NFL

Chris Pratt is giving credit where it's due -- even if it's the QB on one of his favorite team's conference rivals -- 'cause he says Carson Wentz is "a helluva player" ... but he's got someone else in mind to win MVP this season.

TMZ Sports spoke with Star-Lord -- a HUGE Seahawks fan -- about the tight race for the league's best player ... and while he gives the Eagles star props, he says Russell Wilson shouldn't be overlooked.

Warren G is telling the NY Giants exactly what they need to do about the Eli Manning situation -- a situation that they totally screwed up -- telling TMZ Sports the Manning era should continue.

Here's a refresher ... the Giants benched their 2-time Super Bowl MVP for Geno Smith -- ending his consecutive games streak, losing the game, then firing their coach and GM. Nice.

It looks like Eli's job again, for now ... question is, for how long? Will the organization stick with him?

N.Y. Giants legend Tiki Barber says Ben McAdoo sealed his fate when he benched Eli Manning ... and now tells us the team should put the 2x Super Bowl winning QB back in the starting lineup.

Barber, a 3x Pro Bowler who played from '97-'06 with the Giants, told us NYG brass totally botched the Manning benching -- inciting fans -- and that forced Giants ownership's hand.

The Giants cleaned house Monday morning ... axing the head coach and GM Jerry Reese after a 2-10 start.

Barber -- host of Tiki and Tierney on CBS Sports Radio -- says the Giants next move needs to be ... put Eli Manning back under center, now.

There's no way Gronk should be suspended for his controversial hit on a Bills player ... so says former Super Bowl champ Jermaine Wiggins, who thinks anyone saying otherwise is just a Patriots hater.

TMZ Sports spoke with Wiggins about the Gronk backlash after he hit Tre'Davious White during Sunday's game, and he says if the NFL wants to remain consistent -- and be fair -- with its punishment, Gronkowski shouldn't be suspended a single minute.

Wiggins does admit it was a "dirty play" and "cheap shot" ... but says "cheap shots happen in the game all the time."

Ben McAdoo is out as NY Giants head coach ... less than 2 seasons after taking over the job, according to reports.

The last place, 2-10 Giants lost again on Sunday ... falling 24-17 to the Raiders in Oakland. However, it was the benching of star QB Eli Manning that had the sports world up in arms ... and fans calling for BM's head.

McAdoo wasn't always hated in NYC ... he got off to a great start with the Giants last year, going 11-5 and making the playoffs.

12 games after playing a playoff game in Green Bay ... McAdoo is unemployed.

The NYG have also reportedly fired GM Jerry Reese -- who was the general manager for the Giants last 2 Super Bowl wins.

The Giants have not yet released a statement.

Tom Brady hopes he won't have to play without Rob Gronkowski next week ... despite the superstar tight end's controversial late hit on a defenseless Bills player on Sunday.

TB12 spoke with 'Kirk and Callahan' on WEEI Monday morning and addressed the hit on Tre'Davious White -- resulting in a concussion -- saying Gronk lashed out after growing frustrated with unfair calls earlier in the game.

"It's an emotional game and these are like spur of the moment things, they just happen," Brady says.

"You always love to keep your cool all the time but you're in a sport where you're trying to run and block and hit and tackle and be physical and aggressive. That's why people tune in."

"I think if it was a pillow fight, people wouldn't tune in to watch."

When he was asked whether Gronk deserves to be suspended, Brady defended his teammate ... saying, "I certainly hope not."

Colin Kaepernick made a rare public appearance Sunday night ... accepting an award for showing bravery to participate in national anthem demonstrations despite risking his job.

The free agent QB was honored with the Courageous Advocate award at the ACLU of SoCal's Bill of Rights dinner ... and was welcomed with a long applause from those in attendance.

"We must confront systemic oppression as a doctor would a disease. You identify it, you call it out, you treat it, and you defeat it," Kaep said.

“We all have an obligation no matter the risk, and regardless of reward, to stand up for our fellow men and women who are being oppressed with the understanding that human rights cannot be compromised."

The NFL tried buying their players off with nearly $100 million so they'd stop kneeling and protesting at games ... but apparently it didn't work.

The NFL recently proposed a deal in which they'd contribute $89 million over seven years to 2 organizations focused on African-American causes, as well as to the Players Coalition so they could use the money for whatever causes they wanted.

In exchange, the NFL wanted the National Anthem protests to end -- but the deal seems to have failed. Many players continued to kneel and demonstrate during this week's games.

The L.A. Chargers' left tackle Russel Okung raised his fist during the National Anthem Sunday, and the Oakland Raiders' Marshawn Lynch remained seated for the song. L.A. Rams player Robert Quinn raised his fist as well, and other players linked arms in solidarity.

At least 6 other players between Miami, New Orleans and San Francisco all took a knee after some of them publicly raised issues with the proposed deal from their bosses.

Back to the drawing board.

Harry and Meghan don't own the market on wedding proposals, because Chanel Iman and NFL star Sterling Shepard are also engaged!!!

The New York Giants wide receiver got down on bended knees Saturday to pop the question to the supermodel. They've been dating since January.

Sterling didn't spare any detail ... He chose a rooftop with a panoramic view of New York City and lined the area with candles.

Her caption says it all. "A night full of tears of happiness. I’m beyond excited to spend the rest of my life with you @sterl_shep3 you are my soulmate, my best friend, my everything! Can’t wait to be your Mrs."

She 27 and he's 24, which is cool.

TMZ Sports might've unearthed 1 of the biggest shockers in NFL friendship history ... 'cause Ricky Williams told us he and Mike Ditka will always be bros!!!

You remember the trade ... Ditka gave up 8 PICKS to draft Ricky to the Saints back in '99 -- but NOLA bombed and Da Coach got canned.

But Williams says he and Ditka -- differences aside -- are "homies for life" ... 'cause Mike's one of the few guys he can always turn to.

"I remember when I played for him ... he said, 'If you can count on 1 hand how many people you have as close friends, then you’re doing OK.' And that's been advice I've held close to my heart all these years."

If you're not into the warm and fuzzy stuff, Ricky also weighed in on the insane Aqib Talib vs. Michael Crabtree brawl ... and his reaction was kinda surprising.

Somehow Odell Beckham Jr. can even make an injury look cool ... 'cause the N.Y. Giants superstar is turning a negative into a positive by sporting a custom Supreme design on his walking boot!!

Beckham -- who suffered a season-ending ankle injury earlier this season -- showed off the Supreme x Louis Vuitton pattern Friday morning ... and we gotta admit, it's pretty dope.

We know OBJ's a huge fan of the brand collaboration, 'cause we've spotted him out wearing a similar look in basketball jersey form in July.

Here's the aftermath of J.J. Watt's season-ending leg surgery ... and if you're not a fan of cringe-worthy scars, you're gonna wanna look away.

The Houston Texans superstar shared a video of his rehab progress on Friday after going down with a fractured tibial plateau in his left leg early in October ... showing his first steps without crutches or a brace.

While the walking is a great sign for Watt's improving health, the scar on his left leg is something serious.

BTW ... despite being sidelined, Watt's been continuing to put in work for Hurricane Harvey relief, and was able to finally check out some of the rebuilding in person on Thursday.

Here's a spirited defense for the job of Giants head coach Ben McAdoo from the LAST GUY you'd expect ... Eli Manning's dad, former NFL great Archie Manning.

Giants fans were livid at McAdoo for benching Eli (some say it's the end of Manning's career), saying the coach should be fired not just for the crappy year the G-Men are having, but for disrespecting a legend.

Archie is NOT one of those guys, because when we got him out at LAX and asked his opinion of the embattled coach ... the elder Manning said the terrible year was out of his control.

"Ben's a good coach," Archie says, "It wasn't his coaching that got all these people hurt."

We also asked Archie how Peyton took the news of the (probable) end of the Eli era ... and Archie's response told us all we need to know.

"You don't wanna hear what Peyton said about this."

Donald Faison went NUCLEAR on the streets of NYC over the Giants benching Eli Manning ... saying it's "the most disrespectful thing" he's seen in his whole damn life.

TMZ Sports spoke with Turk about the news ... and just mentioning Eli got him to shout at the top of his lungs: "That's some BS, yo! Everybody's saying it!! BS!!! IT REALLY IS BS!!!!"

Donald -- who loves the G-Men -- says he's got a good reason to be pissed considering all Eli's done for the franchise.

"The season's a wash anyway, so just let him finish the season at least."

That obviously ain't happening ... but maybe the "Scrubs" star will feel better knowing job offers are already rollin' in for Eli.

Donald Trump is NOT Time magazine's Person of the Year ... the honor should go to Colin Kaepernick -- that's according to rap star Killer Mike, who says Kaep's a leader and Trump's an "entertainer."

We got Mike out in ATL ... and he told TMZ Sports he gets why Trump's in the running ... but at the same time, POTUS can't hold a candle to Colin.

"We like entertainers. Donald Trump is a successful entrepreneur but essentially he's an entertainer."

Mike says Kaep's an entertainer too in the sense that he's a pro athlete ... but the QB's used his platform to do A LOT more.

"I'm very, very proud of Colin Kaepernick and the stance he's taken. The man's essentially given up his career to bring social awareness to the fact that agents of the state -- police officers -- are killing citizens."

So, the award should be CK all day.

Colts LB Anthony Walker will be wearing his heart on his feet this Sunday ... sporting a special pair of cleats that honor slain teenager Trayvon Martin.

The cleats were made by sneaker artist Desmond Jones (aka Skilz) ... and will be Walker's contribution to the NFL's "My Cause, My Cleats" week where players get to use their shoes to push their social concerns.

As far as the look of the kicks, they're pretty awesome, and feature Trayvon's face on the side, and his tragically signature hoodie serves as the tongue of the shoes.

Walker is hoping to bring attention to the Trayvon Martin Foundation by rockin' the cleats this weekend in Jacksonville.

Well done, sir.