NFL

It's gone from REALLY bad to MUCH MUCH WORSE for ex-NFL QB Trevone Boykin -- who's now facing shocking new criminal charges even though he's been locked up since November.

As we previously reported, the former TCU superstar has been in SERIOUS trouble with the law after he allegedly broke his girlfriend's jaw in an altercation in March 2018.

Boykin was out on bond while he was fighting the case in court ... but he was thrown back in jail in November after cops say he failed to charge his electronic monitoring device.

But, while the 2015 2nd Team All-American has been in custody ... investigators have been working on other cases involving the 26-year-old, which have now resulted in MORE criminal charges.

Here's a brief summary of what Boykin is now accused of:

Isaac Bruce is a Hall of Fame finalist ... again ... making the Final 15 for modern-era players and it just so happens we spoke with the WR recently about why he belongs in Canton.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame just released the 2020 Finalist list ... which includes stars like Troy Polamalu, Edgerrin James, Zach Thomas, John Lynch, Torry Holt, Reggie Wayne, LeRoy Butler, Steve Atwater, Richard Seymour, Bryant Young, Alan Faneca, Tony Boselli, Steve Hutchinson and Sam Mills.

As for Bruce, the ex-Rams superstar was a finalist in 2019 as well ... but didn't make the final HoF cut.

We just spoke with Isaac in October and he was candid about how badly he wants to be enshrined ... telling us he thinks his numbers are as competitive as any WR who ever played.

FYI, Bruce has a 16-YEAR career in the pros ... with 1,024 receptions (13th all-time), 15,208 receiving yards (5th all-time) and 91 TDs (12th all-time).

NOT BAD AT ALL!

Ex-Bengals head coach Sam Wyche -- who led Cincinnati to the Super Bowl in 1989 -- has died at age 74, the team announced Thursday.

Wyche -- who also played QB for the Bengals back in the day -- was battling melanoma and reportedly went into hospice in Pickens, South Carolina on December 30.

"Sam was a wonderful guy," Bengals president Mike Brown said in a statement. "We got to know him as both a player and a coach. As our coach, he had great success and took us to the Super Bowl."

"He was friends with everyone here, both during his tenure as head coach and afterwards. We not only liked him, we admired him as a man."

"He had a great generosity of spirit and lived his life trying to help others."

Of course, Wyche also famously gave a powerful speech to Bengals fans throwing debris on the field back in 1989 ... saying, "You don't live in Cleveland, you live in Cincinnati."

Wyche played professionally from 1968-76 ... and went on to coach the Bengals from 1984-1991. He's the second-winningest coach in franchise history.

Bill Belichick was asked straight-up if he had given any thought to Saturday being possibly his last game EVER with Tom Brady -- and ya gotta watch the way he handles the question.

Of course, The Hoodie didn't give any bombshell answer -- it was the usual Belichick deflection -- but it's interesting to see him faced with the reality this weekend could be the end of the Patriots' dynasty.

Belichick and Brady have been dominating the NFL ever since TB12 took the Pats' starting QB reins in 2001 ... but at 42 years old, there's a lot of speculation Tom won't be under center for New England next season.

As for Bill, he's 67 years old and hasn't exactly guaranteed he'll return to Foxboro in 2020 either.

So, a reporter asked the coach bluntly Thursday if he had given any thought to Saturday's game against the Tennessee Titans being the Brady-Belichick finale.

Belichick's response? "Yeah, we're focused on the Titans. That's really -- that's all I'm focused on. So, do everything we can to get ready to go and play the best game we can play Saturday night."

If playoff history's an indicator, the Patriots will likely roll through Tennessee -- and there will be more Belichick and Brady playoff games coming.

Best boyfriend EVER?!?!?

Deshaun Watson took some time off from preparing for the Buffalo Bills on Wednesday to celebrate his smokin' hot model GF's birthday ... and we gotta say, dude is MVP caliber on AND off the field!!

The Houston Texans superstar hit up a fancy dinner with Jilly Anais -- a legendary Instagram model -- and he brought diamonds and a custom Louis Vuitton box for the occasion.

Seems Jilly, who turned 24 this week, loved the gifts ... 'cause she couldn't stop showin' them off -- and the two even exchanged L-bombs afterward! AWWWW!!!

Of course, it's a massive week for Watson ... the 24-year-old QB is set to play in his second-ever NFL playoff game this weekend -- so Jilly MUST be pretty special to the guy!

And, if ya watch the clips ... it ain't hard to get a read on that -- 'cause pics of Watson and Jilly were laid out all over the birthday table!!

As for the rest of the party ... backup QB AJ McCarron's wife, Katherine Webb, was there -- and she posted video of Watson and Jilly kissing, saying "We love you!"

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have launched an investigation into allegations defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches abandoned his Cane Corso on the side of a busy road, where it sat for 36 hours.

An animal rescue group found the dog on December 8, whose name is Jitterbug -- sitting on a Florida road tired, hungry and alone. The dog was also missing some teeth.

Turns out Nunez-Roches is also a dog breeder. In case you're unfamiliar, Cane Corso's are a form of pit bull.

The animal rescue group took Jitterbug to a shelter and an official there says they contacted Nunez-Roches to say they had his dog. The official said, "He had responded back that he would pick her up on Sunday, which I thought was odd because they played Detroit on Sunday and they had a 4:25 game, so how would he get back in time to pick her up at 7? Was football more important?" He never picked up his dog.

The dog remains in the shelter and she's been pre-adopted.

The beef between Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster is BACK ON ... AB just went after the Steelers star once again, calling him "boo boo" and a "bum."

Unclear why Brown decided to reignite his war with his former teammate ... but he went after the receiver HARD Monday, writing on Twitter, "Boo Boo Shoester was ready under 500 U Bum learn some Respect"

Of course, AB and JuJu really got into it earlier this year after Brown was traded from Pittsburgh to Oakland ... with Brown shading JuJu for his 2018 fumble issues.

JuJu fired back on social media by writing, "Crazy how big that ego got to be to take shots at people who show you love! Smh"

But, it seemed JuJu was ready to bury the hatchet on it all ... 'cause Smith-Schuster told us back in April that Brown is "my guy."

Yet, clearly, the beef still remains ... 'cause AB only needed about 24 hours after the Steelers' season ended to take a shot at JuJu's down stat line this year (just 552 receiving yards in 12 games).

There's more ... AB also appeared to take a shot at his former quarterback in Oakland on Monday, getting in a dig at the possibility Jon Gruden might cut bait with Derek Carr in 2020.

"Tell Derek Carr I’ll buy his house in Vegas," Brown wrote.

SAVAGE!!!

Miami Dolphins star defensive back Xavien Howard was arrested just hours after his team beat the New England Patriots on Sunday ... cops say he roughed up his fiancee in an argument over a purse.

According to police documents obtained by TMZ Sports, Howard -- who missed the Fins' win over the Pats because of recent knee surgery -- got into an altercation with his baby mama at their Davie, Florida home late Sunday night.

In the docs, the woman -- who has three children with Howard -- claims the NFL player began arguing with her "over a recent purchase of a purse at a store that wasn't disclosed to her."

We know what you're thinking about the purse -- we're thinking it too -- but the report doesn't explain anything more than that.

The woman says the argument turned physical, the docs say Howard "grabbed both her arms and pushed her back up against the mirrored glass wall in the hallway of their bedroom."

The woman claims after 6-foot, 200-pound Howard let her go, she landed on one of Howard's crutches.

When cops arrived, they say they noticed she had "visible scratches and redness" on her arm as well as "redness and an abrasion" on her right elbow from falling onto Howard's crutch.

Lots of action on Black Monday ...

The Washington Redskins officially fired team president Bruce Allen on Monday after a dismal 3-13 season, ending his 10-year run with the franchise.

The good news ... the 'Skins are reportedly making a serious run at hiring Ron Rivera to fill their head coaching position. Rivera is considered one of the top available coaches, despite being axed by the Carolina Panthers earlier this season.

The Redskins have been a smoldering dumpster fire over the years -- they haven't won a playoff game since 2005 and the fans are so depressed about the state of the team, home game attendance has dropped like crazy.

They fired head coach Jay Gruden earlier this season after an 0-5 start. Interim HC Bill Callahan didn't fare much better.

Seems owner Dan Snyder is pointing the finger at Allen in a pretty aggressive statement.

"As this season concludes, Bruce Allen has been relieved of his duties as President of the Washington Redskins and is no longer with the organization," Snyder said.

"Like our passionate fan base, I recognize we have not lived up to the high standards set by great Redskins teams, coaches and players who have come before us."

"As we reevaluate our team leadership, culture and process for winning football games, I am excited for the opportunities that lie ahead to renew our singular focus and purpose of bringing championship football back to Washington D.C."

Pat Shurmur is DONE in New York ... the Giants just announced they fired their coach after 2 dreadful seasons -- and reports say they're gunning for Josh McDaniels to replace him.

Shurmur was just 9-23 since he was hired back in 2018 ... and his team didn't show many signs of life despite a decent roster this season.

"This morning, we made the very difficult decision that it would be in the best interest of the franchise that we relieve Pat of his duties," team president John Mara said in a statement.

"Pat has been a successful and highly-respected NFL coach for 21 years and he is not solely responsible for our record. But we came to the conclusion it is best to have a fresh start with the coaching staff."

As for who could be next to lead the G-Men in 2020 ... reports say the team has already requested an interview with New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

The 43-year-old has been Tom Brady's right-hand man in New England, but despite being a hot head coaching candidate for years -- he's been reluctant to leave since he failed at his only head coaching gig in Denver back in 2009.

McDaniels -- who was fired from the Broncos after one and a half seasons -- famously accepted the Indianapolis Colts' job in 2018, but backed out of it just days later, opting to stay in New England instead.

“Why don’t you come down here and tell me that to my face?!?”

Baker Mayfield clapped back at hecklers HARD Sunday ... challenging guys who were talking smack to straight-up come down to him and meet him face to face!!!

The Cleveland Browns superstar was warming up in the team tunnel to play the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium ... when fans decided to throw some shade his way.

Unclear exactly what the guys were verbally hurling toward the QB (there appeared to be some barbs about losing to a 1-14 team) ... but Baker snapped.

He challenged the guys to come down to him ... but they playfully responded, "We’re not allowed to, you know that!"

Unfortunately for Baker, the trash talk toward him didn't end there ... 'cause hours after the Browns ultimately fell to the Bengals and fired head coach Freddie Kitchens, Dez Bryant hopped on social media to trash the QB.

"Had a stud cast around him under performed and got out performed by somebody he talked down on Danny dimes..." the ex-Dallas Cowboys superstar said.

"Big mouth and being a one read QB not going to cut it.. kitchens put the game in his players hands."

To his credit, Baker at least had one supporter in his corner after a rough weekend ... his wife, Emily Mayfield, wrote on her Instagram page, "Disappointing season… but still couldn’t be more proud of this guy, and the class he has shown through it all."

Detroit Lions star Marvin Jones broke some heartbreaking news this weekend -- his infant son, Marlo, has died ... a loss that has shaken the organization at large.

The wide receiver made the announcement Saturday, saying his boy -- the youngest of his 5 children who was born this summer -- had passed away. He didn't reveal a cause, but in an emotional post made clear the kid had left his mark on both him and the family.

Marvin took to Instagram and wrote of his son, "Yesterday the Lord called home a piece of my family’s heart, Marlo. It is hard to believe that our little angel, our fighter from day one, our son “Marlito” has unfortunately passed away and is no longer here with us."

He continued, "Marlo, the joy that you brought to us everyday, with that smile, and that energy was like heaven on earth. You will always be in our hearts. We will always remember you." Marvin added he and his wife, Jazmyn, hadn't gotten a chance to hear his first words yet -- which he notes would've been in Spanish -- among many other "firsts."

The NFL player finished by saying, "We know that everything that We do from here on out will be with you. Every step we take, you will be with us. Whenever we have a bad day, We will think of your smile. We miss you already buddy and will forever love you. Rest peacefully our sweet baby boy. You have gained your wings."

The Lions released a statement after hearing word that Marlo had died, saying Marvin and Jazmyn embody the meaning of family with the example they set in the Detroit community. They also asked for privacy on behalf of the Jones family.

FaZe Selkoe -- aka the president of the famous FaZe Clan -- says Esports stars ain't making NFL player money yet ... but he tells TMZ Sports it could eventually happen.

And, why? The 44-year-old says their business model is just perfect for today's society.

Selkoe tells us because fans can watch and interact with players during tournaments AND in practice sessions, he says the potential for the growth of gamers' wallets is HUGE.

"They'll have hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people watching them play and interact," Selkoe says ... "It's really this amalgamation of pop culture, actual sports and classic entertainment."

Of course, some gamers are already pulling in the hefty checks ... Esports star FaZe Banks is reportedly worth around $3 MILLION, while gaming legend Ninja has said he makes roughly $500,000 A MONTH.

New York Giants legend Ottis Anderson belongs in the Hall of Fame ... so says the ex-running back himself, who tells TMZ Sports, "One day they'll figure it out."

"If you check my credentials, I think I earned the right to be considered [a Hall of Famer]," Anderson says.

Ottis sneakily has a solid case for the honor ... the 62-year-old rushed for 10,273 yards and 81 TDs in his 14-year career, and he added 3,062 receiving yards as well.

Plus, the dude IS a two-time Super Bowl champion ... something plenty of Hall of Fame tailbacks can't say themselves right now.

"Put me in," Ottis says ... "One day they'll figure it out and, until then, we'll just keep on enjoying what I accomplished as a 14-year vet."

As for the current Giants, Ottis clearly doesn't love what they're up to these days, saying, "We suck right now" -- but he says he is optimistic about the future.

Antonio Brown is in New Orleans working out for Saints officials … and the superstar wide receiver could be signed by the 1st place team.

ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported the news … Brown flew into town to meet with coaches and front office staff on Friday, hoping to land a job with his 3rd NFL squad this season.

Brown's had a disastrous season … the Raiders signed him to a 3-year, $50 million contract, but released AB before he ever caught a ball after a ton of drama relating to his helmet and feet. He also had public spats with head coach Jon Gruden and GM Mike Mayock.

After he was released by Oakland, the New England signed the superstar WR … but cut him 11 days later after AB allegedly sent menacing text messages to a woman who previously accused him of sexual misconduct.

During Brown's short stint with the Pats, he was also hit with a lawsuit from a woman who claimed AB forcibly raped her in 2018.

The Pats cut bait with Brown in September … and he hasn't been part of an NFL squad since.

That could all change very soon … 'cause the Saints appears to have real interest in the superstar receiver.

Mario Williams is off the hook after he was arrested for blowing up in a garage in a tense standoff with his baby mama ... TMZ Sports has learned prosecutors just dropped the case against the ex-NFL star.

The former Houston Texans' No. 1 overall pick got into a heated argument with the mother of his child in the garage of her Texas-area home on Aug. 20 ... and the 34-year-old was hauled off to jail shortly after.

In video of the altercation, obtained by TMZ Sports, you can see a clearly frustrated Williams going off on the woman ... accusing her of using their child's iPad to gain access to his iCloud.

Williams was eventually charged with misdemeanor trespassing for the incident ... but officials decided to dismiss the case this week.

TMZ Sports has learned Williams was asked to complete an online course about decision making ... and after he wrapped that up, the charge was dropped.

Seems both parties were on board with the move ... because according to court docs, neither Williams nor his baby mama, Torie Porter, wanted to move forward with the case.