NFL

G.O.A.T. blood apparently runs thick in the Tom Brady family ... 'cause the greatest quarterback of all time just revealed his 15-year-old son is nearly as big as he is now!!!

The 6-foot-4 Brady shared the eyebrow-raising update in an Instagram post on Thursday afternoon ... showing Jack -- his son with Bridget Moynahan -- is only a couple inches away from Pops now.

"Not Yet Kid!!!" Brady said in a caption on the post. "I'm still here."

The 44-year-old added a bunch of laughing emojis and a few hearts as well.

Of course, while Tom still might have the height and the athleticism edge over Jack these days -- it doesn't seem like it'll be long before the teen can claim both titles from Dad.

The younger Brady is very much into sports -- he actually plays QB for his high school football team -- and he even showed he's got an arm at a Buccaneers practice late last year.

Tom, though, said in an interview with ESPN last week that he wouldn't "choose" for his son to continue down the quarterback path due to the "crazy" and "unfair" expectations that would be placed on him.

Former NFL wideout Travis Rudolph is a free man once again ... a jury just found him not guilty on all counts in his murder case.

The scene inside the courtroom Wednesday as the jury read its verdict was emotional ... Rudolph was in tears -- as were his family members.

The 27-year-old, though, eventually cracked a huge smile and shared an embrace with his lawyer. Afterward, he and his attorney thanked the jurors, the judge, the court and all others involved in the case.

"It means everything, man," the former New York Giants receiver said to reporters. "I finally got my freedom back and I can get back to my life."

Added Rudolph's attorney added, "We knew he wasn't guilty. He's one of the nicest human beings you ever met whether he plays sports or not. This is an innocent man who did what he had to do."

Rudolph was initially hit with four charges -- including one count of first-degree murder with a firearm -- back in April 2021 ... after authorities alleged he opened fire on four people inside of a car in West Palm Beach, FL, killing one, following a dispute that Rudolph had had with a woman earlier.

Rudolph, however, had adamantly claimed he was only acting in self-defense.

"I knew all along," Rudolph said Wednesday outside of the courtroom, "I did what I had to do to protect me and my brother's life."

The case went to trial last week ... and the jurors reached their verdict Wednesday afternoon after only about four hours of deliberating.

Rudolph told reporters he now has plans to resume his football career ... saying he's open to competing in any league -- not just the NFL.

"I'm going to reach out to my agent," he said, "and if God's willing, I'll still be able to play football. Definitely planning on getting back to football."

Rejoice, Bills Mafia ... Josh Allen has been officially named the Madden 24 cover athlete!!!

EA Sports just announced the news ... making Allen the first-ever ever Buffalo Bill to grace the cover of the football video game -- and the quarterback made it clear he was pumped ... showing no concerns whatsoever about a potential curse.

"A childhood dream come true," Allen tweeted ... before adding a praying hands emoji.

The cover art is pretty cool ... on one of the editions, the 27-year-old is featured bowing his head in his Bills gear. On another edition, the signal-caller can be seen partying in the endzone with Buffalo fans.

The game officially drops in August.

Of course, the announcement didn't come without criticism ... many felt Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts or even Justin Jefferson should have nabbed the honor.

In fact, Robert Griffin III said earlier this week he felt Allen's teammate, Damar Hamlin, should have been the one who graced the cover ... not the QB.

But, Madden execs were clearly thrilled with the Allen choice nonetheless -- tweeting, "Welcome to the Fam."

The feat marks yet another awesome moment for Allen this offseason -- you'll recall, he also just recently got into a romantic relationship with Hailee Steinfeld.

Lance Ball -- a former NFL running back who played for the Denver Broncos -- was arrested for domestic violence this week after allegedly strangling and assaulting someone.

The alleged incident occurred on Monday in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, about 25 miles southeast of Denver. Douglas County deputies responded to a residence for a report of "physical domestic disturbance." 37-year-old Ball was taken into custody.

Cops say the alleged victim was transported to a hospital for treatment.

According to KDVR, the incident stemmed from an argument between Ball and the alleged victim ... when he returned to the residence after golfing.

Ball was booked on charges of domestic violence, assault in the second degree, and criminal mischief.

He played in the NFL for several years after the former Maryland Terrapin went undrafted in 2008, suiting up for the Rams, Colts, Titans, and Broncos during his time in the league.

Damar Hamlin is officially back ... the Buffalo Bills safety was a full participant at practice with his teammates for the first time since going into cardiac arrest in January.

The Bills hosted OTAs on Tuesday ... and 25-year-old Hamlin got his first taste of real NFL practice action in five months.

There was a bit of a scary moment for Hamlin and the Bills ... he reportedly struggled to get back to his feet after contesting a ball during practice, needing assistance to get up.

Nevertheless, Damar returned to the workout with his teammates and resumed drills after the Bills' athletic trainers determined DH was fine.

Hamlin hit the practice field with the Bills last month ... but the former sixth-round draft pick wasn't wearing pads or a helmet during the workout, easing his way back into competition.

Damar, who won the 2022 NFL George Halas Award for his perseverance following his near-death experience, looked upbeat and energetic throughout the practice.

Marshawn Lynch has made a career change ... the ex-NFL running back is now an actor -- and on Tuesday, the sports world found out his first major part is a starring role in a teen sex comedy movie.

Seriously.

The flick is called "Bottoms" -- and while it's been announced for a while now that Lynch would have a place in the movie ... in the first look at the picture's trailer, you can see the former Seattle Seahawks star has a MAJOR part in it all.

Lynch plays a high school teacher who helps two students run a fight club ... and based on the two-minute preview, Lynch has a significant presence in the very R-rated, raunchy movie.

Lynch can be heard in the clip dropping the f-word ... and at one point, telling two students, "You created a fight club to get some c****ie. You don't even know how to work that thing!"

The 37-year-old seems very pleased by his new work on the Silver Screen ... he tweeted out the trailer, while commenting, "yo boi done made it to the big screen."

If Nikola Jokic can finish off the Miami Heat this month, he'd have a serious case to be on the Mt. Rushmore of Denver sports athletes ... so says Terrell Davis.

The Broncos legend didn't specify where exactly the Nuggets big man would rank amongst the John Elways, Patrick Roys and Todd Heltons ... but he did say a championship would put Jokic right there with the city's all-time greats.

"He's up there already," Davis told TMZ Sports, "and this would only cement his place in the greatest athletes to come out of Denver."

Davis said this title would carry some more weight than others in Denver sports history ... as it'd be their first NBA one.

"When you bring a city its only championship, you're going to be held to a really, really high place there," the former running back said. "And, I think Jokic is on his way."

Of course, Davis would know a thing or two about the matter ... he said following his first Super Bowl win with the Broncos in 1998, it changed the way fans interacted with him around the city forever.

Davis promises to keep cheering on Jokic too -- despite his incident at the Nuggets vs. Heat Game 2 on Sunday night.

If you missed it, Davis found himself in the middle of a Heat celebration sandwich near the end of the tilt -- and his disappointed reaction was priceless.

But, Davis was a good sport when recapping it all with us ... and he said there's no chance it'll deter him from coming back to Ball Arena later this series.

President Biden paid homage to the late Norma Hunt, mother of Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, who passed away on Sunday ... holding a moment of silence during the team's White House visit to celebrate their Super Bowl LVII win.

The Chiefs visited 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Monday with heavy hearts, grieving the loss of their matriarch, Norma, wife of late Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt, who died at 85.

The Commander-in-Chief called Norma, who attended all 57 Super Bowls, "one of the most loyal Chiefs fans there ever was," adding her presence was missed during the celebration.

POTUS sent condolences to the entire Hunt family and the Chiefs' organization on his and First Lady Jill Biden's behalf (FLOTUS was in the Middle East.)

The Prez mentioned his wife, a diehard Eagles fan, is still upset the Eagles lost ... and refuses to believe James Bradberry was called for holding Juju Smith-Schuster (even though Bradberry admitted to it). 😅

Nevertheless, #46 commended the Chiefs' dynasty for their dominance under head coach Andy Reid ... signaling out the players for their great work ethic.

Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce presented the Prez with a custom Chiefs Biden #46 jersey ... and as Trav went to say a few words, Mahomes stepped in and shut it down.

Forget Josh Allen, Joe Burrow and Justin Jefferson ... if Robert Griffin III had it his way -- the Madden 24 cover athlete would be none other than Damar Hamlin!!

The former Heisman Trophy winner made his case for the Buffalo Bills defensive back to be picked over Allen, Burrow, Jefferson and all of the rest of the NFL's biggest superstars for the honor in a series of tweets on Monday.

RGIII explained ... the tale of Hamlin surviving cardiac arrest during a game and then coming back to the field to practice with the Bills just a few months later needs to be immortalized on the world's most popular football video game.

"Celebrate a moment that brought us all together for once regardless of what team you cheer for," the former QB said.

"Celebrate [Bills trainer] Denny Kellington and the professionals who saved his life with a briefing detailing all the work they did to save him and get him back on the field. It's important for the youth to know these facts and Madden has their attention."

Last year, John Madden himself graced the cover of the game. In 2021, it was Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady who got the nod.

Denver Broncos legend Terrell Davis looked like he wanted to disappear during the NBA Finals on Sunday ... finding himself sandwiched between two rowdy groups of Heat fans as his Nuggets lost Game 2 -- and his reaction was priceless!!

The Hall of Famer was at Ball Arena in hopes of witnessing Denver take a 2-0 lead in the series ... but unfortunately for him, Miami had a huge 4th quarter to steal the win on the road.

During the comeback, Heat fans were understandably excited when Jimmy Butler hit a corner three-pointer to put Miami up 95-89 with under seven minutes left ... and TD had a front-row seat for the celebration.

The broadcast showed a woman wearing a Jimmy Butler jersey lean over and give another Heat fan sitting nearby a high-five right in front of Terrell's face ... and judging by his expression, the former running back wasn't too thrilled about it.

Naturally, the clip went viral on social media ... with fans joking about the Denver legend's miserable body language.

Of course, Davis has had a lot to smile about this postseason ... as the Nuggets were previously undefeated at home before Sunday's loss.

The Heat secured the 111-108 win ... and TD's gotta be at least a little bit worried now.

Gracie Hunt is heartbroken over the passing of her grandmother, Norma Hunt -- saying in an emotional note on Monday the matriarch of the Kansas City Chiefs was "an absolute legend."

Gracie shared the message on her Instagram page one day after the Chiefs announced Norma had died at 85 years old.

"My Mimi Norma was an absolute legend," Gracie wrote. "The only woman to see all 58 Super Bowls. With a precious Texas accent, she was humble, beautiful, brilliant, hilarious, joyful, fun and fierce. She was an eternal optimist, the best cheerleader and so much more."

"She was extraordinary," Gracie added.

The daughter of Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt shared several photos of her and Norma as part of the post ... including one that showed the two holding hands during the 2020 Super Bowl, which the Chiefs won.

"My heart is broken," Gracie said, "but I know she's in Heaven with her Savior, and reunited with the love of her life. And they're probably smiling up at Jesus and down at the Chiefs at the White House today."

Kansas City star Patrick Mahomes also mourned Norma's passing on Sunday ... writing in a tweet that she "was the best."

"Glad to be a part of this special organization she help build," the quarterback said. "She will be missed! Prayers to the entire Hunt family. 🙏🏽💔"

Kansas City Union Station also paid tribute to Norma on Sunday by lighting the outdoor fountain in Chiefs colors.

Manti Te'o is adamant his football career is over ... telling TMZ Sports his purpose in life is now to help other people -- not crack running backs on a gridiron anymore.

The former linebacker made the revelation to us out at LAX ... saying he's officially hung up his spikes at 32 years old.

"I'm playing a different game now," the Notre Dame legend said. "I'm trying to empower people. Trying to inspire people. That's the game that I'm playing now, and I'm trying to be the best at that."

Te'o -- a second-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft -- last played in the league in the 2020 season ... when he suited up for the Chicago Bears.

He spent most of that year on the team's practice squad, though he did play in the team's postseason game against the Saints, logging six tackles.

Some believed he still had football left in his body -- if not for the NFL, perhaps for the XFL or the USFL -- but he said that's simply just not the case.

Instead, he told us he now wants to help people learn from the hard times he's endured, most notably his 2013 catfishing incident.

"If my life can be that for people -- to show people that, 'Hey, it may not be sunshine and roses all the time, but if you just keep your head down and keep working and believing in yourself and putting God first, everything will be all right.'"

Te'o -- who played eight seasons in the NFL -- also spoke briefly about his documentary, "Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn't Exist" ... and said he's glad people finally get to see and hear his story.

Kroy Biermann aced a good parenting test in the midst of his nasty divorce with Kim Zolciak ... and turns out he completed the course before she finished a similar one.

The former NFL star completed a mandatory course in Georgia -- "Parent Education For Separating/Divorcing Families" -- last month and he scored 99% on the quizzes and final exam.

Kroy filed a certificate of completion with the court, obtained by TMZ, and he got his work done before his estranged wife did.

As we reported ... Kim completed a seminar on "Navigating Family Change" on May 25 ... but Kroy's certificate shows he finished his online course May 17, a full week before Kim. BTW ... the course is mandatory for couples with kids seeking a divorce.

Remember, Kroy is asking for sole custody of the estranged couple's four kids ... Kim's asking for primary physical custody, so this is a full-on dogfight.

The course focuses on helping parents make divorce easier on children ... and it sounds like they need to apply the skills they learned.

The divorce has been exceedingly nasty ... with Kroy ripping Kim for what he says is a gambling addiction, while she claimed he's a pothead who needs to take a drug test.

The Denver Nuggets had a ton of horsepower rooting for them in the stands during Game 1 of the NBA Finals ... 'cause current and former Broncos like Peyton Manning, Russell Wilson and coach Sean Payton were present for the big win!!

The trio of NFL greats were in great spirits as the home team wrecked the Miami Heat 104-93 ... and they all had the best seats in Ball Arena.

Manning was smiling from ear to ear throughout the night ... even spending some time chopping it up with Shaquille O'Neal.

Wilson hit up the game with his stepson, Future Zahir ... and the youngster came dressed to support the hometown team, wearing a No. 27 Jamal Murray jersey.

Payton -- who joined the Broncos this offseason -- is clearly fitting in with his new home ... as the Super Bowl-winning coach appeared zoned in on all the action.

Not all the celebs stood by and watched, though ... 'cause comedian Ken Jeong hilariously bombed multiple half-court shots after watching Nuggets mascot "Rocky" nail a backward, over-the-head heave from the same spot.

"The Hangover" star was a good sport about it all ... and the raucous crowd got a kick out of his failures.

The shocking death of Ms Jacky Oh! is not only affecting "Wild 'N Out" fans, but it's also impacting NFL players like Odell Beckham and Keenan Allen ... who are mourning her passing.

As we reported, Ms Jacky Oh! (real name Jacklyn Smith) died on Wednesday in Miami, but the details surrounding her death are not yet clear. A since-deleted social media post claimed she was having "mommy makeover" surgery.

Beckham -- who recently signed with the Ravens -- paid tribute to the former "Wild 'N Out" star on his Instagram story by sharing her family's statement and a photo of her and her kids.

"Rest Easy Angel," OBJ wrote in the post on Thursday.

He also said on Twitter, "Don’t take this life for granted, we’re here for the blink of an eye. Y’all plz love on your loved ones while they’re still here."

OBJ knows Smith through Lauren Wood, mother of his 1-year-old son Zydn, who was a former "Wild 'N Out" star.

In fact, Smith and Wood recently took a girl's trip to Belize to celebrate Lauren's birthday.

"We are in Belize!!! It's my best friend's birthday -- Lauren," Smith said on a YouTube vlog while on vacay.

Smith also attended Beckham and Wood's baby shower.

"This hurts so bad," Wood said in an IG post on Friday. "When I lost you I also lost the version of me when we were together. Our banter. Our humor. Our dynamic. So unique to us."

"I can't imagine this life without you. It just got a lot more darker and lonelier. I'm having a really hard time saying goodbye and accepting this grave reality."

Wood added, "I look forward to the moment we get to experience each other again. You will forever be in my heart. Connect to my soul, sister."

Los Angeles Chargers receiver Keenan Allen was also heartbroken over her sudden death ...  revealing Smith is the reason he met his wife.

"Damn man! Truly an angel," Allen said on his IG.

"Jacky introduced me to the wife I have today. Praying for your babies and DC! It’s all perfect timing even though we don’t understand. God is in."

Smith is survived by her three children.

Kim Zolciak allegedly assaulted her estranged husband Kroy Biermann and the cops responded to their Georgia home ... but she wasn't arrested.

Two officers arrived at the couple's house in Atlanta on May 4 after receiving a call of a domestic dispute ... this according to the NY Post, citing a police document.

Kroy told police Kim punched him in the head during a heated argument over their assets, but had no visible injuries and refused medical treatment.

Per the police report ... Kroy decided not to press charges against "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" alum despite having a recording of their encounter.

But that's not all ... the report states Kroy locked Kim's pricey pocketbooks and jewelry into a safe, claiming it was all joint marital property. He said he planned to sell the items to offset losses incurred by Kim's gambling addiction, noting she had recently suffered a heavy loss.

On the other hand, Kim told cops she owned all the goods -- totaling $175,000 -- having acquired them before she tied the knot with the ex-NFL linebacker.

The officers checked out the contents of the safe and found some valuables -- such as Kim's passport in a Louis Vuitton case -- but no fancy purses.