NFL

Former NFL star Tre Johnson -- an All-Pro offensive lineman -- suddenly passed away on Sunday while on vacation with his family, his wife confirmed ... leaving everyone in shock.

He was only 54.

Irene Johnson announced the devastating news on her Facebook page Sunday, saying Tre died earlier in the day while on a brief family trip. The cause of death was not revealed.

"His four children, Chloe, EJ, EZ, and Eden, extended family, friends, and I are devastated and in shock," Irene said.

Jerry Jones is the most powerful owner in the NFL ... but he tells TMZ Sports things could ended up much differently for him if Michael Irvin never played for the Dallas Cowboys.

We caught up with the Hall of Fame owner at the Fanatics party during Super Bowl week ... and he spoke highly of his former superstar receiver -- not only for his athletic abilities, but also the mindset he brought to the whole franchise.

The praise came up when we asked if Irvin should bring his signature "belt to ass" celebrations to the Cowboys ... after it became a bit of a phenomenon for his Miami Hurricanes this past season.

Super Bowl 50 champ T.J. Ward is doubling down on the Denver Broncos ... predicting his old squad will be playing for it all next year.

And he’s not whispering it -- he called his shot when TMZ Sports caught up with him Super Bowl week at SI The Party.

“They'll be in the Super Bowl next year!!!” Ward said.

The former “No Fly Zone” hammer says Denver is sitting on something most NFL teams would kill for: continuity. In a league where rosters flip overnight, the Broncos are bringing back their quarterback, running backs, defense, coaching staff -- the whole engine.

Shaquem Griffin is buying all the way in on the Seattle Seahawks -- and he says their championship is the start of an NFL takeover.

The former Seahawks linebacker told TMZ Sports on his way to the Seahawks' Super Bowl afterparty that there might be more than one Lombardi trophy coming to the Emerald City ... because the blueprint is already working.

Is a dynasty brewing???

Travis Kelce's used to big hits while playing sports ... but he's not usually the guy doling them out -- and certainly not with a golf ball!

The Kansas City Chiefs star played the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Friday ... but ran into some trouble on the 18th hole -- when he shanked a ball that smacked a bystander.

Check out the clip ... the woman is being attended to by several staff members when Travis wades through the crowd.

Travis Kelce's love was the key that opened Taylor Swift's thighs ... and he's looking to pass that on this Valentine's Day in the form of a virtual card!

See it for yourself -- the official X account for "New Heights" -- Travis and Jason Kelce's hit podcast -- shared a photo of a grinning Kelce from the podcast on a red background.

The card reads, "Wood you be my Valentine?" ... and features a prominent redwood tree in the upper left corner.

Drew Brees earned his spot in the 2026 NFL Hall of Fame class ... and he tells TMZ Sports he believes it's only a matter of time before fellow quarterbacks Eli Manning and Philip Rivers join him in Canton.

We caught up with the New Orleans Saints legend at the Fanatics party during Super Bowl weekend ... fresh off the announcement he'll need fitted for a gold jacket.

Incredibly deserved, obviously ... but most of the chatter around the Hall this year was about Bill Belichick, a six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach, not making the cut ... and same for Manning, the only guy to beat Tom Brady twice in the Super Bowl, in his second year of eligibility.

Raising Cane's founder Todd Graves has made a fortune off chicken fingers ... so would he ever put his money toward owning an NFL team??

The businessman -- who is worth around $22 BILLION -- tells TMZ Sports it's certainly possible ... after all, he loves everything about the sport.

"For me, I love football -- I love the fanfare of it," Graves said at Travis and Jason Kelce's "New Heights" podcast party during Super Bowl week. "I love the fact that coaches and teams have to put together this amazing play calling, amazing teams, the athletes are incredible -- so I love all that."

3:39 PM PT -- We talked to Jamal Lewis about the pardon ... and the story is crazy!

The retired NFL star told Michael J. Babcock he had NO IDEA clemency was an option, so he actually missed the phone call when it came in from Alice Johnson.

Check out the interview with Jamal!

Donald Trump is throwing a lifeline to some former gridiron stars ... signing off on pardons for a handful of ex-NFL players who dominated on the field, but also got tangled up in legal trouble.

The Commander-in-Chief granted clemency on Thursday to five former football standouts, wiping away criminal convictions tied to drug crimes, fraud and other offenses ... framing the move as a shot at redemption long after their playing days ended.

"As football reminds us, excellence is built on grit, grace, and the courage to rise again. So is our nation," White House "pardon czar" Alice Marie Johnson posted to X while thanking Trump for his "continued commitment to second chances."

The personal chef who accused Stefon Diggs of choking her following a Patriots game in December is speaking out after his first court appearance Friday in Boston, saying she's focused on healing as the legal process begins to play out.

Mila Adams shared her statement shortly after Diggs entered a not-guilty plea in the case, writing that she would "never make false claims for personal gain or to damage someone's reputation."

"I did not seek public attention and reported this matter through the proper legal channels. This is an active criminal matter, and I will continue to respect the legal process. I will not engage in rumors, personal attacks, or respond to misinformation on social media, and I will ask others to refrain from spreading false narratives."

Stefon Diggs appeared in court on Friday for his arraignment over the alleged assault of his personal chef, with the NFL star pleading not guilty just days after the Patriots wideout played in Super Bowl LX.

Diggs, 32, along with his lawyers, was in front of the judge in the Dedham District Court for about a minute ... with Stefon pleading "not guilty" to the charge he assaulted his chef in December 2025.

After the hearing, Mitchell Schuster, part of Diggs' legal team, told reporters the allegations are false.

Travis Kelce’s NFL future is hanging in the balance … and Mama Kelce says the final call belongs to him!

Donna Kelce tells TMZ Sports she’s giving her superstar son total freedom as he weighs his options of returning to the Kansas City Chiefs, signing elsewhere in free agency or calling it a legendary career.

“You know, I just want him to do what he feels comfortable doing,” Donna told us this week outside LAX. “He’s gotta talk to people in his life to decide what he wants to do.”

“So I’m not sure. We’ll see what happens!!!”

Stefon Diggs is switching teams the day before his arraignment on charges stemming from an alleged assault on his personal chef -- the NFL star has hired a new attorney to help him with his legal battle.

According to court records viewed by TMZ Sports, the 32-year-old has retained Sara Silva of Silva Kettlewell and Pignatelli LLP, moving on from Michael DiStefano. We've reached out to Silva for comment, but have not yet heard back.

Silva has more than 20 years of trial experience and was named the 2020 Lawyer of the Year in Massachusetts by Boston University School of Law.

Chloe Kim fell just short of making history at the 2026 Winter Olympics ... as the 25-year-old took home the silver medal after putting up a score of 88.00 in an attempt to become the first snowboarder ever to win three straight gold medals in a single event.

Things were looking good for Kim when she took an early lead after her first run. For those who don't know, the best score you post counts toward the final results.

It took until the third run for someone to pass her ... when South Korea's Gaon Choi scored a 90.25 on her last attempt. When Kim took the pipe for her response, she took a spill on her third trick, sealing the victory for Gaon.

The Backstreet Boys made headlines Sunday with their hilarious Super Bowl commercial ... but that's not enough for them -- they now have their sights set on the next halftime show!

AJ McLean threw their hat in the ring last night during a show at the Sphere in Las Vegas.

The singer proposed the idea of the band headlining the 2027 Super Bowl Halftime Show to a screaming crowd, who -- it's safe to say -- fervently supported the idea.

New details have emerged in the case against former New York Jets first-round pick Darron Lee after authorities say he murdered his girlfriend ... with police detailing the gruesome scene they found at the home and prosecutors indicating they will seek the death penalty.

Lee appeared in a Tennessee courtroom on Wednesday following Friday's arrest for first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the death of Gabriella Carvalho Perpetuo.

Prosecutors said there was the presence of "blood in every room," including inside a vehicle in the garage. They say Lee was the one who called 911, telling dispatchers Perpetuo was unresponsive and that he believed she fell in the shower.