NFL

Deion Sanders is ADAMANT his personal items were STOLEN -- not misplaced -- during his college football coaching debut on Sunday ... and Prime Time says he has a witness to prove it.

The NFL legend was FURIOUS after he led Jackson State to a 53-0 win over the Edward Waters Tigers ... claiming someone had sneaked into the locker room and swiped a bunch of his personal belongings.

"While the game was going on, someone came in and stole every darn thing I have in the coaches' office," Sanders said ... "Credit cards, wallet, watches. Thank god I had on my necklaces."

A short time later, reps for Jackson State told various media outlets the whole thing was just a big misunderstanding -- and that the items were "misplaced and found."

But, Deion clearly needs to get on the same page as the school -- because he says that's complete BS ... and he's got a witness to back him up.

"Whomever putting out the lie that my belongings wasn’t stolen is LYING," Sanders posted on social media.

"My belongings were taken out of a zipped bag in my office and more items were taken as well from my office. We have retrieved them since being reported. My Staff member witnessed the crime."

He added, "A staff member walked in on the theft being committed but she couldn’t fight a dude off."

The good news ... Sanders got his stuff back and his football team is 1-0.

Carson Wentz will NOT wear #11 with the Indianapolis Colts -- because it already belongs to WR Michael Pittman Jr. ... and he ain't giving it up!!

"I am number 11," the 23-year-old wideout tells TMZ Sports ... "I don't think there's any deal that is gonna be done."

Don't get it twisted ... Pittman says he has a TON of respect for the QB -- calling him a proven winner -- but when it comes to #11, he's not willing to part ways with the digits he rocked his rookie season in Indy.

And, the good news ... Wentz is being totally cool about it.

"Yeah, so I spoke to [Carson] and he was just seeing how locked in I was to #11, and I told him I was locked in -- and he was like, 'That’s cool, bro, because I’m probably gonna switch anyway.'"

Wentz has worn #11 since his college days at North Dakota State and through his career with the Philadelphia Eagles -- but now that he's in a new city, he's open to switching to a new number.

"He asked me very respectfully and I just appreciated him for that. I think he’s a great dude, because lots of guys with his status, they would come in and demand and stuff like that."

Pittman says he's already making plans to get together with Wentz so they can start working out and training ... and believes Wentz will be the QB in Indy for years to come.

Patrick Mahomes and his fiancee, Brittany Matthews, are proud, happy parents of a healthy baby girl ... and the name is awesome!

The Kansas City Chiefs QB and his bride-to-be made the announcement Sunday with matching photos and similar captions. It depicts a close-up shot of mom, dad and baby's hands/fingers all touching ... with Brittany wearing a necklace with the kid's name.

She goes by Sterling Skye Mahomes -- and Brittany shared she was born Saturday, coming in at 6 lbs, 11 oz.

The couple revealed the baby's gender back in October -- using their dogs to help with the announcement. Mahomes proudly called himself a #GirlDad."

Just a couple days ago, Brittany posted photos of a maternity shoot she'd done, with Patrick in tow.

 "Ready to meet you baby girl 💕," Brittany posted .

The couple came out publicly with news they were expecting back in September -- not too long after Pat popped the question to his longtime girlfriend.

Super Bowl champion this month ... dominant pro lacrosse player next year?!

Rob Gronkowski could do exactly that ... so says his former Patriots teammate Chris Hogan, who tells TMZ Sports the future Hall of Fame tight end could be lethal in lax!!

"I mean, Gronk would be a force to be reckoned with, man," Hogan says. "I don't know how you would be able to take the ball away from him. He's such a physically gifted person and athlete."

As for how Hogan would know ... if you ain't familiar, he's a damn good lacrosse player himself.

In fact, 33-year-old Hogan -- who was a 1st-team all-conference star at Penn State before transferring to Monmouth for football -- just signed on to play in the Premier Lacrosse League in 2021.

And, he says with some training, Gronk might be able to join him there in a short time.

"I think if he were to pick up a stick and put a little training into it," Hogan said of Gronk, "I think he'd be a great lacrosse player."

As for Chris' future in the sport ... Hogan seems fired up to get his pro lacrosse career off the ground -- telling us, ideally, the stint in the PLL would cap off his sports career.

"I think always in the back of my mind when I was playing football," Hogan says, "it seemed like this would be a cool way to kind of tie off the end of my career."

Hogan -- who played just 5 games for the Jets in 2020 and is now a free agent -- says he's not officially slamming the door on the NFL ... he tells us the lax opportunity is just too good to pass up for now.

"Where I'm at in my career and just how kinda things evolved over the last year, it kind of seemed like this would be a pretty unique opportunity to go back to lacrosse."

TMZ Sports has obtained the police body cam footage from the Chad Wheeler arrest -- in which you can hear the desperate struggle to subdue the NFL lineman after officials say he nearly killed his girlfriend in a violent bipolar episode.

The video starts on the evening of Jan. 22, with police literally kicking down the door to the home in Kent, Washington where Wheeler was living with then-girlfriend Alleah Taylor. Taylor had called 911 claiming Wheeler had beaten and strangled her within inches of her life.

Once cops enter the home, the video goes dark -- police redacted the in-home footage for various legal reasons but the audio paints a crystal clear picture of the chaos that ensues.

"Put your f**king hands behind your back," one officer screams at the 6'7", 315-pound athlete ... "If you don't comply, you're going to get hurt."

Wheeler sounds relatively calm at first, considering the circumstances -- but the cops insist he is resisting arrest and repeatedly order him to stop fighting back.

At one point, Wheeler says to the cops, "Please don't shoot me."

Cops continue to accuse Wheeler of resisting arrest -- at one point you can hear an officer deploy a taser, which Wheeler basically brushes off.

Wheeler then begins to yell for his girlfriend, screaming ... "Alleah, please … Alleah … please I love you … Please stop … I love you … Alleah."

Again, cops say Wheeler continues to disobey orders -- and escalate their threats against him.

"You're gonna get f**kin' tased if you don't knock this s**t off right f**king now, you understand me?"

"You're gonna get the f**k knocked out of you, so knock it the f**k off."

Wheeler responds, "Please, I'm sorry, I'll do whatever you guys want" -- to which an officer replies, "Then stop f**king fighting!"

Finally, cops are able to place Wheeler in handcuffs and explain to him he's going to jail.

Wheeler was eventually hit with three criminal charges over the incident -- including 1st-degree domestic violence assault. If convicted, he faces up to 12 years in prison.

The NFL player -- who blamed all of his actions on a "manic episode" -- pled not guilty to the charges at a hearing in a Washington courtroom.

Despite his explanation, Alleah Taylor told CBS News she thinks Wheeler should spend time behind bars for the attack, which left her with serious injuries.

"I still have to regularly get my concussion checked. I have bolts and a steel plate I'm gonna have forever in my arm. I'm gonna have to deal with this the rest of my life."

Carson Wentz just poured his heart out to his old teammates, fans and the Philadelphia Eagles organization ... thanking everyone for their love and support after being traded to the Colts.

Wentz was shipped to Indianapolis in exchange for a couple draft picks earlier this week ... officially ending his 5-year career with the Eagles.

The 28-year-old bid farewell to his first NFL home on Friday in a lengthy message, saying, "As one chapter closes, another one begins."

Wentz first thanked his Eagles teammates -- "I appreciate every one of you and will never forget the relationships and memories made over the years."

"So many lifelong relationships have been formed in that locker room. Thank you for the fellowship, the camaraderie in the locker room, and the daily battles out on the practice field!"

Wentz then showed love to the city of Philly ... adding, "You have been my home for the past five years. It has been everything a kid from Bismarck, North Dakota could have dreamed of."

"My family grew here, had a lot of fun, ate a lot of great food, got to be a part of an incredible church, and so many more memories off the field."

He continued ... "On the field, we brought the Lombardi trophy home to Philly and hopefully brought a lot of joy to the city over the years."

"Thank you to the amazing Eagles fans across the World that have supported my family, our foundation, and our football team through all of the wins and losses. It was an honor to play in a city whose passion and love for their football team is unrivaled."

Lastly, Wentz thanked the team that drafted him #2 overall back in 2016 and making his NFL dream a reality -- "Thank you Mr. Lurie, Howie Roseman & the Eagles front office, Coach Pederson & all of my coaches, our training staff, our equipment staff and all of the support staff at the Nova Care Complex."

"It has been an amazing journey and I wish you all the best."

Wentz says he's stoked for the new journey ahead with the Colts ... and it's easy to believe it -- he's already reached out to his new teammates via text and FaceTime!!

Kellen Winslow Jr. agreed to be sentenced to 14 years in prison next month ... he modified a deal with prosecutors Friday to avoid an even lengthier sentence behind bars.

The former NFL star was facing up to 18 years in prison -- a result of being convicted in a 2019 rape trial ... and also because months later, he pled guilty to raping another woman.

But, a spokesperson for the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to TMZ Sports that Winslow reworked a part of his Nov. 2019 pleas to avoid the maximum penalty.

The spokesperson tells us Winslow modified one of his guilty pleas from sexual battery to assault with intent to commit rape.

Now, Winslow is due in court on March 3 to receive his official sentencing.

As we previously reported, Winslow had been accused of sexual misconduct -- including multiple allegations of rape -- by five different women.

Winslow was initially hit with 12 charges over the allegations ... and he had faced up to LIFE behind bars if convicted on all counts.

Alex Smith says he can't wrap his brain around how Colin Kaepernick still does not have a job in the NFL today ... saying the whole situation is both "tragic" and "sad."

Smith forged a friendship with Kap when the two were teammates in San Francisco ... and he said this week he just doesn't understand how his old pal can't find a team.

"It still doesn't make sense," Smith told NFL Network star Kyle Brandt on the "10 Questions With Kyle Brandt" podcast.

Alex says Kaepernick's talent level, even during his rookie and sophomore seasons, was obvious ... and the NFL seemingly refusing to give him a job over his past kneeling demonstrations during national anthems is just perplexing.

"The run that he went on, at the end of that last year that we were together [in 2012] and went to the Super Bowl ... was so crazy to watch," Smith said. "Truly one of the historic runs in football to see what he was doing."

Smith continued, "It's crazy to fast forward only a couple years after that and he was out of the league. It's hard to -- you couldn't even grasp it. Couldn't understand it. You couldn't."

Smith said it's "so tragic" how some in the NFL and others in the country didn't realize what Kaepernick was protesting back in 2016 ... explaining, "He was ahead of his time."

"The country wasn't ready. Nobody was ready for it. And, he's sitting there trying to tell everybody through a completely peaceful manner about some of the things going on in this country and that have been going on for a long time."

Smith continued, "And, to see the backlash that happened, yeah, it hurts. It hurts looking back at it that the country wasn't ready for it and he suffered the repercussions."

Vincent Jackson's family is now taking steps to determine if the former NFL star suffered from CTE before his tragic death ... by donating his brain to researchers.

A spokesperson for the wide receiver's family told multiple media outlets this week the 38-year-old's brain was given to experts at Boston University for studying shortly after he was found dead on Monday.

"Vincent being who he was would have wanted to help as many people as possible,” family rep Allison Gorrell told the New York Times.

"It's something his family wanted to do to get answers to some of their questions."

As we previously reported, Jackson was found dead alone in a hotel room in Brandon, FL ... a place he had been living in since January.

When asked why Jackson -- a man who made more than $70 million in his NFL career -- was there, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said the family believed it was all due to potential brain injuries suffered while playing football.

"What the family is telling me is that he suffered from CTE," Chronister said. "They believe he had a lot of concussion problems and when you suffer from that, you're not yourself."

The sheriff added, "[The family believes] wholeheartedly all of these actions are the result of what he suffered while he was playing in the NFL."

An official cause of death for Jackson has not yet been revealed ... the county's medical examiner says it could be months before an autopsy report is completed.

Ryan Leaf didn't know Vincent Jackson personally but almost died the same way -- alone in a hotel room -- and he's begging Roger Goodell to do more to help former players cope.

The former NFL quarterback posted an emotional video Monday in the hours after Jackson passed away at the Homewood Suites hotel in Brandon, FL. Officials say Jackson had suffered from chronic alcoholism.

Now that he's had time to process the situation, Leaf spoke with TMZ Sports about why Jackson's death had such a tremendous impact on him, despite the fact they didn't know each other.

"I just was really emotional. I can relate," Leaf says ... "There was some empathy behind it because he was alone in a hotel room dying and I felt that way. I've been in a hotel room and was dying alone."

Leaf's struggles with substance abuse are no secret -- in fact, he even spent time in prison stemming from his addiction. But, he's not only sought help over the years, he's now committed to helping other former players deal with similar issues.

However, Leaf says he still struggles with "survivor's guilt" -- he can't understand why he lived and others in the very same situation have died.

"That's something I'm working on with my therapist because [Jackson] was a hell of a player and he's done so much for his community and everything like that. Why couldn't more have been done?"

So, what should the NFL do to help players who are struggling after their playing days are over?

"I particularly think a transition program immediately exiting the NFL or consistent therapy [could help]" Leaf says.

He also suggests the NFL build treatment centers for players -- similar to the military's VA hospitals and centers.

"I think there should be a facility for players who built [the NFL's brand] and whose minds are fragile and need help."

Leaf says several high-profile former NFL players have reached out to him to offer support -- including Michael Strahan.

The 44-year-old also has a message to players battling depression, addiction or any other issue that could affect their health -- please reach out.

"If family members or my brothers are in need or in a place where I once was, call me! I'll be on the first fight, I'll be in your living room, I'll go with you through it!"

Carson Wentz is out in Philadelphia -- reportedly traded from the Eagles to the Indianapolis Colts ... for a pair of draft picks.

The deal is a little complicated but essentially comes down to this ... in exchange for Wentz, the Eagles get a 2021 3rd-round draft pick and a 2022 conditional 2nd-round pick that COULD turn into a 1st rounder.

How, exactly?

If Wentz takes 75% of the snaps at QB for the Colts in 2021 -- or if he takes 70% and the Colts make the playoff -- the 2nd rounder becomes a 1st rounder.

But, that's not really a guarantee -- since Wentz played poorly in 2020 and seems to be injury-prone.

Just to compare ... when the L.A. Rams traded for Matthew Stafford, they gave up Jared Goff PLUS two 1st round picks and a 3rd round pick.

Plus, the backup QBs in Indy aren't exactly scrubs -- Jacoby Brissett (who's now technically a free agent) has flashed real potential and Jacob Eason (the Colts 4th-round pick in 2020) could become a real contender for a starting spot as well.

Remember, at one point Wentz -- the 2nd overall pick in the 2016 Draft -- was an NFL MVP candidate ... and the Eagles liked him so much, they signed him to a 4-year, $128 million contract in 2019.

Now, Jalen Hurts will have a real shot to compete for the starting job in Philly -- though there are rumblings the Eagles are looking to draft a top-flight QB in April.

Sophia Culpo is following in her sister's footsteps -- dating a shredded NFL player of her own!!

The 24-year-old model/influencer and 25-year-old New York Jets receiver Braxton Berrios made their relationship Instagram official over Valentine's Day weekend ... and the romance continues this week with a couples gym session.

SC and BB documented their workout on Wednesday ... going through some squats, calf raises and other exciting stuff.

So ... how did it go??

"Never in my life have I done calf raises and I don't plan on doing them again," Sophie joked on IG.

Of course, Sophie's older sister, Olivia, is currently dating Carolina Panthers superstar Christian McCaffrey. They've been together for about 2 years.

No word on if CMC played matchmaker to get OC's younger sis with the former Miami Hurricanes star ... but at least now they have a solid double date setup!!

FYI -- Berrios was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2018 ... and won a ring in his lone season with Tom Brady and Co. at Super Bowl LIII.

He later joined the Jets in 2019, where he's spent the past 2 seasons.

Tim Tebow's dream of becoming a major leaguer is coming to an end -- the football superstar-turned-slugger is officially retiring from baseball.

The 33-year-old Heisman Trophy winner joined the New York Mets in 2016 ... making it as far as the AAA level with the Syracuse Mets in 2019.

Tebow appeared in 287 games in 3 pro seasons in the Mets farm system ... earning 18 homers, 107 runs scored, 48 doubles, three triples, 107 RBI and 5 stolen bases.

Tebow released a statement on his decision to walk away from the sport Wednesday afternoon ... saying he's ready to pursue other dreams.

"I want to thank the Mets, Mr. Alderson, the fans and all my teammates for the chance to be a part of such a great organization," Tebow said.

"I loved every minute of the journey, but at this time I feel called in other directions. I never want to be partially in on anything. I always want to be 100 percent in on whatever I choose."

"Thank you again for everyone’s support of this awesome journey in baseball, I’ll always cherish my time as a Met."

TMZ Sports spoke to Tebow about his baseball career last month ... and he said he was still fully committed to baseball.

"For me, I'm super excited about spring training," Tebow said at the time. "So, that's where my focus kind of swirls right now."

It's unclear what changed his mind since we spoke to him a few weeks ago ... maybe he IS helping out Urban Meyer in Jacksonville after all??

Ex-NFL star Vincent Jackson "suffered from chronic alcoholism" -- and it appears to have been a factor in his death, this according to law enforcement.

Sheriff Chad Chronister of the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office in Florida revealed the findings from Jackson's autopsy Wednesday on the "MJ Morning Show" saying -- "We got the autopsy report that will be released today showed, unfortunately, he suffered from chronic alcoholism. Just tragic!"

Sheriff Chronister says officials are still waiting on the toxicology report to come back before they can issue an official cause of death -- but he notes Jackson had "long-standing health conditions that contributed to his passing because of some alcohol abuse."

The 38-year-old NFL wide receiver was discovered Monday by a housekeeper at the Homewood Suites hotel in Brandon, Florida (located in the Tampa area) ... where he had been living since January.

The whole situation was bizarre considering Jackson made more than $70 million in his NFL career and was widely loved in the community by family, friends and law enforcement.

So, why was he at that hotel alone? Sheriff Chronister has a theory ...

"Well this is true speculation but what the family is telling me is that he suffered from CTE. They believe he had a lot of concussion problems and when you suffer from that, you're not yourself."

Sheriff Chronister continued, "[The family believes] wholeheartedly all of these actions are the result of what he suffered while he was playing in the NFL."

Jackson spent 12 years in the pros -- making 3 Pro Bowls during his time with the San Diego Chargers and the Tampa Bay Bucs. He formally retired in 2018 but last played in 2016.

Sheriff Chronister noted how involved Jackson was in the community.

"He would never say no! He's the person you would call 'Hey I have something we wanna do for a child in need, a family in need, a military member in need' and he was always there. I don't know how he balanced his schedule."

Good news Jacksonville Jaguars fans ... your next QB underwent successful shoulder surgery in L.A. on Tuesday and he's already pouring coffee on his own!

Check out former Clemson superstar Trevor Lawrence back in his kitchen following a procedure to repair labrum damage in his left (non-throwing) shoulder.

"Surgery went great. Excited rehab," Lawrence posted on social media.

The procedure was performed by Dr. Neal Elattrache -- who has worked with some of the top athletes on the planet ... including Tom Brady and Kobe Bryant. He's also the team doctor for the L.A. Rams and the L.A. Dodgers.

In other words, Trevor is in good hands.

Now, the 21-year-old quarterback can focus on getting ready for the NFL Draft on April 29 -- when he's expected to be taken #1 overall by the Jaguars.

You knew Cam Newton could dance ... but did you know he could dance AND skate at the same time?!?!

It's true ... TMZ Sports has obtained video of the NFL star tearing up the floor at a Georgia roller rink over the weekend -- AND THE FOOTAGE IS AMAZING!!

The 31-year-old New England Patriots quarterback hit up Sparkles in Smyrna, GA. with his family for Valentine's Day ... and he wasted no time getting his groove on.

We're told Cam -- in a loud, pink jacket and skinny jeans -- brought his own skates to the rink ... strapped them up and cut a rug all over the place all night long!!

Check out the clip ... Cam is seriously incredible on the skates -- weaving in and out of people like he's on the football field!

One witness tells us Newton was SUPER friendly too ... taking selfies and chatting away with the rest of the skaters.

FYI -- we're told Cam does this pretty often, with one witness saying they spotted him out skating at a different Georgia rink just a few nights prior.