TMZ Sports - Page 50

TMZ Sports has obtained the suicide note Aaron Hernandez wrote to his fiancee, Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez -- in which he tells her she will be RICH after he kills himself.

It's not hard to connect the dots. In Massachusetts, when someone dies after being convicted of a crime, they are only considered guilty postmortem if their appeal process is exhausted.

In Aaron's case, his murder conviction was pending appeal. Therefore, under MA law he died an innocent man.

As a result of dying innocent, the New England Patriots cannot justify firing him and denying him the remainder of his salary ($6 mil) so the team may have to pay that money to Aaron's estate and it appears Shay is the beneficiary ... and Aaron knew it.

So, there's a strong smell Aaron may have killed himself so his fiancee could be set for life.

Bella Thorne is hanging out with a brand new pro athlete ... and believe it or not, we ain't just talking about her boobs and butt cheeks.

The ex-Disney star was rocking a barely there see-through half shirt and some very tight white shorts during a trip to Six Flags Magic Mountain on Thursday with L.A. Lakers star Jordan Clarkson.

Unclear if they're anything more than friends ... but the two pulled up to the park together in his Lambo.

We know Bella likes NBA players -- she spent a lot of time hanging out with Chandler Parsons earlier this year ... and even kissed him in Mexico.

1:40 PM PT -- Cops in Oregon say they just caught Lyerla.

It's a crazy story ... a rep for the Hillsboro PD says they responded to a call for an overdose earlier today. When they got to the scene, they ID'ed the overdosed person as Lyerla.

Cops say he tried to run away but didn't get very far. He's currently in the hospital getting treated and will be rebooked into jail when he recovers.

Ex-Oregon Ducks tight end Colt Lyerla broke out of a jail on Thursday ... and now cops are trying to bring the 24-year-old back into custody, ASAP.

Lyerla was a key part of those insane Ducks teams from 2011 to 2013 -- winning the Pac-12 championship, the Rose Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl. He signed with Packers in 2014 but got injured before the season began.

The 24-year-old was 2 months into a 6 month sentence at a minimum security jail in Oregon stemming from a heroin arrest back in March ... but he went missing on Thursday.

Officials from the Washington County Community Corrections Center tells TMZ Sports an alarm was triggered by an open window at the jail and after a search, officers determined Lyerla had escaped.

We're told a warrant has been issued for his arrest and if/when he's caught he'll face a felony escape charge.

Lyerla has a troubled past -- with previous arrests for cocaine possession, DUI and forgery.

Neymar's international teammate, Gabriel Barbosa, just scored big time ... with his hot model sister.

21-year-old Rafaella -- who has been rumored to have a thing with the Inter Milan star for several weeks -- pretty much confirmed the relationship by posting a pic of the two sharing a smooch on Wednesday.

Neymar and Gabigol have been teammates on the Brazilian national team for years ... and it's sure seems like the soccer superstar approves of the couple if they decided to take things public.

GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!

Ezekiel Elliott had the ultimate pickup line at the Rae Sremmurd show Thursday night -- Swae Lee's ADORABLE puppy ... and the chicks looooved it!

The Dallas Cowboys superstar is tight with the rap group -- in fact, they even brought Zeke onstage during their concert in Dallas.

They also tasked him with the ultimate responsibility of watching Swae's beloved pooch, Boom, during the show ... and he accepted.

Kelly Slater -- the Michael Jordan of surfing -- is about to tell the world who the best celebrity surfer around is ... and sorry guys ... his pick ain't one of the fellas.

We had to surf talk with Kelly when we got him out in NYC promoting his Outerknown clothing line, and wanted to know who the world's most famous surfer is ... who's not actually a surfer.

Our guys gave Kelly a lot of options, like Jack Johnson, Jimmy Buffett, and Eddie Vedder ... but the first name out of his mouth was Victoria's Secret and SI Swimsuit model, Marisa Miller.

We looked it up ... Marisa's a legit real deal shredder, but we'd be lying if we didn't say some of the google results we got were kinda distracting from our research.

#OnlyHuman.

The owner of the Cincinnati Bengals is telling fans he knows the team "took a risk" in drafting Joe Mixon -- but he's hoping Joe is a changed man who won't screw up again.

Mike Brown -- who's also the team president -- wrote an open letter to fans who have expressed concerns about Cinci's decision to pick a player who brutalized a woman in 2012.

In the letter, Brown points out Mixon's upside as an athlete -- while condemning the "regrettable deed."

"In making our decision, we took a risk," Brown says ... "In this case, the risk has an upside as well as a downside."

"We believe Joe has put this behind him and that he can turn into the player and community member that creates a plus for Cincinnati. We are going to do everything in our power to make this happen."

"Our hope is that time will prove that this opportunity is deserved, and perhaps -- if given a chance -- Joe can write a chapter in Cincinnati sports history that both he and Cincinnati can be proud of."

Here's the letter in its entirety:

"In the NFL draft last Friday, the Cincinnati Bengals selected a very talented football player who did a terrible thing his freshman year at college.

The player – Joe Mixon – is a top level football player by everyone’s account. Joe’s regrettable deed was that he struck a young woman, another student, shortly after arriving on campus in Norman, Oklahoma, three years ago.

Joe and this young woman recently met in person, came to terms with the incident, and they agreed to resolve their differences so they could move forward with their lives. While the circumstances that led up to the incident are unclear – what is clear is that it is unacceptable for a man to strike a woman.

Since the incident three years ago, Joe was suspended by the football team, pleaded guilty in court, and accepted the consequences of his actions. He later went on to become a good citizen in Norman, a popular teammate, a player respected by his coaches, and one of the most talented players in college football.

The Bengals take pride in our hometown and want to provide winning football on the field and successful players off the field. That is the reason we drafted Joe – he is a rare football talent, and his conduct over the past three years leads us to believe he can help us win football games and also become a productive member of this community.

In making our decision, we took a risk. In this case, the risk has an upside as well as a downside. We believe Joe has put this behind him and that he can turn into the player and community member that creates a plus for Cincinnati. We are going to do everything in our power to make this happen. Our hope is that time will prove that this opportunity is deserved, and perhaps – if given a chance – Joe can write a chapter in Cincinnati sports history that both he and Cincinnati can be proud of.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

It's safe to say Mike Brown will NOT be shelling out $500 for Lonzo Ball's sneakers.

The Golden State Warriors assistant coach was asked about the ex-UCLA star's debut ZO2 shoes before Thursday night's win over the Jazz ... and his reaction is absolutely priceless.

The reporter asks: “Would you buy your kids a pair of shoes for $500 from an unproven NBA player after college?”

Brown lets out a great laugh before shooting down the idea. And he's not alone ... Shaq also scoffed at the expensive kicks on Twitter, saying "Real Big Baller Brands don't over charge kids for shoes."

Lonzo's dad, Lavar, responded to the haters on Twitter last night, saying "Big Baller's loose! If you can't afford the ZO2'S, you're NOT a BIG BALLER!"

Jay Cutler is officially pulling a Tony Romo -- leaving the football field for the broadcast booth ... but he won't say he's officially retired from the NFL.

The 34-year-old ex-Chicago Bears QB has signed on to join the NFL on FOX team this upcoming season as a color commentator ... reportedly replacing John Lynch, who is now running the 49ers.

Cutler issued a statement kind of explaining where he is in life right now ... but not officially announcing his retirement.

"I don't know if retirement is the right word; I don't feel that anyone ever retires from the NFL," Cutler said.

"You are either forced to leave, or you lose the desire to do what's required to keep going. I'm in between those situations at this point in my life."

Cutler was released by the Bears this off-season -- and while he reportedly spoke with other teams, didn't sign a new contract.

"Words can't express how grateful I am to everyone who helped me along my journey," Cutler added in his statement.

"To my parents, my sisters, my wife and kids – thank you for putting your wants and needs on the back burner while I played a game every Friday, Saturday or Sunday. You made it all possible."

Stacks on stacks on stacks on stacks!!

Floyd Mayweather broke the bank for the opening of his new Vegas strip club -- wheeling bags and bags of money into his whip to make sure his new joint is thunderstrormin' from the minute it opens.

Floyd is the man behind Girl Collection in Vegas -- what he describes as an "upscale" gentleman's club featuring exotic dancers from all over the world.

The club opens this week. Floyd's clearly prepared.

Aaron Hernandez went by a slew of nicknames during his time behind bars -- including "AA," "Chico," and "Big Nose" ... this according to official prison documents obtained by TMZ Sports.

Among the nicknames ...

-- Boom

-- Rokk Boy

-- Double A

-- AA

-- Big Nose

-- Chico

-- A Money

-- Can't Get Right

Boxing superstar Deontay Wilder has a message for Anthony Joshua -- LET'S DO THIS!!!!

After Joshua's impressive win over Wladimir Klitschko last weekend, Wilder tells TMZ Sports the time is finally right for a USA vs. Great Britain showdown.

"Anthony Joshua is the man that I want," Wilder says ... "My blood's boiling right now!"

Wilder is the reigning WBC heavyweight champ -- and says he's willing to put his belt on the line for a shot at Joshua in what he believes would be "the biggest mega-fight in world history!"

"You put your belts on the line, I'mma put mines on the line. And at the end of it, we'll see who come out clear of the gun smoke!"

"And I guarantee you ... out of all the gun smokes I done been through, I always been that motherf*cker with the guns on this hip with the clip!"

Leonard Fournette just did his best 'Price Is Right' impression with his mom ... 'cause she just got A NEW CAR!!!!!

Fournette -- who was taken 4th in the NFL Draft by the Jaguars -- is projected to sign a $27 million contract with an $18 million signing bonus.

So, with all that dough coming in, the former LSU superstar decided to spread the wealth by gifting his mother with what appears to be a brand new Mercedes Benz GLE Coupe (which start at $110k).

Leonard is the latest 1st round pick to hook his mom up with a sweet ride -- Deshaun Watson bought his mother a new Jag.

Aaron Hernandez wrote "John 3:16" in blood on the walls of his cell -- and also in ink on his forehead -- before he hanged himself in his Massachusetts prison cell ... this according to the police report.

TMZ Sports has obtained

which says officials at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center found Hernandez in cell #57 around 3 AM on April 19.

In addition to "John 3:16" written on the walls in blood -- officials say there were also several drawings in blood ... though the report does not specify what the drawings were of.

Officials say under the drawings was a Bible opened to the passage "John 3:16" with the 16th verse marked in blood.

"John 3:16" is essentially the centerpiece of Christianity -- "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

The door had been jammed with cardboard -- apparently to prevent people from entering the cell to save him.

When officials broke through, the floor was covered in shampoo to make it slippery -- apparently to prevent Hernandez from gaining his footing in case he wanted to stop himself from hanging.

He had also covered the window to his cell with a sheet which is what alerted officers in the first place.

The report says Hernandez had a fresh cut on his right middle finger and there appeared to be large circular blood marks on each of his feet.

The report also confirms the presence of 3 handwritten notes in the cell -- though the contents of the notes have been redacted.

Investigators -- including a handwriting expert -- analyzed the notes and determined they were written by Hernandez.

Officials say surveillance footage shows Hernandez talking on the phone "just prior to his cell door being locked" for the last time. Officials went back and listened to the call and determined there was no apparent indication of an intent to harm himself.

Tampa Bay Bucs running back Doug Martin was involved in a car accident in Tampa on Thursday afternoon and crashed into an air conditioner ... but luckily he escaped with only minor injuries.

Tampa PD says the 2-time Pro Bowler was driving his black BMW through an intersection when he was hit by another driver in a black Kia who blew through a stop sign. Martin's Beamer was forced off the road and ended up colliding with an outdoor air conditioning unit.

Law enforcement tells us Martin didn't go to a hospital and was treated on the scene for minor cuts and bruises.

As for the other driver, Tampa PD cited him for a stop sign violation.

The Bucs just issued a statement saying, "Doug was the unfortunate victim in an auto accident earlier today after leaving our team facility. While Doug's vehicle sustained a large amount of damage, we are pleased to report that he received only minor cuts and bruises. He has been evaluated by our medical staff and has headed home."

Lonzo Ball finally unveiled his long-awaited Big Baller Brand shoe -- and it can be yours if you wanna spend $500!!!!!!

The shoe -- called the ZO2 -- is more expensive than ANY SHOE currently for sale on the Nike.com online store (for the record, Nike's priciest shoe is the Air Jordan 5 Retro at $400).

And that's not all ... Lonzo's BBB brand is offering a premium collector's version of the shoe for $500 more ... in which you get an autographed pair and a special display case with LED lights.

Lonzo's father, LaVar Ball, has said he plans to move forward with BBB because no major shoe company would give him the "true partnership" he wanted.

Big Baller Brand is also selling sandals for $220 a pop. BBB says they're they're the "ultimate in style and comfort" feature a "non-slip Crystal Gold outsole."

LaVar is clearly gunning for upscale clientele -- we'll see if he hits his target.