NFL

The Super Bowl LI champs are officially back in Beantown ... and were welcomed back with a water salute!!

The New England Patriots returned to Boston's Logan Airport Monday afternoon ... fresh off their HUGE comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Chad Johnson is FURIOUS that his good friend Terrell Owens didn't make the Pro Football Hall of Fame ... saying "It's a bunch of political bulls***" and T.O. should already have a gold jacket.

The 2017 class was revealed over the weekend -- including LaDainian Tomlinson, Terrell Davis, Kurt Warner and Jason Taylor -- leaving a lot of fans pissed about T.O. not making the cut.

Several ATL Falcons players went full REPTILE before the Super Bowl -- wearing expensive python skin warmup hoodies ... TMZ Sports has learned.

We've actually seen a bunch of NFL star rockin' the look -- from Ezekiel Elliott to Odell Beckham -- so we did some digging and found out they run about $500 a pop!

Falcons safety Jalen Collins actually bought the hoodies for his secondary unit as a Super Bowl gift ... this according to the company behind the clothing, Renzo Cardoni.

We're told some of the Patriots also got in on the look -- Dion Lewis and LeGarrette Blount also got custom made hoodies.

One of the most powerful men in Texas is calling in the big guns to bring back Tom Brady's allegedly stolen Super Bowl jersey ... with the Lt. Gov. of Texas reaching out to the TEXAS RANGERS!

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick -- the 2nd highest ranking politician in Texas -- just issued a statement vowing to use every resource he can to recover the jersey.

"In Texas, we place a very high value on hospitality and football. Tom Brady's jersey has great historical value and is already being called 'the most valuable NFL collectible ever,'" Patrick said.

"It is important that history does not record that it was stolen in Texas. I've called Colonel Steve McCraw to ask that the Texas Rangers work with the Houston Police Department in this case."

He added, "I’m a Texans and Cowboys fan first, but the unquestionable success of the Super Bowl in Houston last night was a big win for our entire state and I don’t want anything to mar that victory. Whoever took this jersey should turn it in. The Texas Rangers are on the trail."

Giddyup!!!

Tom Brady's work ain't done just yet ... 'cause the Seal Team 6 member who killed Osama bin Laden just handed out a brand new mission for TB12.

The NFL security team is taking the lead on the Tom Brady missing Super Bowl uniform case ... not the Houston Police Dept. At least that's the situation right now ... TMZ Sports has learned.

The Houston P.D. tells us they have been in contact with the NFL -- and are not launching an independent investigation at this point.

Our law enforcement sources tell us no one has filed a report with the Houston P.D. as of yet.

Several sports memorabilia dealers have told us the jersey is already being valued in the tens of thousands of dollars. So, if the jersey was stolen, it would be a felony grand larceny crime in Texas (anything over $1,500 is a felony). The more valuable the stolen item, the stiffer the punishment.

Brady says the jersey went missing after the game. He says he remembers putting it in his equipment bag but it wasn't there when he went back to his locker.

Who needs tickets to get into the Super Bowl ... when you have a ladder!

Four creative young fans claim they snuck into NRG Stadium posing as stadium workers -- with a ladder they found on the side of the road.

The crazy part -- IT WORKED!

The fans -- a gang of growing social media stars -- documented the whole thing. We shot 'em on the way out after the game, ladder still in hand.

The group insists they didn't have tickets. We couldn't independently confirm that, but it looks pretty legit.

Nice work ... except for the security people.

The man who shot and killed ex-NFL running back Joe McKnight back in December just pled not guilty to 2nd degree murder.

Ronald Gasser appeared in a Louisiana courtroom -- along with his mother and sister -- where he entered the plea.

Gasser has maintained he shot McKnight in self-defense in the middle of a road rage incident. Police have said there is video and witnesses which indicate the two were in a heated exchange before the shooting.

If convicted of 2nd degree murder, Gasser faces life in prison.

Gasser has been locked up in jail ever since he was charged on Dec. 5. Bail is set at $750k but he hasn't posted it.

Biggest Super Bowl blunder ever has gotta go to Young Jeezy ... for bailing on the Falcons at the start of overtime and crowning them champs ... before the GREATEST. COMEBACK. EVER.

Jeezy and his crew were leaving NRG Stadium with the game tied 28-28 ... but despite relinquishing a 25 point lead, the rapper's confident as hell ATL's bringing home the Lombardi Trophy.

Check it out ... Jeezy's even got a parade date in mind.

Offset from Migos tells TMZ Sports he lost $50,000 betting on the ATL Falcons Sunday night ... which would be a big deal if he didn't make it back IMMEDIATELY following the game.

In fact, Offset says he lost $10,000 on a bet to fellow rapper Blac Youngsta.

But Offset -- who had a MASSIVE wad of cash on him -- didn't care. Maybe because he was leaving the game with 'Love and Hip Hop' star Cardi B.

Jeremy Renner's putting Tom Brady above every NFL quarterback ... and his logic's simple -- look at the man's handful of rings.

Jeremy, who was leaving the Super Bowl outside NRG Stadium in Houston, says Tom's no doubt above 2 other NFL legends -- Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana.

As if losing the Super Bowl wasn't bad enough, the ATL Falcons just got the FINGER WAG OF SHAME from Dikembe Mutombo.

Mutombo was leaving NRG Stadium in Houston -- still sporting his Falcons jersey -- when we asked if he was impressed with the Patriots' comeback. That's when he busted out the finger.

After stealing the Super Bowl from the Falcons, Tom Brady told Pats owner Bob Kraft HE was hit by a thief -- accusing someone of STRAIGHT JACKING his game jersey!!

Kraft was in the locker room handing out victory cigars to the players, when Brady voiced his issue to the boss.

Kraft didn't seem to care too much ... saying, "Well, you better look online!" Brady smiled.

Tom Leyden of FOX25 reported a Patriots equipment manager took the jersey and put it in a safe place for Tom -- it wasn't stolen!

But a new twist ... Tom just spoke at a news conference and said the jersey is STILL missing!

He also said he's concerned the jersey will end up on eBay.

The search continues ...

Lady Gaga's crash pad in Houston for Super Bowl week is big enough for true Patriots ... as in the entire team!

Gaga's staying in a $10,000 a night palace ... nearly 10,000 square feet, with a Renaissance-style stone spiral staircase for grand entrances, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a resort-inspired pool, and (beware of Bieber) Venetian plaster.

The house is valued at $20,000,000.

With 5 bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms on a solid acre of land, she has room to roam.

Best of all ... it's free, courtesy of Airbnb.

So, which is cooler ... Gaga's, or the $50 million estate Beyonce crashed at during the last Super Bowl in San Fran?

The crowd booed the living hell out of Roger Goodell ... but Tom Brady didn't care -- he was too busy celebrating the Super Bowl win with his mom ... the woman he dedicated the game to.

Tom had previously revealed that Galynn Brady has been battling an undisclosed illness and hadn't attended a Patriots game all season.

But, when it came time for Goodell to present Robert Kraft with the Lombardi Trophy -- Tom was down on the field with his family, hugging Gisele and their kids and sharing a moment with mom.

Congrats.

Willie McGinest doesn't GIVE A ... well, you know ... about the FCC -- 'cause the NFL legend was cussing up a storm during the Super Bowl trophy presentation ... and it was all caught on live TV.

The ex-Pats star was walking the Lombardi Trophy to the presentation platform when the F-bombs dropped from all over. Willie went the MF'er route at least twice.