NFL

Brian Flores is suing the NFL, but he'll still be getting paychecks from the org. in 2022 ... 'cause the ex-Miami Dolphins head coach has been hired to join the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff.

As we previously reported, Flores is in the middle of a messy legal battle with the NFL ... claiming its hiring process is rooted in racism -- even using texts from Bill Belichick to make his point.

While the 40-year-old's priority is facing off against the league in court in hopes of bringing change, he'll also be setting his focus on the AFC North ... as Flores will be the senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach for the Stellers next season.

Mike Tomlin spoke about the hire ... saying, "I am excited about Brian Flores joining our coaching staff given his history of developing and teaching defensive players during his time in the NFL."

"Brian's resume speaks for itself, and I look forward to him adding his expertise to help our team."

Flores was 24-25 in his 3 seasons with the Dolphins ... but many were puzzled with his firing in 2021, as it appeared he was finally hitting his stride in Miami.

Former Raiders legend Charles Woodson is on board with the hiring of Josh McDaniels as the team's next coach ... telling TMZ Sports the "second time's a charm."

We spoke with Charles -- who spent 8 seasons with the then-Oakland Raiders -- and the ex-cornerback told us he has no worries about McDaniels his second time around.

"He’s been a head coach," Woodson said. "He’s been through it one time before. So, he’s gained the experience."

"I think he’ll be good the second time around," he added.

Las Vegas hired Josh to be signal-caller after Rich Bisaccia stepped in amid the Jon Gruden scandal ... and a lot of people were hoping RB would get the gig.

But, CW tells us the experience McDaniels gained when he was the Broncos' head coach ... will prove to be valuable during his stint with the Raiders.

As for whether Josh will be able to turn Derek Carr into the G.O.A.T. as he helped do with TB12 ... Woodson says don't count on it.

Four stranded Rams players who badly needed a ride to LAX following the Super Bowl parade on Wednesday caught a lift from a generous fan ... and they rewarded the guy for the gesture with nearly $1,000!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... just after the Rams' parade settled down at the Coliseum in Los Angeles, Joe Noteboom, Taylor Rapp, Nick Scott and Jake Gervase somehow found themselves without a ride.

That was quite the problem -- 'cause they had to be at the airport ASAP to catch a plane that was set to take them to Las Vegas to continue their championship celly.

Blest with the ClockedIn Worldwide Team tells us he saw the players trying to flag down fans to give them a lift ... so he pulled up in his BMW -- and the dudes jumped in!!

Blest says the guys were super cool throughout the ride ... even when he had to make a pitstop for gas on the way. Check out the video, they all seemed to be in a great mood!

In all, the ride ended up being about half an hour -- and Blest got them to their terminal with enough time for the guys to catch their flight.

We're told each player handed Blest about $200 apiece for his time ... and thanked him as they took off for Sin City.

Tom Brady's retirement won't last too long ... so says Antonio Brown, who explained Thursday night he believes his former quarterback isn't done with football just yet.

The former Buccaneers wide receiver was asked about the G.O.A.T. on his way into Craig's ... and he made it pretty clear, he thinks Brady will be back on the field in 2022.

In fact, when asked if he thinks Brady was "going to retire for good" -- Brown said straight up, "Why would he do that?!"

Of course, Brady did retire earlier this month ... and despite leaving the door somewhat ajar for a comeback, he said just days ago he's content with his decision.

Brown, though, said he could see the return happening -- and added that it might not necessarily be with the Bucs.

No word on if AB has any sort of inside info on the situation -- he did say previously the two talked following his messy breakup with the Bucs, but it's unclear if they've caught up since.

Brian Flores is putting rumors to rest he and his former quarterback Tua Tagovailoa didn't get along ... saying reports they had beef are flat out wrong!

Flores -- who spent three seasons as head coach of the Dolphins -- reportedly didn't see "eye-to-eye" with the ex-Alabama QB during his tenure with the team.

But, the former coach recently sat down with Chad Johnson, Omar Kelly and Brandon Marshall for his "I Am Athlete" show and said that's just not true.

"I think we had a good relationship," Flores told the guys while reflecting on Tua.

"It was a player-coach relationship. And I think in a relationship like that, the coach challenges the player, and often times the player challenges the coach."

BF added, "There was a great deal of respect between the two of us. So you hear this crazy kind of narrative that's out there, but this is a young man who works, developed, and got better over 2 years and I think he's got a bright future."

Flores and Tua missed the playoffs this season, though, Miami won 8 of its last 9 games after starting the season 1-7.

Despite the late season success, many believe Flores was fired because of friction between him and the star QB ... whom the organization selected with the 5th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Flores knows rumors of the beef likely won't be squashed ... even with the coach addressing the issue with Marshall. But, he says he doesn't care what people believe, 'cause he knows the truth.

"Yeah, the world can think what they want to think. Ask Tua, you know, I think he'd say the same thing."

Eli Manning says his dream guest on the Monday Night Football "Manning Cast" is #44 ... and it isn't Ahmad Bradshaw -- it's President Barack Obama!!

Eli and his big bro, Peyton, had all types of guests come on their ESPN 2 show this past season -- from Snoop Dogg to The Rock to their friendly rival, Tom Brady.

But, even with all those amazing cameos, we asked the Giants legend if he still had a star on his checklist he wants to cross off.

"Maybe a President," Manning told us at Fanatics Super Bowl party. "Barack Obama would be pretty good."

"I think we can get him."

Eli, Peyton and Barry O have all met before -- when the Giants won Super Bowl in 2011 and the Broncos in 2016. So, a nice reunion would be dope.

Hopefully, Eli won't have another "double bird" incident (which got 3 FCC complaints) this time around ... but if it happens again, we're sure the 2-time Super Bowl champ will be able to laugh it off.

The "Manning Cast" will be back next season ... and if Obama ends up on the guest list, you'll know why.

Just days after Saints star Alvin Kamara was arrested for felony battery, two other men have been charged in connection with the alleged beating of a man in Las Vegas during Pro Bowl weekend.

TMZ Sports has learned two men -- Darrin Young and Percy Harris -- turned themselves in to Clark County jail on February 14 ... and both were booked on battery resulting in substantial bodily harm.

It's the same charge that 26-year-old Kamara is facing -- a felony -- that can carry up to 5 years in prison, if convicted.

As for what happened ... there are a few versions of the story, depending on who you ask.

Police say surveillance video show Kamara pushing a man outside a nightclub on Las Vegas Blvd. ... before punching the man at least 8 times.

According to an incident report, Kamara's friends then got in on the action ... punching and stomping the man.

Due to his injuries, the guy had to be treated at a local hospital.

The incident occurred early Saturday morning ... but Kamara wasn't arrested until after the Pro Bowl (he caught 4 passes during the game) on Sunday.

And, that's caused controversy ... 'cause the NFL allowed the Saints superstar to play in the game, despite knowing police wanted to speak with him in connection to an alleged battery.

After the game, Kamara spoke to investigators and admitted to hitting the man ... claiming the guy said something disrespectful to his group.

However, cops say CCTV shows Kamara hitting the man at least 8 times.

But, Kamara's attorneys believe there is more to the story.

"Alvin Kamara has gained a well-deserved reputation for being a hard-working and community-minded individual. The recent Las Vegas allegations are not consistent with who Mr. Kamara has shown himself to be in both his public and private life."

"Therefore, we are conducting our own investigation into all of the circumstances and individuals associated with this matter to determine both the facts and motivations of all involved."

After the Valentine's Day arrests, three men have now been charged in total for the alleged attack.

A woman fell from the stage at the L.A. Rams' Super Bowl parade on Wednesday ... and the spill was so nasty, she says she suffered a fractured spine and broke her cameras in the fall.

The incident happened toward the end of the celebration in Los Angeles ... when Kelly Smiley tripped while appearing to take a photo of Matthew Stafford and his wife, Kelly Stafford.

In video, obtained by TMZ Sports, you can see Smiley accidentally walked backward off the front of the stage while snapping pics ... and tumbled to the ground some 10 feet below.

Matthew Stafford was seen walking away from it all in the footage ... while Kelly Stafford was spotted walking toward the woman to get help.

Eventually, Smiley was taken to a nearby hospital, where she said testing revealed she suffered a broken back in the tumble.

In a GoFundMe set up to help Smiley pay her medical bills, her friends said she also "severely damaged" her professional photography gear. The GoFundMe has an initial goal of raising $30,000.

Fortunately, Smiley posted on her social media pages that she was "feeling ok" ... but she added that she was staying at the medical facility overnight for further evaluation.

Nick Saban brought up former Alabama star Henry Ruggs in an emotional speech last month ... saying if Ruggs' friends were better leaders, they could have prevented his tragic accident.

Saban led a discussion at the Alabama Football Coaches Association convention ... and at one point, explained how players care "more than ever before" about what others think of them -- and how it's affecting their opportunities to be a role model.

The Crimson Tide coach used two examples to get his point across -- one being Ruggs' serious fatal DUI crash in November, in which 23-year-old Tina Tintor died.

"Well, if there was a player in Las Vegas who was drinking at 3 o'clock in the morning with his buddies and his girlfriend and somebody would have taken his keys away," Saban said, "[it] probably would have pissed him off, probably would have made him mad. [He] probably wouldn't have thought very much of you for doing that."

"But would he be better off now, or is he better off where he was going 156 MPH and running into the ass-end of somebody and killing 'em?"

Saban explains Ruggs had zero issues in Tuscaloosa and is a "good kid" ... but now, his career is in jeopardy and he faces a mountain of legal issues.

While he's not saying Ruggs wasn't responsible for his own decisions, it's clear Saban believes someone close to him could have helped during a moment of weakness.

"So what kinda friend were you?" Saban asked. "What kinda leader were you when you allowed the guy to do it? But nobody wants to do it because they're afraid of what somebody's gonna think of you."

Saban's quotes are getting mixed reviews on social media -- with some saying it's Ruggs' fault and his alone, and others claiming the coach is spreading invaluable knowledge.

Eric Dickerson says one of the first steps the NFL needs to take following Brian Flores' lawsuit is to hire a new, Black commissioner.

The Rams legend did an interview with OSDB on Wednesday ... and told them he truly believes change in leadership could lead to more Black coaches in the league.

"We’re being told basically that we’re good enough to play the game, but that we don’t have the brainpower to coach the game," Dickerson said. "The only way this is going to change is at the top of the power structure."

In his lawsuit ... Flores alleged teams were racist in their hiring practices -- claiming owners were only interviewing him and other Black candidates to satisfy league rules before going on to hire white coaches.

Dickerson made it clear he believes the lack of Black head coaches in the league is a problem ... and he said in addition to changing out commissioners, adding Black owners could help things.

"A shift in power is the only thing that will change the way it is," E.D. said. "You’re not going to make everyone happy, and I understand that. That’s not how life works, but we need to make real progress."

The former running back pointed toward the NBA as an org. the NFL should model itself after -- saying he believes its structure at the top has led to more diversity in its coaching ranks.

Sean McVay isn't walking away from the NFL just yet -- the L.A. Rams coach's fiancée says he's NOT retiring after winning the Super Bowl.

The rumors have been swirling regarding the 36-year-old football genius' next move after beating the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday ... with McVay being super non-committal about returning to the sidelines for the 2022 season.

McVay -- who became the Rams' head coach in 2017 -- expressed his interest in starting a family ... and winning a Super Bowl would make it easier to hang up the headset.

But, Veronika Khomyn is here to squash all doubt about a return ... going to Instagram to let everyone know her man WILL be back to defend his title.

"Finally get my man back," Veronika said on Wednesday. "And no. He is NOT retiring!!!"

It may seem like a no-brainer -- after all, Von Miller and Aaron Donald told TMZ Sports yesterday they're ready to run it back as long as the whole squad is back together.

The Rams won't have to rebuild, so they're instantly one of the favorites to win it all.

But, a broadcasting job also sounds like a sweet gig -- a lot less work and a much bigger paycheck -- so retirement was a legit option if McVay was satisfied with his career.

Patrick Mahomes slammed Internet trolls as "weird" on Wednesday ... after they, once again, criticized his fiancée following an interaction the two had at a college basketball game.

Mahomes and Brittany Matthews were courtside at the Texas Tech men's hoops contest against Baylor in Lubbock, when cameras captured the NFL star leaning over to tell his fiancee something in her ear.

Unclear what Patrick said ... but Brittany was animated following his words, making facial expressions toward others who were sitting courtside.

It didn't take long for the clip to go viral ... with users all over social media for some reason panning Matthews for the interaction.

But, once word of the criticism got back to Patrick, he fired off a tweet defending Brittany ... writing, "Man people are weird."

"love you babe @brittanylynne8 ❤️," he added.

Of course, this is far from the first time Brittany has been trolled on the Internet ... in fact, just a couple weeks ago, she partnered with a t-shirt company to create tees to help end bullying after she received hate for showering fans in champagne following a Chiefs playoff win.

Matthews expressed at the time that she was sick of being ridiculed for her every move, saying, "I just wish I could do what I want without getting attacked every week."

Brittany's t-shirts were a hot commodity, thousands were sold in just a few days, and some of the proceeds -- plus a matched donation from Brittany -- helped anti-bullying efforts in Kansas City.

Rams fans are going to love this ...

Von Miller tells TMZ Sports both he AND Aaron Donald will return to Los Angeles next season ... promising that they're going to "run that s**t back!"

Von made the proclamation while leaving the team's Super Bowl parade on Wednesday afternoon ... saying he and Donald are going to be like Shaq and Kobe -- and another unique duo -- in L.A. next season.

"Like Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson!" Miller joked with us.

Of course, prior to Wednesday's celebration, neither guy had committed to playing for the Rams next season.

Von is a free agent and has no deal in place to come back for 2022. Donald, meanwhile, is reportedly mulling retirement.

When we asked Donald about his future shortly after we spoke with Von ... he said he's down to come back -- as long as superstars like Miller and Odell Beckham Jr. (who's also a free agent) return too.

As for the after-party ... Von said he and some of the guys have plans to hit up Vegas and golf all weekend.

L.A. Rams receiver Van Jefferson says he's still brainstorming with his wife over what they'll name their Super Bowl baby ... telling TMZ Sports it could either be Wynn or Miles!!!

Remember, Van's beautiful wife, Samaria, was stretchered out of SoFi Stadium DURING Super Bowl LVI ... and gave birth to their baby boy shortly after.

Fresh off the win over the Bengals, Jefferson was able to dash to the medical facility to get introduced to his new son.

Given the incredibly unique circumstances, VJ and Samaria had victory on their minds when considering names ... but there's one other that might come out on top.

We asked Jefferson's teammate, Robert Woods, if he had any suggestions -- but he was tight-lipped. BTW -- shoutout to RW's new daughter, Shi, who made her TMZ debut at the Rams' Super Bowl parade and rally on Wednesday!!

Ricky Williams is expanding his marijuana empire ... just months after launching his own cannabis brand, the All-Pro's collabing with another big-time pot company -- and all the proceeds go towards mental health.

TMZ Sports recently talked to the 44-year-old Heisman winner about his company, Highsman (great name), who linked up with Jeeter to produce a new Indica strain of marijuana called "Sticky Ricky" ... as well as apparel to go with it.

FYI, Williams says he earned the nickname Sticky Ricky once his teammates discovered he loved to smoke.

"100 percent of the proceeds from this collaboration are going for 'Athletes For Care' to support mental health initiates, and I think that's extremely important," Williams told us.

A4C is a non-profit organization founded by former athletes dedicated to assisting fellow athletes ... with everything from mental to physical health.

It's a worthy cause ... and one that's close to Ricky's heart.

In fact, RW says smoking pot has improved his mental health, and in ways been a substitute for professional therapy, by allowing him to examine himself and make changes where necessary.

"When we go talk to a therapist," Ricky says, continuing, "We're reviewing stuff with someone else and reflecting and I found that when I was consuming cannabis, and still, it's like self psychotherapy."

Williams' professional football career (10,009 rushing yards, 68 rushing TD's, 2,606 receiving yards, 8 receiving TD's) was marred by incredibly stringent marijuana rules -- which have now been changed or relaxed -- resulting in 5 suspensions throughout his 11 seasons in the NFL.

Ricky missed 2 full seasons as a result of the failed drug tests.

"When I was growing up, we were always told, coaches said if you smoke pot you're gonna be a loser," Ricky says, "And in my experience, that's actually not true. And that's the message I'm trying to get out in the world."

The L.A. Rams let the expletives fly as they celebrated their big Super Bowl win  ... with defensive coordinator Raheem Morris telling the crowd to "Stand the f*** up!!!"

A ton of the champs grabbed the mic at the rally following an hour-long parade ... and sorry, kids -- there was some adult language.

Sean McVay, Aaron Donald and Von Miller accidentally let the s-word slip as well. OOPS!!!

Rams GM Les Snead even had a swear word on his shirt -- wearing "F*** them picks" on his chest to joke about the team trading away all their draft picks.

It's not the end of the world -- after all, who cares about a few cuss words when L.A.'s got the Lombardi Trophy!!

Stafford was getting lit on the stage ... downing a shot of 1942 while hyping up the crowd.

The parade was pretty dope, too -- Cooper Kupp paid homage to Kobe Bryant with his wardrobe choice ... and Odell Beckham and others sprayed a ton of folks with champagne.

Stafford's wife, Kelly, kept the drinks pouring throughout the day for everyone -- and it might make sense why some of the guys were apologizing for their slurred speech.

And after all the partying, Terrell Burgess, Ogbo Okoronkwo and David Long Jr. even shotgunned an energy drink ... 'cause, gotta keep the party goin'!