NFL

Despite the horrifying images that came out of Vontae Davis' arrest earlier this month ... his older bro, Vernon Davis, tells TMZ Sports the ex-NFL star is now "doing well" and taking steps to remedy a "very tough situation."

Vontae was put into custody in Broward County, Fla. on Feb. 4 after cops say he drunkenly crashed his Tesla into the back of a disabled Toyota truck. In photos and video we obtained from the scene, you can see Vernon's younger brother appeared to be asleep on the highway following the accident -- and then seemed to struggle to stay awake during ensuing questioning.

At one point, a cop grew frustrated with the ex-Indianapolis Colts cornerback ... and told him, "You almost killed somebody."

Vernon told us out at a Super Bowl event in Arizona on Thursday night that he's spoken to Vontae since everything went down ... revealing, "he said he was doing well."

"He's just taking care of everything behind the scenes," the former 49ers star tight end added.

As for what he told his bro ... Vernon said, "I just told him I'm going to keep him in my prayers and continue to wish him the best and hope that he continues to do the right thing."

Brett Favre is dragging Pat McAfee and Shannon Sharpe to court ... suing the ultra-popular sports analysts after he says they made comments about him that were false and defamatory.

Favre filed the lawsuits earlier this week in Mississippi -- naming state auditor Shad White as a defendant in one of the suits as well.

The Green Bay Packers legend claims in the suits all three defamed him when talking about his alleged role in a welfare funds scandal in Mississippi.

Favre said McAfee made some of the remarks on his podcast, alleging the former NFL punter said the ex-QB was "stealing from poor people in Mississippi."

The Hall of Famer claimed Sharpe muttered defamatory comments on his FS1 show -- when he said Sharpe called Favre a "sorry mofo to steal from the lowest of the low."

As for White, Favre says the Mississippi official has "shamelessly and falsely" attacked him for months "in a brazen attempt to leverage the media attention generated by Favre's celebrity to further his own political career."

FYI, White and his office were the ones who initially discovered the alleged misuse of welfare funds, claiming over $70 million intended to go toward the needy in Miss. actually went elsewhere -- including to Favre as well as projects closely associated with the Hall of Famer.

Favre, though, has denied any wrongdoing in the case ... insisting back in September, "I have done nothing wrong."

Favre is suing the trio for unspecified damages.

A spokesman for the State Auditor's office said Thursday in response to the suits that "everything Auditor White has said about this case is true and is backed by years of audit work by the professionals at the Office of the State Auditor."

Damar Hamlin is heaping praise on Denny Kellington for performing CPR on him the night he went into cardiac arrest, calling the Bills assistant athletic trainer the "savior of my life."

"I owe Denny my life," Hamlin told Michael Strahan on "Good Morning America" on Friday ... "He loves to say he was just doing his job."

Hamlin said if Kellington didn't show up to work that night with a clear mind ... he might not be here, a reality he doesn't take for granted when reflecting on the moment

The 24-year-old safety acknowledged Denny was acting as any professional should in that instance, but respects the man for rising to the occasion even when things looked dire.

Hamlin was on tap at the NFL Honors ceremony Thursday ... where he delivered an inspiring speech alongside the medical professionals who helped keep him alive.

"First, I would like to just thank God for even being here,” Hamlin said. “Every day. I’m amazed that my experiences could encourage so many others across the country and even across the world, encourage the parade, encourage it, spread love, and keep fighting, no matter the circumstances."

During his speech, Hamlin said he met a doctor in the hospital who went through a similar experience as him, and reminded him that he was living proof Damar would be fine.

"I want to give a big thank you to him and a special thank you to everyone on the stage for everything they did for me," Hamlin said. "And thank you, everyone, around the country and around the world who prayed for me and hoped for me. The journey will continue.”

Earlier this week, the NFLPA awarded Hamlin the Alan Page Award for his charitable work in the community.

There's money to be made when Rihanna takes the stage during the Super Bowl Halftime Show on Sunday ... with prop bets waiting to be placed on the superstar's outfit and stunts -- and of course, whether she shows skin.

The folks at BetOnline listed a ton of bets, and there's an opportunity to rake in some serious dough ... making the singer's performance even more exciting for viewers.

Will Rihanna expose butt cheek on stage??
-- Yes -120 (risk $120 to win $100)
-- No -120 (risk $120 to win $100)

Will Rihanna expose cleavage on stage??
-- Yes -400 (risk $400 to win $100)
-- No +250 (risk $100 to win $250)

Will Rihanna use a phone/tablet/computer??
-- No -1500
-- Yes +600

And get this one -- Will Rihanna pull a Janet Jackson and show nipple on stage??
-- No -2500
-- Yes +800

There are a ton more prop bets for the actual game ... like the result of the coin toss, the color of liquid poured on the winning coach, what tweet will happen first -- Joel Embiid talking about Rihanna or Eli Apple going off about the Chiefs, and what swear word Travis Kelce will say in his postgame interview.

Michael Irvin filed a scathing $100 million lawsuit against the woman who accused the NFL legend of misconduct, alleging he's being "railroaded" with false accusations that are ruining his career.

The lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, was filed Thursday afternoon ... after Irvin says the hotel where he was staying concocted a plan to turn him into the next victim of "cancel culture" over something he says never happened.

"Rash and thoughtless actions can have severe consequences. Marriott [parent company of Renaissance Hotels] apparently did not appreciate these simple truths when, in a rush to judgment, its employees and management inaccurately and inflammatorily accused Mr. Irvin of misconduct to the National Football League," the lawsuit reads.

According to the lawsuit, witnesses (in the above photo) backed Irvin's initial claim that he "casually exchanged pleasantries" with the employee ("Jane Doe"), "shook her hand, and went to his room alone."

However, once Irvin and his team became aware of the allegations, they say they attempted to provide witness accounts to the hotel in an effort to rectify any misunderstanding, but they say the Renaissance refused to listen.

In fact, the lawsuit accuses the hotel manager of reporting the alleged incident to the NFL "with the intention of damaging that relationship and canceling [Irvin]."

Levi McCathern, Michael's attorney, says his client's reputation has not only been damaged, but he's also lost out on money -- canceled appearances -- as a result of the false allegations.

Irvin is seeking in excess of $100,000,000.

The Hall of Famer's attorney tells us ... "It is clear Michael is the latest victim of our cancel culture where all it takes is an accusation to ruin a person’s life. Michael looks forward to clearing his name in court and hopes the Court of public opinion will see the truth come out as well."

Of course, 56-year-old Irvin was yanked from NFL Network's Super Bowl coverage after a hotel employee complained about Michael's alleged behavior during a brief interaction Sunday night.

The specifics of the accusers allegations are still not known publicly.

Irvin, one of the most popular media personalities in sports, was set to be one of NFLN's and ESPN's faces of their Super Bowl coverage.

Seems Patrick Mahomes' is Rihanna's favorite quarterback, after all ... 'cause just one day after former NFL star Brandon Marshall clowned the NFL MVP, RiRi made it clear she's a huge fan of Patrick!

"I am so sorry you went through that [Patrick]. I still think you're great. [Brandon's] a hater!"

27-year-old Mahomes was at a Super Bowl media event on Wednesday when the Marshall, a 6x Pro Bowler, grabbed the mic and asked Patrick how he felt about Rihanna saying he was her favorite QB.

The only problem ... she never said it. 😂

Rihanna's reaction to the prank ... "That is so mean. [Brandon] is mean, ok? I am so sorry you went through that, okay."

Of course, it's not just Mahomes who will be busy come Sunday night.

Rihanna is performing during the highly anticipated SB halftime show ... and as PM said, there are lots of people, including his own family members, who are more pumped for RiRi than the football game.

Derek Carr out ... Aaron Rodgers in?

If No. 4 is definitively on his way to being traded from Vegas this offseason ... Raiders star Darren Waller is making it clear, he wants Rodgers to replace him.

In fact, the tight end is downright recruiting the Packers star to Nevada while under the assumption that Carr's a goner ... saying at Jay Glazer's Super Bowl party in Arizona this week, "If you come, it's gonna be lit!"

Waller added in his pitch that Las Vegas is a better place to be than Green Bay "in most cases."

"If he comes," Waller said of Rodgers, "I'd be a happy camper."

Of course, there's a lot of pieces that would have to fall into place to make Waller's wish come true. First, Carr would have to be traded. Then, Vegas would have to make a swap with the Packers for Rodgers.

But, Carr already appears to be on the verge of being moved -- he just met with the Saints this week. And, all signs seem to be pointing toward Rodgers being jettisoned from Green Bay too (that is, if his isolation retreat leads him to one more year of football).

Native American activist Amanda Blackhorse -- a social justice leader who helped force Washington's NFL team to change its name -- is now calling for the Chiefs to switch their moniker ... and she's urging Rihanna and Patrick Mahomes to join the cause this week.

Blackhorse and other Indigenous advocates have scheduled a protest at State Farm Stadium on Sunday during the Super Bowl ... in an effort to get the ball rolling on ridding K.C. of its longstanding team name.

Blackhorse and other leaders have said it -- as well as the org.'s "Tomahawk Chop" and "Big Drum" traditions -- appropriate their culture ... and they want changes ASAP.

She tells TMZ Sports ... she's hoping Sunday's boycott will raise awareness for the cause, adding that if K.C.'s star QB and the Big Game's halftime show performer pitch in, it could make a big difference.

Of course, Blackhorse was successful in her crusade to get Dan Snyder's team to make changes -- she was a key plaintiff in a lawsuit that helped pave the way for their switch to the "Commanders."

She's now clearly hopeful she can repeat that in Kansas City.

For the Chiefs' part -- they've made changes at Arrowhead Stadium in 2020 in wake of some of the cries ... banning headdresses and Native American-style face paint. They also said at the time they were looking into imposing further restrictions.

Rihanna wants to make sure she gets her Super Bowl LVII halftime performance 100% correct ... working through 39 different setlists to get it right.

The music superstar discussed her everchanging plans on Thursday during an Apple Music press conference to pump the big show.

Rihanna told panel moderator Nadeska Alexis she hasn't been afraid to take charge, as there's a lot riding on this performance, including her own reputation.

The singer says trying to condense hours worth of musical greatness into a 13-minute set has been damn near impossible, but Rihanna says there are a lot of people who are involved working to make it successful.

She says her bossy side has surfaced on several occasions -- making small changes such as where her guitar players should stand.

We spoke to Rihanna about her pregame jitters back in October and it appears she still has them.

She openly admitted she had some hesitation taking the gig after giving birth to her baby back in May, and lamented over the lack of work/life balance to spend with her child.

Ultimately, the "Umbrella" singer says it was an honor to be put in a position to represent Barbados, immigrants and Black women alike ... and plans on incorporating plenty of her native Caribbean culture into the show.

Shawne Merriman doesn't quite get Aaron Rodgers' upcoming isolation retreat -- he says it "sounds like jail to me" -- but the ex-Chargers star tells TMZ Sports he isn't going to judge the QB for trying to better himself.

Both Merriman and former NFL star LaVar Arrington weighed in on the Green Bay Packers signal-caller's plans to lock himself in darkness for four days later this month ... and neither guy said it was something they'd get themselves into.

But, both former football players -- who were catching a meal together out at Super Bowl week in Arizona -- had no desire to shade the 39-year-old for it.

"I don't knock how anybody goes and find themselves," Merriman said. "Like, so, if you've got to go to a dark room for four days, go to the dark room. Make it six!"

Added Arrington, "Everybody has their own journeys in life. I'm not one to judge somebody on what their journey of enlightenment and self-understanding is."

Rodgers initially revealed his plans for the isolation trip on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Tuesday ... saying he's going to go to "a little house" in a few weeks and lock himself in a dark room.

The quarterback said the goal of it all is to come out with a more clear picture of whether or not he wants to play football again going forward.

Arrington admitted it sounds like "solitary confinement" to him ... but, again, he said he's all for it if it helps Rodgers.

The woman who was accused of making false claims about Terrell Owens to police during a heated confrontation between the two back in August is now off the hook in her criminal case ... TMZ Sports has learned Caitlin Davis' misdemeanor charge stemming from the incident has been dropped.

A spokesperson for the Broward State Attorney's Office tells us the case was dismissed on Feb. 2 -- after prosecutors said in documents they "would not be able to prove the elements of the charged crime with the facts that were presented."

Davis had initially been charged with one count of misdemeanor false reports after Owens said she lied to cops following an Aug. 3 argument they had gotten into in a Deerfield Beach, Fla. neighborhood.

Owens said at the time she made up a story that he had come after her after she had yelled at him for the way he was driving on the street.

Owens actually filmed part of their altercation -- and in the clip, you can hear Davis yell at the former NFL star, "You're a Black man approaching a white woman!"

The Hall of Fame wide receiver said he was grateful that a charge had been filed against Davis over it all ... saying to us at the time, "KAREN IS REAL."

Damar Hamlin just received an incredible honor from the NFL Players Association ... and in his speech accepting the award, he told a throng of reporters that he was thankful to God "for being here."

The NFLPA presented Hamlin with the Alan Page Community Award at a ceremony at a Super Bowl event Wednesday afternoon ... recognizing him as a player who went above and beyond to perform community service in his team city and/or hometown.

Hamlin hopped on the mic after taking the trophy -- and spoke publicly for one of the first times since he went into cardiac arrest during a game last month.

"First, I just want to say, 'Thank you,'" Hamlin said. "Just thank God for being here and thank the other guys who were nominated for the award as well who did the work in their communities alongside me as well."

Hamlin beat out four others -- Patriots DB Jonathan Jones, Commanders OL Charles Leno Jr., Raiders TE Darren Waller, and Buccaneers linebacker Devin White -- for the prestigious honor.

In his acceptance speech, Hamlin said giving back to his community "has always been a big part of who I am." He thanked his father for instilling that value in him when he was young.

Even before his medical emergency, Hamlin had found ways to inspire others in his community ... hosting toy drives constantly, and distributing gifts to children in need in Pennsylvania through his Chasing M's Foundation.

Damar actually created a GoFundMe page for his non-profit org. -- and following his health scare, it raised over $9 million.

Ex-NFL star Vontae Davis seemed to be sound asleep on the side of a highway near two wrecked vehicles after he was accused of drunkenly crashing his Tesla during an accident on Saturday morning ... new photos, obtained by TMZ Sports, show.

In the pictures -- snapped just minutes after Davis allegedly rammed his ride into the back of a Toyota truck in Broward County, Fla. -- you can see Davis appeared to be unconscious on the pavement.

Wearing a mint-green corduroy set with his shoes still on, the 34-year-old former Indianapolis Colts defensive back was balled up with his head laying in his hands and his eyes closed.

A witness tells us that even as people moved around him -- including first responders, a clean-up crew and police -- Davis remained fast asleep ... until cops woke him up and put him in a squad car.

In Florida Highway Patrol dash cam footage we obtained, you can see Davis appeared to be having trouble staying awake there too.

During questioning, the two-time Pro Bowler seemed to fade in and out of consciousness ... and when one officer eventually began telling him why he was being arrested for DUI -- the cop said, "Your eyes are bloodshot. Your speech is slurred. You can barely stay awake. All right? You almost killed somebody."

Other photos from the scene we obtained show just how fortunate everyone is to have come away from the wreck alive -- you can see in the pics, Davis' Tesla was mangled ... as was the back of the Toyota.

Davis did admit to cops he had drank two "mixed drinks" before getting behind the wheel, but he said he had no recollection of the car accident.

The former football player, who spent 10 seasons in the NFL from 2009 to 2018, was ultimately arrested and booked on a charge of DUI.

Super Bowl commercials can no longer be contained for just the big game, and several high-profile rappers -- Diddy, Snoop Dogg and Jack Harlow to name a few -- have all been getting the bag with multi-million dollar TV spots!!!

Diddy's mogul status is the basis for his Uber Eats ad and he incorporates his Love Records, CÎROC and DeLeon Tequila imprints all in one swoop.

In the spot, the Bad Boy Records CEO looks for the perfect jingle from remixed hits ... and well-placed randomness from Montell Jordan, Donna Lewis, Kelis, Ylvis and Haddaway!!!

Not to be outdone, Snoop assumes yet another brand ambassador role with Skechers Slip-Ins alongside Martha Stewart, Howie Long and Tony Romo.

The colorful commercial loops Snoop's classic hit "Who Am I? (What’s My Name?)" as Tha Doggfather walks through his various elements ... walking red carpets, rocking concerts and cruising through L.A. on a beach cruiser!!!

Jack and Missy Elliott have been teasing a Doritos commercial (and collaboration) for weeks now and dropped new content Wednesday. It's a hypothetical look into Jack's career if he adopted the chip into his stage act ... to hilarious results.

The newest clip costars Sway Calloway and Heather B. from "Sway In The Morning" ... as well as a mic-dropping cameo from Sir Elton John.

This year, 30-second SB commercials will reportedly cost companies $7 mil a pop ... and that's before they pay the rappers' salaries!!!

If ya can't wait till Sunday, we've got more of those high priced spots.

Michael Irvin will no longer be one of the faces of NFL Network's Super Bowl coverage this week -- the former Dallas Cowboys star who's turned into a huge TV personality has been pulled from shows following an incident he had with a woman in Arizona on Sunday night.

Irvin told the Dallas Morning News the encounter happened at a hotel in Glendale -- the site of this weekend's SB LVII -- after he had returned to the property following a night out on the town.

Irvin says he spoke with the woman for roughly 45 seconds in the lobby -- and described it all as an almost entirely non-physical interaction.

The woman, though, according to the DMN, launched a complaint about Irvin's actions -- leading to the NFLN pulling him from their coverage on Tuesday.

Irvin says he's been left "perplexed" by it all -- explaining to the outlet it was such an innocuous conversation, he hardly even remembered it.

"When I got back after going out … I came into the lobby, and I talked to somebody," Irvin said. "I talked to this girl. I don't know her, and I talked to her for about 45 seconds."

"We shook hands. Then, I left. … That’s all I know."

He added, "I don’t really recall that conversation, to tell you the truth. We were out drinking. It was just a friendly conversation. ‘What’s up?’ I don’t even know. … I am totally perplexed."

An NFL Network exec confirmed to TMZ Sports Irvin will not be a part of the station's SB coverage this week. But, it remains unclear what the woman alleges Irvin said or did during their meetup -- as Irvin adamantly denied any wrongdoing.

"What law did I break?" Irvin said according to the Dallas Morning News. "There was definitely nothing physical. … That’s honestly all that happened. Nobody was in my room. It was a 45-second conversation in the lobby, a handshake and we left. … I don’t know. I don’t know what this is, and it’s running me crazy."

Aaron Rodgers has a message for those criticizing his plans to submerge himself in darkness before deciding his NFL future -- "Be curious, not judgmental."

Some folks have been scratching their heads after the Green Bay quarterback said on "The Pat McAfee Show" he will go on a 4-day isolation retreat to self-reflect before figuring out whether or not he will retire ... with former offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz sarcastically calling it odd the Packers aren't more involved in the situation.

"Weird the Packers aren’t consulting more with the guy who needs to go on a 4 day darkness retreat to figure out whether he wants to play football…," Schwartz said on Twitter.

AR12 got wind of the Super Bowl champ's bewilderment ... and instead of clapping back with negativity, he took the higher road.

"We are all on our own path, and doing things like this helps me find a greater sense of peace and love for life," Rodgers said. "Love and respect to you ❤️"

Rodgers explained his reasoning behind the retreat with McAfee on Tuesday ... saying the ultimate unplugging from the real world can help produce incredible results.

"It’s just sitting in isolation, meditation, dealing with your thoughts," Rodgers said. "It stimulates DMT, so there can be some hallucinations in there, but it’s just kind of sitting in silence, which most of us never do."

"We rarely even turn our phone off or put the blinds down to sleep in darkness. I’m really looking forward to it."