Super Bowl

If Gisele had it her way, the Super Bowl would have been Tom Brady's last ride ... 'cause the QB says his supermodel wife urged him to retire after the game, saying, "What more do you have to prove?"

Brady said the moment all went down just seconds after Tampa Bay won the championship ... explaining on "The Late Late Show With James Corden" those were some of the first words she told him after the big victory.

"We were looking for my family," Brady said of the minutes following the Super Bowl's final whistle. "I said, 'Where's my family? Where's my family?' All of a sudden, I see my oldest son run over to me."

"'Dad!' You know? I gave him a big hug. And I saw my two little ones. And then all of a sudden, I saw my wife and I gave her a big hug. And just as I did it, she says, 'What more do you have to prove?'"

43-year-old Tom said he didn't really respond to his wife's question ... adding with a smile, "I was trying to figure out a way to change the subject really quick."

"I think I moved on to something else pretty quickly."

Of course, it's no secret Gisele has wanted Tom to walk away from football for a while now ... just a couple years ago in 2018, she famously told Ellen DeGeneres she hadn't been successful in swaying him to hang up the spikes.

Tom, though, appears to have no ideas of shutting things down after his 7th Super Bowl title despite his wife's wishes ... 'cause everyone in Tampa is expecting him back for year #22 in next season.

Antoine Winfield Jr. wasted NO time immortalizing the Bucs' Super Bowl win ... the Tampa Bay star just got a Lombardi Trophy tatted on his arm -- and it's awesome.

The rookie safety, who balled out in TB's victory over the K.C. Chiefs on Feb. 7, went under the needle to commemorate the big game this week and showed off the incredible artwork Monday.

The tat goes from Winfield's wrist up to the start of his bicep ... and it features the Bucs' emblem, praying hands and the Super Bowl LV logo.

Winfield Jr. was clearly happy with how it all turned out ... posting vids of the finished piece with a fire emoji.

FYI -- Winfield Jr. might not be the last Bucs star to permanently rock the Lombardi on his skin ... wide receiver Mike Evans promised before the game he'd get inked if Tampa secured the trophy.

Alex Smith says he can't wrap his brain around how Colin Kaepernick still does not have a job in the NFL today ... saying the whole situation is both "tragic" and "sad."

Smith forged a friendship with Kap when the two were teammates in San Francisco ... and he said this week he just doesn't understand how his old pal can't find a team.

"It still doesn't make sense," Smith told NFL Network star Kyle Brandt on the "10 Questions With Kyle Brandt" podcast.

Alex says Kaepernick's talent level, even during his rookie and sophomore seasons, was obvious ... and the NFL seemingly refusing to give him a job over his past kneeling demonstrations during national anthems is just perplexing.

"The run that he went on, at the end of that last year that we were together [in 2012] and went to the Super Bowl ... was so crazy to watch," Smith said. "Truly one of the historic runs in football to see what he was doing."

Smith continued, "It's crazy to fast forward only a couple years after that and he was out of the league. It's hard to -- you couldn't even grasp it. Couldn't understand it. You couldn't."

Smith said it's "so tragic" how some in the NFL and others in the country didn't realize what Kaepernick was protesting back in 2016 ... explaining, "He was ahead of his time."

"The country wasn't ready. Nobody was ready for it. And, he's sitting there trying to tell everybody through a completely peaceful manner about some of the things going on in this country and that have been going on for a long time."

Smith continued, "And, to see the backlash that happened, yeah, it hurts. It hurts looking back at it that the country wasn't ready for it and he suffered the repercussions."

Guess you can say he "earned it!?"

The Weeknd got a pretty awesome piece of jewelry this week -- a sick diamond Super Bowl ring commemorating that epic halftime show in Tampa!

No, it's not an "official" ring like the ones the Tampa Bay Bucs will get -- this is a one-of-a-kind piece designed by celebrity jeweler, Elliot Eliantte, who's worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood.

We're told the ring was commissioned by Cash -- who's the co-founder of The Weeknd's record label, XO -- hence the big XO design across the top.

The ring contains 16 carats of VVS diamonds -- with the words "World Champions" surrounding the Lombardi Trophy.

The ring also contains The Weeknd's name, the score of the game, the date and the Pepsi logo -- since they sponsored the halftime show.

And, to make it even more special, we're told Cash gifted the ring to the singer on his birthday -- Feb. 16.

Tom Brady's signature is like GOLD -- the prices for a TB12 autograph are higher than ever ... DOUBLING in just 4 years!!

The Tampa Bay Bucs QB is holding a private autograph session for collectors and memorabilia shops ... and if you want his John Hancock on a Bucs helmet, you're gonna have to shell out $3,700!!!

Here are the current prices compared with rates from a TB12 signing back in 2017 -- back when Tom only had 5 Super Bowl rings (he's got 7 now!).

TB signed photo from SBLV -- $1,600 (up from $850 in 2017)

TB signed football -- $2,000 (up from $1,000 in 2017)

TB signed mini-helmet -- $1,800 (up from $900 in 2017)

TB signed Bucs jersey with special SBLV inscription -- $3,000 (up from $1,600 in 2017)

And a signed TB Bucs SBLV helmet with “LV MVP” inscription can be yours for $3,699.99!!!

Obviously, a lot has changed since 2017 ... Tom left the New England Patriots and basically secured his spot as the greatest NFL quarterback of all time.

7 Super Bowl titles. 5 Super Bowl MVP awards ... and he still wants to play a few more years!

Charles Barkley is gonna piss off his NBA family with this one -- the basketball legend says he believes Tom Brady has surpassed Michael Jordan as the greatest athlete of all time ... and he's got an interesting reason behind the take.

Chuck -- who's always defended MJ to be the undisputed G.O.A.T. -- spoke about TB12 winning his 7th Super Bowl title this past week ... and explained why he thinks His Airness has officially been dethroned.

"It's hard for me to put anybody above Michael, but Michael was always gonna be the best player 4 out of 7 games," Chuck told ESPN 1000's "Waddle and Silvy."

"But, the difference is every time Tom Brady played a football game, it was a Game 7. I never had thought about it like that. I mean, you think about that. Every football game in the playoffs is a Game 7."

Chuck continued ... "Like, if Michael, he's gon' win most series because he's gonna be the best player 4 outta 7 games. But, when you playing football, every single game in the playoffs is a Game 7."

Barkley says it's incredible how Brady has won 7 out of his 10 Super Bowl appearances ... saying Brady's 34 playoff wins can be compared to 34 Game 7s in the NBA playoffs.

As for Brady's most recent playoff run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chuck says he's shocked TB12 didn't hang up his cleats ... saying it would have been the perfect end to his career.

"I can't believe he's not retired, I'm not gon' lie. Because if you do what he just did, beat Drew Brees in New Orleans, beat Aaron Rodgers at Lambeau Field, and then beat Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl, that would be the greatest 'drop the mic' ever in sports."

Buccaneers star OL Donovan Smith had ZERO issues with Tom Brady's boozy celebration in Tampa on Thursday ... telling TMZ Sports the QB earned every single second of it!

Brady had an absolute blast partying it up at his seventh Super Bowl title parade ... throwing the Lombardi Trophy off the back of his boat and appearing to be a little bit tipsy when he got back to land.

But, Smith says the dude deserved to party even HARDER than that if he wanted ... telling us the feat Tom accomplished by beating the Chiefs this past Sunday is just that special.

"If my man's had a couple drinks, he deserves it!" Smith says. "You feel me? We all deserve it! I wish I had one right now."

Smith says Brady cemented himself as the greatest of all-time with the SB LV win ... telling us the guy is definitely in the conversation for best athlete ever, not just NFL player.

"Seven rings -- more than any franchise has alone," Smith said of Brady. "So, he is his own franchise. He's great, man."

As for how Smith celebrated his first-ever championship ... the 27-year-old told us he's only slept a TOTAL of 10 hours since Sunday's game.

The good news, though? Smith tells us it's all been worth it and then some ... saying, "We're still living it up!"

It's GREAT to be a Super Bowl champ ... just ask Chris Godwin, who was sent a new phone less than a day after he fumbled his old one into the water in Tampa!!

You've heard the story by now ... Godwin was partying it up at the Bucs' Super Bowl parade on Wednesday, when somehow, his phone took a dip into the water and sank for good.

Godwin blamed teammate Scott Miller for the disaster ... saying his fellow wideout somehow was responsible for the phone's death.

Good news, though ... after Godwin reached out to Verizon to explain the issue, he says the phone company came through in the clutch in a matter of hours!!

Godwin and his GF posted pics of the 24-year-old with his new iPhone on Thursday ... with both saying they were super grateful for the speedy hook-up.

"Phone takes a dive into the river and 24 hours later, @verizon blesses me with a new one!" Godwin said. "I appreciate ya'll! S/O to the plug!"

Godwin's GF, meanwhile, said the delivery driver brought some sage advice along with the new phone ... writing on her caption, "The Fedex guy needed a signature & then said 'try not to drop this one into the water too.'"

Tampa Bay Bucs tight end Cameron Brate knew the stakes were high when Tom Brady drunkenly threw him the Lombardi Trophy ... saying his career woulda been OVER if he missed the catch!

"If I had dropped that? I think I would've had to retire," Brate told the Tampa Bay Times.

"That was amazing. He pointed it at me. We talked about it earlier. It was a great throw. I mean, what do you expect from Tom Brady? A great throw."

You've seen the insane video by now -- TB12 tossing the trophy from his boat to another boat during the Bucs' floating Super Bowl parade on the Hillsborough River.

As Tom got ready to make the toss, you could hear his daughter scream, "Nooooo!!!!!"

Fortunately, Brate made the catch -- and the clip has gone super viral.

Not every Bucs receiver was as sure-handed as Brate on Wednesday -- just ask Chris Godwin who said fellow WR Scotty Miller dropped his cell phone into the river during a parade blunder!

FYI, Godwin has reportedly made around $4.6 mil during his NFL career -- and will undoubtedly have some big contracts in his future. So, yeah ... he can afford a new phone!

Patrick Mahomes might not have to wait for next season to get revenge on Tom Brady ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned the peeps behind "The Match" golf tourney are gunning for a blockbuster TB12 vs. Mahomes event this spring.

Yes ... Super Bowl rematch, links edition.

You know The Match ... Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning beat Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady in the nationally televised, match play-style game in May 2020.

The event raised over $20 million for COVID-19 relief ... and was a smash hit.

Now, event organizers wanna bring back 'The Match' ... and they're targeting Brady and Mahomes.

Well-placed sources tell us event organizers are gunning to book the superstar QBs ... for a match that could take place in late spring 2021.

We're told the event is still in the early planning stages ... however, everyone seems optimistic a deal can be made since it's a fun event, it's for charity and Tom had fun in his previous 'Match.' Remember that insane shot he sank?!

Woods and Mickelson competed in both of the first 2 events. If a Brady vs. Mahomes match can be booked, it's unclear if either of the legendary golfers will play.

On the football field -- going by just record -- the Brady vs. Mahomes matchup has been pretty even.

Brady's 3-2 when facing Patrick ... however TB12 just dominated the young gunslinger in Super Bowl 55.

When is The King jealous of The GOAT??

Today, it seems ... 'cause LeBron James just said he was SUPER ENVIOUS of the epic championship celebration Tom Brady just had in Tampa Bay!!!

Just minutes after the Buccaneers star was captured on video seemingly drunkenly stumbling away from his SEVENTH Super Bowl title parade ... Bron tweeted about his FOMO.

"Man o man," LeBron said. "I wish we were able to have our parade too cause I would have been walking beautifully just like you!"

Of course, LBJ and the Lakers weren't able to have a Los Angeles celebration after their NBA title in October ... California's strict COVID guidelines prevented a party from going down.

Bron had been angling to try to make some sort of safe celebration happen ... but with the 2021 season already underway, it seems it may never go down at this point.

Clearly, LeBron is sad about that ... and can you blame him?! LOOK AT ALL THE FUN BRADY HAD AT HIS TITLE CELLY!!!

By the way, Brady poked some fun at himself over his boozy day ... jokingly writing of it all, "Noting to see her...just litTle avoCado tequila."

Tom Brady is such a VIP in the Tampa area, he gets a police escort on land and on water!!!

The Tampa Bay Bucs QB just arrived to the official Super Bowl boat parade which will take place on the Hillsborough River -- where players, coaches and staff will float around the Davis Islands before ending up at Sparkman Wharf.

Event organizers felt this was the safest way to celebrate the team since we're still in the middle of the COVID pandemic.

Boaters are allowed in the water but they must stay at least 50 feet from the vessels containing Bucs players and staff.

Tom is out in the brand new boat we told you about back in December -- it's a multi-million dollar state-of-the-art 40-foot vessel with all the bells and whistles.

It's named "Viva a Vida" -- which seems to be inspired by his wife Gisele's environmental conservation initiative.

By the way, Brady's teammates are showing big love to the QB who helped get them their championship ... with dudes wearing shirts that feature Tom's old draft picture on them!!

Head coach Bruce Arians, meanwhile, is already on the water holding the Lombardi Trophy. Other players are expected to arrive shortly.

story developing ...

The Big Game is done, but Rob Gronkowski ain't finished spiking footballs yet -- he just took a swipe at the Chiefs with a Super Bowl streaker joke ... and it's SAVAGE!!!

The Buccaneers tight end -- who scored 2 TDs in the blowout win over the Chiefs on Sunday -- joined James Corden on 'The Late Late Show' this week to break down the championship.

They talked burritos, TDs, celebrations and more ... but when it came time to discuss the infamous Super Bowl streaker -- that's when the shade came out!!

Gronk said the thonged-out runner entertained the hell out of Tampa Bay's sideline ... and then he dropped this ...

"He actually scored," Gronk said of the streaker who slid into the endzone. "The Chiefs didn't. He scored. They should definitely sign him!"

BUUUURNNNNNNN!!! (only the streaker technically began his slide on the 1-yard line, before he crossed the end zone, so he didn't actually get to pay dirt. Sorry).

Of course, the Chiefs were terrible on offense in the game ... they didn't sniff the endzone all night either  -- so Gronk does have a point.

Michael Irvin says he's heard secret audio from the Super Bowl ... and it proves Tom Brady did NOT call Tyrann Mathieu a racial slur during their trash-talking at the big game.

Brady and the Honey Badger got in each other's faces multiple times during the Buccaneers' blowout of the Chiefs, and afterward, Mathieu accused the Tampa Bay QB of muttering something nasty his way.

"He called me something I won't repeat," Mathieu said, "but yeah I'll let all the media throw me under the bus as if I did something or said something to him."

Many thought this implied that Brady had perhaps used racial language on the field ... but Irvin says audio picked up on hot mics showed that flat-out didn't happen.

Irvin -- who has access to the clips through his work as an analyst on Showtime's "Inside The NFL" -- explained on "The Rich Eisen Show" on Tuesday he was upset with Mathieu after audio revealed Brady didn't cross any racial lines with his talk.

"I didn't like that Tyrann Mathieu put that out like that," Irvin said ... "Because, I go, come on now. It makes it sound as if -- it makes people want to know, 'What'd he say?'"

"As if he said the n-word. And he did not. Tom did not. So, you know, I didn't like that even looming over this situation. So that's why I think we should clean that up somewhere, somehow."

Irvin added, "That's what I'm saying. [Brady] didn't say that."

As for what Brady did say ... Irvin says he could not reveal that due to directives from "Inside The NFL" show producers.

"This was just two guys competing," Irvin explained. "That's what that is. Just two guys competing."

The guy who streaked at Super Bowl 55 hit the strip club after he was released from custody -- and worked the pole so hard, he was DRAGGED off the stage!!!

... while still wearing his thong bathing suit!

31-year-old Yuri Andrade rolled into the Penthouse Club in Tampa where he was cheered on by patrons ... including Tampa Bay Bucs superstar WR Mike Evans.

But, the craziest moment came when he broke away from security and rushed onto the main stage ... where he grabbed a pile of money and made it rain before jumping on the pole and trying out a few moves.

Eventually, security rushed in and apprehended him -- though it looks to us as if the club was in on the joke, since they posted footage with the guy on their social media page afterward.

Andrade is getting the hero treatment in Tampa after claiming he made $370,000 by allegedly betting a ton of money that a streaker would hit the field at Super Bowl LV ... and then taking matters into his own hands to seal his victory.

The worst part of the whole stunt ... Andrade claims the cops who detained him at the stadium wouldn't let him pick his wedgie from the thong bathing suit.

Imagine the greatest quarterback of all-time handing off to one of best running backs ever in 2021 ...

That's a scene Adrian Peterson is trying to make happen for real ... 'cause the future Hall of Fame RB tells TMZ Sports he wants to play with Tom Brady in Tampa Bay in 2021!!!

"That would definitely be something I'm interested in," Peterson says ... explaining "If they want me to be a part of it, I'll be a part of it for sure. Because I'm definitely trying to add a trophy to my resume."

Peterson is slated to be a free agent this offseason after his 1-year contract with the Detroit Lions expires ... and there could be some interest from the Bucs in him.

After all, Bruce Arians did trade for A.P. back in 2017 when he was the Arizona Cardinals' head coach -- and Peterson performed well there in limited playing time.

Now, Peterson tells us he really wouldn't mind running it back with Arians in Tampa ... saying "Playing with Tom Brady, that by itself is enticing."

The two would be a hell of a backfield duo ... Tom at age 43, has 14 Pro Bowl selections, while Peterson, at age 35, has seven.

Also, for as good as Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones were in the Super Bowl ... neither has fully established themselves as Tampa's bell cow, leaving the door wide open for Peterson touches next season.

So, what do ya say, Bruce?!

By the way, in between preparing for the offseason and trying to link up with Tom next year ... Adrian is doing some amazing charity work, putting on an auction to help former NFL player Chester Pitts give back in Houston.

Peterson and his wife, Ashley, are donating gowns, sports memorabilia and so much more to help out Pitts' Carson Parke org. that was put in place by the ex-NFLer to assist underserved and at-risk foster youth.