NFL

Ryan Clark tells TMZ Sports if the Atlanta Falcons are looking to get better quickly ... acquiring both Justin Fields and Bill Belichick would be a heck of a place to start.

Of course, the Falcons appear to be exploring the idea of bringing both guys on board this offseason ... and Clark made it clear to us this week he'd have no qualms with either addition.

"I could see that being a match in Atlanta that would work not only for a coach," the 44-year-old ex-Steelers defensive back said, "but also a player."

As for how possible it'd be ... it seems it could very well go down. After all, the Falcons have already interviewed Belichick for their vacant head coaching role ... while Fields appears to be available via trade in Chicago after the Bears locked up the No. 1 overall draft pick through the Carolina Panthers.

Clark seems confident Belichick would want Fields under center, too ... knowing the coach loves to acquire talent that's previously performed well against him.

"Justin Fields played absolutely out of his mind against Bill Belichick last year," Clark said.

As for the rest of the coaching carousel around the NFL, Clark said he could envision Jim Harbaugh landing in L.A. ... and he told us he could also see big shakeups coming in Dallas and Philadelphia too.

Tom Brady and Irina Shayk are still seeing each other when they can -- 'cause they just grabbed dinner last night ... and wouldn't you know it, the G.O.A.T's a true gent.

TB12 and Bradley Cooper's ex got together Monday evening in NYC -- where they chowed down at a fancy shmancy place in Lower Manhattan ... kinda by the water, in fact. It's a French restaurant called Brasserie Fouquet's New York -- and they had a table to themselves.

Now, in terms of what went on and whether they were showing any PDA -- we're told they didn't put on explicit signs of affection during the meal ... but they were definitely cozy.

Tom and Irina were there for a total of 2 hours -- and we're told TB said something about the burger and how it good it was. If he did, in fact, grub on that ... he dropped a cool $30 for that bad boy, 'cause that's how much this joint charges for ground beef in a bun!

Anyway ... they walked out of there together, we're told, and lo and behold -- Tom paid.

Couple things ... nice to know Tom isn't one to go Dutch, even with somebody who's as loaded as Irina and who could presumably cover herself. They're both wealthy -- but when it comes down to it ... Tommy's old-fashioned, and willing to pick up the tab for his lady.

Also, this just goes to show Tom and Irina are still in one another's orbit -- not only evidenced in this outing ... but the fact they got together last month in Miami during Art Basel.

Remember, Tom and Irina were first spotted hanging out last summer ... and it seems they're keeping each other around as we go into 2024 -- suggesting they got a good thing.

Tom Brady e Irina Shayk siguen viéndose cuando pueden. De hecho, cenaron anoche y por si no lo sabían, el mejor de todos los tiempos es un verdadero caballero.

TB12 y la ex de Bradley Cooper se reunieron el lunes por la noche en Nueva York, para comer en un lugar elegante de Lower Manhattan, cerca del agua, de hecho. El lugar se llama Brasserie Fouquet, es francés y ambos tenían una mesa para ellos solos.

Ahora, en términos de lo que pasó y si se pusieron cariñosos en público, nos dicen que no hubo signos explícitos de afecto durante la cena, pero estaban definitivamente amorosos el uno con el otro.

Tom e Irina estuvieron allí 2 horas y nos dicen que Tom Brady dijo algo sobre la hamburguesa y lo buena que estaba. Si lo hizo, de hecho, le costó unos $30 porque eso es lo que cobra el restaurante por un beef en el pan.

De todos modos, nos dicen que salieron de allí juntos y que Tom pagó.

Un par de cosas. Es bueno saber que Tom no es de los que prefiere que cada uno pague, incluso con alguien tan forrado como Irina, quien presumiblemente puede cubrirse. Ambos son ricos, pero cuando se trata de eso, Tommy es un hombre chapado a la antigua y dispuesto a pagar la cuenta de su dama.

Además, esto solo demuestra que Tom e Irina siguen estando en la órbita del otro. No solo se evidencia por esta salida, sino porque también se reunieron el mes pasado en Miami durante Art Basel.

Recuerden, Tom e Irina fueron vistos por primera vez saliendo el verano pasado y parece que siguen en contacto a medida que avanza el 2024, lo que sugiere que tienen una buena cosa.

Odell Beckham Jr. believes the New York Giants were trying to sabotage his career by shipping him to the Cleveland Browns in 2019 ... revealing he felt his old team made the trade just to "f*** me over."

OBJ spoke his mind on his Ravens teammate Marlon Humphrey’s "Punch Line Podcast" earlier this week ... when he opened up on his eventual departure from the organization that drafted him in 2014.

"There’s a semi bit of me that feels like the Giants sent me off, I’ve said it before, sent me off to Cleveland to die," Odell said ... adding he felt there were better deals on the table with contenders, but NY chose the less favorable destination.

"You can't tell me this was the best trade package we could have got for you ... no, your desire was to kind of f*** me over a little bit."

Beckham and defensive end Olivier Vernon were traded to The Land in exchange for safety Jabrill Peppers, guard Kevin Zeitler and a first and third-round pick ... the former eventually becoming Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, a staple for the franchise.

Beckham Jr. started off hot in the Big Apple ... but things quickly turned sour. He became just as famous for his on-field success as his antics off it, including sideline outbursts.

The current Ravens receiver believes the team didn't like the way he handled himself in the latter part of his Giants tenure ... which is why he thinks they screwed him over when he asked to be traded.

"You feel like I made a fool of you or the organization and that was never truly my intention ... I'm just that competitive," OBJ added. "I wanted to win, I always wanted to win. I’m tired of being 6-10, we haven’t done anything to make changes."

Odell said his urgency to win also had to do with his quarterback at the time, Eli Manning ... who was on the backend of his career.

"Eli's going out, I'm texting Eli like, 'You're 7th on the list for the greatest of all time.' I want to see Eli go out with another Super Bowl. We're not putting the pieces around him ... I feel like I was being wasted as well."

Odell also revealed how he found out he was traded ... saying he was overseas at the time, and the whole situation was "a lot" for him.

"To me, whether that's right, wrong or indifferent, it felt like a move that had a bit of spite a bit of like ... you're not finna go somewhere else and shine and make us look bad."

Former NFL linebacker Ronald Powell -- the No. 1-ranked high school recruit in the 2010 class -- has tragically died at 32 years old.

Powell's former college football teammate, Junior Galette, announced the sad news on his X page ... saying he's heartbroken over the death.

"I Love You Forever till we meet again," Galette wrote on the social media app on Monday night. "An EXCELLENT FATHER. Respected Brother and a Loving Son."

"I am saddened to share with the rest of the world that Ronald Powell Transitioned Earlier today. REST IN POWER RONALD POWELL."

Galette did not reveal a cause of death.

Powell started his football career at Rancho Verde High School in California ... playing defensive end, linebacker and tight end. In his senior year, he logged 13 sacks and 28 tackles for losses ... and became a five-star college recruit who was ranked as the top player in his class.

The California native ultimately committed the Florida Gators ... though injuries -- which included two torn ACLs -- slowed his career down. Still, he was able to log 11 sacks, two pass deflections and a forced fumble in three seasons.

In 2014, the New Orleans Saints selected him in the NFL draft ... but he only went on to play in 14 games.

Powell also recorded time in the Alliance of American Football in 2018 ... playing for the Orlando Apollos.

Title this one "The Gang Ignores The Emmys To Watch The Eagles Lose."

"It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Rob McElhenney wasn't gonna let a silly awards show get in the way of watching his beloved Eagles' playoff matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday ... 'cause the actor tuned in to the game from his phone in the middle of the ceremony.

Rob's costar and wife Kaitlin Olson captured the scene in a selfie posted to social media ... with a caption that read, "Who schedules the Emmys the same night as the @eagles #gobirds #FlyEaglesFly."

Unfortunately for Rob, the action on the field wasn't a pleasant experience ... as Baker Mayfield led the Bucs to the 32-9 upset win, booting the reigning NFC champs out of the postseason.

The game also had to be a big bummer for Rob, as it appears to be the last one of future Hall of Famer Jason Kelce's stellar career.

While the Eagles won't bring home the Lombardi Trophy in 2024, at least Rob was able to snag some hardware this awards season -- his "Welcome to Wrexham" show received five Emmys off six nominations.

As for 'Sunny,' the gang took the stage to present during the event ... and took the opportunity to bash the fact the show hasn't been nominated in its 16 years on the air -- despite its massive popularity.

The Philadelphia Eagles lost their playoff game Monday night, and then they appeared to lose their Hall of Fame center for good too.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Jason Kelce told his teammates following the defeat to the Buccaneers in their wild card game in Tampa Bay he's retiring.

Kelce has not yet confirmed the news publicly -- he declined to speak with reporters after the loss -- though his emotions on the sidelines as the clock ticked down to zero seemed to say everything for him.

Cameras caught the 36-year-old on the verge of tears as the Birds were officially bounced from the postseason ... and moments later, he was seen emotionally walking back through a stadium tunnel as well.

If it is the end, Kelce's career will officially go down as one of the best ever by a center. He played for 13 seasons and was named a Pro Bowler seven times. He also earned All-Pro honors five times ... and won one Super Bowl championship.

He also developed a persona that transcended football ... becoming a fan favorite off the field -- while recording a podcast, "New Heights," with his brother, Travis Kelce, that has quickly risen to the top of the charts.

Jason, of course, still has time to reverse his mind. You'll recall, he was seemingly done following the Super Bowl loss last year -- and he ultimately came back.

Don't look at Mike McCarthy or Dak Prescott ... the Cowboys' MF'ing problem is none other than Jerry Jones, according to retired NFL star Chad Johnson, and if the organization ever hopes to end its championship drought, the owner has to take a giant leap backward!

Johnson and fellow legend Shannon Sharpe chopped it up Sunday night on their Nightcap Podcast, dishing on the Cowboys shocking loss to the Packers, a game they were favored to win by a TD.

“Guess who the mother f***ing problem is and why they keep losing every single year? 28 years guess who the common denominator is? All the pieces to the puzzle every year the Cowboys play good god d*** football and get sent the f*** home in the first round, guess who the problem is?” Chad asked.

Shannon responded, asking if it was Jerry.

“Say his name loud and clear! That’s the problem, Jerry Jones is the reason why they can’t get past the first round. That’s the problem!”

Of course, 81-year-old Jones isn't just the owner, he's also the president and general manager ... meaning unlike other owners, Jerry's running things.

Johnson believes that's the real issue for "America's Team."

And, it's not that Chad doesn't like Jones ... he does, but he also believes this is something that must happen.

“Jerry I love you, I love the way you conduct business. Go ahead and get in the background and let them boys handle their business from now on.”

CJ continued ... “Let the boys go out there and play ball. We know who owns the team, don’t put no more added pressure than what already comes with the star on the helmet already. Watch the problem be solved, I guarantee the problem be solved when Jerry stops doing that.”

A little bit of snow -- okay, a TON of snow -- wasn't gonna stop Bills and Steelers fans from making their way to the stadium for Monday's Wild Card game ... with diehard supporters trudging to their seats in time for kickoff.

The playoff matchup was originally slated to go down on Sunday ... but Mother Nature had other plans, as a snowstorm forced the N.Y. governor and NFL commish Roger Goodell to push it back a day.

The Bills pulled out all the stops in hopes of getting Highmark Stadium ready in time for the contest ... even offering folks $20 an hour to help clear out the snow.

Despite the efforts, there was plenty left over from the storm ... but judging by videos of spectators walking through knee-deep piles in order to get to their seats, they didn't care one bit.

In fact, when Buffalo tight end Dawson Knox caught the first touchdown of the game, Bills Mafia made use of the extra snow by throwing it up in the air to celebrate.

All things considered, the field looks damn good for the game ... with not one snowflake in sight.

Matthew Stafford apparently wasn't the only one in his family getting booed during the Rams and Lions' Wild Card game on Sunday -- his wife, Kelly, claims fans also targeted their four young kids with jeers as well.

Kelly admitted before the Rams' 24-23 loss she was expecting to hear it from Lions fans ahead of the matchup ... considering her hubby was their beloved quarterback for 12 seasons before he was traded to the Rams, where he won his first Super Bowl.

Now that he's on the other sidelines, Kelly explained she understood why people would turn on #9 in favor of their own team ... but it's clear she wasn't expecting her youngins to get thrown into their antics.

"It's sports," Kelly said on her IG story Monday. "The city wants to win. Everything is fair game ... except the fans who booed my children."

"Other than that, I loved the atmosphere and the booing just gave my husband more fire."

Despite the booing Stafford's daughters -- who range between the ages of 3 and 6 -- Kelly wished the Lions nothing but the best ... and is rooting for them to win it all.

"The more you love, the more you hate. I consider it all love going both ways," Kelly said.

"I hope the Lions bring home a Lombardi to that city because that feeling is like no other."

Nobody had a better Sunday than Jared Goff -- not only did he lead the Detroit Lions to their first playoff win in three decades ... but he also celebrated the accomplishment with a kiss from his model fiancée, Christen Harper, as the entire stadium chanted his name!!

The former No. 1-overall pick was on top of the world after coming away with the 24-23 win over his former L.A. Rams in the Wild Card matchup ... and rightfully so -- he went 22-27 for 277 yards and a touchdown on the night.

Shortly after the victory, Goff ran up to his longtime partner and gave her a smooch ... all while the supporters at Ford Field showed him some serious love.

Of course, Harper -- who has been linked to the NFL star since 2019 -- has been in Goff's corner through the good times and the bad ... and had a viral reaction in the middle of a Sports Illustrated photoshoot when the Lions won their first game of the season in Week 12 back in 2021.

Things are much different now -- the Lions are in the middle of a playoff run and will now face off against the winner of Monday's matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Jordan Love’s longtime GF Ronika Stone could hardly wait to roast "Dem Boyz" after the Cowboys lopsided loss to the Packers on Sunday ... the pro volleyball player had some (good-natured fun) at the expense of a bunch of Dallas fans who hit the exits early!

Of course, the Cowboys lost 48-32 (they were down 27-0 in the first half) ... and Stone, the First Lady of Cheesehead Nation, had a prime seat, sitting mid-field as she watched her man carve up the Dallas defense.

Stone made a beeline for IG in the second half, mocking the Cowboys for the L as she took video of fans leaving early.

“Leaving so soon Cowboys fans?!” Stone gleefully asked.

“What happened? I thought we were Dem Boyz,” she continued, as her sister laughed in the background.

Savage.

Ronika -- a former standout athlete at the University of Oregon -- didn't stop with just an IG story post ... she also headed for TikTok to talk a little trash.

“Just checking in to see if y’all are still dem boyz?!”

Love played out of his mind on Sunday, throwing for 272 passing yards and 3 touchdowns. He completed over 76% of his passes and finished with a near-perfect QB rating.

Jordan's performance was one of the best playoff debuts ever for a QB, bottom line.

Chances are things are going to get a good deal harder this weekend when the Packers go on the road to face the #1 seed 49ers, who are 9.5-point favorites (GB was 7.5 dogs to DAL).

Ex-NFL star Marcellus Wiley is taking a firm stance on who should take over for the Los Angeles Chargers ... telling TMZ Sports he thinks Bill Belichick should NOT be the next head coach.

The Bolts job is arguably the most attractive opening in the league right now ... and many are speculating they could land a big fish like the former Patriots legend or Michigan's Jim Harbaugh if he chooses to make a return to the pros.

We asked the TV personality about those two names specifically ... and while he considers Belichick the greatest coach of all time, he says Harbaugh is the right guy for the gig.

"It's gonna be tough with the Chargers, obviously," Wiley said at LAX. "We're looking for a coach that we can look into the future with. With Belichick, how far are you going to look into the future? I don't know."

Wiley points out there's still a debate whether Belichick or Tom Brady was more responsible for the Patriots' six Super Bowl wins ... and his style of coaching may not resonate with the locker room.

Harbaugh -- who's fresh off a national championship with the Wolverines -- hasn't announced whether he will be back in Ann Arbor next season ... but Wiley thinks his postgame comments mean he's as good as gone.

As for his former team, Wiley -- who played in San Diego from 2001-2003 -- thinks they're an easy fix under Harbaugh ... making him the perfect guy to replace fired coach Brandon Staley.

"With Justin Herbert, he's top 5 talent," he added. "He just needs everybody else. First, he's gotta stay healthy and then everybody else just kinda stay healthy and stay on page. With Staley, it was fun ... but a little too much gambling. It started to cost us. People stopped believing him, the doubt creeped in, then he just lost his way. That's what happens."

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are two peas in a pod these days -- but in terms of their initial coming-together ... her relative is now coming forward to claim he played matchmaker.

Danny Frye III -- who's a dirt track racer in Oklahoma -- did an interview this weekend where he revealed he's T-Swift's second cousin, and not just that ... but he's taking credit for setting up his uber-famous family member with the Kansas City Chiefs tight end.

Check it out ... in Danny's chat with FloRacing TV, he confirmed he and Taylor are, in fact, related by blood -- but he's not just some random distant relative ... according to him, they're somewhat close and grew up together.

More importantly, DF3 drops a bombshell ... saying he made a "love connection" between his cuzzo and TK -- although, he doesn't really get into the details much at all. Danny shows off a screengrab of him and TayTay at a Chiefs game ... so he's not totally BS'ing.

It's interesting this is coming out now -- 'cause back in November, Travis spilled the beans on how exactly he and Taylor got hooked up ... saying someone in her world played Cupid, and strongly suggested it might have been someone in her own brood who knew who he was.

Some suspected her brother, Austin, might've been responsible -- but now, Danny here is saying he's the reason we have one of the biggest, most famous couples in recent memory.

Again, no deets on how exactly it all unfolded -- but it ain't hard to piece together. Presumably, Danny heard Travis' Taylor story on his pod, and relayed the message.

Dez Bryant was posting through the pain during the Cowboys' shocking loss to the Packers on Sunday ... sharing his roller coaster of emotions on social media as his beloved team got booted from the playoffs.

The former All-Pro receiver was high on Dallas before kickoff ... saying he was "feeling EXTREMELY EXTREMELY great" about America's Team and claiming a $10,000 payday was on the line.

But things quickly went south for Dez ... as Green Bay came out strong with a 27-0 lead and never looked back.

That's when Dez -- who played for the Cowboys from 2010-2017 -- started to unravel.

"Idk wtf going on but we really need straighten up," Dez said ... still holding out hope for a comeback. He later bashed Cowboys staffers ... adding, "Playing (sic) calling trash as f*** right now."

As Dallas started to pick things up in the second half, Dez remained optimistic ... saying, "I still believe in us… game not over" and "If we can score one more time before the 3rd up. I like our chances."

In fact, he claimed he was about to make a live bet on Dallas completing the comeback ... but shortly after, he accepted the inevitable outcome.

"Yea this one might be over."

Bryant gave his two cents on the future of the Cowboys ... saying the organization should fire defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

"Quinn was ready to leave Dallas," Dez posted. "Fire his ass Jerry and give him his wish."

But it doesn't sound like Bryant is solely putting the blame on Quinn ... as he said the current roster was "too damn talented for this."

Green Bay ended up taking the 48-32 victory ... securing a spot in the Divisional Round, where they'll face the San Francisco 49ers. It was certainly not what people were expecting ... as Dallas was believed to be a Super Bowl contender, and the Packers snuck into the postseason with a 10-8 record.

Gotta give Dez credit for being 100% real throughout his heartbreak ... and he got over his troubles with the help of an adult beverage.

The brutal hit on Tyler Higbee, which ultimately tore the TE's ACL, was NOT dirty ... according to Kerby Joseph's Lions teammate C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who says if the Rams want to blame anyone, it should be their QB!

The tackle in question came late in the 4th quarter during the Lions-Rams playoff game at Ford Field Sunday evening ... when Joseph, a safety, hit Higbee low as he attempted to catch a ball running across the middle of the field.

The TV broadcast showed Higbee's planted leg bending backward ... and many people have deemed the hit "dirty."

But, Gardner-Johnson feels differently ... placing the blame on Matthew Stafford for putting his TE in that position.

"If anybody on the Rams feels like it was dirty, well tell his quarterback don't put the ball in a place where he can get his player hurt," CJ told reporters after the game.

"You heard [Tom] Brady say it all the time."

In fact, Brady did recently make this point ... after Colts receiver Michael Pittman Jr. got hurt after a hit from Steelers' Damontae Kazee (he was suspended for the rest of the 2023 season).

"Nobody likes seeing players get hurt. But hard hits happen," Brady said.

"QBs should not be throwing the ball in areas where they are exposing their own teammates to these types of hits."

On Monday, the Rams fears were confirmed ... Higbee tore his ACL on the play.

Johnson -- a third-round draft pick of the Lions in 2022 -- spoke about the hit after the Lions 24-23 win, saying he wasn't trying to hurt Tyler.

"I’m praying for bro and his family I don’t have no intention to hurt no body and or harm their career," Joseph wrote on X.