NFL

Mark Gastineau just took an L in his battle against ESPN over a recorded interaction with Brett Favre ... as TMZ Sports has learned a judge dismissed his lawsuit with prejudice.

The former Jets star's issue stems from a "30 for 30" documentary titled "The New York Sack Exchange" ... which showed him confronting Favre at a sports show in November 2023 over a sack he gave up to Michael Strahan 21 years prior to break the single-season record, which Gastineau owned at the time.

He felt the clip was edited to make it more aggressive than it really was ... and the network "intentionally and maliciously" did not include the part where they shook hands -- resulting in "ridicule, scorn and contempt" directed at him on social media.

Lou Holtz built a legendary football résumé -- but according to his son, what mattered most was the impact he had on people.

That was the message Skip Holtz delivered Monday, delivering an emotional eulogy for his father during the Mass of Christian Burial at Notre Dame's Basilica of the Sacred Heart.

Standing before hundreds of former players, coaches and family members, Skip told mourners his dad wasn’t defined by championships or wins -- even though he had plenty of both.

“Yes, he was successful,” Skip said. “But most of all, he was incredibly significant, and he changed people’s lives for the better.”

The Kansas City Chiefs are getting a new quarterback as Patrick Mahomes recovers from his season-ending injury -- Justin Fields from the New York Jets.

News of the transaction broke on Monday, with the Jets reportedly giving up their signal-caller to the Chiefs in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round pick, pending a physical to make it official.

This move comes as Mahomes rehabs the brutal knee injury he suffered against the Los Angeles Chargers on December 14, 2025.

Marcus Spears Jr. might be the No. 1 basketball recruit in the 2027 class -- and according to his dad, former NFL star Marcus Spears, the kid has already taken over the family court.

So much so that Dad has officially retired from playing the five-star prospect one-on-one.

“The one-on-one is over,” Spears told TMZ Sports over Super Bowl weekend. “If I play him one-on-one, I’m setting myself up for failure. I’m done with that.”

Swagu said the turning point came when his son was just 15 years old and already pushing the ESPN NFL analyst to the brink -- and the kid has only gotten better since.

TMZ Sports has obtained footage from the night of Doug Martin's death ... showing the former NFL star acting erratically as he broke into a home before passing away in police custody.

The Oakland PD just released the 911 calls, body cam, and surveillance video of the October 18 incident.

In the first call, the homeowner said someone had broken into their home and asked responders to hurry. The caller stated this was the second time this happened.

As the first call came in, dispatch received another from Martin's mother ... who explained Doug had left his house on foot and was experiencing a mental-health emergency. She said Martin takes sleeping pills, but he hadn't slept for three days.

The sports world is finally hearing from Emeka Egbuka after an X account with his name shared a viral post questioning whether CTE is real ... and he's confirming what the Tampa Buccaneers said earlier this week -- he had nothing to do with it!!

Egbuka posted a statement on his Instagram Friday afternoon, clearing the air about his affiliation with the account.

"I haven't had twitter since high school," Egbuka wrote. "That account on X isn't me."

Haley Cavinder and her soon-to-be husband, Jake Ferguson, have gotta be hoping their joint pre-wedding party has a happier ending than Dak Prescott and Sarah Jane Ramos' ... 'cause the former college hooper just shared flicks from bachelor-bachelorette extravaganza -- and so far vibes seem to be high!!

Haley took to Instagram to give her followers a look at how the two sides are enjoying their time out in the Bahamas -- which even included cameos from University of Georgia head football coach, Kirby Smart, and the new leader at LSU, Lane Kiffin.

The two sides jetted down to the Bahamas earlier this week ... with Cavinder posting a video of them boarding the private plane -- showing Ferguson and his crew ripping shots to get loose for the fun.

The WWE shut down Logan Paul's dream of brawling with NFL players, but Nikki Bella is still excited to see him face off with them in an approved flag football game ... and it sounds like she's still expecting some fireworks between both sides.

The WWE Hall of Famer spoke with TMZ Sports earlier this week in NYC about Logan’s viral challenge to football stars … where the YouTuber-turned-WWE Superstar has been claiming he’d put up $1 million to fight NFL players in the ring.

While several players barked back at the idea -- and Logan saying WWE execs later shut it down -- Nikki says she’s still curious about how the whole spectacle might play out ... especially factoring in the upcoming Fanatics Flag Football Classic.

Atlanta Falcons defensive end James Pearce Jr. is no longer facing a charge of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer after his alleged domestic dispute with Rickea Jackson, TMZ Sports has learned.

Court documents we obtained show that prosecutors have dropped the charge against the 22-year-old. A spokesperson for the DA said in evaluating all the evidence, they didn't believe they could prove it beyond a reasonable doubt.

It's a small break for Pearce -- the charge comes with up to five years behind bars.

He isn't out of the woods at all, though ... as prosecutors filed a handful of other charges in the incident -- including stalking, fleeing and eluding police, resisting an officer with violence, and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, are celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary on Thursday ... and the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback shared a throwback pic to prove she's always been his "day 1," even before his rise to NFL superstardom.

The three-time Super Bowl champ posted a series of pics on Instagram set to J. Cole and Burna Boy's "Only You'' song ... and included a photo from their teenage years.

"My Day 1 ❤️," Mahomes said in the caption. "Happy Anniversary!"

A bizarre social media controversy is swirling around Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka … after a viral post questioning whether CTE is real sparked outrage -- and now the team is insisting the account behind it isn’t actually his.

The drama kicked off on Wednesday when a blue-check X account claiming to belong to Egbuka fired off a short but explosive message at 2:27 PM ET: “Is CTE even real?”

The post spread quickly across the football world … with fans blasting the sentiment given CTE -- chronic traumatic encephalopathy -- is a brain disease linked to repeated head trauma in football.

But about an hour later, the Buccaneers’ communications department jumped in to try to put out the fire.

Travis Kelce's coming back for his 14th season with the Kansas City Chiefs ... but that's not his only gig for 2026 -- the NFL superstar is the new face of Six Flags!!

The amusement park company -- which joined forces with Cedar Fair in 2024 -- announced the three-time Super Bowl champ as it's newest ambassador on Thursday.

Kelce will take part in a bunch of digital content, social posts and "other fun surprises" ... somehow fitting this in with all his wedding planning and football prep.

Maxx Crosby is addressing his fumbled trade from the Las Vegas Raiders to the Baltimore Ravens ... saying he's pumped to give it another go with his original team.

The five-time Pro Bowler shared his public statement on Wednesday via social media, just a day after the Ravens backed out of the transaction over concerns about Crosby's physical.

"Everything Happens For A Reason," Crosby said alongside a popular meme featuring WWE legend The Undertaker on X.

Tom Brady might be looking to score a touchdown in the dating department ... 'cause he was spotted getting close with Scooter Braun’s ex-wife at NFL star Tony Gonzalez's birthday bash in Los Angeles recently.

An insider tells Page Six the 48-year-old NFL commentator and Yael Cohen Braun, 39, were "huddled up at the bar together" and left the party together. The party was reportedly at Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos' pad -- Tony is Lauren's ex, and they welcomed a kid together in 2001. A source at the party confirmed to TMZ that Tom and Yael were hanging out and getting close at the event.

TMZ has reached out for comment ... so far, no word back.

As you know, Tom has been flying solo since his 2022 divorce from supermodel Gisele Bündchen, though he was linked to model Irina Shayk for several months beginning in 2023. Yael and Scooter split in 2021 and finalized their divorce in 2022.

TMZ Sports has obtained police bodycam footage from the night cops shut down a bar party thrown by New England Patriots players after earning a trip to the Super Bowl ... showing officers being notified the AFC champs were present.

In the video, cops arrive at an establishment called Estella shortly after 2 AM on Jan. 27. When they make their way downstairs ... they find people gathered in the basement -- which featured hookahs, strippers and a floor filled with dollar bills.

As one of the cops watched people make their way up and down the stairs, a woman approached him and said, "I understand you have a job to do, but do you understand who is in the room?"

T'Vondre Sweat's 2024 DWI arrest is officially a thing of the past ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned the case has been tossed due to insufficient evidence.

According to court docs we obtained, prosecutors filed the motion to dismiss in the case against the Tennessee Titans' 2024 second-round draft pick ... saying they cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt the "element of intoxication."

As we previously reported, Sweat was involved in a rollover crash weeks before the 2024 NFL Draft. Police documents said that his orange 2023 Ford Bronco flipped on its side after it collided with a blue 2020 Dodge sports car on a Texas highway in the early morning hours of Sunday, April 7.