Washington Redskins

The people who operate RFK Stadium are finally removing a monument dedicated to a racist former owner of the Washington Redskins,

Events D.C., which runs the stadium where the Skins used to play, ordered the removal of the George Preston Marshall statue on Friday ... and if you know anything about the guy, it's easy to see why.

Marshall -- the Redskins' founding father and Pro Football Hall of Famer -- famously refused to sign black players for DECADES.

In fact, he was quoted as saying once, "We will sign black players when the Harlem Globetrotters start playing white players."

His anti-African-American stance lasted all the way until the early 1960s ... when government officials threatened to force him out of RFK Stadium if he didn't sign black players.

FYI, Marshall died in 1969. He was 72.

People have been calling for the 'Skins to remove the monument at the park for years ... and finally, in the wake of national protests, the people who operate the stadium relented this week.

It's just the latest statue to be scrapped as America tries to sever its ties with its racist past ... in Minnesota, the Twins announced they're removing a statue of former owner Calvin Griffith.

Similar to Marshall, Griffith had been openly racist against black people ... and in a statement Friday, the Twins said, "His disparaging words displayed a blatant intolerance and disregard for the Black community that are the antithesis of what the Minnesota Twins stand for and value."

Redskins' nickname, you're up next.

Ever seen a dude squat 585 pounds and get clowned over it?!?!

Welcome to the NFL ... where Washington Redskins star Jonathan Allen just threw around an inhuman amount of poundage -- only to get ripped by a former teammate hilariously.

Here's the deal ... Allen -- a former first-round pick -- loaded up his bar with nearly 600 pounds during a workout Tuesday and squatted it five times.

The feat was pretty unreal ... but the fact that he didn't break parallel clearly caught ex-Redskins DL Ziggy Hood's eyes -- 'cause the dude comically went off on Allen for the lift!!!

"Jon what are we doing here." Hood asked. "We quarter squat with a spotter holding on like a prom date photo."

Man, tough crowd.

To his credit, Allen took the jokes in stride ... and fired back, "Do you play football with your ass below your knees.... nope."

Hood wasn't done, though, adding, "I bet my 33 yr old ass got a better get off."

We love the banter ... and if we gotta input our two cents -- the squat was probably a little too high if we're scoring at home.

Washington Redskins head coach Ron Rivera says he will support his players kneeling during the national anthem this season ... this, after star running back Adrian Peterson announced his plan to protest.

"It's their choice, it's their decision and I support it because its in our constitution and that's what our military personnel fought for. For our rights," Rivera told the media on Wednesday.

Coach adds he educated himself on the issue prior to signing Eric Reid (who knelt with Colin Kaepernick while on the 49ers) to the Carolina Panthers in 2018 ... saying he even read the Constitution, Bill of Rights, the Amendments, and the oath of office to get a better understanding.

Rivera says he had an eye-opening conversation with Reid that explained what the protest stood for ... and now he's totally cool with the movement.

It's an important stance -- just last week, Peterson said he's "without a doubt" going to kneel this upcoming season after the death of George Floyd.

Could this be the start of a lethal Redskins connection in 2020?!?

Here's video of Antonio Brown working on deep balls with Washington QB Dwayne Haskins ... and we gotta say, the two certainly have chemistry that could carry over to FedExField!!!

The free-agent receiver hooked up with the 'Skins quarterback Wednesday for a workout in Florida ... and the two got in some impressive throw-and-catch work.

Check out the clips Brown posted from the training sesh ... there were some 50-yard dimes that had people going crazy over the completions!!

Of course, there were other pros in attendance -- Geno Smith and Stefon Diggs (plus Chad Ochocinco!) namely -- so we're not too sure how much to read into this being an indicator of future NFL plans.

Then again, Brown has been working his ass off to get back into the league ever since the Patriots cut him last September ... and the Redskins could certainly use the help.

AB claims to have walked the straight and narrow since a myriad of legal issues cropped up over the last year ... issuing apologies to the NFL, his family and even local law enforcement.

The NFL, though, is still investigating all of the allegations against Brown ... and a lengthy suspension could be on the horizon.

But, after that, could D.C. be the receiver's landing spot???

Shocking new details in the arrest of Cody Latimer ... cops say a witness claimed the NFL player threatened to "kill everybody" after a dispute over a poker game -- this according to court docs obtained by TMZ Sports.

Cops arrived at a Douglas County, CO residence around midnight Friday, the docs show, after they received a call about possible shots fired.

Once they showed up ... officers say in the docs they interviewed Latimer's friend, Roderick English, who explained to them the Washington Redskins receiver snapped after an argument over a card game.

Cops say English told them he was playing host to a poker night at his place with his GF, Latimer and a few other buddies ... when Latimer got into a dispute with another person.

English claims he broke up the altercation and booted everybody out ... but told cops Cody showed up a half-hour later, pissed off.

Cops say English told them Latimer pulled out a firearm and said he had saved two rounds of ammunition for English and his GF. Cops also say English told them Latimer threatened to "kill everybody."

English told officers Latimer calmed down ... said he wouldn't kill anyone and "removing the magazine and clearing the chamber" of his gun.

But, according to the docs, Latimer grew angry again ... and that's when English says Latimer fired two shots near him.

Cops say English told them he then wrestled with Latimer ... but claims the 27-year-old hit him on the head with the gun, causing a contusion and a cut on his head.

Ultimately, the altercation was broken up ... and officers arrested Cody, booking him on several felony charges, including assault and illegal discharge of a firearm.

For his part, Cody's attorney said in a statement to ESPN's Adam Schefter regarding the incident, "There’s an entire back story to this situation that constitutes one of the most highly provocative situations you can imagine. Please withhold judgment until all the facts of what took place that night are known."

Latimer, who was a second-round pick of the Denver Broncos in 2014, has a court hearing set for Monday in the case.

Washington Redskins star Cody Latimer was hauled off to jail this weekend after cops say he was involved in assaulting someone and illegally using a firearm.

The wide receiver was arrested early Saturday morning just after midnight in Englewood, Colorado, where cops were summoned to an apartment complex Cody was at. It's unclear what led up to the arrest or why police were called -- but Cody was taken into custody.

He was booked on several charges ... assault in the second degree, illegal discharge of a firearm, prohibited use of a weapon, reckless endangerment and menacing. He was processed at the Douglas County Detention Facility -- and has reportedly already bailed out on a $25,000 bond.

The Redskins have responded to Latimer's arrest, saying ... "We are aware of the situation and have informed the NFL League Office. We will continue to gather more information and have no further comment at this time."

Cody's had a run-in with the law before in Colorado -- he was arrested in 2016 during a domestic disturbance call he made on his GF ... back when he was a Bronco. Later, it was revealed Cody was only taken in on an outstanding warrant for a failure to appear in court from a traffic ticket.

Alex Smith's wife is celebrating the QB's 36th birthday by showing just how hard he's working to get back on the field ... and praising him for refusing to give up after his life-threatening leg injury.

It's been a roller coaster 18 months for the Smiths after the Redskins QB broke his leg during a game in November 2018 ... an injury that required 17 follow-up surgeries due to a flesh-eating bacteria.

Despite being told it would be nearly impossible to return to football, Smith has been working out like crazy to prove everyone wrong ... and Elizabeth gave an inside look at his progress on Thursday,

"Happy Happy Birthday to this handsome, hard working man❤️" Elizabeth said on IG ... while thanking fans for their support following the debut of ESPN's "Project 11" documentary.

"The last week we’ve been overwhelmed with love, support and sweet messages. We cannot thank you enough."

Elizabeth shared several shots of Smith crushing workouts on his repaired leg (with a bit of help from his 2 sons) ... from cone drills to throwing -- and the dude looks GOOD.

"#project11 was a look into what the last 18 months have been (mostly Alex refusing to give up)." Elizabeth continued.

"I am in awe of his perseverance everyday. He just keeps getting stronger and refuses to give up... Forever grateful"

As for Alex, he knows his NFL future is uncertain ... but he's made it clear he's not giving up without a fight.

WARNING -- if you can't handle painfully gross injury pictures, please sit this one out.

Still here?? Okay. Let's get into it.

A new image of Washington Redskins QB Alex Smith's injury from 4 days after his devastating broken leg surgery in 2018 has surfaced ... and it's beyond displeasing.

Of course, Smith has previously stated he's lucky to be alive -- let alone have his right leg -- following the unfortunate in-game incident against the Texans ... as his road to recovery was hindered by infections that required 17 follow-up surgeries.

A picture of Smith's infected leg just days after surgery was aired on ESPN Monday -- as part of a promo for the E:60 documentary, "Project 11," premiering on Friday -- and it shows how bad the infection was.

35-year-old Smith has previously said that he's focused on getting better and maintains the goal of getting back on to the football field ... but understands there are no guarantees.

The former #1 overall pick has since made a brief return to throwing ... and even made an appearance at Redskins organized team activities in 2019 ... but it would be a miracle to see him suit up in a game again.

Chase Young isn't just planning on seizing the moment now that he's in the NFL -- he wants to TERRORIZE IT!!

The newest Washington Redskins star -- the #2 overall pick in the NFL Draft -- filed an application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to lock down the phrase, "Terrorize the Moment."

According to records, the 21-year-old defensive end filed his application back in February hoping to use the phrase on everything from hats to hoodies, jackets, pants and more.

In other words, Chase is trying to launch his own brand -- and with the heat this guy has behind him right now, can you blame him?!

It's a smart move by Young to lock down potential catchphrases early -- just look at when Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson got beat to the punch on "Big Truss."

Jackson says the person who owns that trademark threatened a lawsuit -- so he switched it up and went after "Truzz" instead.

As for "Terrorize the Moment" -- Young is known for wreaking havoc on opponents ... and if you need proof, WATCH THE HIGHLIGHT VIDEO!

Bruce Smith is down to don Redskins garb once again ... this time, he tells TMZ Sports he'll throw on the D.C. gear to become Chase Young's personal mentor!!

Of course, the Ohio St. superstar ain't officially a member of the Redskins yet -- but it's nearly unanimous among NFL pundits that Washington will select him with the No. 2 overall pick Thursday.

And, once that happens, Bruce says he's open to calling team owner Dan Snyder to offer up his services as Young's personal pass-rush coach.

"I've given that some thought," Smith says, "in giving Dan Snyder a call and telling Dan that I can probably help this young man out to becoming that impact player that they would like for him to become a lot sooner rather than three or four years down the line."

If Dan were smart ... he'd make the hire ASAP -- Bruce is the greatest pass-rusher EVER, recording an NFL record 200 career sacks, and he's a proven commodity as a coach, having already mentored some of the league's current best.

"I think the knowledge that I have been able to gain over the course of my career and even after my career is over has been very helpful to some of the players that are in the league now," Smith says.

"I spent some time with Von Miller, I spent some time with a number of other players. But, it's the details -- the details -- that will set you apart from being average to good to great."

As for Smith's opinion of Chase's game right now ... Bruce LOVES the guy, saying, "Well, arguably, he is the best player in the draft."

By the way, Smith also sent a personal shout-out to all the people battling on the frontlines against the coronavirus ... and his message is touching.

Joe Theismann tells TMZ Sports the Redskins would be making a HUGE mistake if they passed on Chase Young for Tua Tagovailoa next month ... saying he simply doesn't think the QB is worth it.

"Without hesitation," the Redskins legend says, "I take Chase Young."

As for why, Theismann tells us Tua has just too many question marks surrounding him heading into April's NFL draft.

"He's not a generational quarterback," Theismann said. "[Joe] Burrow might be. I think so. But, Tua is not. I'm not sold on the strength of his arm."

Joe tells us he believes Young is the best player in the draft regardless ... and with the Redskins moving to a 4-3 defense, he thinks the pick should be a no-brainer.

Of course, some in D.C. disagree with Theismann ... mostly because Dwayne Haskins was pretty bad in his limited playing time as a rookie last season.

But, Joe tells us he ain't ready to give up on the ex-Ohio State superstar just yet ... and says Ron Rivera and the 'Skins shouldn't be either.

Ex-NFL star Fred Smoot just got a slap on the wrist despite being arrested by a BUNCH of cops back in October ... TMZ Sports has learned.

We broke the story, the former Washington Redskin DB's Loudoun County, Virginia house was surrounded by cops in Oct. 2018 after they say he failed to appear for several court dates.

You can see in pics we obtained of the arrest ... the cops looked pretty serious about the case -- which all stemmed from some minor traffic violations.

But, Smoot was hardly punished for the whole ordeal ... despite being found guilty of several charges at a trial this week.

According to court records, Smoot was found guilty of failing to appear, driving without a license and driving with expired registration ... but his punishment was ultimately nothing more than fines.

Smoot WAS sentenced to 6 days in jail for the failure to appear ... but he got credit for time served from when he was initially arrested, and he will NOT have to spend any additional days behind bars.

Lots of action on Black Monday ...

The Washington Redskins officially fired team president Bruce Allen on Monday after a dismal 3-13 season, ending his 10-year run with the franchise.

The good news ... the 'Skins are reportedly making a serious run at hiring Ron Rivera to fill their head coaching position. Rivera is considered one of the top available coaches, despite being axed by the Carolina Panthers earlier this season.

The Redskins have been a smoldering dumpster fire over the years -- they haven't won a playoff game since 2005 and the fans are so depressed about the state of the team, home game attendance has dropped like crazy.

They fired head coach Jay Gruden earlier this season after an 0-5 start. Interim HC Bill Callahan didn't fare much better.

Seems owner Dan Snyder is pointing the finger at Allen in a pretty aggressive statement.

"As this season concludes, Bruce Allen has been relieved of his duties as President of the Washington Redskins and is no longer with the organization," Snyder said.

"Like our passionate fan base, I recognize we have not lived up to the high standards set by great Redskins teams, coaches and players who have come before us."

"As we reevaluate our team leadership, culture and process for winning football games, I am excited for the opportunities that lie ahead to renew our singular focus and purpose of bringing championship football back to Washington D.C."

Trent Williams has been slapped with a demand letter to get rid of his 9 pit bull mastiffs after his neighbor's dog was mauled and killed last week ... TMZ Sports has learned.

The NFL star's Missouri City, TX neighbor is threatening a lawsuit after her 3-year-old black lab was dragged through her backyard fence and ripped to shreds on Wednesday.

Authorities are currently investigating the dog's death -- as well as the circumstances surrounding the incident -- and Linda Flowers' attorney says they're hell-bent on getting justice.

"Right now we're hoping the authorities handle it," John Kovach tells us. "If the authorities don't handle it, that's when I come in and my firm will handle it."

"In the lawsuit, I'll seek an injunction that restrains him from having those dogs at his house."

Williams claims it was Flowers' dog that initiated the attack, but Kovach says the evidence doesn't back up his claim.

Williams also addressed the incident with local reporters last week ... saying it was "dogs doing what dogs do."

TMZ Sports has obtained the 911 call Flowers made after the incident ... and it's very emotional.

The guy who took a selfie with Dwayne Haskins while the QB was supposed to be on the field is telling critics to shut the hell up, saying it's about time the Redskins put their fans first!

"I think it is important to, at least for once, prioritize the fans," Jaime López-Verduzco tells TMZ Sports.

If you missed it ... Haskins finally led the Redskins to a win over the Lions on Sunday -- but the QB's been under fire because he missed the final snaps of the victory to take selfies with fans.

In fact, legendary Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann said of the whole incident, "That’s unprofessional & wrong."

But, when we spoke with the guy whose iPhone caused all the drama ... he told us straight-up he thinks the criticism is BS.

"The Redskins are unfortunately losing fans by the day," Jaime says. "Dwayne took the time to make sure that didn't happen ... Let's give the man credit where it's due."

Jaime tells us he hasn't had the opportunity to speak with Dwayne since the infamous pic ... but he says he's hoping to catch up with the QB at the Redskins' next home game on Dec. 15.

As for his plans for the selfie ... Jaime tells us he's trying to frame it with a Haskins jersey -- and have Dwayne sign them both at the game next month!!!

"Hopefully, I won't bother him during the game," Jaime says. "I'll make sure I wait until after."