NFL

Whoever plans on buying Emmitt Smith's Dallas mansion -- which has a hefty price tag of $2.2 MILLION -- will get a once in a lifetime bonus with the crib ... dinner with the NFL legend!

The Hall of Famer announced the sweet deal with his listing agent, Arthur Greenstein, this week -- saying he's down to personally wine and dine whoever buys the home.

The dinner is a cool touch, but probably not super necessary ... considering, ya know, the place -- which was built in 1995 -- is amazing.

It's 10,806-square-feet ... and has five bedrooms, five full bathrooms, four half bathrooms and a huge kitchen with a dining room that sits up to 22 people.

There's also a game room, a media room, plus an amazing pool in the backyard.

Unclear why Emmitt's parting with the crib -- but he seems pretty bummed about moving out ... saying he absolutely loved entertaining at the home.

The Manning broadcast turned PG-13 on "Monday Night Football" ... with Eli Manning giving a double middle finger salute LIVE ON AIR!!!

The hilarious moment went down on ESPN2 as the Giants legend was sharing his experiences going up against the Philadelphia Eagles ... describing their fans as absolutely ruthless.

"You go to Philly, you're getting the double bird right away from a 9-year-old kid," Eli told Peyton and 4th quarter guest Chris Long.

"I would give the bird, I don't know, can we do that?? I'm sure you can blur that out, right??"

As it turns out, E, -- no, you can't do that and no, they couldn't blur it out ... but that didn't stop him from holding up the gesture for a few solid moments.

Despite the hiccup, Eli continued his story like nothing happened ... claiming fans would say things about his mom that he wouldn't say over the air (apparently he limits himself to one FCC violation per game).

"They're saying things about my mom and Peyton, I can't even tell you what they said about my mom," Eli added.

The Manning-cast has been a huge hit through 3 weeks ... with guests like LeBron James, Russell Wilson, Gronk, and Charles Barkley joining the bros to talk football.

Travis Kelce also flirted with more mature content when he was on during Week 1 ... dropping an s-bomb.

No word on if the FCC will hand down any fines, but Eli ended up apologizing for the whole thing.

"Sorry, earlier I gave the double bird. I guess that’s frowned upon, so I apologize if I offended anybody. That’s just what a 9-year-old did to me and I thought I could do it back," Eli said.

Justin Tucker's 66-yard game-winning kick Sunday wasn't just painful for Lions fans ... it also REALLY hurt a Ravens assistant coach, who blew out his hamstring celebrating!!!

Baltimore headman, John Harbaugh, explained the situation to reporters Monday ... saying linebackers coach, Drew Wilkins, popped his hammy while jumping for joy after Tucker's epic boot.

Harbaugh took a little bit of joy in announcing the injury ... joking with media members that the wound was all due to Wilkins' poor gym habits.

"Drew is philosophically opposed to exercise," Harbaugh said with a big smile. "He's made that clear over the years, kind of emphatically. He's a staunch believer in not exercising. You can see where that gets you."

Video of the celebration is pretty funny -- even though it's got to be pretty painful as well -- 'cause you can see in the clip Wilkins tumbled hard after rushing the field to celebrate Tucker's kick.

Unclear how long Wilkins' recovery process will be -- Harbaugh joked the MRI results are not in yet -- but we're pretty sure a come from behind, improbable 19-17 win will make the pain a little easier to swallow.

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is doing much better after being transported to the hospital Sunday ... with the team announcing he's resting and in "stable condition."

The legendary coach was taken away in an ambulance after feeling ill following the Chiefs' loss to the Los Angeles Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium ... with ESPN's Adam Schefter reporting it was for a "precautionary observation."

The Chiefs provided an update on Reid's status late Sunday night ... and it's all good news.

"Head Coach Andy Reid felt ill at the conclusion of the game," the team said. "He was evaluated by our medical staff in the locker room, & as a precaution, was transported to The University of Kansas Health System for further evaluation."

"Coach is doing well, currently resting & in stable condition."

While the Chiefs did not get into detail on what Reid was battling, Dan Graziano reports he was treated for dehydration.

Chiefs star Tyrann Mathieu shared his well wishes for Reid after the game, saying, "I’m praying for my Head Coach & I’m hoping you can send up prayers with me!!"

"One of the best men & teachers I’ve been around!!! GOD please show us your mercy!"

As for the game, the Chargers shocked the Chiefs, winning 30-24 as KC falls to 1-2.

Get well soon, Andy!!

MVP quarterback today ... WWE superstar after that?!?

Kofi Kingston says that's entirely possible for Lamar Jackson ... telling TMZ Sports after watching the Ravens star flip during a touchdown run this past Sunday, he could see the QB killin' it in the ring!

"I would love to see what Lamar could do in a wrestling ring," Kofi says. "He would be incredible."

Lamar put his athleticism on full display in Baltimore's huge win over the Chiefs ... somersaulting into the endzone on a key fourth-quarter play.

The 24-year-old didn't exactly stick the landing -- he joked he hurt his backside in the tumble -- but Kofi tells us the sheer athleticism of it all stuck out to him big time.

"I'd give it a 10 out of 10," Kofi said of the flip. "I don't really care about the form ... He was just out there showing off."

And, now, Kofi says he's pretty damn sure Lamar could be as big of a star as he is in Vince McMahon's world!!!

"It'd just be a matter of getting the psychology aspect of putting matches together and stuff like that," Kingston says.

Did you know Tre'Davious White eats cookies, ice cream and hot fudge before EVERY game?!?

It's true ... the Buffalo Bills cornerback does this as his pregame ritual ... and it turns out he just got hooked up with a pair of cleats resembling his tasty habit!

The 2-time Pro Bowler revealed his ritual in an interview with Bills' junior reporter Vida, saying he has to eat the following before every game:

-- 3 chocolate chip cookies

-- a scoop of vanilla ice cream

-- hot fudge

TMZ Sports has learned that shoe artist Mike Jordan -- who's done work for TW before -- caught the interview ... and surprised the Bills CB with a pair of cleats featuring his ritual.

"When I have a good idea, extra cleats and a little spare time, I don't mind taking care of my clients," Jordan tells us.

And, they came out lookin' delicious -- Jordan painted chocolate chip cookies, ice cream and hot fudge on the sides of the Adidas cleats ... and it only took about 8 to 10 hours to deliver.

Definitely a dope way to feed his tradition and Bills season ... White says in the interview, "If you can keep me loaded up on stock this season I think we're in for a very good season."

So far, so good -- the Bills are currently 1-1 (before Sept. 26 matchup with Washington) and lead the AFC East division.

Bill Maher laid it all out Friday night ... saying the United States is becoming a segregated nation again, and the latest evidence is the push for 2 National Anthems.

The 'Real Time' host blasted the NFL for playing "Lift Every Voice and Sing" -- often called the Black National Anthem -- in addition to the OG N.A. at football games.

Maher's not against a new National Anthem -- one that better reflects current times -- but he's flatly against more than one.

His argument goes like this ... Martin Luther King Jr. and many others fought hard -- even some losing their lives -- to end segregation. The battle was won 67 years ago when the U.S. Supreme Court put an end to separate but equal, which at the time was considered a victory for human rights.

Not so anymore, Maher says, pointing to colleges which now offer segregated residences, segregated graduation ceremonies, and on and on.

He invokes the words of Barack Obama, who said, "There is not a Black America, and a white America, and Latino America, an Asian American, there's a United States of America."

His overarching point ... diversity is a virtue that was celebrated until recently, and to cast that aside threatens the very fabric of America.

The driver who struck and killed NFL coach Greg Knapp has reportedly been cleared of any wrongdoing ... and will not face criminal charges.

58-year-old Knapp was riding his bicycle in San Ramon, CA on July 17 ... when he was hit by a car and rushed to the hospital with severe injuries.

Knapp -- who had just been hired to be the New York Jets' passing game coordinator -- tragically passed away on July 22 ... a loss that was felt throughout the NFL community.

The incident was investigated by San Ramon PD and sent over to the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office ... which declined to pursue charges.

"The San Ramon Police Department's investigation has concluded and it was submitted for review," the police said in a statement to Danville San Ramon.

"We received official word from the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office that they will not be filing criminal charges on the driver involved in the collision."

The DA's office explained the decision to the New York Post on Friday ... saying, there was "insufficient evidence to satisfy the requisite standard of criminal negligence on the part of the suspect driver."

Officials do not believe drugs or alcohol were a factor ... and the driver was fully cooperative with authorities.

Knapp was beloved amongst players and coaches throughout the league -- he won a Super Bowl ring as an assistant with the Denver Broncos in 2016, and is survived by his mother, wife, brother and 3 daughters.

Josh Gordon is back in the NFL once again.

The troubled former All-Pro wide receiver has reportedly been reinstated by the league on Friday ... and is eligible to return as soon as next week.

30-year-old Gordon has been in and out of the NFL due to substance abuse issues since joining the Cleveland Browns in 2012 ... missing three complete seasons in the process.

Most recently, Gordon was conditionally reinstated in December 2020, but that was short-lived as was booted from the league again just months later in January 2021.

During his time away from the NFL, Gordon stayed competitive by participating in the Fan-Controlled Football league alongside former teammate Johnny Manziel.

Josh's agent released a statement Friday ... saying, "We are grateful that the NFL appreciates the work that Josh put in and now he has earned another opportunity to be part of this league," Zac Hiller said via Adam Schefter.

"We are proud of Josh, and I know all the fans can’t wait to see him on Sundays."

There's no doubt Gordon is a top talent when he's focused ... so here's hoping he can stay on the right track and contribute this season.

Julian Edelman says the NFL's most anticipated game -- pitting his old QB, Tom Brady and the Bucs against his old team, the Patriots -- is gonna be be super weird for him ... almost like a child at a party with his "divorced parents."

The teams are playing October 3 ... and it'll be the first time that TB12 returns to Gillette Stadium since leaving the Pats in 2020.

And, Edelman -- who played with Brady and Rob Gronkowski in New England for 11 seasons before retiring -- is hyped about the game.

"It's definitely gonna be weird," Edelman told ABC6.

"It's like going to a family barbecue or like a basketball event and you're the step kid, or you're like the kid who has divorced parents and your mom and dad are there and you don't know how to react."

"Are they going to fight? Are they not going to fight? It's going to be interesting. But, I am excited. Who's not excited for it? It's going to be an exciting game."

So, is Edelman rollin' with his former team or former QB? He says Pats all day!

"I want the Patriots to win," Edelman says, "but I also want them to do well -- Gronk and Tom, so we'll see."

"I hope Tom does great. I hope everyone stays healthy. I hope Gronk does great but I hope like it's just a high scoring battle and maybe lil Mac [Jones] comes out, who knows? We'll see."

But, Edelman then takes it back ... saying he "can't be taking sides right now" since he's now an "Inside the NFL" analyst.

"I'm gonna have to take the fifth on that one, actually."

He's baaaaaaack!!!! (reportedly) -- Odell Beckham will make his big return to the Cleveland Browns this Sunday ... 11 months after going down with a season-ending injury.

Remember, OBJ tore his ACL in a Week 7 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals ... and has been busting his ass in recovery ever since.

He's been busting his ass during rehab ... from running on treadmills to heavy lifting to other drills.

Odell has been participating in team warmups the past 2 weeks in hopes of getting back on the field ... but the Browns wanted to make sure he was back to full health before giving the green light.

Now, ESPN's Jordan Schultz is reporting #13 WILL be in action against the Chicago Bears this weekend ... that is, "barring any final setbacks."

Odell teased reporters earlier Thursday ... smiling and saying, "we'll see" when asked about his chances of playing.

Richard Sherman is still gunning to play football in 2021 ... and he's imploring any GM interested in signing him to judge him off his game tape -- not his wild July arrest.

"I've got a decade worth of resume that should stand more firmly than a momentarily lapse in judgment," Sherman said. "I've got a decade worth of character and tape to be judged off of."

Sherman, speaking in-depth about the crazy incident at his in-laws' home for the first time since the arrest, made the statements to NFL reporter Doug Farrar ... and explained he's ready to go if any NFL team wants to sign him.

Sherman also said he understands the July 14 tirade -- one in which he nearly beat down his wife's parents' door in a fit of rage -- wasn't exactly the best look for him.

Still, the 33-year-old corner said he thinks none of it should deter any NFL squads from putting him on their rosters.

"If you're judging me off a momentarily lapse then I think it's going to be -- then I'm probably not the player for you either way," said Sherman, who then vowed to burn any team who passes on him.

Sherman has only been linked to one squad since the incident ... with Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians confirming they've checked in on the 5-time Pro Bowler recently.

As for any potential discipline from the NFL that might come down on Sherman due to the arrest -- the cornerback said he has not heard any news on that front.

Deion Sanders is hitting the operating table ... undergoing surgery to fix a foot that's been completely jacked up for YEARS.

The Hall of Famer and current Jackson State football head coach's doctor explained the reason for the procedure just before Sanders went under the knife Wednesday ... and the injury sounds horrific.

Sanders' doc said Deion's "second toe is dislocated" ... and it's been that way since perhaps Sanders' football-playing days.

"You've been dealing with this for a long time," the doctor said, "and it's just gotten worse."

Sanders' doc then described what the surgery will entail -- and it, too, sounds terrifying!

"She's going to shorten that second toe a little bit by cutting through the bone," the doctor said, "kind of reattaching it, lengthening one of the tendons and then straightening out your first toe to give you more room for that second toe."

Sanders didn't seem concerned at all, though ... and was all smiles right before the anesthesia kicked in.

While Sanders is expected to be on a scooter for the next six weeks while the foot heals -- he's expected to make a full recovery.

Get well soon, Prime!

New York Giants star offensive lineman Nick Gates will need another surgery to try to repair his broken leg ... and there's now a fear the operations could end his career.

Gates horrifically snapped his left leg while pass protecting during a play in the Giants' loss to the Washington Football Team last week ... and, despite early optimism of a full recovery, head coach Joe Judge says his rehab has hit a snag.

Judge told reporters Thursday Gates is still in a hospital in D.C. ... and will need more work to fix the wound completely.

"We’re confident he’ll be able to come back," Judge said, "but, yes, it could be career-ending."

Gates had seemed to be making good progress after the initial procedures ... 'cause just a few days ago, he was walking with the help of a walker.

Now, though, his football career appears to be very much in jeopardy.

If it is the end, Gates had a hell of a run in the NFL ... the 25-year-old started 21 games in a little over two seasons with New York and had just been named a team captain.

"You can still be rich ... and still have roaches."

Jason Pierre-Paul just revealed his Florida mansion is currently being overrun by dead bugs -- and it's gross as hell!

The Tampa Bay Bucs star showed off the lifeless cockroaches while walking around his pad Thursday ... zooming in on the bugs and providing some pretty hilarious commentary at the same time.

"I don't know where they coming from," JPP said, "'cause there ain't nothing to eat!"

The former NY Giants star hilariously gave some of the dead, creepy-crawlers in the house names ... saying, "He looked like he tried to get out. That's Jodeci."

"Look at him. That's Cici Allah. We'll call this one right here John Doe. Look like he tried to escape quick!"

As for JPP's plan to get them to stop overrunning his place ... the 32-year-old said he already has pest control, and has no idea why the problem is still going down.

Pierre-Paul might not play in the Bucs' game this weekend while nursing a shoulder injury ... so here's to hoping the added free time will help him get it all figured out soon.

Celeb jeweler Ben Baller says he'll fix Aaron Jones' necklace issues ASAP -- offering to make the Packers star an indestructible piece that'll safely harbor his father's ashes forever.

The 48-year-old said he'd build Jones something similar to a device he already has on his keychain -- explaining the NFL player would never have to worry about losing his priceless contents ever again once he's done with the job.

"Look, Aaron, holler at me bro," Ben said. "Send me a DM. Send me a text. I'll make you one of these joints."

"Screw it on, boom. It's not coming off. You can secure your pops' ashes in there, man."

If you missed it, Jones headed into Monday's Packers vs. Lions game wearing a locket that had his father's ashes in it ... but he lost it at some point during the big win.

Fortunately, Green Bay trainer Bryan "Flea" Engel was able to find it after a frantic search ... though it's now unclear how Jones is going to proceed with the jewelry going forward.

Ben told us if Jones wanted, his contraption could be iced or it could be kept simple with yellow gold or platinum. Baller added he'd secure it all with one of his sturdy chains.