NFL

Pour one out for Keith Smith's poor toilet ...

The Atlanta Falcons fullback admitted this week he has a SERIOUS affinity for Chipotle ... explaining he gets bowls from the Mexican food joint 4 or 5 times a day!!

"You probably won't believe it," Smith said on the "Endless Hustle" podcast this week. "But, most people who know me know that it's legit."

The 6-foot, 240-pound NFLer explained he uses the restaurant as a way to sort of meal prep.

Smith -- who turned 28 back in April -- says he gets his bowls compartmentalized ... getting the chicken, rice and beans all separate so he can concoct the deliciousness whenever he's ready.

"Like, this is not a joke," Smith said. "Like, 4 or 5 times a day, I got my bowl. Same thing every time."

As for why Chipotle and not El Pollo Loco or some other spot? Smith says it's simple ... "You know what you going to get. The consistency."

In case you were wondering, a modest Chipotle chicken burrito bowl has around 800 calories in it. So, do the math -- that's roughly 4,000 calories of Chipotle PER DAY!!

Jay Cutler needs help -- the ex-NFL quarterback's beloved dog, Bane, has gone missing in Tennessee ... and he's asking everyone in the area to join the search to bring him home.

Bane joined Cutler and Kristin Cavallari's family as a pup in February 2015 -- and was featured on their reality show, "Very Cavallari." He also became a regular on Kristin's IG page.

Jay was particularly close with the German Shepherd -- and when Jay and Kristin broke up earlier this year, he apparently kept Bane at his Tennessee home.

But, Bane is now M.I.A. and Jay is concerned -- posting a call to action on social media to help find his pet.

"Ok Instagram it's time to do some good today," Cutler said. "Bane is missing. 80lb German shepherd. Last seen on Old Hillsboro in Franklin, TN."

"$1000 dollar reward for his return. Let's find him."

There have been issues on Jay's ranch this year -- remember, his chickens were being massacred by a mysterious predator that turned out to be a raccoon.

Jay personally sat watch to protect his chickens -- ya gotta believe he's on the ground searching for Bane too.

The NFL just dropped the hammer on the Las Vegas Raiders for repeatedly violating COVID-19 protocols ... stripping the team of a draft pick and levying huge fines.

The league made the moves Thursday, according to multiple reports ... taking away Vegas' 6th-round pick in the 2021 draft and fining the team $500,000.

Head coach Jon Gruden was also hit with an additional $150K fine.

As for the rules the Raiders violated ... ESPN's Adam Schefter says there were several, including Gruden continually dropping his mask on the sideline.

The NFL, per Schefter, also punished the Raiders for players not properly wearing face coverings at a Darren Waller fundraiser event in September.

Schefter added the Raiders also allowed an unauthorized guest into their locker room earlier this season -- a big no-no in pandemic times.

Of course, this ain't the first time the Raiders were punished for violating coronavirus protocols ... back in Sept., Gruden and the team were fined for the coach not properly wearing a face-covering during games.

In October, Raiders players were hit with fines for the mask violations at Waller's event as well.

A Holy Grail collection of Patrick Mahomes cards is up for sale ... and some of the pieces in the set are so rare and unique -- the asking price is a cool $7.5 MILLION!!!

The owners of the cards -- 29-year-old Robert DeArmitt Jr. and his wife, Heidi -- tell TMZ Sports the collection took about 3 years to amass ... and it all started as an investment project for the couple back in 2017.

According to Robert, he and Heidi saw Mahomes play often as Texas Tech fans ... and they just had a feeling the quarterback was going to be a beast after being drafted by the Chiefs -- so they started acquiring pieces.

Robert says one of his first big purchases was a $275 card that he bought shortly after Mahomes' first start as a rookie in K.C.

That card, Robert says, is now worth around $400K!!!

In total, Robert says he and his wife poured in around $20,000 making the collection ... and they're now looking to part ways with over 33 of the pieces for a small fortune.

Robert tells us he's already had "7-figure offers" for the set ... but he says he believes at its floor, the collection is worth AT LEAST $7.5 mil.

As for the cards in the collection ... most are 1-of-1 prints -- aka the only versions of the pieces in existence.

Almost all of the cards have some sort of Mahomes autograph or patch ... and most have perfect Gem-Mint 10 grades on them.

Robert's listed it all on eBay ... and, yeah, there is a "best offer" option.

Troy Aikman is demanding justice for an SMU student who was shot and killed on Halloween ... with the Hall of Famer pleading with the public to come forward if they have any information on the case.

Dallas police in Texas say at around 3 AM on Saturday ... 19-year-old Robert “Jaden” Urrea was pronounced dead with a gunshot wound near bars in downtown.

Cops say in surveillance video of the incident ... they could see Urrea interacted with a white, 4-door car -- when suddenly the vehicle sped off and Urrea crumpled to the ground.

Urrea's family members said in a statement Jaden was "maliciously shot in the chest at close range" ... and they claim the violent act was completely unprovoked.

"We strongly believe this was a drive-by shooting, unprovoked, committed by complete strangers," Urrea's family said.

Now, Aikman is urging anyone with information on the case to contact the Dallas Police Department ... posting a flier to his social media page Thursday and adding the hashtag "#JusticeforJaden."

A $25,000 reward has been set up for the capture of the suspects ... with Urrea's family saying, "Our family is working with Crime Stoppers to offer a substantial reward for information that leads to the indictment of the responsible individuals."

Cops say they're knee-deep in an investigation into the incident ... and add the car they're seeking information on is "possibly a Ford with a sunroof and custom wheels."

Another day, another COVID scare in the NFL ... this time, it's the Houston Texans closing its team facility after a player has tested positive.

"We were informed last night that a Texans player has tested positive for COVID-19," the team said in a statement on Thursday morning.

"In consultation with the NFL and medical experts, we have made the decision to close the facility and conduct all operations virtually today."

The player has NOT been identified by the team -- there are reports it's a linebacker.

The noted the player in question "immediately self-isolated and contact tracing has begun."

"We will follow the NFL’s intensive protocols and guidance regarding the team’s operations. The health and safety of our team, as well as our entire staff, are of highest priority."

The Texans are slated to play the Jacksonville Jaguars this weekend. So far, that game is still scheduled to be played as planned.

Bill Belichick believes the 2020 NFL season is a "joke" because of the toll the COVID pandemic has taken on the league ... at least, that's what ex-Pats lineman Matt Light thinks.

The retired Super Bowl champ says he's convinced Belichick doesn't give a DAMN about New England's horrible 2-5 record ... arguing that with all of the canceled practices, missed training camp, mandatory quarantines and rescheduled games, no one is taking the 2020 season seriously anyway.

"This is not the game of football we all know," Light said Tuesday on WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show."

"It’s something other than that. Bill recognized it early on. I firmly believe that."

The Patriots look pretty terrible right now -- and would be last in the AFC East if not for the NY Jets being a complete dumpster fire.

Light -- who played under BB from 2001 to 2011 -- says he's convinced Belichick is focusing on building a better team for the future when "we can play for a real championship, with real players getting after it, fully prepared, getting ready to go."

"5 years from now, when we look back on this season, are we going to be talking about it?" Light asked.

Carolina Panthers safety Tre Boston's family is now the most ICED OUT in the league ... with the NFL vet gifting his wife and son matching #33 diamond pendants!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... the 28-year-old safety wanted to do something extra special for his wife, Cierra, and 1-year-old, Tre Jr. ... going above and beyond by getting them ice featuring his jersey number.

We're told Boston hit up Ari The Jeweler in Manhattan for the job -- coming up with two pendants made of 70 grams of gold each and 12 carats of diamonds for mom and pop.

But, Tre couldn't forget about his Mini-Me -- getting the baby boy a similar pendant with 2 carats of diamonds and 15 grams of gold!!

No word on how much Tre shelled out for the big gifts ... but we're told the bigger pieces are appraised at $20k and the boy's pendant is valued at $5k.

Here's James Harrison proving he's STILL hands down the most superhuman person ever associated with the NFL ... bench pressing a stunning 525 POUNDS!!!

The Pittsburgh Steelers legend posted the footage of the gym feat on Tuesday ... and it's absolutely insane.

Check out the clip, Harrison needs several seconds to pump himself up for the lift -- and then he attacks the weights ... and watch how the plates make the bar bend!!!

42-year-old Harrison screamed during the entire lift -- "GET OFF ME!!!" -- and the whole thing was intense as hell!

The craziest part? Harrison was feeling himself so much after putting up 525 ... he tried to get a rep of 545 lbs in!!!

Of course, not even James could get that kind of iron off his chest ... but watch how he throws the weights to the ground after the failed attempt -- yeah, BEAST!!!

Monster lifts are no stranger to James ... the guy's done just about everything possible in the weight room -- pumping iron regularly like a young Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Dallas Cowboys QB Andy Dalton has been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list -- meaning he will NOT play this weekend ... but no one is saying if he formally tested positive for the virus.

As the Cowboys pointed out on its official team website, players can be placed on the COVID list without testing positive.

"If a player has been exposed to individuals who have tested positive, or even has experienced some of the common symptoms, will land them on the reserve list."

We've reached out to the team for clarification -- but so far, no comment on Dalton's health status.

Dalton has been out since suffering a serious head injury during the Oct. 25 matchup against the Washington Football Team.

Cowboys rookie QB Ben DiNucci -- a 2020 7th-round pick -- started for Dallas last week against the Eagles, but it was a mess. Ben only completed 21 of 40 pass attempts for 180 yards.

Dallas fans were hoping Dalton would be healthy enough to take over the reins for the Steelers game this weekend -- but now, that ain't happening.

The Cowboys say Dalton will likely be out for another 14 days.

Of course, the team does have newly signed Cooper Rush on its practice squad ... and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday the 'Boys could go with him rather than DiNucci on Sunday.

Either way ... the Steelers are absolutely BALLIN' this season and have arguably the toughest defense in the NFL.

So, yeah ... good luck!

NY Giants receiver Golden Tate's wife just went NUCLEAR on the G-Men ... saying it's "excruciating" to watch him go without targets this season.

Elise Tate -- who has been married to the NFL vet for 3 years -- unleashed an all-time Instagram rant after the Giants' 25-23 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ... saying the team sucks because they're not throwing Tate the ball.

"Getting so many texts throughout the game GT WIDE OPEN WIDE OPEN WIDE OPEN. I KNOWWWWW," Tate posted to her 55k followers.

"I mean yeah given ONE chance in the fourth quarter of course he comes down with the ball! He's @showtimetate !!"

FYI -- Tate had 2 receptions for 31 yards and a TD in the loss ... and reportedly shouted "throw me the ball" into the camera after the late-game score.

Elise clearly wanted to see GT get more opportunities, saying, "SO UNDER UTILIZED. AS HIS WIFE I CANNOT EVEN WATCH WITH ONE EYE OPEN!!!!

"Same exact thing last game, one target in the first quarter -- of course -- an epic TD. HE NEEDS TO BW (sic) FED THE BALL. Period. Watch the film. He always comes down with the ball."

She didn't stop there.

"I'm lit. 11yrs in the NFL I've never said something like this online. but its excruciating to watch and killing his stats this year but you cant have yards on a few to no targets."

"Hes CRAZY making the most of what comes his way that's for sure though. Every time."

Elise went on to admit GT will "kill me" for speaking out and will make her delete the rant ... but as of the time this post was published, it's still live on her page.

Tate has 22 receptions for 226 yards and 2 TDs this season ... and Elise thinks QB Daniel Jones needs to look his way more often.

"HES HEALTHY! and every damn time he gets an opportunity it's a big play," Elise added. "Ain't no way this BS gonna hurt his stats this yr bc he doesn't get targets. FEED HIM THE BALL/"

The rant comes hours before the NFL's trade deadline ... and there are talks the Giants are trying to shop Tate.

The NFL ain't messing around with its sock policy -- hitting 2 star Pittsburgh Steelers players with $5k fines for showing too much leg during a game!

Steelers wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster and running back James Conner were both flagged by the league for breaking the dress code -- which requires players to wear their socks all the way up to their pants.

The league sent a letter to both JuJu and Conner claiming they broke the sock rule during the Oct. 25 game against the Tenessee Titans.

"Specifically, your stockings failed to cover your lower leg," the letter said. Juju later posted the note to social media.

Both players can appeal the fine ... but $5k won't set them back TOO much, even though they're both still on their rookie deals.

Socks.

Besides the dress code fines, the Steelers are on fire this season -- they're currently 7-0 (the NFL's only unbeaten team) and looking like world-beaters.

23-year-old Juju's hauled in 39 passes for 346 yards and 3 TDs so far this season.

Denver Broncos president John Elway has tested positive for COVID-19, the team confirms ... the latest in a string of positive tests within the organization.

"John immediately left UCHealth Training Center [Broncos practice facility] on Monday morning after experiencing minor symptoms that he quickly brought to the attention of our medical staff," the team said in a statement.

The 60-year-old NFL legend is one of two Broncos execs who tested positive Tuesday morning -- the other is Broncos' CEO, Joe Ellis.

"After not feeling 100% on Sunday morning, Joe promptly reported his symptoms to our medical team and watched Sunday's game at home as a precaution," the team added.

"He continued to work from home on Monday before receiving a positive test result this morning."

Both execs are NOT at the team facility at the moment and are following the NFL's COVID protocol.

"Other than mild symptoms, both Joe and John are doing well. They will continue to work from home in self-isolation and participate in virtual meetings while their health is monitored."

60-year-old Elway and 61-year-old Ellis both believe they contracted the virus OUTSIDE the team facility.

"There were minimal close contacts identified for each (no players or coaches), and those individuals have been notified."

The team has been dealing with COVID issues over the past week -- with offensive lineman Graham Glasgow testing positive on Friday, leading the team to cancel practice that day.

Raiders' star lineman Trent Brown has NOT been released from the hospital -- he's still being treated for a botched IV injection that occurred before Sunday's game.

Yeah, this is a big deal.

Brown was rushed to the hospital before the Raiders took on the Browns in Cleveland due a "mishap with his pre-game IV that caused air to enter his bloodstream," according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Brown had missed the previous week's game due to a positive COVID test. Unclear if that's why Brown was receiving IV fluids on Sunday.

Air in the bloodstream is a serious and potentially lethal issue -- it's a condition called an air embolism and can "travel to your brain, heart, or lungs and cause a heart attack, stroke, or respiratory failure," according to Healthline.com.

So, again ... this is a very serious matter.

The team is optimistic about Brown's health -- but ProFootballTalk reported Monday morning that Brown is still in the hospital, where doctors are running more tests to make sure he's okay.

Brown's teammate, Derek Carr, said on Sunday the team was concerned about Brown -- and had prayed for a speedy recovery.

"We had no clue what was happening," the quarterback said. "All of a sudden, we come in, and they’re wheeling him out and I’m like, 'Bro, what is going on?'"

"It was crazy and so we prayed."

It's been a rough couple weeks for the Las Vegas offensive lineman ... he tested positive for COVID-19 on Oct. 21 -- and was forced to miss the Raiders' Week 7 game against the Buccaneers.

This is the NFL's 2nd notable medical mishap this season ... a Chargers doc accidentally punctured Tyrod Taylor's lung while trying to administer a pain-killing injection back in September.

The NFLPA has reportedly launched an investigation into the Brown incident.

Tom Brady beat the hell out of his helmet, smashing the thing as hard as he could into his team's bench Monday ... and then he made the Giants pay for it!

The G.O.A.T. had a classic TB12 meltdown on "Monday Night Football" ... getting so upset over a sack in the 1st half, he tried to end his helmet's life in a sideline tantrum.

The good news for the Bucs ... it clearly woke Brady up -- 'cause he went on to take down New York, 25-23.

Here's the deal ... Tom and Tampa really struggled to put away the lousy Giants in NY, trailing for most of the game -- and, at one point, things got so ugly ... Tom was visibly furious.

Brady took a sack in the 2nd quarter ... and then went to the sideline and slammed his helmet twice into the bench.

But, in true Brady fashion, he pulled the rabbit out of the hat, and scored 10 4th-quarter points to help put away the G-men.

The win was big for Tom's Bucs ... it moved them to an impressive 6-2 this year, and now, most have them as the Super Bowl favorite in the NFC.

It's a good thing Russell Wilson's rich ... 'cause the Seattle Seahawks QB says he spends around $1 MILLION every year just to take care of his body!

The 31-year-old broke it down recently on "The Bill Simmons Podcast" ... saying he's investing so much in his body so he can play in the NFL until he's 45-years-old!

"I probably spend $1 million if not more, a year, just on recovery," Wilson said.

Here's the breakdown ...

-- Full-time trainer (who also works with Ciara).

-- Full-time physical therapist

-- Full-time masseuse

-- Two chefs!

Wilson says he's been investing in his body for about 5 or 6 years now -- and also has "all the toys" to keep him in peak physical condition.

"I've got two hyperbaric chambers. I've got a little bit of everything. I get in the hyperbaric four times a week, three times a week. I get treatment every day."

Russ also says he tries to workout EVERY DAY -- 365 days a year -- though he admits there might be 1 or 2 days he takes off,.

"The reality is Christmas -- depending on the circumstances, but usually I do because we usually have a game around then -- and Thanksgiving. I'm in between 363 and 365 amount of work that we do every day, something around the work I do."

"I'm trying to play until I'm 45, at least. For me, my mentality is that I'm going to leave it all on the field and do everything I can to take care of myself."