TMZ Sports

Tua Tagovailoa isn't retiring early ... his parents said this week he'll be back next year despite suffering multiple significant head injuries this past season.

Galu and Diane Tagovailoa cleared up the speculation on Wednesday during an interview at the Polynesian Bowl in Hawaii ... saying the 24-year-old Miami Dolphins signal caller has zero plans to call it quits prematurely after experiencing several concussions while playing in 2022.

"He comes back," Galu said. "That's their guy. They love him, we love them and what they're doing and how they're helping him with his recovery and everything else trying to get him back."

Tua's health initially became a topic of concern early in the season, when he suffered back-to-back head injuries against the Bills and Bengals in a span of less than a week.

Some at the time believed the quarterback should've retired immediately, with famed neuropathologist Bennet Omalu telling TMZ Sports the damage might already be irreparable.

Tagovailoa ultimately came back and seemed to show no issues -- but on Christmas against the Packers, he suffered yet another concussion ... sparking the retirement debate again.

His folks though, said it just ain't happening -- saying they're confident he's healing properly ... and the Miami organization is taking care of him.

A mannequin wearing a Vinicius Junior jersey was hung by a rope from a bridge hours before a big soccer match in Madrid, and now police in Spain are investigating the incident as a potential hate crime.

Images of the act show a human-sized doll hanging by its neck, wearing Vini Jr.'s #20 Real Madrid jersey, underneath a sign that reads "MADRID ODIA AL REAL" -- translated, it means "Madrid Hates Real".

It's believed Athletico Madrid fans were behind the disgusting stunt ... as the teams are playing each other Thursday night, and they're big rivals.

The bridge is located near Real Madrid's training complex.

Of course, most fans were horrified by the act ... and quickly alerted authorities, who immediately went to remove the mannequin and banner.

Police are now trying to identify who's responsible, and they're treating the act as a potential hate crime.

La Liga issued a statement denouncing the hanging in effigy, saying ... "We strongly condemn acts of hate against [Vini Jr.] Intolerance and violence do not fit in football. As on previous occasions, #LaLiga will urge the investigation of the facts in search of the conviction of those responsible, requesting the most severe criminal sanctions."

While it's believed Atletico's fans were responsible, the club distanced themselves from the act, and stressed the importance of respect within the rivalry.

"Club Atletico de Madrid communicates that such acts are absolutely repugnant and inadmissible and shame society. Our condemnation of any act that attacks the dignity of persons or institutions is categorical and unreserved. The rivalry between the two clubs is the greatest, but so is respect. No individual, whatever their intentions or colors, can tarnish the coexistence between different supporters."

"It is everyone's responsibility to avoid this. We do not know the perpetrator or perpetrators of this despicable act, but their anonymity does not avoid their responsibility. We hope that the authorities succeed in clarifying what happened and that justice helps to banish this type of behavior."

Real Madrid also released a statement ... saying the club "would like to thank the support and expressions of affection received after the unfortunate and disgusting act of racism, xenophobia and hatred against our player Vinicius."

"We express our firmest condemnation of events that violate the fundamental rights and dignity of people, and that have nothing to do with the values ​​that football and sport represent."

The club continued ... "These attacks like the ones our player now suffers, or those that any athlete can suffer, cannot have a place in a society like ours."

Bizarre scene in the college basketball world Wednesday night ... an Uber Eats delivery person walked onto the court in the middle of a game -- halting play and leaving everyone in the arena scratching their heads.

The wild moment happened in the second half of the Loyola Chicago vs. Duquesne men's basketball game at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse in Pittsburgh ... when a man dressed in yellow and holding a bag of McDonald's goodies hit the hardwood right as the Dukes were trying to score a basket.

Broadcast video shows a nearby ref trying his best to get the guy off the floor as the action kept moving forward ... but the man appeared to be oblivious as he attempted to find his food's intended target.

Eventually, the play was stopped -- and the game's broadcasters had to then describe what was happening.

"This guy's in the corner -- was he going to deliver the McDonald's to somebody on the court?!" one announcer said.

"Who's he delivering it to?!" the other said.

According to video shot on the baseline, the deliverer had actually been asking people on the floor if they had ordered Door Dash. You can see in the clip he was ushered out of the area by an arena staffer, who told him, "You've got to get off the court, man!"

Some speculated it was all part of a prank -- noting the person was wearing a microphone.

Either way, Duquesne head coach Keith Dambrot said afterward it was one of the most surreal scenes he's ever been a part of.

"Craziest thing I've ever seen in my life," he said.

To their credit, Duquesne shook off the weird moment to cruise to a win ... beating Loyola Chicago 72-58.

The Bills might be now outta the playoffs -- but the Damar Hamlin tributes are still pouring in ... this time, Eagles running back Miles Sanders rocked some spikes to honor the injured safety, and he loved 'em!!

The 25-year-old tailback showed off the feet heat on his Instagram page Thursday ... and the pair of tribute shoes are awesome.

One cleat features a portrait of Hamlin surrounded by a heart. The other has his No. 3 jersey number. There's also an ode to the famous "Did we win?" line he uttered to doctors in the days after he suffered his on-field medical emergency during the Jan. 2 Bengals-Bills game.

Both cleats have "Love For Damar" written on them as well -- with Hamlin's foundation, "Chasing M's," on the back.

Hamlin clearly loved the shout-out and the design, re-sharing Sanders' vid on his social media page while writing, "unreal."

Several NFL players have shown the 24-year-old love since he suffered the cardiac arrest ... including Tom Brady, who donated $10,000 to Hamlin's toy drive foundation that's currently at $9 million and counting.

A mural was also made by a local artist in Buffalo, and celeb jeweler Gabriel Jacobs gifted 80 gold #3 pendants to the Bills team.

Jessie Lemonier -- a former outside linebacker for the Detroit Lions -- has passed away, the team announced Thursday morning. He was only 25 years old.

Details surrounding Lemonier's death are not yet known.

The Lions broke the sad news with a statement, saying they're "shocked and saddened" by Lemonier's death.

"Jessie was a model teammate and wonderful young man who is gone far too soon," the team said on social media.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time."

Many paid their respects to the late Lions player in the comments ... including Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson who shared the post with praying hand emojis.

Lemonier was an undrafted free agent out of Liberty University ... where he became the third player in Flames history to record 10 or more sacks in a season.

The Los Angeles Chargers picked him up after the 2020 NFL Draft and Lemonier played in 6 games before he was waived in August 2021.

He then signed with the Lions' practice squad a month later and was promoted to the active roster. He appeared in 7 games and had 15 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

Lemonier also had a short stint with the Arizona Cardinals.

It seems like Lemonier was positioning for a career in the United States Football League as he recently signed with the Houston Gamblers in December 2022.

He was traded to the USFL's defending champions Birmingham Stallions and their season was scheduled to start this April.

Matt Barnes is getting court-ordered protection from his fiancée's ex-husband ... after the former NBA champ said the guy had terrorized him in the lead-up to a wild spitting incident at the 49ers game on Sunday.

Barnes got a judge to sign off on a temporary restraining order against David Patterson Jr. on Wednesday ... just days after he spat on the man in a concourse at Levi's Stadium before the S.F. vs Dallas playoff game.

Barnes' TRO is slated to last until Feb. 16 -- when a hearing on the matter will go down in Los Angeles.

As part of the order, 37-year-old Patterson Jr. is required to have no contact with Barnes ... and must stay at least 100 yards away from the ex-Golden State Warriors forward. Patterson Jr. has also been ordered to have no firearms.

As we reported, 42-year-old Barnes initially filed for the TRO on Tuesday -- after he alleged Patterson Jr. had made his life hell the past few months.

Barnes claimed in his TRO application that Patterson Jr. was "jealous of my relationship with my ex-wife" ... and had harassed him repeatedly. At one point, according to Barnes, Patterson Jr. had threatened to shoot him with a gun.

Barnes also claimed in the documents that Patterson Jr. "hunted" him down at the 49ers game on Sunday ... and "aggressively confronted" him. Barnes said the guy yelled profanities and threats, and shoved him. It all ultimately led to Barnes spitting on him.

'Bachelor' alum, Hannah Ann Sluss won't have to stress about getting roses anymore ... 'cause the former contestant is engaged to NFL player Jake Funk -- and was spotted at a Cabo airport sporting the massive ring!!!

HAS shared the big news to her 900k+ TikTok followers on Wednesday ... showing her enjoying a romantic candlelit dinner with the Indianapolis Colts running back.

Apparently, Hannah wasn't expecting a diamond ring for dessert ... as the model captioned the clip, "The surprise at the end he had for me 🥺."

You can see the emerald cut diamond on her finger and a projection on a mountain in the background reading "She said Yes."

As it turns out, Hannah Ann was already wearing the rock on Tuesday ... when the bride-to-be showed off the ring while waiting at the airport with her future hubby.

Of course, this isn't the first time Sluss was asked for her hand in marriage.

The 26-year-old was the winner in season 24 of "The Bachelor" in 2019 ... and got engaged to Peter Weber.

However, Weber called it off during the "After the Final Rose" special ... claiming he was in love with the runner-up Madison Prewett.

Safe to say it all worked out for Hannah Ann in the end.

Dennis Schroder's Wednesday night went from awesome to pretty crappy real quick ... 'cause just after the Lakers point guard helped his team beat the Spurs -- a vehicle he was riding in was stopped by cops in Hollywood.

Cops tell TMZ Sports ... it all went down at around midnight, just a couple hours after the Lakers game had ended. According to an LAPD spokesperson, the stop was initiated after the vehicle allegedly had improper plates.

Video from the scene shows cops spoke with Schroder and what appeared to be his driver for about half an hour after pulling over the ride at a gas station.

It all seemed cordial, according to videos of the interaction ... with Schroder, at times, sporting a big smile on his face.

"I don't know what happened," the 29-year-old told a camera person during the stop. "I'm still surprised."

The LAPD says someone received a citation for improper plates during the stop, though it's unclear who the alleged violator was. Video shows Schroder was allowed to leave the scene without any issue.

Schroder's night had been going very well up until the pullover -- he played 37 minutes in the Lakers' win over San Antonio at Crypto.com Arena, logging nine points, eight rebounds, five assists, four steals and two blocks.

Rui Hachimura made his debut as the Los Angeles Lakers' newest addition on Wednesday ... but a lot of his fans back home missed out on the action -- 'cause the historic moment caused the NBA's streaming service in Japan to crash.

The Lakers acquired the 24-year-old from the Washington Wizards earlier this week ... shipping Kendrick Nunn and a handful of second round picks to secure the deal -- making Rui the first Japanese-born player in Lakers franchise history.

Fans were quick to complain on social media about not being able to watch Rui check in towards the end of the first quarter of the Lakers' home win over the San Antonio Spurs ... forcing the streaming service to address the issue.

Rakuten -- the Association's official streaming partner in Japan since 2017 -- released a statement on the matter ... saying, "Starting around 12:20 PM Japan Time on Thursday, January 26, the NBA Rakuten site became inaccessible when a sudden surge in user traffic caused a server issue," according to The Sun.

"This was around the time that the San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Lakers game tipped off."

To resolve the issue, Rakuten says it made the game available on YouTube until the site was back up and running again.

Rakuten claims the problem was fixed ... and service has returned to normal.

The medical professionals who assisted in Damar Hamlin's recovery following his medical emergency are being honored in a big way ... with the Cincinnati mayor giving them a key to the city!!

Aftab Pureval's office announced the news Thursday ... saying city officials want to show their appreciation for the providers who cared for the Bills safety after his cardiac arrest.

We're told the ceremony will take place at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center ... where 24-year-old Hamlin spent a week with doctors as they tended to the NFL player.

Hamlin's physicians -- Dr. Knight and Dr. Pritts -- played an integral role in rehabilitating Damar so he could be released from the hospital.

At one point during his stay at UC Health Medical Center, Damar -- while still hooked up to a breathing machine -- famously asked the doctors who won the Monday Night Football game between the Bills and Bengals.

"You won. You won at the game of life," they told Hamlin.

Ultimately, doctors felt that Damar had made enough progress to be released from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at UC Health Medical Center ... allowing him to continue his recovery at home.

It looks like Jamahal Hill's going to get his wish -- the newly crowned UFC champ tells TMZ Sports he wants Jiri Prochazka next -- and the 31-year-old fighter says Dana White's on board!

We spoke to Hill days after he thoroughly beat the legendary Glover Teixeira, during the main event at UFC 283, where he captured the vacant light heavyweight title ... And, while he's still reveling in his victory, now Jamahal wants Jiri.

"100% [Prochazka]. I'm hoping he can be back by July, August and we can get a fight set up 'cause that's the one I've wanted for a long time," Hill told us.

Of course, Prochazka, the former champion, suffered a severe shoulder injury in late 2022 (it was called the "worst shoulder injury in UFC history"), forcing him out of UFC 282 only days before he was set to step in the Octagon.

But, despite how bad it initially looked, Jiri says his healing is ahead of schedule ... and even sent a message to Hill.

"Congratulations. I'm coming."

And, that's just what Jamahal wants ... and apparently, Dana does too.

"That's the fight that they would like to have happen. So, obviously, when he's ready. I want him to heal up, I don't want any excuses whatsoever. Well, there'll probably still be some. But still, as long as he's ready to go and he feels healthy, I want us to be able to get that done," Hill told us.

There's much more.

We also talked to Hill about the viral video of him from in between rounds ... when his cornerman poured water on his head, sending blood -- lots of blood -- streaming down his face.

In the moment, Jamahal thought it was his blood ... but it wasn't.

"That was Glover's blood. Whenever [my corner] did that I had to look down, if you actually read my lips, I said 'where's that coming from? Where's that coming from? I'm bleeding? I asked him.'"

Hill -- who grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan -- was doubted by so many along the way, and Jamahal was incredibly emotional after the fight.

We asked him for his message to anyone, especially kids, who were watching.

"Go after your dreams. Anything is possible. Whatever you want, you can literally speak it, and make it happen."

Hulk Hogan apparently had a bathroom catastrophe on Wednesday ... and instead of hitting up a buddy, his account sent out a cry for help to his 2.2 million followers.

"I ran out of toilet paper brother, help!!!!!!!!" Hogan's tweet said ... which, naturally, led a bunch of quick social media users to screenshot the message before it was ultimately deleted.

Now, it's unclear if Hulk's account was hacked -- he returned to his regular tweeting by posting a pic with his longtime wrestling pals Ted DiBiase, Diamond Dallas Page, Madusa, Jimmy Hart and IRS a few minutes later -- or if he meant to actually text someone to bring him some T.P.

Regardless, the tweets are hilarious ... and we're just going to assume the latter is what happened.

Hulk has yet to address the tweets ... and chances are, he might never bring it up.

Micah Parsons is firing back at Twitter trolls ... saying the people who believe he was shading Dak Prescott in a tweet Wednesday need to "stop reaching."

Parsons initially raised eyebrows on the social media app after he quote tweeted a video of Bills GM Brandon Beane talking about roster building and taking advantage of quarterbacks who are still on rookie contracts.

"Besides mahomes, every team in the final 4 Qb is on a rookie deal and surrounded by talent!" the 23-year-old Dallas Cowboys star said. "Mhmm interesting take!"

Some thought the electric pass rusher was taking a shot at Dak with the tweet -- as the Cowboys QB is currently in the middle of a 4-year, $160 MILLION deal.

But, Micah said he wasn't going after #4 or his contract at all ... writing, "Listen we not gonna sit here like I'm talking about Dak 😂😂😂 Shid when I get paid ima want a big contract too ! Come on stop reaching ! 😂"

He added in a separate tweet, "Street law! Never count a man pockets!"

Prescott has enjoyed a ton of regular season success since signing the contract -- but he's struggled to turn the corner in the playoffs, getting eliminated in underwhelming fashion in consecutive seasons to SF.

Matt Barnes spit on his fiancee's ex during a heated altercation at the Cowboys vs. 49ers game on Sunday -- video, obtained by TMZ Sports, shows -- but the former NBA champ claims the man started it all, threatening him and shoving him.

The incident happened at around 3:40 PM just before the playoff contest began at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara ... when Barnes encountered his fiancee's former husband, David Patterson Jr., in a concourse at the venue.

In the footage, you can see Barnes sprayed the man with spit -- before he later got in the guy's face.

The clip shows the two exchanged words and got in a bit of a wrestling match -- before, thankfully, they separated and walked off in different directions.

According to an application for a temporary civil restraining order filed by Barnes in L.A. County court two days after the incident, the NBA star alleges Patterson Jr. was the aggressor in the situation.

In the court documents, Barnes says Patterson Jr. "hunted me down and aggressively confronted me." He said the 37-year-old yelled profanities and threats at him, called him names, and incited the crowd around them "into a frenzy by yelling out my full name repeatedly."

Barnes added that Patterson Jr. eventually "shoved me, and I was forced to push him off of me." He continued, "I did not want the altercation to physically escalate further, and out of frustration with him seeking me out and his unrelenting repeated harassment I spit in his direction in disgust."

Cops tell us they were called to the scene to investigate an allegation of battery -- where they say the alleged victim ID'ed 42-year-old Barnes as the suspect. They said an investigation into the case remains ongoing.

As for Barnes' request for the TRO, he says Patterson Jr. has been terrorizing him for months -- believing the man "is jealous of my relationship with his ex-wife." He said at one point in 2022, Patterson Jr. threatened to shoot him with his gun. He's asking the court to restrict Patterson Jr. from coming within 100 yards of him.

Barnes, who played three seasons in the Bay Area with the Golden State Warriors in his NBA career, appeared to go on with his Sunday night without further incident ... seeming to be in great spirits as he watched the game from suite seats.

Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona's beloved scooter, which he regularly rides to and from games, was apparently stolen over the weekend ... and now, cops are on the hunt for the alleged thief.

According to the Cleveland Police Department, a member of the Guardians staff said Francona's ride was taken outside of his apartment building sometime between 9:30 PM on Jan. 20 and 8 AM on Jan. 21.

Cops say the Cleveland staffer told them Francona had parked his 2018 Genuine MC Buddy 170i black scooter on Friday night and took the ignition key -- but noticed it was gone the following day ... leading authorities to believe the suspected thief had pushed or tampered with the motorbike to take it.

According to the police report, Francona claims he did not give anyone permission to use it -- and cops have now launched an investigation into the matter.

So far, no suspects have been named and no arrests have been made ... though cops noted in the police report there were several surveillance cameras on the street where his scooter was taken.

Gisele Bundchen and her jiu-jitsu instructor are getting close once again -- this time, the two were seen riding horses in Costa Rica, in what's either an amazing just-friends date ... or further proof the two are now an item.

Tom Brady's ex and Joaquim Valente were spotted on the animals back on Jan. 18 ... and the duo looked like they had a blast.

The couple(?) rode the horses for roughly two hours through the jungle -- and check out Gisele's grin, she sure seemed giddy while plodding through the afternoon with Valente.

Of course, there's been no official confirmation they're dating -- Gisele's camp initially claimed Valente had been tagging along on family vacays to train her and her kids -- but they've certainly appeared to be awfully coupley this month.

First, they were seen jogging while appearing to share AirPods ... and just days later -- riding horseback with none of Gisele's kids in sight.

No word yet on how Brady feels about it all ... but he hasn't been in the best mood this week.

On Monday, just seven days after the Buccaneers QB was bounced from the playoffs by the Dallas Cowboys, he snapped at his good friend Jim Gray on their podcast ... unleashing an F-bomb tirade about how he wasn't sure if he'd be retiring or not.