LA Chargers

A couple L.A. Chargers fans turned on each other during the Chiefs game on Sunday night ... whaling on one another's faces at SoFi Stadium -- as their favorite team played on in the background.

Video, obtained TMZ Sports, shows that a man in a Joey Bosa jersey appeared to have started the melee ... when he threw a couple of punches at a guy in a row below him.

Unclear what caused the altercation to break out -- but soon after the first blow was thrown, another man got involved ... and all hell broke loose.

At least three guys traded haymakers for roughly 30 seconds, before other fans jumped in to slow down the action.

One witness tells us neither police nor stadium security guards ever arrived to check in on the situation ... but, fortunately, the parties left on their own without further incident.

Mats were nowhere to be seen on the sidelines during the Chargers vs. Chiefs game on Sunday night ... just days after a Broncos player sued L.A., claiming the previous use of the ground coverings at SoFi Stadium caused him to tear his ACL.

The mats had been there for the Broncos vs. Chargers game back on Oct. 17 -- and during a special teams play in the overtime period of the contest, outside linebacker Aaron Patrick stepped on them and blew out his knee.

In a lawsuit filed on Nov. 15, he claimed it was a mistake by the Chargers, ESPN, the NFL and others to allow the mats to be placed so close to the playing field ... explaining all parties should have known they presented a dangerous hazard for players.

He sued for unspecified damages, including lost bonuses and future earning potential.

On Sunday -- the first Chargers game at SoFi Stadium since the suit was filed -- no mats were present in any area of the field.

It should be noted the game was an NBC broadcast, not an ESPN one ... but cords and cables were either covered in a different way, or carried by officials.

Unclear if the Chargers imposed the changes as a result of the suit ... they declined to comment due to the pending litigation.

Patrick's attorney, William M. Berman of Berman & Riedel, tells TMZ Sports he and his client still aren't happy with the changes ... saying, "The guys holding the cables/wires were still in too close proximity to the field, creating what we believe to still be a very dangerous condition."

Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman, watching at home with an injury, missed the wild ending between his team and the Chargers on "Sunday Night Football" ... all because he broke his TV during the game!!

The Kansas City wideout -- who's on the IR with an abdominal injury -- was live tweeting during the game, and at one point said the drama was too much for him to watch, and he almost threw his remote at the TV.

Almost.

But, Hardman finally gave in to his emotions as the Chiefs and Chargers continued to exchange blows, writing, "Update I threw the remote at the TV! Now I gotta go get a new TV."

As proof, Hardman posted a pic of his TV, and judging from the damage, he appears to have gotten it good.

Hardman's squad, trailing the Chargers for most of the night, ended up winning due to some late-game magic from Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

Mahomes, who threw three touchdowns to Kelce, connected with the superstar tight end for his final TD pass with 31 seconds left ... putting KC ahead, 30-27.

Hardman, expected to be out at least four games, has only been in the NFL for four seasons ... but the 24-year-old shouldn't have any issue replacing the TV (especially at those Black Friday prices!).

Better hurry up, though ... Chiefs play in 6 days!

A Denver Broncos special teamer is suing the NFL, the Chargers and a bunch of others ... claiming mats placed on the sidelines at SoFi Stadium earlier this year caused him to suffer a severe knee injury.

Aaron Patrick spelled out his allegations in a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, saying that a series of poor decisions by the league and its L.A. team resulted in his ACL tear back on Oct. 17 during the Broncos vs. Chargers' "Monday Night Football" game.

The 25-year-old Denver outside linebacker said in his suit the injury happened in the overtime period of the contest in L.A. ... while he was attempting to make a tackle on a punt return.

Patrick says because of his effort to make the play on the field, his momentum carried him into the sideline area -- where an NFL official who monitors television timeouts was standing. Patrick claims in the suit in an attempt to avoid the man, he had to step on mats that stadium workers had put down to cover up NFL instant replay sideline monitor cords and cables.

Patrick says, as a result, his foot got caught in the mats and the cords -- causing his knee to bend awkwardly. He was later diagnosed with a torn ACL, and is expected to miss the rest of this season.

Patrick is heaping blame on not only the NFL and the Chargers for it all, but also ESPN, the mat company and others -- claiming they all could have done more to prevent the injury from happening.

Patrick claims all parties should have known the mats presented a dangerous hazard for players. He also says the NFL official shouldn't have been standing where he was.

Patrick is suing for unspecified damages, including lost bonuses and future earning potential.

"Player safety should be the foremost of importance to the NFL and its owners," said Patrick's attorney, William M. Berman of Berman & Riedel. "The NFL is a multi-billion-dollar sports enterprise and business, and it needs to do everything possible to protect its players from non-contact game injuries."

Jeff Bezos had one of the best seats in the house at Arrowhead Stadium Thursday night -- taking in the Chargers-Chiefs game with Roger Goodell from the NFL commissioner's suite.

58-year-old Amazon founder was in the building with Goodell ... as the game was the first broadcast by Prime. Amazon won exclusive broadcast rights for "Thursday Night Football" through 2033. The Chiefs-Chargers game was the first on the platform.

Bezos, worth about $150 billion, according to Forbes, was shown during the game sitting next to the commish ... and the men appeared to be having a good time as two of the best teams in the AFC battled down on the field.

Of course, seeing Goodell and JB chop it up at the game had the Internet buzzin' -- as social media users wondered what the two tycoons were discussing.

Chiefs owner Clark Hunt and Chargers owner Dean Spanos also got some facetime with Bezos on the field before the game kicked off.

There was more for Goodell to celebrate than just the first Prime game. The home game marked the 50th season the Chiefs have played at Arrowhead Stadium -- opened in 1972 -- one of the best in all of football.

L.A. Chargers defensive lineman Morgan Fox woke up Wednesday a proud dog dad ... 'cause his French bulldog won the Non-Sporting Group at the Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday night -- and is now heading to the finals!

The 146th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show -- which is held at the Lyndhurst Estate in Tarrytown, NY -- announced his dog, Winston, took home the W after a sweet performance Tuesday evening.

"Give a round of a-PAWS for your Non-Sporting Group Winner, WINSTON!" Westminster said on IG.

The defensive end -- who signed with the Chargers last month after playing for the Rams and Panthers -- watched the whole thing go down on TV ... and he was stoked!

"If this is how my parents felt watching my games all these years I apologize," Fox said on Twitter after Winston's win. "Winner winner!"

Following the victory, Fox had a hilarious interaction with a pet food and nutrient company over Winston's advantages with Dad being a six-year NFL vet and all.

"Has Winston been training with you on the field to get a leg up in the competition?" the company asked.

Fox responded, "😂😂 apparently I should be training with him."

Now, Winston -- along with Trumpet the bloodhound, Hollywood the Maltese, and River the German shepherd -- will advance to the finals.

Three more dogs will be selected on Wednesday afternoon, and then all seven pups will face off for the coveted Best in Show prize just hours later.

Paws crossed for Winston!

Jerry Jones is ripping Dallas mayor Eric Johnson for suggesting the city needs a new NFL team -- the L.A. Chargers -- saying it'd have a huge negative effect on the beloved Cowboys.

The 79-year-old billionaire -- who's owned the Cowboys since buying the team in 1989 -- thinks the mayor's suggestion isn't only a bad one -- but also misinformed.

"Well, I like the mayor," Jones told The Dallas Morning News. "I like him personally, but he doesn’t have the depth. He doesn’t have the knowledge that others have regarding how unique Dallas is and how we enjoy the interest in the Cowboys."

"He wouldn’t want to water that down as it relates to Dallas if he knew as much, and has spent as much time in sports as I have," he added.

Jerry is responding to a comment recently made by Johnson ... who suggested the Chargers -- currently embroiled in a nasty legal battle for control of the team -- should move to Dallas.

"Southern Dallas is the fresh start the @Chargers need! Several sites, including @cottonbowlstad and Hensley Field, would be ideal locations for a state of the art practice facility and world headquarters or stadium," Mayor Johnson wrote.

"We’re ready for the @NFL in  @CityOfDallas! @nflcommish"

"You can be rest assured that you would not have the NFL supporting another team because of the kind of value that the game and the NFL receives of having [the] Dallas Cowboys as one of its marquee teams and again," Jones said.

He continued ... "Logic tells you [the NFL] wouldn’t want to water that down."

FYI, Forbes estimates the Cowboys worth at $6.5 billion, making them the NFL's highest-valued team. But, it might be worth even more. JJ recently said he could sell the team for $10 billion, if he wished.

The mayor -- who claims to be a diehard Cowboys fan -- responded to Jones saying, "I like Jerry [Jones] a lot, and he has done a great job turning my beloved Cowboys into the most valuable sports franchise on the planet."

"No team will ever dethrone the Cowboys -- but that's not the point. This region loves football and could certainly support a second team. And as a mayor, my job is to grow my city's economy."

Antonio Gates LOVES the Khalil Mack trade for his old Chargers squad ... telling TMZ Sports he believes the move could win the Chargers the Super Bowl next season.

We spoke with Gates out at LAX this week -- just a few days after L.A. acquired Mack from the Chicago Bears -- and he said the transaction is huge for his former team.

Gates said with Mack and Joey Bosa, the team now has the "best pass-rushing ends in the game."

Gates added that the other moves the Chargers made so far this offseason have him fired up for the Bolts in 2022.

"You add in Derwin [James], you add in J.C. Jackson now," Gates said, "I'm excited to see what they're going to do, bro."

Gates also spoke with us about Tom Brady coming back for yet another season -- and the future Hall of Famer didn't seem surprised to learn the QB was unretiring.

In fact, he said he wouldn't be shocked if TB12 went FIVE more years!!!

Chargers owner and chairman Dean Spanos is being sued by his own family ... who accuse Uncle Dean of secretly diverting money meant for them after the team moved from San Diego.

The allegations are spelled out in a lawsuit filed Friday in San Joaquin County, California.

Dean's nephews, Dimitri and Lex Economou -- beneficiaries of the trust that owns a portion of the NFL team -- have accused Spanos of secretly changing the trust, screwing them out of boatloads of money in the process, according to the lawsuit.

According to the suit, here's the deal ... the trust owns 36% of the Chargers. In addition, the trust is also partially funded by revenue from the stadium -- and therein lies the problem.

The Economous' claim Dean convinced the family the move from San Diego to Los Angeles would be lucrative with the building of SoFi Stadium ... the $5+ billion state-of-the-art facilities where the Chargers play.

However, Dimitri and Lex say Dean -- with aid from brother Michael Spanos -- surreptitiously diverted money from the trust ... cutting them off from the stadium-related revenue (ticket sales, etc.).

FYI, Dean's dad, billionaire Alex Spanos, purchased the team in 1984. In 2017, the team moved from San Diego to L.A.

The suit claims Dean and Michael redirected the money while dad Alex and mom Faye -- who both passed in 2018 -- were in "failing health."

The lawsuit doesn't specify an amount ... but we're talking about a team worth nearly $3 BILLION, according to a Forbes report last summer.

While the team has improved on the field and is worth a lot of money, the lawsuit paints a grim financial picture for the Spanos family.

According to the docs, the trust is in major financial trouble ...  and that's been compounded by Dean's alleged misconduct.

Bottom line ... the suing family members want things to go back to the way it was before the changes were instituted. Dimitri and Lex have also asked a judge to remove Dean as the co-trustee of the trust ... and they want monetary damages awarded to them.

Raiders rookie Nate Hobbs will likely return to the football field against the Chargers on Sunday ... less than a week after he was arrested for DUI.

Las Vegas interim head coach Rich Bisaccia updated the media on Hobbs' status Wednesday ... saying based on what the team knows at this time, the 22-year-old will not be punished prior to the Week 18 matchup.

"We take [the arrest] extremely serious, organizationally and certainly within our team," the coach said. "Based on what we've learned at this time, we expect Nate to play."

"It's a legal matter, and other than that I really have nothing else. We'll leave it at that."

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Hobbs was arrested after cops say he was found passed out behind the wheel of his car parked in the exit ramp of a Vegas hotel early Monday morning.

Hobbs' attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, addressed the arrest ... saying, "The facts and circumstances related by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department to the news media leave serious concerns that this does not qualify as a DUI under Nevada law."

It's a surprising move by the team, especially when Hobbs' former teammate, Henry Ruggs, was charged with 2 counts of felony DUI after he was accused of driving drunk and crashing his Corvette into the vehicle of 23-year-old Tina Tintor, who burned to death after her Rav4 caught fire, according to officials.

Horrifying scene during the Chargers vs. Chiefs game Thursday ... L.A. tight end, Donald Parham, was rushed to the hospital after he violently slammed his head on the turf during a play.

Parham was attempting to catch a touchdown pass in the first quarter of the game at SoFi Stadium ... when his head forcefully hit the ground after he dove for the ball.

The 24-year-old appeared to be knocked unconscious immediately ... with his arms stiffening in the bent position.

Trainers rushed out to the football player ... and unscrewed his facemask, before securing him to a backboard and placing him on a stretcher.

Parham was seen moving his hands and legs while talking with trainers ... but, terrifyingly, his arms were shaking as he was being stretchered off the field.

The Chargers say he was ultimately taken to nearby UCLA Harbor Medical Center with a head injury ... adding that he was "in stable condition." No further update has been given.

"I'm just hoping for the best," star quarterback Justin Herbert said of Parham after the game. "Parham has been an incredible teammate and an incredible friend. He's been nice to everyone in that locker room, and everyone loves him."

Parham has started nine games for L.A. this season ... scoring three touchdowns.

Ja'Marr Chase is NOT a lock to win the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year award ... so says Chargers D-lineman, Justin Jones, who tells TMZ Sports his L.A. teammate, Rashawn Slater, could easily rip away the trophy!!!

Jones made the claim to us at a Thanksgiving charity event earlier this week at SoFi Stadium ... saying the Bolts' left tackle could definitely take home the 2021 honor.

"He's the real deal in my opinion," said Jones, who goes against Slater daily in practices.

"I think if he keeps playing the way he's playing, the sky's the limit for him."

The feat would be a historic one -- Slater would be the first-ever offensive lineman to win the award. It would also be fairly miraculous, considering the year Chase has had so far.

The Bengals wideout has logged 47 catches, 867 receiving yards and 8 receiving TDs -- and is poised to add even more to those numbers considering the number of times Joe Burrow is targeting him.

But, Jones clearly thinks Slater has been that good -- telling us Slater is a "great guy" who's "an even better athlete."

As for Jones' quarterback, Justin Herbert, one of the Chargers' running backs, Josh Kelley, tells us that dude could take home some valuable hardware following the season too.

The AFC and NFC champs won't have to travel far for the Super Bowl this year ... 'cause Snoop Dogg tells TMZ Sports he thinks the Rams and Chargers will face off in the big game!!!

Of course, D-O-Double-G will be front and center at SoFi Stadium on Feb. 13 -- he's headlining a massive halftime show alongside Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Dre, Eminem and Mary J. Blige.

Since he's part of the party, we had to ask which teams will be duking it out on the field on Super Bowl Sunday ... and Snoop thinks it's gonna be a battle of the City of Angels!!!

As for the performance, Mr. Dogg doesn't reveal any secrets ... but we can already tell he's got some crazy stuff prepared.

BTW, Snoop was giving back to the community when we chopped it up with him -- the rap legend was handing out 2,500 turkeys in Inglewood alongside the Rams and Chargers.

Snoop was definitely into it -- he was dancing and hanging out with folks throughout the day ... while his own music blared in the background.

Jon Gruden clearly ain't pleased with L.A.'s new $5.5 BILLION stadium ... bashing the state-of-the-art facility for its not-so weather-proof design and complicated visitors locker rooms after losing on Monday Night Football.

The Chargers vs. Raiders matchup was off to a delayed start due to a rare lightning storm in the City of Angels before kickoff ... with action paused 35 minutes before teams were able to take the field.

Gruden had a hard time wrapping his head around the delay -- considering SoFi Stadium is technically an indoor-outdoor building -- and says the whole fiasco had an impact on the game.

"I've never had an indoor stadium with a lightning delay," Gruden told reporters after the game.

"I’m not an engineer, I have no idea. I have never heard that. I thought it was a joke. But, it affected both teams."

Gruden wouldn't go as far as to say the delay led to the Raiders losing 28-14 to Justin Herbert and Co., adding, "It didn’t have anything to do with it."

But, Chucky's complaints didn't stop there -- Gruden also took issue with the set-up for the visiting team's locker room ... calling it "the most bizarre thing I've ever seen."

"I mean you can’t see anybody," he added. "It’s like a maze. So whoever contorted this visiting locker room, I’d like to meet this guy, see what his idea was."

FYI -- HKS, Inc. has worked on some of the most iconic stadiums in the NFL ... including the Dallas Cowboys' AT&T Stadium and Minnesota Vikings' U.S. Bank Stadium.

To compare, this is what the Chargers' locker room looks like.

A Chargers fan was socked in the face repeatedly by Dallas Cowboys supporters in a wild, violent brawl Sunday ... and the insane scene was all captured on video obtained by TMZ Sports.

The crazy fight began in the parking lot area of SoFi Stadium following the Cowboys' win over the Chargers ... when two women got into a heated argument.

You can see in the footage -- the two screamed at each other ... and then nearly came to blows.

As the scuffle was escalating, though ... one Cowboys fan screamed to a man trying to break up the tiff to "control your bitch."

That's when the L.A. supporter lost it -- calling the man a bitch as well, before charging at him and yelling, "F*** you!"

Complete chaos then ensued ... with several Cowboys fans rushing the man and whaling on him.

At one point, you can see in the clip, a man in a Troy Aikman jersey brutally tagged the Chargers fan in the face with a flurry of punches.

Eventually, the combatants separated ... and witnesses tell us the aftermath was bad, with blood all over one car -- while another car's side mirror was busted.

We're also told despite bystanders calling for cops and security ... nobody showed up until the fight was long over.

The brawl was far from the only altercation at the stadium following Dallas' big win ... with one scrap escalating so heavily, it ended up with people inside the stadium's water feature.

Don't give up hopes yet, Bolts fans ... Hunter Henry tells TMZ Sports he could still re-sign a long-term deal with L.A. despite hitting the open free agency market later this month.

"I will say I'm not ruling out the Chargers," said the star tight end, who's caught 196 receptions for L.A. since his draft in 2016. "I'm not ruling out the Chargers and I won't rule out the Chargers."

As for why ... it's pretty simple -- Henry just loves the team's young superstar quarterback, Justin Herbert!

"My favorite quarterback?" Henry told us. "Shoot, I love Herbie. That's my guy!"

Of course, Henry admits a lot of his decision will also come down to finances ... and if the Chargers can't make a compelling offer, it's clear the 26-year-old could end up elsewhere.

As for where that might be ... Henry said he's got no clear favorites at the moment, and is willing to listen to all offers when they come at the beginning of free agency.

Henry, though, does know what he's going to buy when he lands his new contract -- telling us a house is the first priority.