LA Chargers

And here ... we ... go!!!!

Tom Brady might really be on his way outta Foxborough ... 'cause his agents have been busy meeting with potential suitors while in Indy for the NFL Combine, this according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Talks of TB12 leaving the Patriots intensified on Thursday ... with ESPN's Jeff Darlington going as far as to say he'd be very surprised if the 6-time champ returned to New England.

Now, the NFL Network is naming names ... with Rapoport saying the Colts, Raiders and Chargers have met with Brady's longtime agents, Don Yee and Carter Chow, about their superstar client.

In fact, TMZ Sports spoke with Brady's old teammate, Willie McGinest, who also believed the 42-year-old QB could either retire or end up elsewhere ... so don't be shocked if it actually happens.

As for Brady ... he's probably gonna troll the hell outta everybody until he makes his decision -- whether it be Hulu ads or triggering comments on Keenan Allen's IG posts.

Take a deep breath, Pats fans ... and remember the man brought you 6 rings.

Also, if you think Pats owner Robert Kraft is simply going to let Tom walk out the door without making a solid effort to re-sign him, you clearly didn't watch our shaky, hard-to-hear 12-second BOMBSHELL clip from a few weeks ago.

Originally Published -- 1:12 PM PT

Cam Newton believes Tom Brady will be an L.A. Charger next year ... this according to Shawne Merriman, who says the Panthers QB predicted it to him at the Super Bowl this month!

"He thinks that Tom is going to come to the Chargers," Merriman tells TMZ Sports.

Of course, it really could happen ... L.A. just gave Philip Rivers the boot, and TB12 is a free agent.

Merriman, though, says he doesn't see it going down that way -- the Chargers legend jokingly says he HATES Tom -- and tells us the right fit to replace Philip is actually Cam himself!!!

"Tom's a great quarterback, he's just not a great quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers," Merriman says ... "I think if you're going to move from a different direction from Phillip, you go in and get somebody that could do a little bit more -- a little more athletic."

Merriman added, "I just brought up one name, I think Cam Newton is a -- could be a really good choice. Even for the short term. And, you can still go draft."

But, the ex-Bolts superstar doesn't see either Brady or Cam ultimately coming to the Chargers ... telling us he doesn't see the Panthers letting Newton go.

The L.A. Chargers are moving on without Philip Rivers ... the team just announced it's parting ways with the QB, saying it was time to "turn the page."

"As we talked through various scenarios," Bolts GM Tom Telesco said Monday, "It became apparent that it would be best for Philip and the Chargers to turn the page on what has truly been a remarkable run."

38-year-old Rivers -- who's been a Charger since 2004 -- is coming off arguably his worst season as a starter ... throwing 20 INTS to just 23 TDs.

And, with L.A. having a top 6 pick in this spring's NFL draft ... Telesco and the Bolts made it clear they won't be looking to re-sign the guy this offseason.

"We agreed that making this decision well before free agency would allow everyone to put themselves in the best position for success in 2020," Telesco said.

For his part, Rivers was classy about the exit -- saying in a statement, "We had a lot of great moments ... I wish my teammates and coaches nothing but the best moving forward."

As for Rivers' future ... it seems retirement could be an option, although Telesco said he believes Philip could still be a starter somewhere in the league.

Could Tom Brady REALLY have played his last down in New England??

TMZ Sports went straight to one of TB12's best Patriots buddies, Willie McGinest, to get the answer ... and he told us it wouldn't shock him!!

"There's a lot of us that played for the Patriots that became free agents or were traded or left the organization," Willie said. "At some point, you either retire or move on."

Translation: TIME TO PANIC, NEW ENGLAND!!

Of course, Willie left the door open for the possibility that Tom could return as well ... saying everything will hinge on a season-ending meeting between the G.O.A.T. and the Pats' brass.

If it is the end of the New England road for Brady ... McGinest says he could see the guy fitting in with the Chargers next season, telling us, "It's a good football team."

"The business side of it too [for the Chargers], you gotta sell jerseys, you gotta fill up seats, you got a new stadium you're moving into -- I wouldn't count anything out."

Antonio Gates says he's ALL about the possibility of Tom Brady coming to the Chargers -- telling TMZ Sports, "If he does, I'll be one of his biggest supporters."

"I heard that he might come out here and bless us with his presence," Gates told us on the way out of Bootsy Bellows nightclub in West Hollywood.

"... and if he does that, that would be a great sight to see in L.A."

Interesting comments from Gates who spent his entire career with the Bolts catching passes from Philip Rivers, who's about to become a free agent when the 2019 NFL season officially ends.

Don't get it twisted, Gates didn't say anything negative about Rivers -- but it's clear that Antonio wants his former team to jump on the chance to sign Brady if the opportunity presents itself.

"If [Brady] comes here, I'm gonna be a big fan."

Of course, Gates made headlines of his own this week when he announced his retirement from pro football after 16 seasons in the NFL.

Gates was an 8-time Pro-Bowl tight end, 5-time All Pro and owns the record for most career TDs for a tight end with 116.

What's more impressive ... Gates was an undrafted free agent out of Kent State, where he was a college basketball player. He didn't play a single snap of college football.

Chargers owner Dean Spanos is LIVID over a report that says his team is exploring a full-time move to London ... telling media the article is "f**king bulls**t!"

"It's total f**king bulls**t, OK?" Spanos said Tuesday. "We're not going to London. We're not going anywhere. We're playing in Los Angeles. This is our home. This is where I'm planning to be for a long f**king time. Period."

The Athletic posted a story on Monday saying NFL sources told the outlet the league is considering the possibility of relocating the Chargers from L.A. to London full time.

But, Spanos called immediate BS on that in a no-cameras-allowed meeting with media Tuesday ... saying, "We plan to be in L.A. for a long f**king time. That was bulls**t, that story."

Of course, the Chargers famously moved from San Diego to L.A. back in 2017 ... but they haven't exactly been welcomed with a warm embrace by the city.

Their games are regularly packed with opposing fans ... and at one point earlier this season, Chargers players were mad at the way team officials handled playing an opponents' rallying song on the jumbotron mid-game.

Because of that ... The Athletic's report seemed to have some teeth -- but Spanos could not have shot it down harder in a heated rant.

In fact, the Chargers' Twitter account even backed its owner with a hilarious post ... throwing up the famous clip of Leonardo DiCaprio in "The Wolf Of Wall Street" telling his employees "I'm not f**kin' leaving!"

Flashing your boobs to the whole country at the World Series definitely has its perks... 'cause models Lauren Summer and Kayla Lauren got the VIP hookup at the L.A. Chargers game!!!

Of course, just last week the ladies made global headlines for exposing their chests while Gerrit Cole was on the mound during Game 5 of the Fall Classic.

MLB booted them from the ballpark and banned them from all MLB events FOR LIFE --  but apparently, they're still welcome at NFL games!!!

So, Lauren and Kayla threw on some Keenan Allen jerseys and hit up the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA on Sunday where they got special field access during warmups before the Bolts took on the Packers.

Don't worry, they kept it PG this time.

No sign of Julia Rose at the game, so the trifecta wasn't totally complete ... but 2 outta 3 ain't bad!

For the record, it's unclear if the women were invited by the Chargers -- or if they got hooked up from someone else. We reached out to the team for comment but haven't heard back.

Seems the women were good luck charms for the Chargers -- considering L.A. easily handled the Pack in a 26-11 victory with Aaron Rodgers having one of his worst games of the season.

Maybe he was just distracted.

Nick and Joey Bosa are setting the NFL on fire -- they each have 7 sacks and are widely regarded as two of the best defensive players in the league.

So, how does their ex-NFL player dad feel about the family domination?

JOHN BOSA LOVES IT!!!

We spoke with the former NFL 1st round draft pick about his sons killing it for the 49ers and the L.A. Chargers ... and it's obvious John couldn't be more proud of his boys.

"Sometimes it's actually hard to believe how blessed I am to have 2 sons who are doing what they love," John tells TMZ Sports ... "It's amazing."

John -- who interestingly enough has 7 career NFL sacks -- says he always knew his boys had special athletic talent, but he could never have predicted this level of success.

But, it ain't just God-given ability. John says what sets his boys apart is their work ethic.

"They're absolutely relentless on trying to hone their skills and being the best they can be," John says.

"This is Joey's 4th year in the league and he's a miserable S.O.B. after practice if he didn't feel he had a great practice."

John hits all sorts of topics in our conversation. Here are some of the highlights ...

-- John explains why the family doesn't consider themselves "football fans"

-- John talks about why he hates "Thursday Night Football"

-- Why Nick owes a lot of his NFL success to his big bro Joey

-- Why John tries to stay out of his sons' business affairs

-- The 49ers are the PERFECT for Nick, starting with the coaching staff.

LA Chargers star Austin Ekeler isn't just jacked ... he's 1-armed-pull-ups-while-reading-a-book jacked ... and the dude put it on full display in a crazy video on Instagram!!!

Fresh off scoring the game-winning TD against the Chicago Bears on Sunday ... the 24-year-old celebrated a "peaceful victory Monday," complete with a workout and some literature.

FYI -- Austin and his GF, Taylor are OBSESSED with fitness ... and the couple likes to incorporate their relationship into some unique workouts.

Hey, the dude has been putting up numbers this season ... racking up 8 touchdowns, more than 250 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards.

Antonio Gates says he's waiting by the phone for NFL teams to call him ... telling TMZ Sports he's "ready to play" ... and he's definitely NOT retired.

Of course, Gates is a Chargers legend -- racking up 8 Pro Bowls, 3 All-Pro selections during his 16-year career in San Diego/L.A.

The future Hall of Famer has been teamless since leaving the Bolts in 2018 ... and he tells us he's been staying in tip-top shape in case anyone needs a tight end.

"I'm ready to play if I need to play. If somebody gave me a call, I'm ready. I'm in shape."

Here's Keenan Allen losing his mind over seeing Melvin Gordon return to the Chargers' locker room ... screaming his face off while filming the star running back!!!

Gordon's been holding out from the Chargers for the last 2 months ... wanting a new deal that pays him significantly more than the $5.6 million he was set to make this year.

But, Melvin decided to end his holdout Thursday despite not having a new deal ... and clearly his teammates are fired up to see his comeback.

Allen filmed Gordon walking into the locker room ... and the receiver couldn't have been happier -- even joking about the RB bringing in his own pads!!

Gordon seemed happy as hell to be back too ... the guy had a HUGE smile on his face.

Melvin reportedly won't play this weekend ... but all signs are pointing toward him getting back on the field next week when the Chargers play the Broncos.

We can think of at least one Bolts legend who's loving that news ...

Melvin Gordon is BACK ... well, almost.

The L.A. Chargers superstar running back will end his holdout and return to the team on Thursday ... but will NOT play this weekend against the Dolphins.

Gordon has been holding out since July while he demanded the team either give him a new contract or to trade him to another team.

The holdout is officially coming to end 3 weeks into the season ... with Ian Rapoport reporting Gordon is rejoining his team.

We spoke with Chargers legend Antonio Gates on Tuesday about Gordon's status with the team ... and he said his old teammate deserves to be paid like Ezekiel Elliott, who just agreed to a $90 million extension with the Cowboys.

No word on whether that'll happen -- Gordon's in the final year of his rookie deal, making $5,605,000.

Antonio Gates is going to bat for his ex-teammate ... telling TMZ Sports the Chargers need to pay Melvin Gordon ASAP -- and they need to give him Ezekiel Elliott money when they do!!!

MG has been sitting out this season in hopes of getting a fat new deal ... and the Bolts have struggled without him -- going just 1-2 in their first 3 games.

Gates says the solution is just to pay Gordon, telling us when we got him out at Avra in Bev Hills this week, "Melvin Gordon is the answer. They need to get Melvin Gordon back."

As for how much Dean Spanos should pay the star RB ... Gates says the deal belongs in the same stratosphere as the 6-year, $90 MILLION contract that Zeke just got from the Cowboys.

"He means a lot to the Chargers and to our organization," Gates says. "You can sense that as the season gets going, the absence of him is starting to have more effect."

Gates -- the Chargers' all-time receptions leader -- says it's obvious to him the team is really missing Gordon when it gets down in the red zone, saying, "He's big time."

But, don't worry Chargers fans ... Gates says he believes the deal will all get worked out soon, telling us, "I think he's going to get paid."

Melvin Gordon fantasy owners ... DON'T CUT HIM YET -- the running back says he's playing "somewhere" this season!!!

The Chargers superstar has been sitting out for the last couple months wanting a new contract in L.A. ... but as his backup, Austin Ekeler, tears it up on the field -- it doesn't seem the big bucks are coming MG's way anytime soon.

So, when the tailback went on Instagram Live on Tuesday from some park in San Diego ... he guaranteed you'd see him on the field this year -- just maybe not in Chargers colors.

"Going to play somewhere," Gordon said ... "It would be a waste of talent [if I didn't]."

Melvin's vid has since been deleted ... but we got the message loud and clear -- start trading for the guy in your fantasy leagues ASAP!!!

By the way, Melvin also spoke about the Chargers' lack of fans in the vid -- and you can tell he didn't love the support his team got in Los Angeles.

Melvin Gordon should stand strong in his holdout from the Chargers ... so says Rashad Jennings, who tells TMZ Sports the RB should do it until he gets a new, fully guaranteed deal!!!

MG has been playing hardball with Los Angeles for the past few weeks wanting a fresh contract ... and the negotiations appear to have gotten pretty ugly.

In fact, reports say the Chargers could ultimately end up trading the superstar tailback before the season begins.

Jennings -- a former NFL running back himself -- tells us Gordon should keep the fight going, even if it means a trade down the line ... saying, "Set a standard!"

"Matter of fact, get it all guaranteed, too!"

Jennings says it's rare that a player has this kind of leverage over a team ... and he's all for the player using it.

L.A. Chargers defensive end Melvin Ingram REALLY likes his team's top draft pick -- telling TMZ Sports the addition of Jerry Tillery makes the Bolts "the best D-line in the league!!"

Ingram was out in L.A. over the weekend showing off his sick diamond chain, when we asked about Tillery -- the star defensive tackle from Notre Dame who was selected by the Chargers with the 28th overall pick in the draft.

Safe to say Ingram is PUMPED -- telling us multiple times how DOMINANT the Chargers defensive line will be now that it's stacked with himself, Joey Bosa and Tillery.

Tillery is a monster -- 6'6" and 295 pounds -- and he logged 8 sacks in 2018 while leading the Fighting Irish to an undefeated regular season record.

The 22-year-old is smart too -- he graduated from ND last May with a degree in economics.

As for the Chargers defense, they were already pretty stacked last year -- finishing 9th overall in total team defense, according to NFL.com.