NFL

Saints superstar Michael Thomas is STILL salty over the way his team's season ended ... posting a pic on social media Wednesday calling next week's Big Game, "Super Bowl LIE."

The entire city of New Orleans has been up in arms since the refs blew a potentially game-winning pass interference call at the end of the NFC Championship Game on Sunday.

In fact ... Louisiana congressman Steve Scalise tells TMZ Sports commissioner Roger Goodell should force the Rams to replay the Saints this weekend 'cause of the robbery.

Thomas clearly agrees ... 'cause he took to IG this week to post a meme that transformed the Super Bowl LIII logo into a "Super Bowl LIE" one.

Other Saints have been vocal about the controversial ending too ... tight end Ben Watson posted on his social media saying, "It’s not fair. I’m angry for a number of reasons. And we are all incredibly disappointed. But we will not be shaken!"

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft ain't mincing his words -- saying Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback in the history of the NFL ... period.

Of course, there were reports last week that Brady walked into the Patriots practice facility and declared himself the "baddest mother f*cker on the planet."

So, when we saw Kraft leaving John Jay College in New York we had to ask for his thoughts.

"We're lucky to have the greatest quarterback in history," Kraft said with a smirk on his face.

Earlier in the day, Kraft had teamed up with Jay-Z, Meek Mill and 76ers owner Michael Rubin for an event to launch the Reform Alliance, which is focused on overhauling the probation and parole system in America. The goal is to free 1 million people over the next 5 years.

And, since he's become tight with Meek, we asked if the Pats would be playing Mill's hit, "Dreams and Nightmares," if they win the Super Bowl this year ... to which it sounds like he says, "Of course."

The issue with that ... "Dreams and Nightmares" was essentially the theme song for the Philadelphia Eagles last season (when they beat the Pats in the Super Bowl).

Rep. Steve Scalise -- the House Minority Whip -- says the NFL NEEDS to replay the Saints-Rams NFC Championship Game ... telling TMZ Sports they gotta to do it THIS Saturday!!!

We got the Louisiana congressman out in D.C. when he said the NFL blew the ending of the Saints game so badly ... Roger Goodell needs to re-kickoff the matchup this weekend.

"Frankly, they should play a makeup game. If the Saints played the Rams on Saturday, I think it'd be the highest-watched sports event all year."

Of course, Steve's beef with the game stems from the obvious missed pass interference call late in the 4th quarter of Sunday's thriller.

Scalise tells us he expects the NFL to right that issue in time for next season ... saying the league has too much technology for that to happen again.

6:48 AM PT -- Officials tell TMZ Sports ... Williams was initially pulled over for going 80 in a 50 on the Crescent City Connection Bridge.

During the stop, cops suspected he was intoxicated and tried to administer a breath test but Williams refused ... so he was arrested.

We're told he was booked for driving while intoxicated, speeding, improper lane usage and failure to use a turn signal.

A bad week just got worse for New Orleans Saints cornerback P.J. Williams -- who was arrested early Wednesday morning when cops say he was driving drunk in the Big Easy.

The 25-year-old -- a key player on the Saints defense -- was booked for drunk driving and careless driving at 1:10 AM, according to The Advocate.

After posing for a mug shot, Williams was released roughly 3 hours after his arrest. We're working on the details.

It's not the first time Williams has been arrested for drunk driving -- he was popped for DUI in Florida back in 2015 but the case was thrown out because police dash cam video failed to capture key moments from that arrest.

Williams was a stud back in college where he helped Florida State win the national championship playing with Jameis Winston back in 2013.

He later entered the NFL Draft in 2015 where he was selected by the Saints in the 3rd round.

Since turning pro, he's been a pretty solid player -- even picking off Kirk Cousins for a Pick 6 in the Week 8 battle this season against the Minnesota Vikings.

Williams played in 15 games in 2018 for the Saints -- posting 53 tackles, 1 interception and 1 sack.

He started in the NFC championship game against the L.A. Rams last weekend -- and had 8 tackles and broke up 1 pass in the 26 to 23 loss.

Jermaine Dupri says super producer Jazze Pha is WRONG -- he never signed on to participate in the Super Bowl halftime show ... but it has nothing to do with Colin Kaepernick.

Pha is a producing legend in ATL and he's super plugged in -- so, when he told us Dupri was involved in the show, it sounded legit.

But, Dupri says Pha's just wrong -- and when we started questioning Jermaine he told us point blank, "You think I'm saying no because it's a secret? No means no."

Dupri says he's not boycotting the NFL over Kaepernick -- he says the NFL simply never called when they were putting the show together and he REFUSES to be considered an afterthought.

"It should have been a decision that they made at the beginning. I'm not something that you call later on in life."

So, Dupri is out -- but Maroon 5, Travis Scott, Big Boi from Outkast and Gladys Knight are all in to perform on Feb. 3.

Two exhilarating championship games won't change Dave Chappelle's NFL stance ... because he's tuned out the league -- and the reason is Colin Kaepernick.

Chappelle's been off the NFL since the whole Kap drama began, but when we got him leaving Delilah in West Hollywood, we decided to ask if the lure of another Tom Brady Super Bowl appearance could get him back.

Nope. Dave looked at our camera guy and said, "I don't even follow football. Can Colin Kaepernick kneel yet? Let me know."

Of course, the Super Bowl is going down Feb. 3 and the halftime show has become a huge point of controversy among celebs ... particularly Common, who has said he wishes Travis Scott wouldn't perform in the halftime show over the way the league has treated CK.

Other stars, including Gladys Knight, see it differently -- in fact, Gladys will be singing the national anthem at the game because she feels it's an opportunity to bring the country together.

Thinking about suing the NFL over the blown call in the Saints-Rams game Sunday??

Anthony Barr says don't do it ... 'cause that's dumb -- and people just need to MOVE ON!!!

"Sorry," the Vikings star tells TMZ Sports ... "Take your L and keep pushing. It happens. It's unfortunate, but it's the world we live in. It's not perfect."

One Saints fan clearly disagrees ... a guy actually filed a lawsuit Tuesday suing Roger Goodell and the NFL for not taking action over the non-P.I. call in Sunday's NFC Championship Game.

But, Barr -- who says he certainly understands the pain -- tells us court action is taking things way too far ... and says everyone in NOLA just needs to let it go.

"You can't replay a game after the results are in."

10:50 AM PT -- Acreage's founder and CEO, Kevin P. Murphy, tells TMZ ... the Super Bowl spot was going to be a PSA, not an ad for his company. He says the message was going to be a positive one, emphasizing the benefits of cannabis with testimonials about how it has saved lives ... including the child suffering constant seizures and a man addicted to opiates.

Murphy says his company was set to spend more than $5 mil on the PSA ... but to no avail.

7:40 AM PT -- Sources connected to the network tell TMZ, CBS does not accept any cannabis-related advertising. The sources add they are not aware of any broadcasters who will air such ads.

It's the Super Bowl ... not the Smoke-a-Bowl -- that's the message CBS gave to a marijuana company that wanted to run a pro-weed ad during the big game.

The company behind the ad is Acreage Holdings -- which has a license to grow and distribute marijuana in several states.

In fact, former Speaker of the House John Boehner is on the board -- and has been promoting the company heavily for months. Boehner is a huge proponent of medical marijuana.

Acreage claims it submitted a proposal to CBS to air a commercial during the Super Bowl on Feb. 3 -- but they were rejected after seeing a rough outline of the spot, according to Bloomberg.com.

We've learned Acreage already produced the ad and among the message points -- there's a story about a woman who lived in Oklahoma whose son suffers from Dravet Syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy.

The woman had to move to Colorado with her son because she couldn't get medical marijuana in OKC due to the laws at the time, despite the fact doctors recommended weed to help him out.

The message is that not allowing medical marijuana is not just bad politics, but it's cruel to people who need it since there's medical proof that it alleviates pain and suffering.

FYI, medical pot is now legal in more than 30 states -- but it's still outlawed federally ... which may have factored into CBS's decision to put the kibosh on the ad.

Acreage president George Allen told Bloomberg the ad was meant to "create an advocacy campaign for constituents who are being lost in the dialogue."

Allen says the company was serious about spending the money on a Super Bowl ad because "It’s hard to compete with the amount of attention something gets when it airs during the Super Bowl."

Ex-Minnesota Vikings receiver Cayleb Jones just cut a deal in court in his domestic violence case -- but he's still facing serious jail time ... TMZ Sports has learned.

The 25-year-old was facing 3 pretty serious charges -- including felony theft by temporary control -- after he allegedly beat the crap out of his girlfriend at a Minnesota hotel back in August.

Officials say the 6'3", 209 pound WR roughed up his GF and when she tried to escape in an elevator to call 911 ... Jones intercepted her, stole her phone and fled before cops arrived.

Cayleb was in court Tuesday to face the charges ... but we're told he cut a deal -- and instead, only pled guilty to interference with an emergency call -- a gross misdemeanor.

In exchange, we're told his two other charges will be dismissed.

Cayleb -- who's already served 5 days of jail time -- still faces up to a year in jail and a $3,000 fine when he returns to court for his sentencing hearing in April. It's unlikely he'll be ordered to serve more jail time unless the judge really wants to throw the book at him.

It's been a rough year for the WR -- as we previously reported, Cayleb tried to restrain his brother, Buffalo Bills WR Zay Jones, after he allegedly tried to jump from a 30th story window in an L.A. building last spring.

Chick-fil-A is punting on the opportunity to score LOTS of potential cash by refusing to open up one very important location for Super Bowl Sunday.

Sources connected to the fast-food chain tell us the Chick-fil-A stand inside Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium -- where Super Bowl LIII will be played in a couple weeks -- will, in fact, remain closed on Feb. 3 ... just like every other Sunday before it.

We're told that although the MBS location won't be open, Chick-fil-A is still one of the corporate sponsors for the Atlanta Super Bowl Host Committee ... and our sources say CfA is happy to be there in spirit and through its donation to JFK Park.

Much to the chagrin of foodies everywhere, Chick-fil-A notoriously closes up shop on Sundays to give employees a much-needed day off to be with family or go to church.

That's why folks were thrown for a loop back in 2017 when a location sprung up inside MBS, where the Falcons play on Sundays. The operator has said there's tons of other events happening at MBS throughout the year -- enough so, apparently, to make it worth their while.

Just to give you a sense of how much of a cash cow Chick-fil-A is ignoring for this upcoming game -- it could be in the ballpark of half a mil, more or less. Probably more, though.

This guy says they've sold as many as 5,000 sandwiches in one night. Considering Super Bowl stadiums have hit 100,000-plus attendees in recent years ... that's a potential $409,000 Chick-fil-A is losing out on if everyone bought just one of their basic sandwiches.

Nick Cannon says he's got beef with Travis Scott performing at SB LIII 'cause the dude hasn't proven he truly cares about black culture ... and Kylie Jenner is one big example.

The 'Wild 'N Out' host was chopping it up with Raquel Harper for a new episode of BET's "Raq Rants," where he explained why he's troubled that Travis was booked to play the Super Bowl halftime show. On the other hand, Outkast's Big Boi getting the gig doesn't bother Nick a bit.

Nick -- who supports Colin Kaepernick -- says BB has proven over the course of his career that he's for the culture ... so, Nick's good with him appearing in his native Atlanta to balance Maroon 5. But, according to Nick, Travis hasn't passed that litmus test.

Check out Nick's rationale on why Trav -- in his eyes, anyway -- doesn't seem to be for black people and black causes ... and what he needs to do to get there. Spoiler ... knocking up Kylie definitely didn't help his cause.

How did Ezekiel Elliott and the Cowboys get over a devastating playoff loss to the Rams??

VEGAS, BABY!!!

Zeke and a bunch of his teammates took off for Sin City late last week ... and TMZ Sports has learned they hit the craps table almost immediately.

We're told the All-Pro RB, Sean Lee, Connor Williams and other Dallas stars hit up Aria's casino on Friday and gambled away the pain from their playoff loss for most of the day.

We're told the guys got a private table -- and it seemed the casino allowed them to bet whatever they wanted ... but Zeke was throwing down around $500 (and sometimes WAY more) per roll.

Don't worry, won't affect Elliott's bank account too much -- he's currently toward the end of his rookie $24 million contract and will make HUGE money when he renegotiates with the Cowboys.

To put it into perspective, the NFL's highest-paid running back is Todd Gurley who recently signed a 4-year, $60 MILLION extension with the Rams ... with $45 million in guaranteed money.

Zeke will make similar money ... which means his $500 per roll is chump change for him.

As for Elliott's luck at the tables, we're told neither the RB nor the rest of his teammates came up big winners on the day.

Hey, there's always next year -- right???

Andy Reid WILL win a Super Bowl with the Chiefs despite yet another championship game heartbreaker Sunday ... so says legendary coach Dick Vermeil.

"I would bet on it!" Dick tells TMZ Sports ... "I would bet that they will win one!"

Of course, Reid's history says otherwise ... his loss to the Pats on Sunday was his 6th championship game L (4 NFC championships, 1 AFC championship and 1 Super Bowl) in his 20-year, ring-less career.

But, Vermeil says Reid WILL get it done sooner than later ... saying K.C. is just too talented.

"There's no question in mind they will get there and there's no question in mind, if he sticks with it long enough, he's gonna win it."

In fact, Vermeil thought earlier this season THIS would be the year for Reid ... and said he was downright ill seeing Reid and the Chiefs fall to Tom Brady in overtime.

"Kansas City, I'm just sick. I woke up three times during the night thinking about that ballgame. I was so disappointed."

2019 season kicks off in 7 months ... could that finally be Reid's year??

Alex Smith ain't out of the woods yet -- the QB is still using crutches and a complex brace around his leg ... 2 months after suffering a gruesome injury against the Texans.

The Washington Redskins star finally surfaced in public Monday at the Wizards-Pistons game in D.C. with his leg wrapped in bandages and what appears to be a Taylor Spatial Frame.

FYI, a TSF is often used by doctors to treat compound fractures. It essentially helps the bone heal correctly with the use of pins, wires and rods.

Smith's right leg was snapped in half in a game against the Texans on Nov. 18 ... with Smith ending up breaking both his fibula and tibia to the point where bone poked through the skin.

In fact, the injury was so devastating ... reports say Alex needed further surgeries to correct an infection he got following the first operation to fix the issue.

But, Smith seemed to be in good spirits as he watched the hometown Wizards from a press box ... even smiling as he spoke with people in the arena.

It's unclear whether Smith plans to play ever again ... releasing a statement just a few weeks ago, saying, "Although this is a serious injury, Alex and his family remain strong."

"We would ask that everyone please honor the Smith family's request for privacy at this time."

Why do so many people HATE the New England Patriots -- the greatest dynasty in the history of pro sports?

That's the question we posed to Rob Gronkowski's smokin' hot girlfriend, Camille Kostek -- and her answer was simple ... JEALOUSY!

"You hate us 'cause you ain't us," the former Pats cheerleader told us at LAX.

Kostek -- who's also a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition model -- just got off the plane from Kansas City where she battled freezing temperatures to support the future Hall of Famer ... and told us how the couple celebrated the big win.

So, how does Gronk feel about going to ANOTHER Super Bowl??

"He's amped, he's so pumped," Kostek said while admitting the constant winning NEVER gets old!

As for the big game, Kostek says she's friends with Rams QB Jared Goff -- but that goes out the window on February 3 ...

"All I gotta say is, good luck! I think it's gonna be a great game ... Patriots coming out with a W."

Ex-Dallas Cowboys running back Darren McFadden was arrested in Texas early Monday morning after officials say he was driving drunk at a Whataburger ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Sources tell us the 31-year-old was asleep behind the wheel of a 2019 GMC Yukon in the drive-thru at a Whataburger in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

During the incident, cops say McFadden was resisting officers. Multiple sources tell us McFadden's driver's side and passenger windows were smashed during the incident.

Cops responded to the scene and arrested McFadden. He was taken to a nearby station where he was booked for DWI and resisting arrest. He was released on bond a short time later.

McFadden was a star during his college days at Arkansas and was selected by the Oakland Raiders with the #4 overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft.

After spending 7 seasons with the Raiders, McFadden later signed with the Dallas Cowboys, where he played until 2017. He retired after that season.

Despite never making a Pro Bowl, McFadden got PAID during his 10 seasons in the league -- reportedly earning roughly $50 MILLION during his career.

Story developing ...