NFL

A former NFL player -- who's openly gay -- has been in contact with the NFL to educate coaches and staff to combat homophobia in the wake of a same-sex interrogation at the NFL Combine.

You may have heard ... NFL prospect Derrius Guice says a rep from an NFL team asked him if he "likes men" in order to test his reaction to an uncomfortable question.

The incident has drawn sharp criticism from the NFL, gay rights advocates and others who say the question is not only inappropriate, but downright homophobic and offensive.

One of those critics is Wade Davis -- who had stints with the Seahawks, Titans and Redskins. He came out about his sexuality after his NFL career.

Davis is now the Director of Professional Sports Outreach for the You Can Play Project -- an organization committed to ridding homophobia in pro sports ... and he tells TMZ Sports he's already working with the league to curb future incidents.

"I have been in contact with the NFL and I’ll be running a training/clinic in the off-season for coaches and staff to address this issue."

Davis says he wants NFL coaches and staffers to make a real effort to make NFL team offices and locker rooms more inclusive for gay players.

He also wants to focus on explaining why questioning player sexuality at the NFL Combine is so problematic and inappropriate.

"[I want them to] understand the physical, emotional and spiritual cost to creating a hostile environment for gay male athletes."

Since every NFL team is afraid to put him on a roster, Colin Kaepernick used his spare time to take in a movie -- as a VIP guest at a NYC screening of "A Wrinkle in Time."

Kaep -- rockin' his trademark fro and black leather jacket -- and his girlfriend, Nessa, showed up to the Walter Reade Theater for the special Oprah Magazine screening of the flick, which stars Oprah.

The QB chopped it up with Gayle King on the red carpet -- and seemed to be all smiles.

Turns out, Kaep was invited by 'Wrinkle' director Ava DuVernay -- and thanked her with a special Twitter message after the flick.

New disturbing details in the Jonathan Martin case ... we've learned he was arrested with a cache of weapons including a loaded shotgun, knife and an ax -- and had been threatening classmates for years.

TMZ Sports has obtained court documents filed after Martin was taken into custody on Feb. 23 after posting a cryptic photo on Instagram threatening old high school classmates and former NFL teammates.

Officials say they found Martin after getting a call about a "suicidal male with a gun" at a hospital in Glendale, CA.

He was placed on a 72-hour psychiatric hold because officials believed he was a possible danger to himself and others.

They searched his car and found a loaded 12-gauge shotgun, a large knife, an ax and a cell phone. A second shotgun was found at his parents' home.

Officials spoke with Martin's girlfriend who said he'd been angry and depressed since she met him, but over the past month started making suicidal statements.

The GF says Martin had also been "writing on the walls" of his home.

Investigators spoke with the two former high school classmates Martin tagged in his cryptic IG post who said Martin had been sending them disturbing Facebook messages starting in 2016.

One message said, "Thank you for being such an asshole to me when I was a kid and didn't fit in ... being dicks to me when I was a kid has made me, quite literally, insane."

"And I blame you above all. You'll get yours, eventually -- I have already paid my price for being a bad person. I wish you nothing but the worst. Best, Jonathan Martin."

He sent a second message to the same classmate that said, "You're a bad person. You irreparably damaged people's lives. And you will be exposed publicly. If there is anything else I accomplish in life, it will be making sure you are outed and shamed for who you are."

Martin followed up with a 3rd message that had similar language.

The classmate says Martin apologized in August 2016 and it sounded like everything was cool. Clearly, it was not.

O.J. Simpson's sociopathic personality came out in full bloom during his interview for the upcoming FOX special as he described how he just kinda calmly tapped Nicole Brown Simpson's car with a baseball bat.

It's pretty incredible ... during Simpson's interview with Judith Regan, he describes a 1985 incident that was discussed during the 1995 murder trial, where Simpson took a bat to Nicole's car and smashed her windshield. Police were called, and as Nicole cried hysterically, the cop asked if she was Ok and O.J. jumped in, "She's my wife. She's Ok ... I broke the windshield. It's mine. There's no trouble here."

Watch the video. Simpson makes it sound like he was just calmly fiddling with the bat when it accidentally touched the rim of her car, and when Nicole protested, he hit "the front" of the car and said the ride was his 'cause he paid for it.

Simpson doesn't give a hint of the rage he was feeling as he exploded with the bat on her windshield. And just like the car, it's pretty clear from the trial he also felt he owned Nicole.

BTW ... the cop who responded to the incident ... Mark Fuhrman.

Forget Mel Kiper or Todd McShay, it's time for Johnny Manziel's draft analysis -- on a street corner in West Hollywood.

Manziel was leaving Craig's with his fiancee Bre Tiesi (in a sick car, BTW) and we asked him who should go #1 in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Johnny is clearly a fan of Saquon Barkley -- the star running back from Penn State -- with Manziel telling us ... "He's a beast. I'm pulling for him."

Unless you bench press live African elephants, New Orleans Saints star Alvin Kamara is about to make your workout look like trash with his RIDICULOUS, new training session!

Kamara is down in Louisiana getting ready for next season and decided to share with the world how the 2017 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year gets ready for his sophomore campaign.

Answer? INTENSELY.

Check out Kamara pulling four 45-pound weights (still racked on the rack) tied to a freaking truck ... and nuking the workout with ease.

Beast Mode has touched down in Portugal to be an ambassador for American football ... and his first order of business -- SACKING THE COUNTRY'S U.S. AMBASSADOR!!!

As TMZ Sports reported last week, Marshawn Lynch is on a trip to Cristiano Ronaldo's digs to show 'em what's up with Murca's brand of footy ... as a part of ex-Browns star Gary Barnidge's American Football Without Barriers organization.

On Tuesday night, Marshawn lined up opposite U.S. ambassador George Glass ... and took an honorary snap in front of all the boys.

Lynch didn't go full beast ... but he didn't exactly go light, either (watch the dining chairs, bro!).

Peyton Manning has officially sold off his stake in 31 Denver-area Papa John's stores -- and he completed the move just days before Papa and NFL broke up.

As we previously reported, Manning first acquired 21 locations back in 2012 -- and they CRUSHED IT in the first year. Employees called the sales boom the "Peyton Factor."

He acquired 10 more locations over the years -- but just last month, Manning decided to hang up his apron and leave Papa's pizza biz.

A rep for the company confirmed the move and described Manning's run with Papa's as "six successful and rewarding years."

So, who bought Peyton's Papa's? Those stores went to another franchisee who already has a bunch of stores.

"The franchisee that purchased the market is excited about the future of our business and assumed ownership of all Papa John’s locations in the Denver, Co. market on Feb. 26, 2018."

The move came just days before the NFL and Papa John's made a "mutual decision" to end their sponsorship deal as the official pizza of the league.

No word on what Manning plans to do with his pizza money next.

Julio Jones is going to bat for Le'Veon Bell -- saying the Pittsburgh Steelers should sign the man to the HUGE contract he wants ... instead of slapping him with the franchise tag again.

FYI, franchise tagged players are essentially locked to their team in a 1-year deal. In Bell's case, the Steelers must pay him 120% of his previous salary because it's the 2nd year in a row he's been tagged.

Bell got $12.1 mil in 2017 -- so, he'll be making around $14.5 in 2018. Not bad ... but Bell has previously told TMZ Sports he's looking for a $100 million contract and hopes to stay in Pittsburgh for the rest of his career.

Enter Jones, who says Bell is a stud player and tells us, "I wish they could do away with the franchise tag."

2:20 PM PT -- Aldon Smith was released from jail after posting $30K bail.

1:55 PM PT -- San Francisco PD has released Aldon Smith's mug shot.

Aldon Smith has been taken into custody in connection to his domestic violence case ... TMZ Sports has learned.

We've confirmed the ex-Oakland Raiders player surrendered himself to police Tuesday and is currently being held at San Francisco County Jail. Bail has been set at $30K.

As we previously reported, officials had issued a warrant for Smith's arrest for domestic violence, assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, false imprisonment and vandalism.

Smith allegedly attacked his fiancee during an altercation at a residence on Saturday night.

He later contacted the victim's father who helped Smith check in to a rehab facility where he was treated for alcohol abuse.

Smith -- who's currently suspended by the NFL stemming from a DUI arrest -- was cut by the Raiders on Monday after they learned about the domestic violence incident.

Jake Plummer says NFL teams are too "scared" and "uneducated" to sign Colin Kaepernick -- and suggested some of the organizations are even run by "bigoted people."

The former Denver Broncos QB was speaking with Broncos reporter Nicki Jhabvala about the future of Kaep's career ... and the Snake didn't hold back.

"I think that they're all scared and that they're uneducated on him as a person and what he wants to do."

"I don't know if he wants to play for organizations run by scared, kind of bigoted people that don't understand what it's like to be in the shoes of someone like him and to see the things he's seen and relate to the people that go through the atrocities of what everyday people deal with."

"I don't know. I hope someone does [sign him]. I would really love it because I love watching him play. I would love to see him come here [to Denver] but I'm not sure if they would do that."

As for Denver's GM John Elway, he previously told us Kaep was NOT being blackballed but didn't make it sound like Kaep was on his watchlist.

Aldon Smith's latest slew of off-field incidents might spell the end of his NFL career -- so says Terrell Owens.

FYI, Smith recently checked into rehab to fight an alleged alcohol addiction ... on the heels of a DV incident with his fiancee and DUI hit-and-run case.

So when we got T.O. out on Beverly Blvd ... he dished out some cold hard truth for Aldon, one former 49ers star to another.

"I don't know how many more chances one can get," Terrell told TMZ Sports, before adding, "Hey, that's not my problem."

MLB legend Jim Abbott is a HUGE fan of Shaquem Griffin -- telling TMZ Sports he's an inspiration to physically disabled athletes all over the world.

Of course, Abbott is an icon -- battling the odds to become a dominant Major League pitcher despite the fact he was born with one hand. Dude even threw a no-hitter in 1993!!!

So, how did Jim feel when he saw Griffin -- who also has one hand -- kill it at the NFL Combine? Proud is definitely an understatement.

"I just love him," Abbott says referencing Griffin's incredible performance at the NFL Combine ... "His determination is fierce."

"I just feel like you can see the burning desire within him with every step, so I'm a big fan. I'm really rooting for him."

Jim also says Shaquem is "making a real difference in the world" -- and he hopes to meet the kid one day.

File Under: "Trouble In Paradise"

Ex-Green Bay Packers lineman Letroy Guion is a wanted man in Hawaii -- after a judge issued a bench warrant for his arrest stemming from a very boozy birthday party.

As we previously reported, the 30-year-old NFL player was arrested for DUI in Waikiki on June 21 ... which happens to be his birthday.

Problem is ... Guion was ordered to appear in court on March 5 -- but didn't show. Oops.

The judge didn't appreciate getting the cold shoulder -- and immediately revoked the guy's bond and issued a bench warrant for his arrest.

The DUI arrest has been a nightmare for Guion -- he was cut by the Packers right after the arrest and hasn't been picked up by a new team.

How does Russell Wilson feel about reports his Seattle Seahawks will part ways with tight end Jimmy Graham in free agency?

He doesn't want Jimmy to leave ... at least, that's what he's telling TMZ Sports.

The QB was out at Mr. Chow in Bev Hills for lunch on Monday when he told us, "Jimmy's my guy. Of course [I want him to stay]."

We asked if he would follow up with Pete Carroll (Seahawks head coach and vice president of football operations) ... but that's when Wilson clammed up.

Fact of the matter is ... Graham's 99.9% gone -- and Russ is just trying to say the right things.

Aldon Smith's alcohol problem got so bad, he was drinking every single day ... and people close to the embattled NFL star are concerned he'll drink himself to death if he continues down this road.

"I'm worried for him. I'm worried for his safety," one source close to Smith tells TMZ Sports.

"He's an alcoholic. It's not about football anymore. We're hoping this is rock bottom for him."

We broke the story ... Aldon checked into a rehab facility on Sunday after a domestic violence incident with his fiancee ... the latest in a string of alcohol-related incidents that includes two DUI arrests.

Smith's fiancee previously told us Aldon contacted her father after the domestic violence incident (he's a doctor) and asked for help. They felt the best move was to go to rehab.

Smith's former Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio believes Aldon's NFL suspension stemming from a DUI hasn't helped -- the isolation from his team has only made his situation worse.

"Never liked 'league rules' that eliminate the ability of teams to offer Aldon and others in his situation the structure they so desperately need."

Raiders lineman Donald Penn made the same points back in March when he told us Smith would benefit from being around teammates who care about him.

Hall of Famer Tim Brown had also suggested the team hold intervention-type meetings with the struggling star after another drunken run in with police.