TMZ Sports - Page 50

Aaron Rodgers is finally opening up about the Packers drafting his potential replacement in Jordan Love last month ... saying he wasn't happy with the selection, but adding he gets it.

"You know, obviously I'm not going to say that I was thrilled by the pick necessarily," Rodgers said in his first meeting with reporters since April's NFL draft. "But, I understand."

36-year-old Rodgers -- like just about every other Green Bay fan -- was clearly hoping for some receiver help in the first round ... but instead, the Pack went with the project QB.

The team was slammed for the selection ... with Brett Favre even saying Rodgers will now likely finish his career in another NFL city because of it.

But, Aaron said Friday he has no ill will toward Jordan ... and, in fact, says he not only spoke with the 21-year-old the day after the draft, but also several times since.

"He didn't get asked to be drafted by the Packers," Rodgers said. "He's not to blame at all. He's just coming in excited about his opportunity."

Rodgers says he'll treat Jordan the same way he's treated all of his previous backups ... guys he says he has great relationships with still to this day.

Ravens rookie J.K. Dobbins says he's well aware of the stigma associated with wearing #27 in Baltimore after the Ray Rice incident ... but chose the number to honor his dad and create his own legacy.

"Ray Rice was an amazing player. People make mistakes," Dobbins said on Instagram Live. "But, I wear that number for myself because I want to set a legacy for my own self in that number."

Dobbins says he picked the number to honor his late father, Lawrence, who wore #27 as a star running back at La Grange H.S. in Texas.

Lawrence tragically passed away of a stroke when J.K. was just 15 years old, according to the Ravens.

FYI -- Rice wore #27 with the Ravens from 2008-2013 ... and became the 2nd-leading rusher in team history.

Of course, #27 has been avoided in Baltimore since Rice's domestic violence incident with then-fiancee Janay Palmer in 2014.

Rice was indefinitely suspended by the NFL for the incident ... and never saw the field again.

But, Dobbins is focused on his own career ... and is ready to begin a new history for the number.

Golf superstar Rory McIlroy says he's been REJECTING opportunities to play with President Trump "out of choice" ... claiming he doesn't agree with "anything" POTUS has been saying recently.

Remember, Rory and The Donald played a round of golf at Trump International in Florida together back in 2017 ... a move he defended as not "an endorsement nor a political statement of any kind."

While Rory praised Trump for being "charismatic" and "nice" on 'The McKellar' podcast this week ... he admits he will not hit the links with him again, despite several opportunities.

"Most people that he came across that day he was cordial to, he was nice and personable," McIlroy says. "That was my only interaction with him the day I had with him."

"But, that doesn’t mean that I agree with everything -- or in fact, anything -- that he says."

McIlroy then went IN on his former golf buddy for his handling of the coronavirus ... saying he's using the pandemic for his own political gain.

"We’re in the midst of something that’s pretty serious right now and the fact that he’s trying to politicize it and make it a campaign rally and say we’re administering the most tests in the world like it is a contest -- there’s something that just is terrible," McIlroy says.

"It’s not the way a leader should act. There’s a sort of diplomacy that you need to have, and I don’t think he’s showing that ... especially in these times."

Rory -- the #1-ranked golfer in the world -- says he wouldn't golf with Trump again if he had the chance ... but admits he probably won't get another opportunity.

"I don’t know if he’d want to play with me again after what I just said. But no, I wouldn't."

Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford's insane mansion -- featuring the LARGEST infinity pool in Michigan -- is hitting the market with a $6.5 million price tag!

The 1.27-acre home is as baller as it gets -- 5 beds, 7 baths and sits on a peninsula looking over Upper Long Lake, a glass elevator, indoor basketball court with the Pistons' old Silverdome hardwood, walk-in wine cellar, gourmet kitchen, walk-in closets, sauna ... and, oh yeah, the infinity pool.

Seriously, even the marble bathroom sinks are dope.

Listing the Bloomfield Township crib (30 minutes from Detroit) is extremely interesting because it comes fresh off rumors Stafford asked the Lions for a trade ... which he denied Thursday.

"Listen ... I’m here, I want to be here," Stafford told reporters. "I love being a Detroit Lion, I love leading this team."

"It's a slow news month at that point and I’m just happy to be where I am and ready to deal with this off-season the way that it is and try to make the best of the season that I hope happens."

Stafford, his wife, Kelly, and their 3 kids have other homes in California and Georgia ... but it's unclear what his plans are in the Great Lake State.

But, for a guy who's reportedly made more than $200 million in his career ... we're sure he'll find a place.

UFC star Anthony Smith says he's "good" in the wake of a violent loss to Glover Teixeira -- and recovering with the help of his loving family.

"Everyone is arguing about good stop, bad stop, bad corner, good corner...blah blah blah," Smith said.

"I’m still winning. I’m good, and I’m exactly where i need to be, doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing."

As we previously reported -- Smith suffered intense injuries during his fight on May 13 -- a broken nose, fractured eye socket, a gash under his right eye and had 2 teeth knocked out.

Some high-profile UFC stars like Chael Sonnen have criticized Smith's coaching staff ... saying they should've thrown in the towel instead of allowing him to fight in the 5th round, where he sustained even more damage.

"All that time spent worrying about me needs to be spent somewhere a little more productive," Smith said on social media.

Two NFL players -- including a 2019 1st round draft pick -- have been accused of armed robbery and arrest warrants have been issued, TMZ Sports has learned.

Law enforcement confirms NY Giants cornerback Deandre Baker (the 30th overall pick in 2019) is facing 4 charges of armed robbery and 4 charges of aggravated assault with a firearm.

Seattle Seahawks corner Quinton Dunbar is facing 4 counts of armed robbery.

According to police, the two men were partying in Miramar, FL on May 13 ... when things took a disturbing turn.

Cops say Baker and Dunbar were allegedly hanging at a cookout -- playing cards and video games -- when an argument broke out and Baker whipped out a semi-automatic firearm.

Cops say the men began to rob party guests ... with Dunbar assisting in taking watches and other valuables at the direction of Baker.

At one point, cops say Baker directed a 3rd man -- who was wearing a red mask -- to shoot someone who had just walked into the party ... but fortunately, no one was actually shot.

James Harrison says Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin "handed me an envelope" after one of the most vicious hits of his career ... calling it the "G-est thing" Tomlin ever did.

The hit Harrison is referring to went down against the Cleveland Browns in 2010 ... when he led with his helmet and laid out a defenseless Mohamed Massaquoi.

The hit resulted in a $75,000 fine and Massaquoi left the game with a concussion ... and now, Harrison is sharing his side of the infamous incident.

"Listen, on everything I love, on my daddy’s grave, I hit that man with about 50% of what I had and I just hit him because I wanted him to let loose of the ball," Harrison told Barstool Sports' "Going Deep" podcast.

"If I had knew they was gonna fine me $75,000, I would have tried to kill him."

What Harrison said next could be problematic for Tomlin, who is still the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"And, I ain’t gonna lie to you, when that happened, right? the G-est thing Mike Tomlin ever did, he handed me an envelope after that."

"I ain’t gonna say what, but he handed me an envelope after that."

Remember -- the New Orleans Saints got in HUGE trouble with Bountygate from 2009-2011 ... when players were paid bonuses for injuring opponents.

The insinuation is there was money in the envelope -- but Harrison doesn't confirm or deny that.

He also doesn't say if Tomlin had paid him to carry out the hit ... or if Tomlin was offering to pay the coming NFL fine.

One thing is clear ... the comment is raising A LOT of eyebrows.

We've reached out to the NFL for comment ... so far, no word back.

Rob Manfred says owners could lose $4 BILLION if the MLB is forced to cancel its 2020 season due to coronavirus ... claiming the economic fallout would be "devastating."

"We’re a big business, but we’re a seasonal business and, unfortunately, this crisis began at the low point for us in terms of revenue," the league commish told CNN on Thursday.

"We hadn’t quite started our season yet and if we don’t play a season, the losses for the owners could approach $4 billion."

Manfred says he and his staff are working tirelessly to figure out a way to avoid that possibility ... revealing to Anderson Cooper that they've come up with an 80-page protocol to keep players safe in a return scenario.

Manfred says the league is eyeing "frequent testing," quarantine plans for those who contract the virus and safety measurements like fan-less games to ensure players' health is the top priority if a comeback happens.

The problem? There's a disagreement right now between MLB owners and players over whether or not players should take a pay cut in a return to the diamond.

Rays ace Blake Snell blasted the notion this week ("For me to take a pay cut is not happening, because the risk is through the roof") and several MLB stars have since backed the 27-year-old.

Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper said on his Twitch stream Thursday, "He's speaking the truth, bro. I ain't mad at him."

Rockies megastar Nolan Arenado added, per The Athletic, "He made a lot of good points. There are some points he made that were true, that are facts."

Tristan Thompson did have sex with the woman saying he's her baby daddy, but it was years before she claims, years before her baby was born and long before he began dating Khloe Kardashian ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the NBA power forward tell us ... he had a one-night stand with the woman, Kimberly Alexander, sometime during his rookie season in 2011-2012. However, we're told this doesn't line up with her repeated claim he fathered her child ... because the kid in question is between 4 and 5.

After Alexander made the paternity claim, our sources say Tristan confirmed with his legal team he had sexual relations with her but was confident about taking a test because it was impossible for him to be the father based on the timeline.

We're told Tristan and his lawyer, legal pit bull Marty Singer, made it clear ... if Tristan was the dad, he'd gladly pay child support, but he was confident he wasn't, and the DNA test proved his point.

As we reported ... Tristan and Khloe are now threatening to sue Alexander, claiming she's been lying about the kid -- despite Thompson's paternity test proving he's not her child's father -- and defaming Khloe.

Our Khloe sources point out she has no direct ties to the paternity case -- she only got her lawyer involved because Alexander allegedly made false claims about her after Tristan's test came back negative.

We're told Khloe's mindset is it's an issue strictly between Tristan and the woman ... since it occurred years before Khloe and Tristan began dating in August 2016.

Tristan, we're told, thinks it's all just a money grab.

"I will beat Floyd. I promise my life on it."

That's Conor McGregor telling Mike Tyson he WILL defeat Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match ... if it's the last thing he ever does!

So, why the renewed interest in a rematch with Floyd?

Tyson was sitting down with Francis Ngannou and the UFC star's manager for an episode if his "Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson" podcast when Mike began raving about McGregor's foray into boxing back in 2017.

"He’s never really had a boxing match in his life, right? He went 10 rounds with the greatest boxer in the land, in 100 years of boxing."

Tyson continued, "He went 10 rounds, scored punches on the greatest fighter in the last 20, 100 years."

"Imagine a guy who’s never had a boxing match and he’s fighting me? He goes 10 rounds and we’re fighting?"

"We go 10 rounds, that’s a bad motherfu**er," Tyson said.

Well, Conor McGregor saw the clip ... and issued a strongly worded statement of his own.

"Thank you Mike, and just know that for the inevitable rematch, with the knowledge I now hold of Floyd’s style, plus under the tutelage of my old school boxing coach, I will crack the puzzle, and I will beat Floyd. I promise my life on it."

McGregor added, "It is great to see you back Iron Mike."

As we previously reported, Conor has been TRYING to lock up a rematch with Floyd for a while ... but Floyd hasn't signed a contract yet.

"I love her so much, and I’m going to make her proud."

That's UFC star Walt Harris telling TMZ Sports how he'll honor his stepdaughter, Aniah Blanchard, Saturday when he returns the Octagon ... and it's definitely going to be emotional.

"There will probably be some tears shed, I’ll go ahead and let ya’ll know right now," Harris says.

As we previously reported, Walt's 19-year-old stepdaughter went missing back in October -- and after a high-profile search, her remains were found weeks later.

A suspect was arrested and he is now facing murder charges.

Walt -- the #9 ranked heavyweight -- is now set to fight Alistair Overeem on Saturday night ... and tells us getting back work is part of the grieving process.

"It's proof that you can go through the worst thing you can possibly think of in your life, and bounce back," Harris said.

"I’m so grateful to the UFC, and to the fans, and everybody who’s supported me through all of this. And, that’s kinda been my motivation, that's why I want to go in there and put a show on for them Saturday night and say thank you."

Harris said Aniah was his biggest fan who loved to watch him fight -- and he knows she'll be there in spirit on Saturday.

Chael Sonnen is BIG MAD at Anthony Smith's coaching staff for not stopping the fight against Glover Teixeira after the 4th round ... telling TMZ Sports, "You have a towel for a reason!"

Sonnen -- who has 49 pro-MMA fights under belt -- couldn't believe Smith's corner let him continue into the 5th round considering he was literally getting his teeth knocked out in the Octagon.

"If you're in the corner, you have a towel for a reason and that's to stop a contest," Sonnen explained.

Sonnen says he respects Smith's toughness -- but the coach needs to act as the "adult in the room" and make the tough decisions in the heat of battle to protect the fighter from himself.

"I've heard the term 'A Rocky Moment' -- man, Rocky was in the movies! Rocky wasn't really getting beat up like that!"

Sonnen said he spoke with Smith at length after the fight -- and Smith explained that he refuses to quit in a fight no matter what.

But, Sonnen says that's MORE of a reason for his corner to make the tough call when it becomes clear he can't win the fight.

Did Mercury coming out of retrograde cost Aaron Judge the rookie home run record?!?!

That's what Pete Alonso's saying ... admitting once the smallest planet in our solar system got back in line last summer -- his bat suddenly woke up from a weeks-long slump!!!

And, yeah ... the Mets superstar is DEAD serious about it!!!

"I saw something on Twitter," Pete said on "The Cookie Club" show this week, "I was in a rabbit hole one night after the game and it's like, 'Mercury is out of retrograde, and if you're born in a certain month, then it really affects you in a negative way and your performance at your job.'"

"And I'm like, 'Oh, Mercury's in retrograde!'" Pete added. "'It comes out of retrograde on this day, and I can't wait for that!' And, that day was probably like five days away."

Sure enough, Pete says as soon as that day hit on the calendar -- he went BERSERK at the plate ... and his teammates laughed their faces off over it all!!

"He came in the locker room screaming it," Mets stud Dominic Smith said. "'Mercury's out of retrograde!' And we're looking around like, 'What does that even mean?!'"

Smith added, "And, I was just like, 'Whatever, Pete's back!' And, I'm telling you, he went off! Like I couldn't believe it!"

FYI, Alonso used that game and about three dozen more following it to ultimately break Judge's rookie home run record ... finishing with 53 jacks in one season.

As for Alonso repeating that feat in 2020 ... he seems confident he's got the skills to do it -- although Mercury is set to go in retrograde from June 18 to July 12.

"Hang on one second!"

That's how NFL stud Tyler Eifert bolted from his online press conference to deal with his loose dogs Thursday ... and the video of the canine commotion is hilarious!!!

The new Jacksonville Jaguars tight end was having a virtual meet-and-greet grill sesh with NFL reporters ... when suddenly, his pups began wreaking havoc.

You can see in video of the newser, the dogs were barking up a storm ... and later, a neighbor yelled into his home, "Your dog was in my yard!!!"

That's when Eifert had to get up from the sitdown with reporters to go chase down his dogs -- and when he got back, the guy was straight-up out of breath!!!

"They're back," Eifert said. "And, I got in a little conditioning too!"

HILARIOUS!!!

Normally, we'd suggest a little timeout and no-treat treatment for the bad-behaving doggos ... but look at these faces -- HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY PUNISH THESE GUYS!!!

This video is NUTS!!!

UFC fighter Marvin Vettori tried to fight his scheduled opponent Karl Roberson in a hotel lobby ... hours after Roberson pulled out of their scheduled bout due to weight cut issues.

AND MAN, VETTORI IS FUMING!!

Vettori vs. Roberson was supposed to be on the main card for the "UFC on ESPN+ 29" event Wednesday night in Jacksonville.

But, according to the UFC, Roberson experienced "medical issues unrelated to COVID-19 after his weight cut" and was subsequently pulled from the fight.

Well, Vettori wasn't happy -- he's been training for months -- and when he saw Roberson in the hotel where the fighters are staying, he exploded.

"Let's f*cking fight," Vettori screamed across the lobby ... "If you're a fighter then f*cking fight!"

Vettori's crew grabbed him and escorted him away from Roberson.

Now, Vettori is hoping to find another opponent ASAP -- as the UFC is hosting ANOTHER event in Jacksonville on Saturday.