NFL

Matthew Stafford's wife is admitting she made a mistake by going public with the quarterback's communication struggles in the locker room ... calling it, "probably the worst thing I've done when it comes to him."

Kelly made headlines after revealing the 35-year-old Rams star wasn't connecting with his younger teammates on her "Morning After" podcast last week ... when she said the Super Bowl champ has found difficulty vibing with guys compared to years past.

Now, Kelly is regretting her decision to share that info ... telling Local 4 in Detroit, "That was tough. I say all the time, probably not the best if your wife’s name is in the media, if it’s talking about sports."

"I felt pretty bad last week," she added. "I put my foot in my mouth pretty good last week."

The mother of four explained she thought the topic was relatable ... and she still believes it to be a true statement.

"But I'm not in an NFL locker room, I'm not spending every day with these teammates."

Rams coach Sean McVay commented on Kelly's statements earlier this week ... saying he took it like more of a joke at Matthew's age instead of a real issue within the team.

Legendary Dallas Cowboys scout Gil Brandt -- who helped America's Team draft Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach -- has died ... Jerry Jones announced.

According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame ... the former talent evaluator passed on Thursday morning.

He was 91 years old.

"We are so deeply saddened by the passing of Gil Brandt – a true icon and pioneer of our sport," Jones said in a statement. "Gil was at the very core of the early success of the Dallas Cowboys and continued to serve as a great ambassador for the organization for decades beyond that."

Brandt joined the Cowboys in their inaugural season in 1960 -- and helped the team select its first-ever draft pick ... Hall of Famer Bob Lilly.

He would go on to work for the org. for nearly 30 years ... drafting legendary players like Staubach, Aikman, Rayfield Wright and Bob Hayes.

Brandt became known for his implementation of computers and psychological tests to grade prospects ... and his systems ultimately led to the creation of the now-famous NFL Scouting Combine.

Following his departure from the Cowboys after the 1989 season ... he would go on to be a key contributor and draft analyst for NFL.com.

"His dedication to, and passion for, this game left a lasting impact on generations of Hall of Fame players and coaches," Jones said. "There are very few people that have been able to have the kind of generational impact that he did. Gil was as dedicated to growing this league and sport as anyone ever was, and we are all grateful and better for it."

Call Zay Flowers Kodak Purple and Black ... 'cause the young Ravens receiver had the whole team going wild during Baltimore's rookie talent show this week -- crushing his performance of Kodak Black's biggest song!!

Superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson documented the whole act ... with footage showing the former Boston College standout getting in front of his teammates and doing a rendition of the Florida M.C.'s "No Flockin'."

Flowers certainly pandered to the audience -- Kodak has a ton of fans in the Ravens locker room ... and he's even hit up games and hung out with Jackson in the past, as the two are close friends.

While Jackson initially clowned Flowers -- who also hails from the Sunshine State -- for having to pull up the lyrics on his phone, it's safe to say the signal-caller gave his stamp of approval ... as he cheered on his teammate throughout the song.

The receiver also got a ton of help from the room ... with all the guys joining in on rapping along to the 2015 track.

The rookie initiations this season have been pretty impressive -- as we previously reported, Jets rookie Jerome Kapp also showed off his mic skills as he recited Eminem's famous diss from "8 Mile."

Lionel Messi was back on the pitch in Florida for the first time in nearly a month Wednesday night ... and, as has become tradition, celebs flocked to see him -- including Floyd Mayweather and Alix Earle, who got VIP treatment at the game.

The new MLS superstar had maybe his quietest night since joining Inter Miami -- scoring zero goals in a 0-0 tie against Nashville SC -- but A-listers were spotted throughout DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale enjoying the GOAT in action nonetheless.

Mayweather and Earle, flanked by NFL superstar Jaylen Waddle, got prime seats and field access as guests of Miami mogul David Grutman.

Ken Griffey Jr. even showed up too ... though he chose to grab a media credential instead of suite seats -- opting to shoot the game with his camera instead of rubbin' elbows in the stands with the stars.

At one point, however, the MLB legend was able to link up with Mayweather -- who was also with friend Lionel Khoury -- sharing an embrace with the boxer and getting in a pic.

Unclear how much facetime all of the celebrities got with Messi -- the soccer player was, after all, busy trying to scrape out another win for his squad -- but everyone was grinning ear-to-ear throughout the night nonetheless.

They'll all have to wait a bit to do it again -- Messi's not set to play in Ft. Lauderdale 'til Sept. 9 now -- unless, of course, they want to fly out to Los Angeles this weekend to see him vs. LAFC.

The explosion at Caleb Farley's home that took the life of the NFL player's father was so mortifying ... multiple people phoned cops in a panic, saying it "sounded like a bomb" had gone off in the neighborhood.

TMZ Sports has obtained several 911 calls from the night Farley's residence in Mooresville, N.C. blew up without a moment's warning ... and you can hear in the audio, people were terrified.

One caller told dispatch that the explosion was so loud, it woke them up ... and rattled their doors and windows.

"I'm telling you," the caller said, "it went off. You could feel it. Then it rippled all through. It sounded like thunder coming through."

Another person who had dialed 911 urged first responders to arrive quickly ... saying the blast was so violent, "I thought somebody was actually kicking my door in."

As we previously reported, Farley's home exploded just around midnight on Aug. 22. The Tennessee Titans cornerback's dad, Robert Farley, was found deceased in the rubble. Another man was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Apparently, seven Super Bowl rings and 89,214 passing yards ain't enough to earn the label of "Best of All-Time" from Joe Montana ... 'cause the 49ers legend says Dan Marino, NOT Tom Brady, gets that title from him.

The Hall of Famer made the bold statement during a recent interview with Men's Health, explaining if Marino were playing in today's era of football -- he very well could have done what Brady did ... and maybe better.

"Put Marino into today’s game where he gets free release ... and his receivers, holy cow, weren't very big," Montana said.

"Now these guys are 6'4, 6'5. I think [Marino] is probably one of the most unsung heroes of the game. People don't talk enough about him or realize the numbers that he put up during the times that he put them up."

Montana also gushed about Marino's tangibles while naming him the B.O.A.T. ... adding, "He had a quick release. I had to step into a lot of things to get enough [force] on the ball."

"He had the perfect torque of his upper body and strength to deliver the ball quickly at a fast release with accuracy."

Now, don't get it twisted ... Montana did note there is a delineation between Greatest of All-Time and Best of All-Time -- though it sure did seem he still believes he holds that crown over Brady as well.

As for who could capture it going forward ... Montana dubbed Patrick Mahomes as the man with the most potential there.

Tom Brady channeled his inner Irina Shayk while chilling on his yacht this week ... ditching his shirt and showing off his shredded bod just days after his apparent new lady went topless on vacation with Bradley Cooper.

TB12 has been hanging in Miami as the model spends time with her ex on a luxurious Italian trip ... and he seemed to be totally relaxed as he soaked up the sun.

Brady -- who will have an open fall schedule for the first time in his adult life -- still looks ready to suit up right now ... as he put his athletic figure on display during the outing on his $6 million "Tw12ve Angels" boat.

The 46-year-old has been seeing Shayk since his divorce from Gisele Bündchen ... but her getaway with Cooper is reportedly N.B.D. to the 7-time Super Bowl champion, as their romance is still in the early stages.

Brady has also been in the news as fans speculate whether he could come out of retirement in time for the 2023 season, which kicks off next week ... but, judging by these pics, he seems entirely content with being off the field.

The future Hall of Famer spent his summer going on vacations with his kids ... but if he's ready to settle down again, he's got an open invite to find love on "The Bachelor," 'cause Jesse Palmer recently told TMZ Sports the QB would be a "legendary" lead on the dating show if he wants to Shayk it off.

Aaron Rodgers was so pissed that a Giants player pushed him a few moments after a play had ended over the weekend ... he eviscerated the dude with some epic shade.

The moment was brought to light on Tuesday night thanks to "Hard Knocks" cameras ... which were rolling when Rodgers got into a tiff with Jihad Ward in the first quarter of Saturday's Jets vs. G-Men clash at MetLife Stadium.

As Rodgers released a pass with Ward chasing him ... he backpedaled in an effort to get away from the defensive end -- but Ward kept coming.

Ward eventually got into Rodgers' grill and gave him a nudge, which infuriated Aaron so much ... he clowned him right on the field as the hot mics were rolling.

"I don't even know who you are, bro!" Rodgers yelled at Ward, a seven-year NFL veteran who's played for six different teams. "I never heard of you!"

After throwing a touchdown a few moments later, he hit him with the same chirp again.

Rodgers apparently knew the diss cut deep ... 'cause when he went back to the sideline, he bragged to teammates about it.

"I gave him a line that's un-come-back-with-able," he said with a smile. "I said, 'I don't even know who you are.'"

"Then he said, 'I don't know who you are.' I said, 'Bulls***.'"

Rodgers ended up with the last laugh on the scoreboard -- 'cause the Jets won the preseason ender, 32-24.

Kim Zolciak is, at least publicly, acting like there's hope she and Kroy Biermann can resolve things, and he'll pull his divorce docs again, but he's not seeing it that way at all ... TMZ has learned.

We heard from Kim -- who was still wearing her wedding ring -- Monday at LAX, and she gave off very optimistic vibes when asked if Kroy might have a change of heart about his second divorce filing.

Well, we asked Kroy's legal team if he had any plans on pulling the divorce ... and they didn't mince words. Kroy's attorney, Marlys A. Bergstrom, tells us, "No, at this time, he is still moving forward with the divorce action."

It's likely a devastating blow to Kim, and unless Kroy's holding back information from his lawyer ... the estranged couple is definitely not on the same page about their future.

TMZ broke the story, Kim and Kroy filed separate divorce petitions back in May, but eventually worked things out and decided against the split in July.

However, s*** hit the fan for the couple this month, prompting Kroy to file for divorce once again.

If Tom Brady ever wants to add another ring to his collection, he's a perfect candidate for "The Bachelor" ... so says the dating show's host, Jesse Palmer, who tells TMZ Sports the G.O.A.T. would be a "legendary" lead.

The former NFL quarterback and Season 5 star of the ABC series believes there are actually a couple signal-callers who could go from throwing the pigskin to handing out roses -- Brady, Justin Herbert and C.J. Stroud.

In fact, Palmer says the handsome Chargers standout would be a "producer's dream" ... 'cause they could pay for all the dates and trips throughout the season with help of his $262 million contract!!

"You actually could not script a better setup," Palmer says. "That would be incredible for ratings, and also amazing for our budget."

Herbert has kept his dating life pretty private ... and despite a few rumors, he hasn't gone public with anyone during his NFL career.

Same goes for Stroud ... so Palmer thinks the No. 2 overall pick to the Houston Texans could also thrive in finding love as he kicks off his NFL career.

Brady has gotten back in the dating game after his divorce from Gisele Bündchen was finalized last October ... and was recently spotted enjoying his time with model Irina Shayk.

But Palmer says the 7-time Super Bowl champion gets his stamp of approval to be on the show ... as long as Irina gives the go-ahead as well.

"There is the Irina Shayk issue," Palmer adds. "But if she's willing to kind of just chill out for a couple months of filming, I think we're solid."

Palmer says the show could film at any of Brady's houses ... which would also be a huge positive.

"Again, very budget-friendly. Tom Brady would be good."

We also talked to Jesse about College Colors Day coming up on Friday ... and he breaks down how fans and alums can show school pride ahead of the new season, and score a chance to win tickets to the national championship game in the process.

Jalen Ramsey might be down after suffering a serious knee injury this offseason, but his faith clearly hasn't waned ... 'cause the Dolphins star just got a huge, new torso tattoo to honor his belief in his religion.

Andres Ortega and his Onder Ink team -- Abrianna, Allan, Sarahi and Gerardo -- flew down to Miami this week to put the tats on the cornerback ... while he continues to recover from meniscus surgery.

The new ink features several religious components -- including a bible with a sword, fruit, and a lamb.

There's also a lion, a warrior and a toy soldier -- items Ortega says Ramsey wanted to represent his role as a protector.

In total, the artwork took about eight hours to complete ... and Ortega tells TMZ Sports the football player ended up super happy with the finished product.

In fact, Ortega says Ramsey's looking for him to come back soon to tattoo a couple other things on the final bit of open space on his stomach.

Better call him Jimmy 9 Gs now!!!

Jimmy Garoppolo took flight in a U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds F-16 Fighting Falcon recently to prep for his first season as a Raider ... and his run in the jet was so intense -- he got up to speeds of 1,500 MPH!!

The new Las Vegas quarterback hit up Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada for the jaunt through the skies with the Thunderbirds ... and the ultra-experienced pilots wasted no time making sure he was ready to be put through the ringer.

The 31-year-old signal-caller -- whose grandfather is a Marine Corps veteran -- got prepped on how he should breathe while in the back seat of the cockpit ... before he then strapped in with Maj. Taylor "Flash" Wight in the "Viper" for a wild ride.

At first, Wight toured Vegas somewhat slowly with a few tricks ... but then he hit the gas -- and put Jimmy into Mach 2, where 2,000 pounds of pressure were lurched onto the QB's frame.

Somehow, though, Garoppolo held his own.

"Let's go!" he yelled in the jet once they slowed back down. "That's nuts!"

Eventually, the guys made it safely to the ground ... where Garoppolo lauded the experience.

Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann might be in the middle of yet ANOTHER divorce, but you wouldn't know it by looking at her hand and listening to what she's got to say.

The ex-'RHOA' star and her daughter, Brielle Biermann landed at LAX Monday and were asked all about Kim's pending case -- after Kroy recently re-filed divorce docs.

Check this out, 'cause it's interesting -- when KZ is asked if she and Kroy are truly dunzo -- she makes sure to flash her wedding band, which Brielle explicitly points out as still "on."

Kim says she already knew Kroy was going to file again, but indicates she's not really worried about it ... and that, perhaps, he'll pull the docs.

The photog presses Kim on some underlying issues that seem to be affecting her marriage -- like finances, for instance -- and the matriarch says those sorts of weigh on all matrimonies.

Brielle's also got some financial issues of her own -- TMZ was first to report she's on the wrong end of a lawsuit from a credit card company -- but she says that's been handled.

One last thing that stands out in the chat ... Brielle pitches a potential new Bravo show that she thinks could benefit all the 'Real Housewives' kids -- and if Andy Cohen was receptive to it in a recent meeting Kim says they had ... she could be back on reality TV one day.

Lots to digest with this one -- we'll see how it all shakes out, but Kim sounds optimistic.

Jessie James Decker will have a lot of milk on deck pretty soon as she navigates her fourth pregnancy -- something that's definitely on her mind ... especially after getting implants.

The singer was answering questions from fans on social media, and when one person asked if she was nervous about breastfeeding now that she's cupped up -- which happened 2 years back -- JJD answered honestly ... explaining a bit of buyer's remorse.

While Jessie says she'll be able to feed her forthcoming baby just fine ... she does wish she wouldn't have gotten them so big to begin with if she knew kid no. 4 was in the stars.

She writes, "When I'm pregnant they get massive like quadruple in size 😅😅😅 Def will need a reduction in the future & will downsize. It was fun while it lasted. But phew dey bigz already and I'm over it. Give me some shmediumz😂"

Jessie's been upfront about her personal health and medical decisions -- including the fact that she wanted her hubby, Eric, to get a vasectomy after they had their 3rd child.

San Francisco 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders fans tried to turn each other into minced meat at an In-N-Out Burger during a massive fight that ended with two people stabbed and the suspect on the loose.

The wild brawl erupted inside the fast-food restaurant in Santa Clara, California, Friday night after the Chargers beat the 49ers 23-12 in a pre-season game at Levi's Stadium nearby.

FOX KTVU News obtained video of the mayhem ... showing 10 dudes in NFL jerseys going at it tooth and nail.

At one point, three men surround a shirtless guy on the floor, beating him senseless with their fists and stabbing him with a sharp object. A second person was also knifed.

Both victims were rushed to a local hospital, where they were treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.

Santa Clara PD officers responded to the burger joint after receiving a report of a large fight at 11:12 PM Friday.

Cops initially detained several people for questioning, but nobody was charged. Police are still searching for the assailant who stabbed the 2 victims.

Irina Shayk seems to be full of surprises.

The supermodel was apparently hanging out with ex-boyfriend Bradley Cooper on a recent vacation ... this after she was filmed cozying up to Tom Brady.

Shayk posted a series of photos on Instagram ... showing herself scantily clad while posing on a large rocky formation.

Another image captured Cooper laying bare-chested on a kayak in what looks like the same mountainous paradise surrounded by ocean. Shayk is not seen in the picture, although she pinned it to her IG story with the other photos.

Cooper dated Shayk for 4 years before breaking up in 2019. The two share a 6-year-old daughter Lea De Seine. BTW, the kid was with them, so this could be just a co-parenting thing, but still ...

About 2 weeks ago ... Shayk was photographed by paparazzi leaving a London hotel after she shacked up with Brady in a room there for 48 hours, according to the Daily Mail.