Super Bowl

Attention, Patriots fans ... Tom Brady has given specific marching orders to ALL OF YOU to get ready for the big day.

The QB took the stage at a massive pep rally at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough on Monday and told fans how they should prepare for Sunday.

Thousands of people showed up to the event ... including the Greater Boston Firefighters Pipes and Drums group, which provided the tunes.

Meanwhile, over in Atlanta ... thousands of Falcons fans packed Atlantic Station to see the team buses off.

It was a crazy scene -- and it's clear both cities are FIRED UP!!!!

NFL stars, rappers, actors and rich people in general have all reached out to one of Houston's TOP jewelers to reserve MILLIONS of dollars in bling for Super Bowl weekend ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Super Bowl week isn't just big for the NFL, it's HUGE for strippers -- with the top dancers in the world flying to Houston for 6 FIGURE PAYOUTS ... so says one of the greatest ever, Maliah Michel.

Michel is one of the ELITE -- a top tier dancer who also famously dated Drake (he even name dropped her in a song!).

She says the money during big events like the Super Bowl is real -- she made $120k during NBA All-Star weekend in Houston in 2013 and says this week WILL be just as big.

And who's throwing the biggest stacks? It ain't rappers or NBA players.

Maliah says the biggest ballers are the athletes from a particular sport who may have something to prove.

Can't afford Houston this week? Check out the Maliah gallery below ... you can see why she's worth the money.

Tom Brady's Patriots are the favorite to win the Super Bowl over Matt Ryan's Falcons ... but who would win a wrestling match in the 6-sided ring?

Ex-NFLer and current TNA wrestler Quinn "Moose" Ojinnaka, who played with both Super Bowl LI QB's during his career, thinks it would be a close fight ... but says Matt Ryan would come out on top.

Moose also predicts who would win in a REAL fight and talks about Brady's tough side.

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank has been putting his 74-year-old dance moves on display lately ... but can he shake it better than his 75-year-old Super Bowl opponent Robert Kraft??

We took the liberty of cutting the best dance moves from the two BILLIONAIRES and put 'em head-to-head ... in what could be the richest, oldest dance battle EVER!!

Kelly Rowland is nothing but excited for Lady Gaga's upcoming Super Bowl halftime show ... but knows it will be the runner-up compared to the Destiny's Child show.

We got Kelly leaving Serafina in L.A. Saturday night, and we ask her if she's stoked about Lady Gaga doing the Pepsi halftime show at Super Bowl LI.

She definitely is ... but the DC alum clearly thinks Gaga's won't touch the one she did with Beyoncé. A wink and smile says a lot here.

While the New England Patriots battle it out on the field for a spot in Super Bowl LI, their sexy significant others are battling it out off the field in the ultimate showdown ... the title of hottest WAG.

Rush through the gallery and vote for the gal you wouldn’t mind scoring with.

NFL commish Roger Goodell tells TMZ Sports ... the NFL is officially looking into the Antonio Brown locker room video incident.

Goodell was leaving a media event for the Los Angeles Chargers when he decided to mingle with the fans ... signing autographs, posing for selfies and even talking a little football.

At one point, Roger asked the crowd who they liked in the Super Bowl ... one fan said, "Not the Patriots!" Someone added, "Cheaters!"

Two cities are gonna be real upset ... 'cause TV super boss Les Moonves -- the guy who runs CBS -- is telling TMZ Sports which two teams are the best Super Bowl matchup for TV ratings.

We got Moonves in L.A. with wife Julie Chen when we asked him which two teams mean the biggest bucks for the network broadcasting the game this year (it's FOX).

It's tough ... GB has a red-hot Aaron Rodgers, ATL has the best offense in the league, New England has this pretty boy QB people like ... and the Steelers give you unprecedented locker room access.

The NFL tells TMZ Sports ... Lady Gaga has NOT been instructed to keep her mouth shut about politics and Donald Trump during the Super Bowl halftime show ... despite reports to the contrary.

A report surfaced earlier Tuesday that Gaga -- who's famously outspoken about social issues and politics (and is anti-Trump) -- was specifically told to keep politics out of her performance.

But an NFL spokesperson is calling B.S. -- telling us, "This is unsourced nonsense from people trying to stir up controversy where there is none."

"The Super Bowl is a time when people really come together. Lady Gaga is focused on putting together an amazing show for fans and we love working with her on it; we aren’t going to be distracted by this."

Cuba Gooding Jr. doesn't think there are racial overtones when he's mistaken for Terrence Howard.

Cuba was leaving Craig's in WeHo Monday night when he weighed in on the Television Academy mistaking Terrence for him in a tweet this year at the Emmys.

One other thing he makes clear ... he doesn't need Lady Gaga to score Super Bowl tickets.

The Carson Wentz wagon is reaching capacity ... 'cause yet another Eagles superfan is hoppin' on board ... with Sly Stallone saying the rookie QB can lead Philly to a Super Bowl THIS YEAR!!

Of course, Wentz is only 3 games into his NFL career ... but Stallone explains why he's already convinced the kid can go the distance.

The Eagles are on a bye week ... but then they've got the Lions, Redskins, Vikings and Cowboys.

L.A. Reid says he's stoked the NFL tapped Lady Gaga for the Super Bowl LI halftime show ... despite the fact he once DROPPED her from his record label.

True story.

Back in 2006, Reid 86'd Gaga from Epic Records ... and now calls it "the biggest mistake of my career."

He recently explained the whole situation to FOX 5 saying, "I feel a little bad about it. I do. I feel bad. I signed her. She comes in, she plays the piano, she’s incredible, she sings, I sign her, I tell her she’s going to change music. A couple of months later I say, maybe I wasn’t right. Maybe I don’t like this so much and I make the biggest mistake of my career. I dropped Lady Gaga."

Good news ... they managed to move past it -- and he's still a huge fan.

Lady Gaga has been promoted from the National Anthem at last year's Super Bowl ... to headlining Super Bowl LI in February ... the NFL has confirmed.

The timing couldn't be more perfect for Gaga ... who is launching a new album in October.

Gaga received all types of praise for her rendition of the National Anthem at Super Bowl 50 -- and clearly impressed the NFL enough to lock her down as the halftime performer for Super Bowl LI.

Celine Dion is volunteering to do what Adele won't ... hit the stage for the Super Bowl 51 halftime show in Houston.

Celine was leaving the Ritz in downtown L.A. Thursday night when we asked if she'd have any interest in filling the void for the NFL. You gotta see CD turn on the charm to officially toss her hat in the ring.

She told us, "I would LOVE to do the Super Bowl" -- but she wasn't just talking about singing.

Yeah, Adele would've been great but since she's out, it's high time the Super Bowl halftime show go full country -- according to country music legend Tanya Tucker.

Tucker performed at the SB in 1994 along with Travis Tritt, Clint Black and The Judds -- but other than Shania Twain in 2003, it's been all pop and ancient classic rock artists. We got TT in NYC and she broke it down real quick -- there's one artist who'd be perfect for such a big stage. And no, she's not ruling out a duet either.

BTW, if you forgot that '94 halftime, it's probably 'cause the game was a joke ... Cowboys beat the Bills for the 2nd straight year.

Don't blame country ...