Sports

Dacoda Jones is keeping the focus on her little boy -- just days after accusing Kansas City Chiefs star Rashee Rice of abuse in a bombshell lawsuit.

The NFL wide receiver’s ex took to Instagram to celebrate their son, Cayden, turning 2 years old … sharing a sweet collage of photos and a caption that read:

“How are you already two?! My sweet face where is time going 🥹 my spark of energy, my bundle of joy, you complete me in every day Happy Birthday baby boy mama lovessss you 🫶”

The post was full-on mama mode -- no legal talk, no drama -- just birthday love and cuddly snaps of the toddler smiling alongside his mom.

LaMelo Ball was in no mood to be seen after his car crash in Charlotte ... new video obtained by TMZ Sports shows the Hornets hooper quickly dipping into a Lamborghini that pulled up to the accident scene to pick him up, as his '22 GMC Hummer EV Edition 1 sat wheel-less in the street.

An eyewitness captured the video from a building overlooking uptown Charlotte on Wednesday, not long after Ball's big truck collided with a Kia Sedan at an intersection in the heart of the North Carolina city.

We're told the black Lamborghini pulled up about 10 minutes after the crash ... and there's no time wasted. The clip shows a man in a black puffer vest with an orange sweatshirt open the passenger-side door of the vehicle before LaMelo quickly emerges from his Hummer and slips into the waiting $250K-plus Lambo SUV.

Drake Maye and the New England Patriots won't have to wait long to get another crack at the Lombardi Trophy ... they'll be back next year for Super Bowl LXI, so says Mark Wahlberg!

TMZ Sports ran into the actor and Pats superfan outside of ABC Studios in New York City on Wednesday, just a week and a half removed from New England's 29-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX.

We asked Mark about the loss and Maye's setbacks -- he had three turnovers and was sacked six times -- but Wahlberg ain't sweatin' the crushing loss to the season, and their star player's struggles.

"Okay, but he went to the Super Bowl in his second season," Wahlberg said when asked about the Maye haters. "That's pretty good!"

Haley Kalil is doubling down on her effort to get a judge to throw out a lawsuit her ex-husband Matt Kalil filed against her after she shockingly claimed his massive penis torpedoed their marriage.

In new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Haley says she never mentioned the former NFL player by name when she went on the podcast and claimed her marriage was marred by her husband's massive member -- which she described as two, maybe three stacked Coca-Cola cans.

Haley says Matt's lawsuit alleged "viewers could and did readily infer" who she was referencing ... but Haley says that's because she and Matt are both public figures. Haley was an SI Swimsuit model and former Miss Minnesota USA and Matt played 7 seasons in the NFL.

Here's a new controversial comment from noted intellectual Cam Newton ... "Women's value get lower the more children that they have."

The former NFL quarterback is already getting tons of backlash for the statement ... which is from his guest appearance on the "It's Giving - Podcast" with Sarah Fontenot.

Cam, who has 9 children with 3 different women, was responding to Sarah asking him, "Do you feel like women's value gets lowered when they have multiple children by multiple men?"

Michael Rubin's got an alleged crook under his roof ... or, at least he did, until she was hauled out of his Hollywood Hills mansion in handcuffs ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us they responded to a call for grand theft at the Fanatics CEO's home Wednesday around 8:30 AM. After conducting their investigation, we're told a female staffer was arrested for stealing from Rubin.

It is unclear exactly what was taken from the home, or whether Rubin -- who has an estimated net worth between $11.6 billion and $12.3 billion -- was around at the time. We know he's still in L.A. on the heels of the NBA All-Star weekend, but he is not the one who called police ... according to our sources.

The Iowa Athletics Department released a statement on Wednesday, apologizing for the fan's behavior after he entered a restricted area.

"We apologize for this incident and will conduct a review of our procedures and security measures to determine what adjustments may be needed to further strengthen our protocols and help prevent similar incidents in the future," Iowa said.

The Big Ten also commented, noting that they "discussed the situation with both institutions, is taking no action in relation to Coach Hoiberg, and appreciates the efforts by Iowa’s administration to address postgame security protocols in the interest of preventing a similar occurrence from happening in the future."

Fred Hoiberg doesn't like opposing fans getting in his face, and that was crystal clear on Tuesday after the Nebraska head basketball coach was seen slapping a fan's phone out of the guy's hand.

It all went down after the No. 9-ranked Cornhuskers' shocking 57-52 loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.

The upset win prompted Hawkeye fans to storm the court and celebrate ... when one fan got a little too close to Hoiberg.

Video from the stands shows a fan in a black hoodie cheering, holding his phone up right in Hoiberg's face ... before the 53-year-old coach immediately takes a swat at it.

11:50 AM PT -- The Nevada County Sheriff, Shannan Moon, announced on Wednesday that eight of the nine skiers missing have been found dead.

Rescuers continue to look for the one person still missing.

NCSO said this is the deadliest avalanche in the U.S. for more than 40 years.

Nine skiers are still missing in the Lake Tahoe area after an avalanche ... as rescuers desperately work to find the missing people.

The Nevada County Sheriff's Office said the incident occurred around 11:30 AM on Tuesday at Castle Peak ... as a group of 15 backcountry skiers returned from a day-long trip.

Due to extreme weather, rescue crews spent several hours searching before locating six skiers and bringing them to safety. Nine others remain unaccounted for.

NASCAR star Tyler Reddick is calling out the negative chatter over Michael Jordan's eyebrow-raising interaction with his 6-year-old son as they celebrated his huge Daytona 500 win over the weekend.

The champion racer appeared on Stephen A. Smith's Sirius XM radio show Tuesday and said he's just not seeing anything inappropriate between his son and the NBA icon. It's all in the clip -- he reasons he's gotten to know MJ and his family over the years ... and is focused on celebrating his big moment with them.

ICYMI, Tyler races the No. 45 Toyota stock car, which is co-owned by Michael and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin.

Rashee Rice's lawyer, Sean Lindsey, released a statement, claiming that on October 9, 2025, Jones stated under penalty of perjury in an affidavit for non-prosecution that Rice did not punch her. It was just a verbal argument.

"We will allow the legal process to run its course and have no further comment at this time," Lindsey said.

Rashee Rice's longtime partner and mother of his children has filed an explosive lawsuit against the NFL star, accusing him of choking, strangling, scratching, hitting, and headbutting her over a nightmare 19-month period.

The grisly details are part of a lawsuit filed by Dacoda Jones this week in district court, and obtained by TMZ Sports ... where she lays out what he says was a horrific pattern of abuse between December 2023 and July 2025.

"Rashee Rice continued to repeatedly [assault] Dacoda Jones over the course of their relationship," the lawsuit claims.

Jones -- who has two children with Rice -- says she was also subject to "other violent and abusive behaviors," which included the Chiefs' wideout throwing things at her, "punching walls, and breaking furniture."

Jones claims the abuse caused "bleeding, swelling, bruising, and other pain and physical injury to her neck, face, mouth, arms, legs, chest, and shoulder."

To make matters worse, Dacoda says most of the abuse occurred while she was pregnant.

It's not the first time Jones has gone public with the allegations of abuse. Last month on social media, Dacoda accused Rashee of getting physical with her ... and at the time, included photos she says prove he was abusive.

After hearing of the allegations, the NFL launched an investigation into Rice for possible violations of the league's Personal Conduct Policy. The investigation is still active.

We actually saw RR at LAX recently, and asked him about the situation ... but he stayed mum.

Rice, a game-breaking weapon on the field, has been in hot water off it. He served jail time in 2025 after pleading guilty to multiple felonies for his role in a multi-vehicle crash on a Dallas highway.

In that case, the NFL suspended Rice six games before he returned to play for Kansas City.

On a personal level, Rice has a new woman in his life, recently going IG official on Valentine's Day with Instagram model Rubi Rose.

Lindsey Vonn's dealing with a personal tragedy on top of a professional one ... because the day after she crashed in Milan, ending her 2026 Olympic dream, her dog died.

The three-time Olympic medalist announced via social media Wednesday that her dog, Leo, passed away on February 9 ... telling fans he'd been battling lung cancer and his heart was failing him.

Vonn tells fans she said goodbye to Leo from her hospital bed ... just another part of what she calls "probably the hardest" few days of her life.

Former NBA star Lamar Odom is staying sober and feeling better after spending weeks in a rehab ... this, according to sources close to the situation.

We're told Lamar is "doing really good" and "feeling amazing."

An insider tells TMZ ... "This time was different because Lamar checked himself in," and says the athlete's family and friends have been extremely supportive.

We’re told Lamar has about a week left before he completes his treatment program at iRely Recovery in Los Angeles.

The Rhode Island Interscholastic League (RIIL) is suspending all games after Monday's tragic shooting during a boys' co-op hockey game in Pawtucket.

Michael Lunney, the organization's executive director, released a statement on Tuesday, stating they will temporarily postpone all games out of respect for those affected by the "senseless act of violence."

"Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those affected by this horrific event," Lunney said.

After nearly a decade away from the Octagon, Ronda Rousey will step into the cage once again ... as the former UFC superstar is set to make her MMA return against another legend, Gina Carano!

The shocking fight announcement dropped Tuesday morning, with Rousey saying, "Been waiting so long to announce this."

"Me and Gina Carano are gonna throw down in the biggest superfight in women’s combat sport history, and we’re partnering with the fighter-first promoter, MVP, as well as the baddest streamer on the planet, Netflix. This is for all MMA fans past, present, and future."

Shaquille O'Neal lived up to his "Diesel" moniker this weekend, driving a big ol' bus into the heart of Beverly Hills, where he handed out candy to the shocked fans!

O'Neal, with Michael Babcock along for the ride, navigated the streets of Los Angeles ... as the legendary big man gave an impromptu concert, singing the O'Neal remix of "Love 'Shaq,'" the B-52s hit, and rapping DJ Khaled's "All I Do Is Win."

In between belting out the carpool karaoke hits, the Big Fella threw bags and bags of his Shaq-A-Licious candy to passing cars.

At a red light, Shaq even went four-for-four ... proving he can, in fact, shoot.

O'Neal eventually pulled the bus over near Melrose Place, and it wasn't long before fans swarmed the area ... with cars pulling over, and people jumping out for a chance to snap a pic with the Hall of Famer.

Dozens of pics later, and with significantly less candy on board, Shaq was out with this parting message ... "It looks like I'm still the king of L.A.!"

FYI, it's been 22 years since O'Neal last won an NBA championship, but he's clearly still beloved in the City of Angels.

Former President Barack Obama made his first public appearance since the viral video President Trump posted, depicting Barack and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes -- sitting courtside at the NBA All-star game Sunday.

It's good to see the 44th President of the United States enjoying himself, because he's been dealing with some B.S. lately.

Just days ago, he was responding to a video that depicted him and his wife as apes, which was later shared by President Donald Trump.

During an interview with Brian Tyler Cohen, Barack referred to both the social media posts and the administration's public behaviors as a "clown show" ... and he lamented the loss of "decorum" and "propriety" as it relates to the highest office in the land.

President Trump passed the blame onto an unnamed White House staffer ... and, he said he wouldn't apologize for the gaffe.

He not only showed up to the game, but came up clutch ... snagging a loose ball that came barreling straight for him on the sidelines!!!

Watch the video ... Barack is just hanging out with his wife Michelle, when the rock comes out of nowhere, almost hitting them ... but Barack's no stranger to the basketball court as he quickly catching the stray ball as it comes right at the former White House residents.

Talk about calm under pressure!