Chiefs Kicker Harrison Butker I Hope Travis And Taylor Get Hitched ... Start A Family!!!

Travis Kelce's teammate is hoping his relationship with Taylor Swift results in love, marriage and a baby in a carriage ... 'cause Harrison Butker can't get enough of the tight end's girlfriend!!

The Chiefs kicker revealed his wishes for the two lovebirds in an interview with EWTN's "In Depth" recently ... when he was asked his thoughts on the pop superstar's presence at Kansas City games this season.

Butker admitted he was initially nervous to meet Swift at first (despite not really identifying as a Swiftie) ... but praised how down-to-earth the "Karma" crooner is in person.

He pointed out the feeling was mutual ... as Swift was mind-blown over the fact he's able to kick balls so far and accurately.

Butker pointed out he hung out with Swift for a bit at a New Year's Eve party ... and it was "a great experience" and he couldn't say enough good things about her.

As for Traylor's future, Butker is wishing nothing but long-term success for the power couple ...  saying "I hope they get married and start a family."

The comments are pretty interesting -- Butker has no issue putting that kinda pressure on Kelce, so maybe the guys have talked about the tight end's true feelings toward Swift and what his intentions are in the relationship.

Perhaps an engagement really is coming someday!!

Lieghton Vander Esch I'm Retiring ... Due To Neck Injury

Leighton Vander Esch is retiring at just 28 years old -- the Dallas Cowboys linebacker announced he is unable to return to the football field after his latest neck injury.

The team shared the news on Monday ... days after the former first round pick was released with a failed physical designation.

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The All-Pro and Pro Bowler dropped a statement on the news ... saying, "I love the game of football so much, and my body won't cooperate any longer."

"I cherished every moment of my NFL career, and it has been such a blessing to play the game for as long as I have played."

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Vander Esch was solid for the Cowboys D on the field ... but his six-year career was unfortunately riddled with injuries, including the neck ailment he suffered back in October that ended his 2023 season.

Jerry Jones spoke highly of LVE ... saying, "Seldom do you come across a player like Leighton, who grew up playing eight-man football only to first play the 11-man game at the major collegiate level and excel."

"His passion and love for the game was contagious, and from the moment he arrived, he has been a difference maker. His grit, toughness, motivation, determination and football IQ will be sorely missed. Leighton also embodied the strong character and personal qualities that make him much more than an accomplished player."

LVE finishes his career with 557 tackles ... including 176 in his first season alone, a franchise record for a rookie.

Jones continued ... "He was a leader and the kind of teammate that impacted those around him in the best ways. Leighton's playing career may have come to an end, but his future is very bright. On behalf of the entire Dallas Cowboys organization, we're proud that he wore the star on his helmet, we thank him and we wish all the best to Leighton, his wife, Madalynn, and their young daughter."

Sonequa Martin-Green Praises Travis Kelce For Producing Film ... Great For Hollywood!!!

Excited To Meet Him
TMZSports.com

Not only is Travis Kelce a great NFL player, he's also got a huge future as a film producer ... so says actress Sonequa Martin-Green, who tells TMZ Sports he has all the tools it takes to make it in Hollywood!!

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end is an EP for the new flick, "My Dead Friend Zoe" ... and Martin-Green played the lead role of Merit.

The movie is a dark comedy that follows a U.S. Army veteran who struggles with her family due to the spiritual presence of her dead Army friend, Zoe.

The project has solid ratings ... including a 9.2 out of 10 on IMDb.

SMG said Kelce's passion for supporting the military is why he wanted to join the production team ... and that kind of mindset is what's needed in the movie business.

"He wanted to support veterans," SMG said. "That's what I heard -- he wanted to support veterans and someone pointed him to our film."

"It's all about the 'why' and I feel like if anybody has the right 'why,' they'll succeed."

Martin-Green -- famous for her role as Sasha in "The Walking Dead" -- hopes to meet Kelce one day ... to tell him how grateful she is for what he did.

BTW, Kelce is also working on a future project called "King Pleasure," a documentary on Jean-Michel Basquiat, alongside Ray Maiello and Mike Field. Filming for that begins this summer.

We're pretty sure his production credits will only continue to grow.

Joe Alwyn Surfaces in L.A. ... While Taylor & Travis Are in Town

Joe Alwyn is in L.A. while his ex, Taylor Swift, and her current boyfriend, Travis Kelce are in town ... and it seems there's a common connection in one Emma Stone.

The British actor surfaced Friday near a coffee shop in Studio City, where he appeared to be on his own and minding his business -- but by the same token, he wasn't really going incognito ... while JA was rocking a ball cap and shades, he removed both.

What this seems to mean ... Joe wasn't shy about having his mug out there, and he didn't appear to mind being photographed either. The dude's just out there doing his thing.

This is interesting for a few different reasons -- one, he's technically on Taylor's turf here, and not just that ... but she's out here in L.A. right now with none other than TK -- who's been a man about town as well. Of course, if these 2 were to run into each other ... awk.

Taylor and Joe were together for 6 years before they split up in 2023 -- and in the aftermath of her getting with Travis ... she's got a new album coming out that seems primed to take JA to task, at least that's what the Swifties seem to think anyway.

In any case ... Joe doesn't seem to care if he crosses paths with T-Swift and Travis -- 'cause, frankly, he actually has a reason to be in town, and it's work-related.

If you didn't hear, Emma Stone is gonna be in this new movie with the same director who just helped win her an Oscar ... and Joe's gonna be in it too. In fact, this will mark the second time that Joe has worked with ES on a Yorgos Lanthimos movie ... they already did "The Favourite" together a few years back, and YL is reteaming with these two again for his latest.

Interestingly enough ... Taylor and Emma have a good friendship as it is, and now -- Emma's slated to work with her ex, who's now cruising around L.A. as Tay Tay is on a lil' break.

Here's hoping there are no weird run-ins ... this town is a lot smaller than you think!

Marquise Brown Signs With Chiefs ... Celebrates With Taylor Swift Jam Sesh!!!

CELEBRATIN' WITH TAY
Twitch / hollywoodbrown5

Marquise Brown celebrated his Chiefs signing in perhaps the most fitting way possible ... rockin' out to some Taylor Swift tunes with a bunch of Kansas City fans!!

Just minutes after the former Arizona Cardinals wideout agreed to join up with Swift's boyfriend, Travis Kelce, for the 2024 season ... he took to Twitch to memorialize the moment with some of his biggest supporters.

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He started out by dancing along to some of his favorite songs -- before he took music requests from commenters in the chat.

Some suggested "Red Kingdom" and "Swag Surf" -- Arrowhead Stadium staples -- but others told him to play some T Swizzle.

And, eventually, he got around to it ... and it's clear as day he was digging it.

Brown swayed back and forth to "Blank Space" -- getting familiar with a voice that will assuredly be around a whole lot in '24 if Swift and Kelce remain strong.

Brown also took some time on his stream to thank several people -- including Andy Reid -- for making Friday's signing happen.

"I'm ready to work," he said. "I'm ready to meet my teammates. Meet the coaches. Get ready to work. Earn my stripes. Earn trust within the team, within the organization."

Sure seems one of the first steps of that process -- familiarizing himself with his star teammate's famous GF -- is already going well!!

Joe Alwyn Aparece en L.A. ... Mientras Taylor y Travis están en la ciudad

Joe Alwyn está en Los Ángeles, al mismo tiempo que su ex Taylor Swift y su actual novio Travis Kelce y parece que hay una conexión común con Emma Stone.

El actor británico apareció el viernes cerca de una cafetería en Studio City, donde parecía andar solo y ocupado de sus propios asuntos, y por la misma razón, no iba exactamente de incógnito, así que se sacó la gorra de béisbol y las gafas que llevaba puestas.

Lo que esto parece significar es que Joe no estaba siendo tímido con pasear por ahí y tampoco pareció importarle ser fotografiado. El tipo estaba por ahí haciendo de las suyas.

Esto es interesante por varias razones, una, que está técnicamente en el territorio de Taylor y no solo eso, que ella también está en Los Ángeles en este momento con nada menos que Travis Kelce, que ha sido el hombre del momento en la ciudad. Por supuesto, si estos dos se encontraran ... sería incómodo.

Taylor y Joe estuvieron juntos 6 años antes de que se separaran en 2023 y ella se emparejara con Travis. La cantante tiene un nuevo álbum que parece incluir algunas críticas a Joe, o al menos eso es lo que los Swifties parecen pensar.

En cualquier caso, a Joe no parece importarle si se cruza con T-Swift y Travis, porque francamente tiene una razón para estar en la ciudad y se relaciona con el trabajo.

Por si no se han enterado, Emma Stone va a estar en una nueva película con el mismo director que la acaba de ayudar a ganar un Oscar, y Joe va a estar en ella también. De hecho, esta sería la segunda vez que Joe trabaja con Emma Stone en una película de Yorgos Lanthimos. Ambos ya hicieron "The Favourite" juntos hace unos años y Yorgos Lanthimos está reclutando a estos dos de nuevo para su nuevo proyecto.

Curiosamente, Taylor y Emma tienen una buena amistad y ahora Emma estará trabajando con su ex, que está paseando por todo Los Ángeles mientras TayTay está en un descanso.

Esperemos que no haya roces extraños, ¡esta ciudad es mucho más pequeña de lo que crees!

Aaron Donald I'm Retiring

Shocking news in the NFL world ... Aaron Donald -- arguably the best defensive player of his generation -- is retiring.

The Los Angeles superstar just announced his decision on social media ... revealing that after 10 seasons with the Rams, he's hanging up his cleats.

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In his announcement post, the 32-year-old thanked L.A.'s org. and its fans ... before explaining he's now hoping that without football in his life, he'll be able to spend plenty more time with his wife and kids.

"Throughout my career," Donald said, "I have given my everything to football both mentally and physically -- 365 days a year was dedicated to becoming the best possible player I could be."

"I respected this game like no other and I'm blessed to be able to conclude my NFL career with the same franchise that drafted me."

Donald was picked by the Rams in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft and he immediately became one of the team's best players. In his first year, he started 12 games and won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.

He went on to make the Pro Bowl in every season he played in ... and was named an All-Pro eight total times. He also won Defensive Player of the Year honors three times.

Most didn't expect him to retire this offseason -- as he was still playing at an extremely high level. However, rumors of him possibly turning in his helmet have swirled since 2022, when it was revealed that he had previously only envisioned playing eight seasons.

The only question that remains surrounding his career is not if he'll get a gold jacket in five years -- but whether or not he'll be remembered as the greatest defensive tackle ever.

Congrats, A.D.

Saquon Barkley Pens Note To Giants Fans ... Please Respect My Decision

Saquon Barkley is trying to make peace with upset Giants fans ... saying in an emotional note to Big Blue late Thursday night that his move to the rival Eagles was simply a "business" decision.

The 27-year-old running back posted the message to his Instagram page ... two days after he spurned New York in favor of a three-year, $37.75 million deal with Philadelphia.

In his letter, Barkley thanked the Giants' org and their supporters for all the love they showed him the past six seasons ... before he seemed to explain that his move out of NY was all about dollars and cents.

"The last three days have been a whirlwind of emotions," he said, "but I wanted to take a minute to acknowledge all the Giants fans that have supported me and my family over the last six years."

"When I was drafted here," he continued, "I wanted my impact off the field to rival the accomplishments we had on it, and I can only hope that I came close to doing that."

"Ultimately the NFL is a business, and I hope that everyone can respect my decision."

The two-time Pro Bowler, of course, has received plenty of hate for leaving the Giants in free agency ... most notably from legendary tailback Tiki Barber, who said the former No. 2 overall pick was now "dead" to him.

SEE YA, SAQUON!!!
WFAN

Barkley famously clapped back on X, blasting Barber ... while adding he shouldn't be getting backlash because he "got the deal" he "wanted" from the Eagles -- not the Giants.

"You been a hater since I got to New York …," he wrote to Tiki, "and all the 'Dead to me' talk don’t smile in my face when you see me."

Seems Barkley's taking a more civil approach with angry Giants fans now ... only about six more months 'til we see how it'll work out for him.

Jason Kelce Beloved Dog Dies ... 'Lost Part Of My Soul'

Jason Kelce's beloved dog, Winnie, has sadly passed away ... and the Kelce family is heartbroken over the loss, with his wife writing in an emotional social media post that she's "lost part of my soul."

It's unclear how the pooch passed ... but Kylie Kelce said on her Instagram page Thursday night the pup "is at peace" now.

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"When I was in high school I had a folder on my desktop labeled 'Gods gift to earth,'" Kylie said in an IG post. "It was images of Irish Wolfhounds that I had collected from Google. I had fallen in love with the breed when I was a young and never let my fascination with them fade. It all lead me to Winnie and holy s*** did she live up to the hype."

"I love you, Winn," she continued. "You will always be my first born child."

Travis Kelce sent out his condolences in the comment section, writing, "You [gave] Winn an amazing life Ky!!" The Chiefs star's ex, Kayla Nicole, sent her support with a comment too.

Winnie played a huge role in the Kelce family ... she was the "flower girl" at Jason and Kylie's 2018 wedding. She was also mentioned on Jason and Travis' "New Heights" podcast often ... in fact, the brothers just brought her up on a recent episode when comparing her to animals Travis had seen on his Australian zoo date with Taylor Swift.

Winnie and the Kelces' other dog even had their own Instagram page.

"She was everything I had hoped for in a wolfie," Kylie said in mourning the dog's passing, "and more."

RIP.

Dak Prescott Police Launch Probe Into Sexual Assault Claim ... QB Says Extortion

UPDATE

3/15 6:35 AM -- Dak Prescott's attorney, Levi McCathern, released a statement on the new investigation ... claiming the accuser and her legal team only filed a police report (in a different jurisdiction) after learning their "extortion plot" failed.

"Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see what is going on," McCathern said. "Clearly they think that this will somehow mitigate their criminal responsibility for attempting this illegal shakedown."

"It won’t, and it is a true disservice to the real survivors of sexual abuse."

There are now dueling criminal investigations surrounding Dak Prescott and a Texas woman ... with Dallas police launching a probe into sexual assault allegations made against the Cowboys quarterback.

As we previously reported, Dak filed a lawsuit on Monday ... claiming Victoria Shores tried to extort $100 million out of him to not go to police over an alleged encounter that occurred on Feb. 2, 2017.

Prescott and his team have maintained Prescott has never engaged in any nonconsensual acts with anyone in his life ... adding they went to authorities to report Shores' "criminal actions."

TMZ Sports has confirmed the Dallas Police Department received a report on Tuesday of an alleged sexual assault outside the XTC Cabaret strip club on Feb. 2, 2017 ... and the investigation remains ongoing.

Meanwhile, Prosper, Texas officials are investigating Precott's claims ... and the whole back-and-forth will now play out both criminally and civilly.

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones briefly addressed Prescott's status with the team on Thursday ... saying the ongoing situation would not impact his current contract negotiations, but had no further comment considering it is a legal matter.

Prescott is suing Shores and her attorneys for defamation, slander, civil extortion/duress and more.

Originally Published -- 3/14 2:19 PM PT

Robert Kraft Emotional Over TB12 Leaving Pats ... 'Greatest Cycle In History of NFL is Ending'

End of an Era
Apple TV+

Robert Kraft poured his heart out while reflecting on the end of Tom Brady's career in New England ... admitting he knew the quarterback's departure would pull the plug on "the greatest cycle in the history of the NFL."

The Patriots owner opened up on TB12's 20-year run with his franchise in the latest episode of the Apple TV+ doc, "The Dynasty: New England Patriots" ... reminiscing on his first memory with the future 7-time Super Bowl champion.

Kraft said upon his arrival in Foxborough, Brady approached him and said it was "the best decision the organization has ever made in drafting him #199 in the sixth round" ... and it's safe to say the guy backed his words.

Over the next two decades, Brady led the franchise to six Super Bowl victories ... and Kraft acknowledged how special it was to watch him develop into the leader he became.

But, of course, all good things come to an end ... and when it came time for Brady to leave his first NFL home for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020, Kraft knew the impact it would have on the organization.

"'I thought, 'Wow, the greatest cycle in the history of the NFL is ending,'" Kraft said.

Brady previously opened up on his decision to switch teams for the final three years of his career ... saying he was ready to split off from Bill Belichick over how things transpired in recent years.

The Bucs won it all the next season ... and the Patriots have struggled to find the same success in the post-Brady era.

The final two episodes of the show drop on Friday.

Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce Team Up For K.C. Steakhouse ... 1587 Prime!!!

Patrick Mahomes is connecting with Travis Kelce for another off-field highlight -- the pair of Chiefs superstars are getting in the restaurant industry once again with a new steakhouse in Kansas City.

The hot spot is named 1587 Prime (a nod the duo's jersey numbers) ... but their business partners over at the Noble 33 hospitality group say their involvement goes far beyond that.

Entrepreneur Tosh Berman -- who runs several popular restaurants with Noble 33 -- says Mahomes and Kelce have been "instrumental" with input about the place's concept ... and have shared cool, original ideas to bring to the business.

The two-story, 10,000-square foot eatery -- which will be located inside the Loews Hotel in downtown -- is slated to open in early 2025 ... and it sounds super fancy, with a meat display as the focal point of the whole thing, as well as "hyper-subtle" nods to the Super Bowl champions' on-field accomplishments.

There will also be a massive wine collection, which will be one of the largest in the state.

Mahomes -- who also teamed up with his favorite target by investing in Chicken N Pickle -- spoke about the decision to join forces with Kelce again ... saying, "Travis and I have become frequent visitors of Noble 33 restaurants in other cities so it only made sense to bring something special to our own community in Kansas City."

Kelce added ... "We're excited to be a part of this journey with Noble 33 to create a one-of-a-kind dining experience, and what better place to start than our very own, Kansas City."

The guys are essentially attached at the hip both on and off the field ... and now they got the perfect place to double date with Brittany Mahomes and Taylor Swift!!

We're covering all things Taylor and Travis on the new "TMZ Swift-Tea" podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Aaron Rodgers Clarifies Stance On Sandy Hook ... Never Said It Didn't Happen

Aaron Rodgers is attempting to clear up his position on Sandy Hook, a day after a scathing report claimed the superstar QB denied the horrific shooting ever happened, saying that's simply not true, calling it "an absolute tragedy."

"As I’m on the record saying in the past, what happened in Sandy Hook was an absolute tragedy. I am not and have never been of the opinion that the events did not take place," 40-year-old Rodgers tweeted from Costa Rica.

"Again, I hope that we learn from this and other tragedies to identify the signs that will allow us to prevent unnecessary loss of life. My thoughts and prayers continue to remain with the families affected along with the entire Sandy Hook community."

The statement comes after CNN published a report on Wednesday citing two people who claimed AR was adamant the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, CT was fake, attributing the following quote to the 4x NFL MVP.

"All those children never existed. They were all actors.”

Rodgers tweet seems to directly contradict the CNN story ... but not all of it. The network also reported Aaron believes, or at least did in 2013, that the shooting was an "inside job" perpetrated by the United States government.

The Jets signal-callers message does not address whether he ever claimed the shooting was an inside job.

COMMENTING ON CONSPIRACIES
TMZ.com

20 kids and six adults were tragically killed on December 14, 2012 by a 20-year-old shooter ... who then took his own life.

Jon Gruden Back Working With Euro Football Team ... 1st Job Since Raiders Exit

Jon Gruden is back to work ... but it ain't in the NFL -- or America, for that matter -- it's with a European football team as an advisor.

The Milano Seamen of the European League of Football announced the hire on Wednesday ... saying the former Super Bowl-winning coach has joined the staff to "help us to improve our organization in every aspect."

The team also shared a pic of 60-year-old Gruden decked out in Seamen gear ... and revealed he's already started to work with current staffers.

It's Gruden's first full-time gig since his controversial departure from the Las Vegas Raiders in October 2021 ... after it was revealed he used homophobic, racist and misogynistic language in past emails.

Gruden sued the NFL a month later ... accusing the league and commissioner Roger Goodell of orchestrating a campaign to torpedo his career.

A United States House Oversight and Reform Committee report later alleged it was the Washington Commanders that released the messages to the media.

Gruden has long maintained his desire to remain in coaching ... and he will now at least be back in the sport with the Italian team.

Gruden spent a bit of time with the New Orleans Saints in 2023, but ultimately did not join the staff with a full-time position.

FYI -- the ELF is relatively new. It was founded in 2020 and currently houses 17 teams across the continent.

Former NFL coach Gary Kubiak also works with the Panthers Wrocław in Poland, where he's been an advisor since 2022.

Travis Kelce Aparece en la reunión de Justin Timberlake y *NSYNC ... Sin Taylor Swift

Travis Kelce se tomó un descanso de Taylor Swift el miércoles por la noche para ir al concierto de Justin Timberlake en Los Ángeles, donde vio una actuación especial de *NSYNC.

El jugador estrella de los Kansas City Chiefs apareció en el show y vio la primera actuación en vivo del grupo desde los VMAs 2013.

¿Sin Taylor?
Instagram/@khrisriddicktynes

Junto a Justin, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone, Chris Kirkpatrick y Lance Bass le mostraron sus numerosos pasos de baile a las entusiastas chicas del público.

Resulta que Travis es tan fan como todas las teenyboppers. Echa un vistazo a este video publicado por un productor musical en Instagram stories, que captura a Travis mirando fijamente al escenario, aparentemente cautivado por la banda.

Los chicos están de vuelta
Instagram/@itstetrisbish

Travis pudo disfrutar de los cantantes, quienes interpretaron algunos de sus mayores éxitos como "Bye Bye Bye" y "It's Gonna Be Me," así como su nueva canción, "Paradise."

Fuentes con conocimiento nos dicen que Travis saludó a los chicos después de su actuación detrás del escenario.

Dejando el concierto
BACKGRID

Después del concierto, Travis fue visto en el asiento del pasajero alejándose del show, probablemente para ir a ver a su famosa novia en su lujosa morada.

Taylor ha estado teniendo algún tiempo libre de su gira internacional "Eras" después de sus recientes actuaciones en Singapur, donde Travis estuvo a su lado.

Los tortolitos volvieron a Estados Unidos para asistir a la fiesta posterior a los Oscar de Madonna en Hollywood Hills el pasado domingo. Aunque ambos han estado en Los Ángeles, no se les ha visto muy juntos en los últimos días.

Travis Kelce Pops Up At JT, *NSYNC Reunion Show ... Minus Taylor Swift

Travis Kelce took a break from Taylor Swift Wednesday night, getting his groove on at Justin Timberlake's concert in Los Angeles -- where he saw a special performance by *NSYNC.

The Kansas City Chiefs star tight end popped in for the show and saw the pop group's first live performance since the 2013 VMAs.

NO TAYLOR ???
Instagram/@khrisriddicktynes

Alongside Justin, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone, Chris Kirkpatrick and Lance Bass showed off their many dance moves to all the screaming girls in the Wiltern theater audience.

Turns out Travis is a huge fan too -- it IS his era, after all. Check out this video posted by a music producer on IG showing Travis staring at the stage, looking pretty captivated by the surprise *NYSYNC reunion.

Boys Are Back In Town
Instagram/@itstetrisbish

Travis got to enjoy the singers performing some of their biggest hits like "Bye Bye Bye" and "It's Gonna Be Me," as well as a new song, "Paradise."

Sources with knowledge tell us Travis greeted the guys in a hallway backstage after the performance.

LEAVING THE CONCERT
BACKGRID

Travis was seen leaving the Wiltern in the passenger seat of a vehicle, probably to go see his famous girlfriend at her ritzy abode.

HELLO HELLO HELLO!!!
TMZ.com

Taylor has been taking some time off from her international "Eras" tour after her recent performances in Singapore, where Travis was right beside her.

The lovebirds then jetted back to stateside to attend Madonna's Oscars after-party in the Hollywood Hills last Sunday. While both have stayed in L.A., they haven't been seen out much with each other in the last few days.

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