NFL

Deshaun Watson's attorney, Rusty Hardin, is going on the attack again on behalf of his client ... saying the NFL star never forced anyone to engage in an act against their will.

"Deshaun did not force, coerce or intimidate anyone to do anything against their will," Hardin said Thursday in a new statement.

Hardin once again went after attorney Tony Buzbee -- who's representing all 22 women who have filed lawsuits against Watson.

All of the women filed their suits using the pseudonym "Jane Doe," and only two of the women have come out and since identified themselves publicly. Hardin says that's not good enough.

"Mr. Buzbee’s use of anonymous lawsuits violates Texas law and the basic concept of fairness," Hardin said.

"It is clear that, for Mr. Buzbee, this case has never been about seeking justice in a courtroom, but destroying Deshaun’s reputation to enhance his own public profile and enrich himself."

Hardin continued, "While I understand that anonymity often is used as a shield for victims, Mr. Buzbee is using it as a sword. While shielding his clients from public scrutiny, Mr. Buzbee continues to use their anonymous allegations to destroy Mr. Watson."

"This is simply not right. And we look forward to resolving these matters in court."

Watson and his camp have repeatedly denied the allegations in the lawsuits -- insisting the women are lying in an attempt to force a payout.

Ex-NFL wide receiver Travis Rudolph has been arrested for murder -- after officials say the 25-year-old opened fire on a group of people in Florida, fatally striking one man.

TMZ Sports has confirmed ... cops responded to a shooting in West Palm Beach shortly after midnight on Wednesday -- and once they arrived, officers found a deceased male victim who had been shot.

Cops say another man had also been struck by gunfire and was rushed to a nearby hospital before their arrival -- though his current condition is unknown.

Law enforcement tells TMZ Sports ... investigators believe the gunman opened fire on 4 people in total -- all of whom were passengers in a vehicle together at the time of the shooting.

After a preliminary investigation, officials believe they have evidence proving Rudolph is the man who pulled the trigger.

The former Florida State star was arrested Wednesday morning -- hours after the shooting -- and transported to county jail. Cops tell us Rudolph was booked on 1st degree murder and attempted 1st degree murder charges.

Jail records show he is currently being held without bond.

Rudolph was a big-time receiver at FSU from 2014 to 2016 ... and led  the team in receptions, TDs and receiving yards in 2015, his sophomore season.

Rudolph went viral during a 2016 visit to a Tallahassee middle school ... when he ate lunch with autistic student Bo Paske, who had been sitting alone.

The West Palm Beach native didn't get selected in the 2017 NFL Draft ... but later signed with the New York Giants. He played for the G-Men from  2017 to 2018.

Rudolph made the jump to the Canadian football League where he played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Nike -- one of the largest sports apparel companies in the world -- has "suspended" its relationship with Deshaun Watson amid the investigation into sexual misconduct.

"We are deeply concerned by the disturbing allegations and have suspended Deshaun Watson," Nike said in a statement released Wednesday morning.

"We will continue to closely monitor the situation."

Watson has been with Nike since 2017 -- the year he entered the NFL Draft.

The bombshell news comes one day after the QB's first accuser came forward at a news conference and revealed her identity.

Ashley Solis says she was the first woman to file a lawsuit against the Houston Texans superstar, accusing him of sexual misconduct during what was supposed to be a routine massage therapy treatment.

"I'm a survivor of assault and harassment. Deshaun Watson is my assaulter and my harasser," she said Tuesday while sitting next to her attorney Tony Buzbee.

"I hope [Watson] knows how much pain he's inflicted on me physically and emotionally," Solis says.

20 other women have also filed lawsuits against Watson alleging he engaged in similar behavior while getting a massage.

Watson has denied the allegations -- claiming the women are lying in an effort to shake him down for money.

The Houston PD announced this week it has launched a criminal investigation into the allegations -- but so far, Watson has not been charged with a crime.

Tom Brady admits he REGRETS drunkenly throwing the Lombardi Trophy from boat to boat during that legendary floating Super Bowl parade

... but hey, things happen when you're completely sloshed!

"First of all, there was not a lot going through my mind at that point," Brady told Michael Strahan on 'GMA.'

Remember, Tom and the rest of the Tampa Bay Bucs hit the Hillsborough River back in February to celebrate their Super Bowl LV victory over the K.C. Chiefs.

The booze started flowing ... and the QB started throwin' (trophies).

"I mean, that was not smart for a couple of reasons," a sobered up Brady says.

"One is, if we drop it, that's a little bit of a problem. But, the worst thing that could happen is the edges on that trophy are so sharp -- and had those things clipped one of my boys in the other boat, it would have been an ugly, ugly parade."

He's right -- but fortunately, his sure-handed teammates caught the trophy with no problems.

Brady says of the event, "From what I remember, yes it was pretty cool."

During his interview with 'GMA,' Brady also opened up about why he wants to continue playing the NFL.

Remember, in the wake of winning his 7th title, Gisele had asked him, "What more do you have to prove?"

"I don't think proving it for me is the motivation," 43-year-old Tom told Strahan ... "I still want to play, I got like a little sickness in me that just wants to throw a frickin' spiral, you know what I mean?"

"Once you stop you can't go back and do it, I got some more football [left in me] I mean not a lot, and I know that, but what I got left, I'm gonna go I'm gonna give everything I got."

Another monster entry into the NFT space -- this time, it's gaming legend Tfue, who's dropping his very own collection ... and hoping to cash in like Rob Gronkowski.

The 23-year-old superstar -- one of the most popular Esports athletes ever -- is launching his own "NFTfue King of Gaming" collection.

NFTs -- aka non-fungible tokens -- are the newest rage in digital collectibles, built on blockchain technology.

In other words, you can buy, sell or trade them like you would a baseball card ... and the blockchain attached to each NFT essentially certifies the token as authentic (and not a knockoff).

But, back to Tfue ... who tells TMZ Sports he's stoked about his NFT collection and thinks collectors will snatch them up in record time.

The collection features custom animated videos, which Tfue considers to be legitimate works of art.

"They're pretty sick. They're not like, just like a picture like normal people usually do. We put a lot of time into this, a lot of effort into it. We wanted to make sure it was right. It's gonna come out pretty sweet. I'm pretty excited!"

Tfue says he was inspired by Rob Gronkowski who recently launched his own NFT collection and reportedly made $1.7 MILLION in sales!

In fact, Tfue says he bought one of the Gronk NFTs and hopes the NFL star will return the favor!

"My name is Ashley Solis. Remember that name."

You're looking at the very first woman who filed a sexual misconduct lawsuit against NFL star Deshaun Watson -- who just revealed her identity at an emotional news conference in Texas.

Solis -- formerly known as Jane Doe #1 -- claims Watson acted inappropriately during a massage therapy session at her home in March 2020.

She had filed the lawsuit under an alias due to the fear of a public backlash -- but says she feels empowered to go public and tell her story herself.

With attorney Tony Buzbee by her side, Solis said Monday, "I'm not afraid anymore. I'm here to take back the power, take back control."

"I'm a survivor of assault and harassment. Deshaun Watson is my assaulter and my harasser," she continued.

"I replay the incident over and over in my head as if I'm trying to wake up for some horrible nightmare -- only that nightmare is real."

Solis says she's still dealing with lingering trauma from the incident -- including the shakes -- which prevents her from properly doing her job.

"I hope [Watson] knows how much pain he's inflicted on me physically and emotionally," Solis says.

She explained her father -- "once a diehard Texans fan -- "can no longer say his name without turning red."

Solis says, "We were all deceived into thinking Deshaun Watson was a good guy."

"I will not let Deshaun Watson define who I am. I will not let him win. He needs to be held accountable for his actions."

During the news conference, Buzbee also revealed the identity of another Watson accuser who had been using an alias -- Lauren Baxley.

Baxley did not attend the news conference in person, but wrote a strong letter to the QB which was read out loud to the media.

"Every boundary, from professional and therapeutic to sexual and degrading, you crossed or attempted to cross," Baxley wrote about her alleged encounter with Watson,

For his part, Watson has denied all allegations of wrongdoing and says he has rejected settlement demands from the early accusers.

Watson also issued a statement from 18 female massage therapists who say he's a respectful client who never put them in an uncomfortable situation.

22 women in total have lawsuits against Watson -- all of them using an alias. Solis is the only person to reveal her identity to the public so far.

Buzbee says Solis and one other accuser have spoken with police -- though he did not specify which agency she contacted.

How did Sam Darnold handle the news that he was being traded from the NY Jets to the Carolina Panthers?!

Break out the black and blue balloons ... it's party time!!!

Check out the celebration Darnold's friends and family threw for the QB in the hours after the trade went down -- the smile on Sam's face speaks for itself!

Sam's personal QB coach Jordan Palmer captured the small gathering on video -- saying, "Pumped for the next leg of this journey."

Sam waves his arms in the air, cracks a huge smile and puts on a Panthers ball cap. He's ready!!

... and why wouldn't he be? The Jets have been trash since they selected Darnold with the 3rd overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

The 23-year-old QB has flashed serious potential -- but many blame the incompetence of recently fired Jets coach Adam Gase for stunting his development.

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Jeff Gladney -- the 31st overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft -- was arrested Monday for an alleged domestic violence incident, police confirm.

The Dallas Police Dept. says 24-year-old Gladney is accused of getting physical with a 22-year-old woman during an April 2 argument over "content in a cell phone."

Cops tell TMZ Sports, "The altercation escalated, at which time Mr. Gladney physically assaulted the victim. Mr. Gladney left the location prior to officers’ arrival."

A warrant was issued for Gladney's arrest for "Assault – Family Violence."

According to an arrest affidavit obtained by CBS 11 News, the woman told police Gladney freaked out over something on her phone ... and at one point he tried shoving her face close to the screen to trigger the FaceID feature to unlock the phone.

The accuser claims Gladney escalated the violence ... hitting her with "closed fists causing pain in the side of her ribs, in the stomach and the back, and hitting her open hand across the head."

The woman says the violence continued at a nearby Dallas apartment complex -- where Gladney allegedly "began strangling [her] by the neck, which impeded her breathing for approximately five seconds."

After that, she told cops Gladney "grabbed [her] by her hair while the vehicle was still moving and dragged [her] across the ground."

The woman told officers she somehow escaped and ran into a nearby vehicle, despite the fact she didn't know anyone inside the car.

According to the affidavit, the responding officer noticed injuries to her head, ears and torso.

Cops say Gladney turned himself in to authorities on Monday, April 5 -- and he was booked at the Dallas County Jail where he posed for a mug shot and bonded out a short time later.

Sam Darnold has a new home ... the Jets just officially gave up on their 2018 1st-round pick, sending him off to Carolina in a huge, pre-NFL draft trade.

The Panthers announced the move Monday afternoon ... explaining they traded 3 picks -- including a 6th-rounder this year and 2nd and 4th-rounders in 2022 -- for the QB.

Carolina's team site described the deal this way ... "The Panthers landed a first-round quarterback, without waiting to see if one fell to them with the eighth overall pick in this year's draft."

Darnold was originally taken by NY with the #3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft ... but he was largely a disappointment in his 3 seasons with Gang Green, recording a 13-25 record.

The 23-year-old struggled with injuries -- missing at least 3 games in all 3 of his 3 three seasons in the league -- as well interceptions, throwing 39 in just 38 games.

Darnold, though, did flash talent from time to time ... and as a guy who could have easily been the #1 overall pick in '18 -- it seems Carolina is more than willing to take the gamble.

As for what it means for the two teams going forward ... the Jets will almost certainly take BYU star QB, Zach Wilson, with the #2 overall pick later this month.

The big man who was violently KO'ed in a heated fight at Walmart is NOT ex-NFL player Bruce Campbell ... the former Raiders O-lineman confirmed to TMZ Sports.

"No, that was not me," Campbell said. "No, I did not get my jaw broken."

But, the former NFL player -- a 4th round pick in the 2010 Draft -- says he concerned the damage to his reputation may already be done.

Here's what we know ... on Sunday, footage of a violent brawl in an unidentified Walmart went viral, with tons of people claiming the main combatant is Campbell, who left the NFL in 2014.

The story was retweeted by some journalists and picked up by multiple websites which identified the main person in the fight as Campbell.

But, we spoke with Campbell on Monday morning and the 32-year-old told us he was definitely NOT involved in the melee ... and has no knowledge about the incident captured on video.

"As you can see right now, I'm just enjoying fatherhood," Campbell told us while playing with his kids.

The 32-year-old explained he's been busy living his post-NFL life -- focusing on his family and coaching high school football ... and he's happy.

But, Campbell admits he's upset that he was misidentified and he's concerned the whole ordeal could cost him a future job.

"That definitely hurts my potential at getting a coaching job anywhere," Campbell says ... explaining that anyone Googles him could incorrectly think he's violent.

Campbell says he's been bombarded with messages online and received a ton of calls from people checking in on him.

But the main takeaway, it's NOT him!

As for the incident. We don't know where or when it took place. We do know the big dude in the video got absolutely destroyed in the store by a much smaller man.

The video is wild ... it all picks up with a large man screaming at another guy and challenging him to "do something, motherf*****!"

It's unclear what the dudes were arguing over ... but when the little guy did indeed decide to "do something," it did NOT end up well for the bigger man.

The big guy got rocked in the face REPEATEDLY ... and at one point, he appeared to eat a punch so hard, he was out cold.

The fight was eventually broken up ... no word on if either guy suffered significant injuries or if any arrests were made.

As for Campbell ... he was a superstar at Maryland -- and is famous for tearing up the NFL Combine as a draft prospect in 2010.

He measured in a 6'6", 314 pounds, ran a 4.85 40-yard dash and bench pressed 225 pounds 34 times.

Jared Goff is officially dating a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model -- the Detroit Lions QB's longtime GF, Christen Harper has landed a photoshoot with the S.I. Swim Issue!

26-year-old Harper made the announcement minutes ago ... saying it's always been her lifelong dream to be an S.I. Swim model -- and now it's a reality!!

"SI is the reason I became a model and for years I tried to get a casting with them but never quite made it," Harper said Monday.

"Instead of just accepting that and moving on I decided to take things into my own hands and chase this dream myself! This is a sign to go after your dreams and never look back!!!"

Harper earned the spot by entering the outlet's highly competitive "Swim Search" ... where people from all over the world audition to be part of the upcoming issue.

The California native -- who's been linked to Goff since early 2019 -- joins a stacked list of WAGs in S.I.'s lineup ... including names like Olivia Culpo, Kate Bock and Camille Kostek, who have already announced their return for the July 2021 issue.

No word from Goff, yet ... but we take it he's THRILLED!!

The Houston Police Department says it's now launched a criminal investigation into Deshaun Watson ... this after a complainant formally filed a report against the NFL star on Friday.

Cops did NOT say the nature of the allegations against the QB ... and it's unclear if they're related to the claims of sexual assault that Watson is facing in a multitude of civil lawsuits.

In a statement Friday, though, Watson's attorney implied they may be.

"We welcome this long overdue development," Rusty Hardin said. "Now we will learn the identity of at least one accuser. We will fully cooperate with the Houston Police Department."

A police investigation into Watson does NOT mean he's facing criminal charges at the moment.

The HPD will investigate the allegations and likely then turn over its findings to prosecutors, who will then need to make a charging decision. That all could take weeks, if not months.

The interesting part is now that law enforcement is involved ... will the NFL step in and put the Houston Texans star on the commissioner's exempt list and bar him from playing games until the probe concludes?

The league had previously said it was already investigating the QB over the allegations made against the 25-year-old in the civil cases.

As we reported ... Watson is accused of being sexually inappropriate with at least 21 female masseuses in at least four different states over the past few years.

The G.O.A.T.'s knee is healing up just fine ... Buccaneers GM Jason Licht says Tom Brady's recovering "very well" from offseason surgery.

The 43-year-old Tampa Bay QB had to go under the knife shortly after winning his 7th Super Bowl ... with Licht saying TB12 needed a "minor surgical procedure" to clean up some things in his leg.

But, Licht says there are no worries as of now that Brady might have to miss regular-season action in 2021 ... explaining, "I know things are going well."

"I talked to him last week," Licht told reporters Thursday ... "I know that things are going very well."

Brady had reportedly been dealing with pain in his knee throughout the 2020 season ... and had planned to get surgery once the Bucs' year concluded.

Licht said Brady is now in the rehab stage ... but he added he did not want to place an official timetable on a return to action for his team's superstar.

"I don't want to put an exact timeline on it right now because I don't want to set expectations one way or the other," Licht said.

The little girl who suffered a brain injury in the Britt Reid car crash incident in February has still NOT been released from the hospital ... but she's starting to make improvements.

5-year-old Ariel Young was in a coma for more than a week when Britt Reid -- son of K.C. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid -- allegedly slammed his car into the vehicle she was in during a Feb. 4 crash.

Young woke up from her coma in mid-February -- but doctors diagnosed her with a traumatic brain injury and expect a "long road to recovery."

Young's family, through her GoFundMe page, provided an update on her health over the weekend.

"Ariel remains in the hospital, she is getting a little better each day but she still has a long road to recovery."

As we previously reported, cops say Britt Reid admitted to drinking alcohol and taking Adderall before smashing into 2 parked cars that were pulled over on the side of a highway on-ramp.

Cops announced they were investigating the crash but so far no formal charges have been brought against Reid.

Young's family is clearly unhappy with the pace of the investigation -- saying, "Britt Reid is out everyday living his normal life while [Ariel] cannot, please don’t let her story be forgotten."

"Court will take a long time and we don’t know what will be the outcome of it all. So please keep sharing her story and praying for her and the family. Thank you."

Colts fans should probably just abandon all hope of an Andrew Luck comeback -- 'cause the QB is telling T.Y. Hilton he's having a BLAST in retirement.

Hilton -- who just signed a 1-year, $10 million deal with the Colts -- is still pretty close with his old quarterback ... despite the fact Luck hung up his cleats in 2019 at the age of 29.

There have been rumblings that Luck could change his mind and rejoin the Colts in the near future -- but Hilton told the media on Thursday the chances of that happening are slim to none.

"He's just enjoying his vacation," Hilton said with a big ol' smile ... "I probably have to stop calling him for a bit. He might make me want to retire!"

A reporter asked if he thinks Luck's "vacation" will be a permanent one -- to which Hilton responded, "Oh, permanent! He's having the time of his life! He's kinda making me jealous. So we’ll see."

In other words, Luck is wasting away in Margaritaville ... enjoying his family and friends without musclebound killers trying to take his head off every day.

Oh, and also worth mentioning Luck made more than $109 MILLION in contract money during his NFL career ... not including endorsements!

So, it's not like he'll be hurting for cash.

Mother’s Day may not be for another month, but Houston Texans star lineman Laremy Tunsil is already in good shape ... after surprising his mom with a brand new BENTLEY!!

The 26-year-old shared the big surprise Wednesday night ... and his mom's reaction is equally hilarious and adorable.

The new ride pulls into the driveway with a big red bow on the hood ... and Desiree lets out a huge shriek once she realizes what's going on.

But the best part?? Desiree's first concern went to what she was wearing for the special moment.

"I can’t get in there with these things on," she said between laughs and shouts. "I need to be dressed up!"

As for the car, it appears to be a Bentley Continental GT Speed. This model can get to 60 MPH in 3.5 seconds, has a top speed of 208 MPH and reportedly starts around $200k!!!

Of course, that ain't a problem for Tunsil, who recently restructured his 3-year $66 MILLION extension with the Texans after 2 Pro Bowl seasons.

Tunsil famously negotiated his contract himself -- without an agent -- and clearly, he's found a solid way to spend that extra 10% he saved!