cops say the men crashed the McLaren into their getaway car, rendering the McLaren inoperable.

Cops say they will not release the names of the suspects because they're juveniles ... but once in custody, the guys will "be held in a juvenile facility pending an appearance before a District Court judge."

For his part, Davis Sr. -- who retired from the NFL after the 2020 season -- said Wednesday his family is "all good" despite the disturbing situation.