NFL

Don't stick a fork in Victor Cruz yet ... the ex-NY Giants wide receiver says he's NOT retiring from pro football and he's sick of people claiming he's throwing in the towel.

The 30-year-old was released by the Giants back in February and hasn't signed with a new team yet -- but he's adamant he'll catch on somewhere and he's keeping himself in shape until that happens.

"I'm not retiring," Cruz told "Uninterrupted" ... "This ain't no retirement party!"

Cruz says he wants to join a team in the next few weeks -- hopefully a contender -- and insists, "This ain't over. It's just starting!"

Chris Paul might wanna pay attention ..

Paul Pierce and Willie McGinest have some advice for any pro athletes contemplating retirement -- win a championship first!

Turns out, Paul and Willie are longtime friends and met for dinner at Catch in West Hollywood on Wednesday (wonder who paid?) ... so we asked Willie if he gave Paul any advice on how to handle the transition into the retired life.

Willie says it's better with a ring -- which they both have. Willie won 3 Super Bowls with the Patriots and Paul Pierce won an NBA title with the Celtics.

Sean Spicer has weaponized the New England Patriots -- using his favorite NFL team to fire a shot at Hillary Clinton during a White House briefing.

Helen Mirren only follows two people on Instagram -- one of whom is ex-NFL star Will Smith.

The big question ... why???

Smith was shot and killed during a road rage incident in New Orleans last year -- and with Mirren being a social activist, we wondered if she was following Smith to make a point.

So, we asked her about the situation as she left E. Baldi in Beverly Hills on Tuesday with her partner, Taylor Hackford.

Unfortunately, Mirren says the whole thing is a giant mix-up ... but she's very sweet about it.

Phil Simms says reports he was blindsided by the news he was being replaced by Tony Romo is completely false ... and it's awkward since it was his own son who reported that in the first place.

Here's the deal ... right after CBS made the move to swap out Simms for the Cowboys QB, Phil's son, Chris Simms, went on Bleacher Report’s Simms & Lefkoe Podcast and said he was disappointed in the way things went down.

"I had to tell my dad first, before CBS or anybody, because I found out from an NFL insider," Chris said.

But Phil tells TMZ Sports it just ain't true -- "Of course I knew. I didn't tell him so it was probably my fault."

The good news ... Phil says he's excited for the next phase of his career as an analyst on CBS' "The NFL Today."

Tom Brady says he didn't skip the Patriots' White House visit to diss President Trump -- he wanted to spend time with his mom.

Julio Jones says there's no beef between him and John Wall ... even after the NBA star talked major trash to him on national TV while DESTROYING Jones' Atlanta Hawks.

The ATL Falcons star was sitting courtside with Gucci Mane and Migos during Game 6 of the Hawks vs. Wizards game when Wall lit ATL up ... and talked smack right to Julio!

We caught up with Jones at Catch in L.A. and asked if there were any hard feelings towards Wall about the talk ... and the thrashing. Don't worry, it's all love.

Still though, we'd imagine the Cowboys (Wall's favorite football team) better be ready next time they see Julio.

The Met Gala ain't just for the Kardashians ... a bunch of athletes were there too -- from Tom Brady to Cam Newton ... even a huge NASCAR driver!

The New England Patriots were well represented with Tom, Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola -- and Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez killed it.

Cam Newton wasn't much of a talker -- but his outfit was loud as usual.

La La Anthony made a solo statement ... and keep a lookout for Jeff Gordon and Roger Federer.

Colin Kaepernick is a hero to ex-convicts and men still behind bars ... so says a community organizer who Colin blessed with a huge donation.

TMZ Sports spoke with Kevin Livingston of 100 Suits For 100 Men, a NYC based company that provides free outfits, haircuts and life skills to men who have been incarcerated at least 5 years.

Kevin says Kaep's girlfriend Nessa put the two men in touch after doing an interview with Hot 97 ... and the NFL QB couldn't have been more generous ... personally delivering 50 custom suits to the organization.

"He was a great partner," Livingston says. "He went above and beyond all expectations to help give these guys a second chance."

"He's a hero in my eyes, he's a hero in the eyes of the guys who are going to be receiving these suits. Colin you're the man to me, you're a hero to the men of South Jamaica Queens."

Kevin also had a message for all the Kaepernick haters out there.

"What are you doing?"

"Love & Hip Hop: Miami" just made a HUGE, GIGANTIC free agent pickup ... 'cause ex-NFL Pro Bowler Bryant McKinnie is joining the cast ... the 1st athlete in the history of the franchise.

Sources close to the production tell TMZ Sports Mckinnie has actually been shooting with 'L&HHM' for a couple of months now, and will be a fixture on the new show next season.

It actually makes sense for Bryant, who's a Grammy Award winning music producer, and is currently in the studio working with big-time people like Lil' Kim.

Joe Mixon's agent wants fans in Cincinnati -- and around the NFL -- to give the newly drafted Bengals running back a chance to prove he's a great person.

TMZ Sports asked Mixon's agent, Peter Schaffer, about his message to Bengals fans after the team drafted the embattled star running back in the 2nd round this weekend.

"Give the young man a chance," Schaffer tells us, "to prove he can be a great member of the community."

Schaffer says 'cause his road to the NFL has been so bumpy, Mixon felt "pure childlike joy" when he heard his named called Friday night ... while family that surrounded him cried.

As for what Mixon's gonna do on the field, Schaffer -- who once repped HOFer Barry Sanders -- says JM has every bit the ability that #20 had when he entered the league.

Usain Bolt would get his ass kicked if he lined up against John Ross in the 40-yard dash ... so says Ross' college teammate and Packers draft pick Kevin King.

TMZ Sports talked to King -- a CB selected by Green Bay with the 1st pick of the 2nd round -- outside The Logan Hotel in Philly the night he was drafted.

We asked, who wins in the 40? Bolt, 9x gold medalist, and fastest man to ever walk on Earth, or Ross, who's 4.22 40 yard dash is the fastest ever recorded at the NFL Combine.

King's answer, John Ross, "no doubt."

We also talked to King about his new teammate Aaron Rodger's golf date with model/actress Kelly Rohrback.

NFL legend Drew Pearson stole the show during the 2017 NFL Draft with his minute-long pro-Cowboys rant ... and he's not done talkin' smack to the Philadelphia Eagles!!

TMZ Sports spoke with D.P. about his incredible intro for the Cowboys' 60th pick in the draft ... who says he didn't plan it to be so epic, but once the boo birds started chirping, he switched up his plan.

We also asked about Brian Dawkins and Brian Westbrook's attempt to clap back the next day, but Pearson says he's not fazed.

"Too late guys, too late."

Boom.

Prosecutors in Massachusetts don't think Aaron Hernandez should die an innocent man and just filed a motion to stop his murder conviction from being dismissed.

As we previously reported, Hernandez's legal team asked a judge to throw out his 2015 murder conviction citing a Mass. legal doctrine called abatement ab initio -- which means if a person dies while appealing a criminal case, the conviction is thrown out.

However, the Bristol County D.A.'s Office is opposing, saying Hernandez should not be "rewarded" for killing himself, and the abatement law shouldn't be recognized in this case.

In docs, the D.A. says the law is outdated and not recognized in several states. They also claim it's not applicable if someone dies by suicide instead of natural causes.

Further, the D.A. says the dismissal would be disrespectful to the victim's family, and screw up the civil suits pending against Hernandez.

After Julian Edelman made that INSANE catch at Super Bowl 51, he gave the gloves he was wearing to someone very special ... Guy Fieri's son!!

Turns out, Julian and Guy are pretty good friends -- and after that insane comeback, the Patriots star spotted Guy and his kid on the field ... and wanted to give them a game-used souvenier!

Guy says his kid was PUMPED -- but as fate would have it, he didn't get to keep them that long ... because days after the game, they got a call from someone very important asking to hand them over.

The Fieris complied -- but don't worry, the gloves are in a very cool place ... and Edelman made sure he got some cool replacement gear.

It's good to be a Fieri!

The Indianapolis Colts just signed a guy who hasn't played football in 9 years ... but the dude has the potential to be the next big NFL superstar.

Meet Mo Alie-Cox -- a 6'7", 250 pound ex-college basketball player at VCU -- who is now trying to make it as a tight end in the NFL.

Earlier this month, Alie-Cox had a private workout and almost every NFL team sent scouts. The Colts liked what they saw and signed him to a free agent contract.

We spoke with Mo -- who hasn't played football since his freshman year in high school -- and he's very confident he's got what it takes to make it.

After all, Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates, Jimmy Graham, Julius Thomas ... all had a similar career path.

Good luck!