NFL

The NFL's appeal of Deshaun Watson's six-game ban is really bad news for the QB ... so says former Browns GM Michael Lombardi, who tells TMZ Sports he now expects the suspension to increase significantly.

The league announced on Wednesday it was appealing the ruling Sue L. Robinson handed down on Monday -- but it has yet to publicly specify the punishment it truly thinks Watson deserves for his alleged sexual misconduct with female massage therapists.

But, Lombardi tells us he believes Roger Goodell and the league will be looking for at least 12 games ... and is almost certainly targeting a full-year suspension for the 26-year-old Cleveland star.

"I know the league wants a year," said Lombardi, who was the GM for the Browns in 2013. "They've made that pretty clear to all people that they leak information to. They're negotiating off a year -- we know the Players Association wants six games. Do they settle on 12? I don't know. I think a lot of this comes down to the simple fact, who's going to win in federal court?"

Lombardi tells us based on Robinson's ruling, the NFL will likely win in court -- which means The Shield has most of the leverage here ... and should ultimately get what it wants.

As for how the Browns' org. should feel about it all -- Lombardi says it can't have buyer's remorse ... because it had to have known what it was getting into.

"I mean, it was out in the open," he said ... "The key in scouting and being in the front office is to learn more about the player before you acquire him than after you acquire him and if they didn't do that, then shame on them."

"I honestly could have died."

Terrell Owens says even though the incident with his neighbor ended without violence, the interaction could've easily taken a deadly turn, and TO says that's why he won't simply move on as if nothing happened.

The 48-year-old Hall of Famer joined the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weeknights on FS1) ... where Owens addressed his neighbor calling the cops on him for allegedly speeding near his home in Florida Wednesday night.

Prior to police arriving, Terrell and the woman got into a verbal dispute. The woman claimed TO threatened her, and was heard saying, "You're a Black man approaching a white woman!" The NFL legend is adamant he didn't threaten anyone.

Owens explained why he believes he was lucky.

"If the wrong type of cops came out, if they got the wrong type of information. Her, you saw the video, she started crying, you never know how that situation could've turned."

And, that's something TO says he was "very aware" of in the moment. He stayed calm because he feared for his safety.

"I could've died. Honestly, I could have died and the storyline would be totally different."

Thankfully, that didn't happen. The officer who responded maintained order, and everyone ultimately went on their way.

But, now that he's had time to reflect, Owens believes his neighbor should face repercussions.

"I'm hoping the people here in Florida, they're monitoring what has transpired," TO says, specifically saying he hopes the state's [Attorney General] examines the situation.

What do you do when you got a nickname like "Sauce??" You get a custom diamond hot sauce bottle, of course!!

New York Jets rookie Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner recently copped an incredible piece of jewelry to honor his special nickname ... and the thing will put Frank's, Tabasco and Tapatio to shame!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... Sauce hit up Al the Jeweler in Totowa, New Jersey for the special request ... and we're told the whole thing took a month to complete.

Al tells us the blinged-out item is made up of over 20 carats of VS diamonds ... including emerald baguettes and round cuts.

As it turns out, Sauce has had diamond bottle bling made for him before ... rocking a similar piece around his neck at the NFL Draft.

Sauce certainly knows his way around the jewelry store -- he also went to Al for an amazing "Sauce" chain in the past as well.

Texans running back Darius Anderson's Friday just got a whole lot better ... his felony burglary case has been dismissed -- according to his attorney, Kelly Benavides.

Benavides, in an interview with TMZ Sports, said prosecutors made the decision official on Friday morning ... "because of a lack of evidence."

As we reported, Anderson had been charged with felony burglary of a habitation last month after cops say Anderson's ex-girlfriend told them the football player broke into her Harris County, Texas home at around 7 AM on July 15.

The woman, according to police documents, told cops she had tried to keep Anderson out of her home following a dispute, but he forced his way in through the garage. Cops say the woman told them that while inside of her home, Anderson yelled at her "that he was 'going to beat her up.'" He allegedly left the residence after learning she was calling 911.

According to Benavides, Anderson was at Texans practice Friday morning when prosecutors formally dropped the case. She said she's happy the 24-year-old can now put the case behind him and concentrate on his football career.

Benavides also applauded prosecutors for "doing the right thing -- doing what justice required."

Houston head coach Lovie Smith, meanwhile, said after practice he was "glad" to see the case's disposition as well.

We've reached out to the Harris County District Attorney's Office for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

Anderson -- who initially broke into the league in 2020 after signing as an undrafted free agent with the Dallas Cowboys -- is currently fighting for a roster spot at Texans training camp.

The woman involved in the heated dispute with Terrell Owens in a Florida neighborhood on Wednesday night told cops the NFL legend "threatened" her after nearly running her over -- new police audio, obtained by TMZ Sports, reveals.

In the 911 call, you can hear the woman tell dispatch that around 10:30 PM, Owens was driving "aggressively" through her neighborhood street in Broward County and "almost hit me."

"And then [he] got out of the car to threaten me," the woman said in the call.

The woman -- who authorities have not identified -- described the former Dallas Cowboys star as "an African-American individual" who was driving a four-door, green Genesis.

"He got out of his car and started threatening me," the woman said ... before adding, "He was literally speeding and then got mad at me because we were crossing in the sidewalk and he nearly hit us."

Of course, Owens' description of the event differs significantly -- on a social media live stream during his confrontation with the woman, he said he was not driving erratically at all.

And, Owens claimed he only got out of his car to speak with the woman after she had been hurling profanities his way.

Cops told us they did respond to the scene -- but no arrests were made, explaining, "The parties were separated, and the situation resolved."

Roger Goodell could be on Aaron Rodgers' Line 1 very soon ... 'cause Shannon Sharpe says he expects the NFL commish to call the Packers star after the QB admitted to using psychedelics earlier this week.

"I'm sure the NFL is probably going to give him a call and say, 'That's not a good look,'" the Hall of Fame tight end said Thursday.

If you missed it, Rodgers said on the most recent episode of the "Aubrey Marcus Podcast" that if he hadn't had a psychedelic experience in South America after ingesting the ayahuasca plant -- which contains DMT -- he might not have won the NFL's MVP award the past two seasons.

Rodgers raved over the plant brew's psychoactive effects ... saying he "had a magical experience" that helped lead him to become a better person and football player.

Sharpe says he has no issues with Rodgers' trip -- though he told us out at LAX he's fairly confident the NFL probably ain't feeling the same way.

"I don't know the NFL is too happy about him taking hallucinogenics," Sharpe said ... before adding, "I'm sure the commissioner is going to reach out and have a conversation with him."

Sharpe says it's unclear to him if the NFL could ultimately punish Rodgers over it all.

But, again, the former Broncos star reiterated he's glad it all worked out for A-Rodge.

Former Patriots O-lineman Rich Ohrnberger was so afraid of being cut by Bill Belichick ... he intentionally rear-ended a van while on his way to practice after running late to a team meeting!!

Ohrnberger -- a fourth-round pick in the 2009 NFL draft -- made the confession Thursday on the "The Hartman And Rich O Show" ... saying he purposely got into a fender bender so he wouldn't have to face the wrath of the future Hall of Fame head coach.

"I was driving a Chevy Tahoe, and it says I'm late already," Ohrnberger recalled, continuing, "Or, I'm gonna be. I'm like 5 minutes to being officially late, and I've got a 15-minute drive ahead of me."

Rich -- who only spent two seasons with New England -- said he was terrified of what the notoriously strict coach might do.

"I had this sinking feeling in my stomach," and the entire time, he kept thinking to himself, "I'm gonna get cut."

Ohrnberger said he noticed a beat-up van and came up with the idea that if he got into an accident, that would be the perfect excuse for why he was late for the team meeting.

"And I'm cruising down this slight sloping hill that brings you to the first traffic light," Ohrnberger said, "that I have to turn right to get to the stadium for the morning meeting."

"I see a church van in front of me that's all dinged up, and it's got the black smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe, and I'm just like, 'I'm gonna hit this car.'"

Ohrnberger said he figured it's better to deal with the consequences of the collision -- banging up his car, etc. -- than dealing with Bill scolding him for being tardy.

Little did Rich know ... the church van he hit had an elderly man inside, but luckily, the old guy didn't sustain any injuries during the minor collision, and his van was okay, too.

Move over, Backstreet Boys, there's a new boy band in town -- introducing the Backstreet Bills!!!

Rookies on Buffalo's offensive line ripped their shirts off and gave a heartfelt rendition of "I Want It That Way" as part of their introduction to the team on Thursday ... and honestly, we're impressed!!

Tanner Owen, Alec Anderson and the guys alternated the classic lyrics as superstars Josh Allen and Co. watched the performance ... with the QB even turning on his iPhone flashlight to replicate a lighter.

There was also a bit of dancing going on -- proving the guys were truly giving 100% out there, even if they didn't have an empty airport to use for the big performance.

Rooks have been showing off their pipes recently as part of the yearly tradition -- as we previously reported, Eagles top pick Jordan Davis wowed the crowd with his cover of "Mary Jane" by Rick James just a few days ago.

Kliff Kingsbury clearly ain't happy that his star wideout spent the day in jail on Wednesday -- telling reporters on Thursday that Marquise "Hollywood" Brown has "got to be better than that."

Brown was arrested at around 7:05 AM in north Phoenix after officers say he was speeding. Jail records show he was booked on a charge of exceeding 85 MPH in a 65 MPH zone -- and according to multiple media outlets, cops said he was actually traveling at 126 MPH.

Speaking with media members for the first time since the arrest, Kingsbury made it known he was not pleased with the 25-year-old, and expected more from the Cardinals receiver.

"Obviously he knows he's got to be better than that," the Arizona head coach said, "and he will be moving forward."

Kingsbury added Brown has "never" given him or the team "any issues" prior to Wednesday.

Terrell Owens got into such a heated argument with a woman in his neighborhood on Wednesday night, cops had to get involved ... and when they arrived, the woman quarreling with the football legend screamed at T.O., "You're a Black man approaching a white woman!"

Parts of the incident were captured by Owens on his social media live stream -- after he and one of his neighbors apparently got into a dispute over the way he had been driving around his neighborhood.

Owens began filming the incident moments after cops had arrived on the scene.

In the footage, the woman accused T.O. of driving recklessly, nearly hitting her with his car, and then getting out of his ride to intimidate her. Owens adamantly denied the allegations, saying he was driving safely, and only got out of his vehicle because she was screaming profanities at him.

"You don't yell at me and tell me I almost hit you and I didn't," Owens can be heard telling the woman in the video.

"But, you didn't have to get out of your f***ing car!" she replied.

Owens continued, "You didn't have to talk to me that way, either! Karen!"

That's when the woman yelled back, "You're a Black man approaching a white woman!"

The woman then broke down in tears a few moments later. Owens accused her of hamming it up for the cop on the scene.

The police officer attempted to de-escalate the situation -- separating the two -- but it's unclear how it was all resolved ... Owens signed off before the cops left.

The 48-year-old former Dallas Cowboys star did caption the video by writing, "KAREN IS REAL!!!!"

"Wow!! JUST A NORMAL NIGHT OF BEING A BLACK MAN IN AMERICA 🤷🏾‍♂️😂😂," he continued. "I want to say I can’t believe it but y’all know what it is. #karenonbikes #tears #falseaccusations #hernameiskate"

"Selling Sunset" star Heather Rae Young is going after a strip club she says used her image to promote NFL viewing parties ... and now, she wants them to pay.

Heather and two other women just filed legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- claiming Platinum West and Platinum Plus Gentlemen's clubs in SC and PA, respectively, plastered their images on promo posters to get patrons into the club.

In the docs, Heather includes the flyer she says Platinum West used with her image for Sunday and Monday night football events ... with the phrase, "Cheerleaders for Every Fan."

Heather says she never had any sort of agreement, or communications at all with Platinum ... and to use her image to allure guests is plain old false advertising. Not only that, Heather claims the club is defaming her by making it appear she works there as a stripper.

As for the two other women -- Amber Lancaster and Jaime Edmondson Longoria -- suing the club ... Lancaster works on "The Price is Right" and was previously crowned Miss Washington Teen USA, Longoria has worked for Playboy and as a Dolphins cheerleader ... and is married to SF Giants All-Star Evan Longoria.

Aaron Rodgers says the secret to his recent NFL dominance is a psychedelic experience in South America ... claiming the ayahuasca plant helped him improve his mental health and have the "best season of my career."

Ayahuasca -- which contains DMT -- has been used socially and medically for centuries ... and some consumers credit the plant brew for spiritual healing.

The Super Bowl champ says it's not a "coincidence" he returned from South America and won his next two MVP awards in 2020 and 2021 ... and is speaking out to change the negative stereotypes around using ayahuasca.

"I think there's so many myths and rumors about it," Rodgers said on the "Aubrey Marcus Podcast."

"The fear around it is, you're going to s*** yourself, it's just a big throw-up fest ... but the negative framework of it is that is the experience, not the deep and meaningful and crazy mind-expanding possibilities and also deep self-love and healing that can happen on the other side."

Rodgers says his intention for the first experience was to find out what pure love feels like ... and it worked.

"I had a magical experience with the sensation of feeling a hundred different hands on my body imparting a blessing of love and forgiveness for myself and gratitude for this life from what seemed to be my ancestors," he added.

38-year-old Rodgers says a previous experience with mushrooms led him to try ayahuasca ... and because he did, he has a new perspective on life.

Aaron Rodgers believes it is possible to make amends with his estranged family one day ... saying he's truly grateful for his upbringing and holds no resentment over how things played out.

The Green Bay Packers superstar had a messy falling out with his parents and two brothers several years ago ... and his separation from the family was famously covered during Jordan's appearance on "The Bachelorette" in 2016, despite the cause of the rift remaining a mystery.

Rodgers is now opening up about where things stand with his fam ... and he says the relationship is not permanently severed.

"I do believe in healing and I believe in the possibility of reconciliation at some point," Rodgers said on the "Aubrey Marcus Podcast" this week. "But, it's a different journey for all of us, and to judge on the outside about what should be or what it should look like, or who's wrong or who's right is just a game I've never wanted to play and still don't want to play."

"The most important thing for me is deep love and gratitude for them, and for the lessons I learned, and for the way I was raised, and hope for the future," he added.

"But, who knows what that future is gonna look like, when it's gonna look like, when time is gonna come."

"But, I have no bitterness in my heart. I have no resentment," Rodgers continued. "I just have deep love and appreciation for the lessons that I learned, and the fact that if I hadn't been raised that way -- all the good and all the frustrating -- there's no way I'd be sitting here today."

While Rodgers had previously stated he spent time "with my folks" for his birthday in 2018, it was reported as recently as January 2022 that he still does not speak with his family.

Deshaun Watson could be suspended for more than 6 games after all ... the NFL announced Wednesday it is appealing Monday's initial ruling.

The league had three days to decide if it would appeal Sue L. Robinson's choice to only ban Watson for six games, and after using nearly every allotted hour, The Shield revealed it will now do it.

According to a statement from the league, the appeal will either be heard by commissioner Roger Goodell or his designee. Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Goodell or his designee will then "issue a written decision that will constitute final disposition of the dispute and is binding."

It is expected that this will mean Watson will serve a ban longer than six games.

In fact, famed business and legal analyst Andrew Brandt told "TMZ Live" on Tuesday he expected that if the league appealed the suspension, it would not only increase the ban, but would also tag on a "big fine."

As we reported, Robinson initially handed down the suspension after she ruled the 26-year-old QB had been sexually inappropriate with multiple female massage therapists.

Cardinals star Marquise "Hollywood" Brown spent his Wednesday morning in jail instead of getting ready for training camp practice ... TMZ Sports has confirmed he was arrested not long before the workout began.

According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Brown was stopped on State Route 101 in north Phoenix at around 7:05 AM, and was arrested for criminal speeding.

Bart Graves, a DPS spokesperson, tells us as of 10:30 AM, Brown was still in custody.

No further details surrounding the arrest were revealed.

Brown, who's been battling a hamstring injury this offseason, had been expected to be eased back into practice this week.

"We are aware of the situation regarding Hollywood Brown and have reported it to the NFL office as required," the Cardinals said in a statement. "We will comment further as appropriate."

Brown was just traded to the Cardinals back in April -- after starring for the Baltimore Ravens from 2019 to 2021.

Story developing ...

Tom Brady turned 45 today ... and the star QB's wife, Gisele, made sure to shout out her man on his special day, reminding him he's loved as he celebrates another year of life!!

Gisele -- who's been married to Tom since 2009 -- took to Instagram to pen the romantic post to her 7x Super Bowl-winning hubby QB ... posting a photo of Brady in his Bucs uni with two of his three children.

"Happy birthday to one of the most focused, disciplined, and fashionable person I know! @tombrady" Gisele wrote on social media.

"You are so loved and we are always here cheering for you and wishing you all the most wonderful things in life! ❤️"

Tom and Gisele have been one of the most powerful and well-known couples in sports and entertainment for quite some time now, and Bundchen has always made sure to support him.

Of course, Tom's super focused on the NFL season ahead ... but it's nice to see Gisele took the time to publicly show her appreciation for him.

Happy Birthday, Tom!!