Antonio Brown And Derek Carr ... Crush First Raiders Workout!!!

RUNNING PLAYS
TMZSports.com

Antonio Brown is hitting the ground runnin' in Oakland ... 'cause he's ALREADY working out with his new QB, Derek Carr -- and TMZ Sports has the video!!!

The newest Raider superstar and the team's stud QB hit a park near the team's practice facility in the Bay Area on Tuesday ... and crushed their first-ever workout as Raiders teammates.

You can see in the video ... Brown's catching passes from D.C. like the two have already been teammates for years!!!

At one point, Brown even practices his TD celebration by jumping on a light pole and sliding down!

It's interesting ... 'cause AB blasted Ben Roethlisberger for never meeting up with him to play catch in the offseason -- so, seems Carr already knows how to keep his new receiver happy.

Brown was just traded from Pittsburgh to the Raiders on Saturday for a 3rd-round pick and a 5th-round pick in next month's NFL draft ... a move some are calling a steal for Oakland.

Seems AB's all fine with it ... the receiver's posted non-stop about the move -- even shouting out Carr on social media saying, "Love at first Sight."

Clearly!!!!

Snoop Dogg 'Slave Ship' Rant Wasn't Racist ... It's Just a Bad Sports Year!!!

Snoop Dogg meant no disrespect to African-Americans when he said the struggling Lakers oughta go away on a "slave ship" -- but he did mean to vent about ALL of his favorite teams sucking.

Sources close to the D-O-Double-Gizzle tell TMZ ... the rapper's trash talking -- taken by many as racist -- was totally a heat of the moment thing. We're told the rapper turned on his phone, and impulsively unloaded about his Lakers' embarrassing loss to the last-place Suns.

GOIN' OFF

As we reported ... Snoop went all scorched Earth, saying, "Ship all them n***as out. Get a slave ship, and ship all them sorry mother f**kers the f**k outta here!"

Despite much of the public reaction to Snoop's rant -- our sources were clear ... the rapper doesn't have a single racist bone in his body, especially against his own race.

We're told the die-hard Lakers fan was -- like most fans -- pissed about possibly missing the playoffs, even with LeBron James. It's also a little insult to injury for Snoop ... he's also a Steelers fan and they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2013.

If only he had something to help him chill out ...

Jerome Bettis Defends Big Ben ... In AB Drama

NOT THE BEN I KNOW
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Jerome Bettis says he's having a hard time believing Big Ben is the problem in the Antonio Brown drama ... telling TMZ Sports, "That's one that I would need to see it to believe it."

"I know Ben," Bettis says ... "He's a stand-up guy. I'd have to see that for myself."

Remember, AB's been encased in Steelers drama for the last few MONTHS ... and it seems his relationship with Roethlisberger is the source of it all.

In fact, Brown recently tweeted of the Pittsburgh star QB, "He has a owner mentality like he can call out anybody including coaches."

The Bus isn't calling Brown a liar ... he just tells us the Ben he knows -- and won a Super Bowl with -- ain't that.

"It's hard for me to believe that Ben is going to distance himself from all the guys."

As for the AB-Steelers relationship ... Bettis says he's still got hope it can all work out -- even if both parties seem like they've moved on.

There's more ... Bettis also tells us he fully expects Le'Veon Bell to become the highest-paid running back in the league when free agency kicks off later this month.

And, when it comes to Pittsburgh and their odds of making the playoffs without BOTH Bell and Brown ... Jerome says go ahead and punch their playoff ticket right now.

"They're still a quality football team."

Bill Cowher Steels the Show Dances His Face Off Onstage at America Concert

HORSIN' AROUND
TMZSports.com

Bill Cowher has a new job -- backup dancer for America ... and the dude is loving EVERY SECOND of it!!!

TMZ Sports has footage of the Super Bowl-winning coach stealing the spotlight at the band's Pittsburgh show on Thursday ... joining the guys onstage and busting out some spectacular moves for their hit song, "A Horse with No Name."

There was clapping. There was bouncing. And, you better believe there was singing.

We're told Cowher is a huge fan of the band and watched most of the show from the crowd before getting introduced on stage.

Cowher's name has been swirling around coaching gigs ever since he won Super Bowl XL with the Steelers in 2006 ... but by lookin' at this vid, we take it dude's lovin' retirement way too much to make a comeback.

Antonio Brown Domestic Violence Case Pics Show Minor Scrape

TMZ Sports has obtained the injury photos cops took of the woman who claimed she was physically attacked by NFL star Antonio Brown ... and they show a very minor scratch on her forearm.

As we previously reported, the woman -- who has a child with Brown -- went to the Hollywood Police Dept. on January 18, 2019, to report an incident where Brown allegedly shoved her while they argued at his home on Jan. 17.

Cops took a report and photographed the alleged injury on her left forearm. According to the police report, the woman said her wrist was in pain and she was scraped from Brown pushing her.

Cops described the injury as "an abrasion with some scabbing."

A short time later, cops say the woman had a change of heart and asked to "cancel" the initial police report -- and stopped cooperating with officials.

Cops explained they could not "cancel" anything -- and had to include her initial statement and the photos in the case file.

For his part, Brown adamantly denies any wrongdoing, and his attorney has said he will pursue legal action to get primary custody of their child because he believes she's an unfit parent.

Brown has not been arrested or charged with a crime.

Le'Veon Bell 'Free At Last, Thank God Almighty'

Le'Veon Bell just compared NFL free agency to the civil rights movement -- using Martin Luther King's most famous quote to celebrate becoming "free at last."

Hours after Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert announced the team would not use a franchise or transition tag to force Bell to stay with the team, the disgruntled running back spoke out on Twitter.

"Free at last, Free at last, Thank God Almighty I am free at last."

Of course, the quote comes from MLK's legendary 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech -- in which he imagines a future of racial equality.

Bell has been at odds with the Steelers for years -- claiming he has been wildly underpaid and unfairly treated by the team ... despite the fact, he made $12 mil in 2017 and sat out in 2018 when he was supposed to make $14.5 mil.

Now, Bell will be a free agent and can sign with any team in the league.

Antonio Brown Hey, NFL Teams ... 'Got Guaranteed Money? Call Me!!!'

MONEY MOVES

8:10 AM PT -- Brown's rant wasn't all talk ... he just met with team owner Art Rooney II and says they both agreed it's time to part ways.

"Had a great meeting with Mr.Rooney today we discussed a lot of things and we cleared the air on several issues!

"We both agreed that it is time to move on but I'll always have appreciation and gratitude towards the Rooney family and @steelers organization!"

"If your team got guaranteed money ... tell 'em call me" -- Antonio Brown (from his elliptical machine Monday night).

"I ain't got time to waste," AB added ... "I got FIVE KIDS. Ya heard!?"

It was all part of a 9 MINUTE rant on Instagram, which featured Brown working out like a maniac, sweating his face off ... and trying to convince NFL teams to sign his ass.

"This is not a game people. This is not for show. This is not to be cool. This is really to inspire you that no one can determine your destination but you."

"I'm bringing high heat, coach! I'm gonna be relentless this year. If your team got guaranteed money, they wanna get to know me and work with me? Tell 'em call me!"

By the way ... Brown is already in the middle of a huge, 4-year, $68 million contract with $19 million guaranteed. Unclear exactly what he's looking for in a new deal.

As we previously reported, Brown has been talking with Jerry Rice and REALLY wants to end up in San Francisco next season.

But, as NFL.com pointed out ... since Brown is still technically under contract with the Steelers, any team that contacts him directly right now would be "tampering."

Brown doesn't seem to care about that -- he wants a new deal. And, a new nickname, saying he's over being called "A.B." and wants to switch to something sassier... "Mr. Big Chest."

Good luck with that!

Antonio Brown Guilty Of Reckless Driving ... 100 MPH Porsche Incident

Antonio Brown was found guilty in his reckless driving case -- stemming from a November incident when cops say the NFL star was doing 100 MPH in his Porsche.

Remember, cops in Pittsburgh were responding to a bank robbery on Nov. 8 when they saw a black Porsche racing away from the scene.

Cops gave chase and pulled the car over -- but it wasn't a bank robber, it was Brown, who was cited for reckless driving and ordered to appear in court.

Brown did NOT show up to court Tuesday and therefore did not fight the charges. The judge has ordered him to pay roughly $400 in fines and other fees. He has 30 days to appeal the case.

The Pittsburgh Steelers star is in the middle of a $68 MILLION contract -- it's peanuts to him.

The bigger issue is it's just another legal problem for a guy who's been accused of domestic violence (which he adamantly denies) and throwing furniture off his apartment balcony (which he also denies).

Emmanuel Sanders Throws More Shade At Antonio Brown

MAJOR SHADE
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"Who's Antonio Brown?"

That's the latest shade from Emmanuel Sanders to AB ... and yeah, their beef clearly ain't dead yet.

ICYMI -- Sanders and the Steelers superstar have gone back-and-forth over the last month ... all stemming from Brown's issues in Pittsburgh.

Sanders ripped AB's season-ending antics on an appearance on NFL Network in mid-January ... saying Brown's actions were disrespectful to his teammates AND to Steelers ownership.

Brown fired back on Twitter ... Sanders responded -- and the full-blown beef was on.

The barbs had quieted down over the last couple weeks -- so, we had to ask Sanders when we got him out at the Super Bowl if the rift with AB was dead.

"Who's Antonio Brown?" the Broncos WR replied.

Safe to say ... Denver probably ain't gonna be in the running to trade for Antonio this offseason.

James Harrison Antonio Brown Could Stay W/ PIT ... 'There's Still a Chance'

STILL A POSSIBILITY
TMZSports.com

Don't call curtains on Antonio Brown's Steelers career just yet -- the NFL superstar could still end up staying put in Pittsburgh ... so says his good friend, James Harrison.

We spoke with the ex-NFL star outside Shaq's Fun House in ATL about his old team's drama ... and he says if A.B. and Art Rooney II can have a sit-down together ... there's a chance they can fix their relationship.

Of course, Rooney told reporters it was "hard to envision" Brown being on the Steelers next season ... and Antonio has shown interest in playing for other teams on social media.

But, Harrison doesn't think the damage is beyond repair ... and thinks both sides can work it out.

Harrison also reveals when that exclusive interview with A.B. is going down ... and weighs in on Le'Veon Bell's status in Steel City.

Jim Kelly and James Conner Cancer Survivors Unite at Pro Bowl ... 'Never Give Up!'

Cool moment at the Pro Bowl -- two NFL stars who battled cancer and WON bonded in Orlando this week ... which makes this pic of Jim Kelly and James Conner inspiring as hell.

Obviously, Conner made the Pro Bowl after balling out with the Pittsburgh Steelers this year -- and Kelly is there as an assistant for the AFC squad.

Conner's story is pretty amazing -- he was diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2015 after a stellar junior year at Pitt. He underwent months of chemotherapy and was declared cancer-free in 2016.

58-year-old Kelly was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in his jaw in 2013 and has undergone several major surgeries since ... including a major reconstructive procedure in 2018.

So, when they spotted each other on the sidelines of the Pro Bowl practice in Orlando on Thursday, they had an instant connection.

"These two know the game of football," Jim's wife, Jill Kelly, wrote ... "And they know cancer. Superstars and survivors...NEVER GIVE UP!"

Kelly, Conner and the rest of the AFC will take on the NFC on Sunday -- and ya better be rooting extra hard for these guys!

Antonio Brown $500k Jewelry Shopping Spree!!

Antonio Brown's business is definitely still boomin' in the off-season ... 'cause the NFL superstar just copped an insane amount of jewelry worth HALF A MILLION DOLLARS!!

You already know the Steelers receiver LOVES his diamonds ... but the dude keeps topping himself ... hittin' up his good friend Gabriel the Jeweler for the massive order:

-- Richard Mille watch ($190k value)

-- 2 more G.O.A.T. rings ($20k value each. Remember, he already had one)

-- 5-carat diamond earrings (50k value)

-- An insane diamond chain ($220k value).

BOOMIN' BLING
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Add all that up, and you have a haul worth a whoppin' $500k!!

No word on how much coin A.B. actually dropped ... but the dude's in a 4-year, $68 million contract ... so he can afford to do this a LOT if he wants.

Boomin', indeed.

Richard Sherman A.B. To 49ers?? ... Here's What I Think

FOCUSED ON THE PLAYERS
TMZSports.com

Richard Sherman tells TMZ Sports if Antonio Brown is REALLY wanting to join the Niners ... he doesn't think it'd be a mistake, saying his time in S.F. has been great so far.

A.B.'s on his way out of Pittsburgh after causing tons of drama this past season ... and Jerry Rice says the All-Pro wideout wants to play next for the 49ers, "really bad."

So, when we saw Sherm hitting up Catch in L.A. on Thursday night, we had to ask if he'd welcome the WR with open arms.

"Good luck to him," the defensive back told us -- and when asked if he had advice to Brown added, "Go wherever makes you happy."

Of course, Sherman signed with the 49ers last March after a legendary career with the Seattle Seahawks -- and, despite the 4-12 record, Sherman says he's enjoying his experience in San Fran.

Besides being a superstar on the field, Sherman is also advocating for lifetime health insurance coverage for NFL players ... so, we asked how that fight is going too.

By the way, Sherman was super cool with us (as always) before leaving in a waiting SUV.

Antonio Brown Gunning to Play for 49ers ... Says Jerry Rice

MAKE IT HAPPEN
"Joe, Lo & Dibs" 95.7 The Game

Jerry Rice says he had a long talk with Antonio Brown about his NFL future -- and the guy REALLY wants to play for the San Francisco 49ers.

"He wants to come here really bad," Rice said on the "Joe, Lo & Dibs" show on 95.7 The Game.

"He's talking about running the hills with me, doing all that and just working out ... you know, just picking my brain."

Of course, A.B. is on his way outta Steel City after his recent antics led Steelers owner Art Rooney to say last week it's "hard to envision" the WR coming back in 2019.

But, Rice says the Niners NEED to step in and trade for the wideout -- guaranteeing Brown will behave -- and flourish -- if he's given the opportunity in S.F.

"I would be looking forward to just passing some of that knowledge on to him, and being around this guy, because I know he's a great individual."

"If it was left up to me, he would be here in a heartbeat."

Seems Jerry's got a pretty strong finger on A.B.'s pulse -- the two talk often ... and Brown even has a painting of Rice up in his home gym.

And, per Jerry, Antonio's a stand-up guy that would only make the Niners better.

"I don't know what happened in Pittsburgh. But, I know that if this guy comes here to San Francisco, he's going to do everything possible to help this team to win."

Translation ... get it done, Lynch!!!

Michael Irvin Julio & Antonio Should Join Forces ... That's What Stars Do These Days

IT'S A NEW ERA
TMZSports.com

The times they are a-changin' ... which is why a legendary NFL wide receiver thinks Julio Jones and Antonio Brown should team up to win it all.

TMZ Sports got Cowboys HOF'er Michael Irvin outside of Catch in Weho Friday night, and he tells us he'd like to see the Falcons WR and the Pittsburgh WR -- who's on the outs with the Steelers -- get together to win a Super Bowl ... because neither one of 'em has won anything yet.

WE'RE GOOD
TMZSports.com

We broke the story ... Jones rejected the notion of A.B. coming to Atlanta, saying his team was good as is. But, Irvin thinks if LeBron can hook up with D. Wade, and Durant can hook up with Steph to get a ring ... Julio should be a little more open to the idea.

As for whether Michael would have welcomed Jerry Rice to be his tag team partner back in the day ... he's not going that far. Besides ... they both did fine on their own.

Antonio Brown Not Sweating Steelers Drama ... 'My Phone Line's Open'

TIME TO CELEBRATE

Antonio Brown clearly ain't sweatin' his Pittsburgh issues one bit ... 'cause dude was smokin' stogies with Chad Ochocinco on Friday and saying he's, "still excited to play the game."

A.B.'s been surrounded in Steelers drama the last few weeks ... fighting with teammates and coaches and looking like he's on the verge of being traded very soon.

But, if you think Brown's sweatin' all that beef ... you're wrong -- 'cause dude was chillin' with Ochocinco for happy hour Friday and sayin' he's fired up for his 2019 season already.

"Yes, I'm 31 and I'm still excited to play the game. I'm motivated, inspired, encouraged."

As for where that season will be played ... Steelers owner Art Rooney said Thursday it'd be "hard to envision" seeing it in Pittsburgh.

Does that mean San Francisco, Oakland or even Miami are all possibilities? Perhaps ... all A.B.'s sayin', for now, is he's willing to listen to anybody that wants him.

"Stay by the phone. My phone line's open."

Ya hear that, Shanahan??

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