TMZ Sports - Page 49

Tom Brady and the Buccaneers have held up their end of the deal with the Bucs fan who gave back the QB's 600th TD ball ... sending the guy a BUNCH of signed swag on Friday.

The fan, Byron Kennedy, showed off the memorabilia on his social media page ... revealing two Brady jerseys, a Mike Evans uni, a Tampa Bay helmet and some cleats.

All of the gear appeared to be personally signed by both Brady and Evans -- and Kennedy was stoked to have received it all.

"Thanks for the badass gear to decorate my house with," Kennedy said.

As we previously reported, Kennedy received the historic pigskin following an Evans touchdown grab from Brady back on Oct. 24.

Evans unknowingly handed over the ball during a post-score celebration -- and when Brady wanted it back -- Kennedy obliged.

Some called him a fool for the move -- as auction experts said the ball could be worth $500,000 ... but the Bucs and Brady offered a deal to ease some of the potential wallet pain.

In addition to the jerseys, cleats and helmet ... Brady also said he was giving Kennedy a bitcoin -- and Rob Gronkowski even offered up some cryptocurrency as well.

The Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury fight just got a helluva lot more interesting -- ex-NBA star Deron Williams (yes, the dude who played for the Jazz) has been added to the undercard ... and he could be going up against none other than former NFL running back Frank Gore!!!

Williams -- the third overall pick to the Jazz in 2005 -- reportedly just signed on to follow in Nate Robinson's footsteps and make his boxing debut on December 18 in Tampa Bay.

While Williams doesn't have any fights under his belt, we're told he's actually nothing to scoff at -- Deron was a state champion on the mats in Texas. He won titles as an 8 and 12-year-old in 1993 and 1997.

UFC fighter Ryan Spann -- who trains with Williams at Fortis MMA -- said he even sparred with the guy and got his ass beat!!!

As for his opponent, Shams Charania says it could be Gore -- a 5-time Pro Bowler who played 16 years in the NFL.

Gore has put in some serious training off the field and has shown he's got some skills, so it could end up being quite the interesting matchup.

Odell Beckham Jr.'s rollercoaster ride in Cleveland is expected to finally be over this week ... 'cause the Browns are reportedly about to cut the star receiver.

The team is working with Odell on his contract in order to officially release him, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Friday, and a move to get him off the Browns' roster could come down in a matter of hours.

Of course, the writing has been on the wall for Odell's release for the past few days -- if not months -- as the wideout has found himself embattled in drama over and over again in Cleveland.

Just this week, Odell's father posted a lowlight reel of Baker Mayfield ... showcasing all the times the quarterback has missed an open OBJ on the field.

And, Odell's made it no secret he hasn't loved his small role in Cleveland's offense too.

Since being traded from the Giants back in 2019 ... Odell has played in just 29 games and has just 7 receiving TDs -- including none this season.

When the Browns officially jettison the wideout ... he's expected to have plenty of suitors -- receiver-needy teams like the Packers, Saints, Ravens and Patriots all could make a run at him.

By the way, it's Odell's birthday Friday ... happy 29th?

Steve-O admits it -- to his naked eye, there's no way Pete Davidson should be bagging beautiful women like Kim Kardashian but adds ... it's got nothing to do with eyes or looks.

We got the "Jackass" star Thursday at LAX, and he was happy to weigh in on the new couple that has everyone buzzing after 2 consecutive dates in NYC. Steve started out by taking what, initially, came off like a big shot at Pete ... comparing him to Tom Brady.

He says we can all agree TB is gorgeous, "But Pete Davidson? I don't see it."

Damn, Steve!!!

But, after that brutally honest opinion, he broke down exactly what Kim probably has seen in Pete since their time together on 'SNL' and riding rollercoasters together last weekend.

Steve says, "It's testament to how funny Pete Davidson is. The way to a woman's heart is to be funny."

We'll say this -- Steve-O offered us some strong visual support for his theory by pointing out his own gorgeous GF, who was standing just a few feet away. For the record, she also admits it's about good humor.

The family of the woman who was killed in the horrific DUI-related crash at the hands of Las Vegas Raiders star Henry Ruggs says it's impossible to express the grief they're feeling.

The lawyer for Tina Tintor's family released a statement, saying, "Tina's tragic loss has devastated her family beyond a grief they could never comprehend."

The statement goes on to say ... "Family was everything to Tina, and she was the light of her parents' life. Tina lived in Las Vegas since she was a baby. She loved her 3-year-old Golden Retriever, Max, who passed alongside her Tuesday morning."

As we reported, Ruggs was behind the wheel of his Chevy Corvette, allegedly driving 156 MPH when he apparently saw Tintor's vehicle and slammed on the brakes. Authorities say at the point of impact Ruggs' car was going 127 MPH. The impact caused Tintor's car to explode, and witnesses say they heard screams from inside her vehicle but they could not do anything to save her.

Ruggs has been charged with DUI resulting in substantial bodily harm as well as reckless driving. He faces a maximum of more than 40 years in prison if convicted of both charges.

More troubling news for the Las Vegas Raiders ... former 1st-round pick Damon Arnette is now being accused of injuring a woman in a violent car crash last year, but the CB is vowing to fight the allegations.

It's all spelled out in a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, in which a woman says on Oct. 14, 2020 ... Arnette slammed into her car with his vehicle at around 7:29 AM in Las Vegas.

The woman says in the docs that Arnette -- who was taken by Vegas 7 picks after the Raiders took Henry Ruggs in April 2020's NFL Draft -- thought he had missed his turn into the Raiders' facility, so he swerved at around 65 MPH in order to still make the right.

The woman says the driver's side of his car hit her driver's side violently ... causing significant damage to both rides.

What's worse ... the woman claims Arnette "illegally left the scene of the crash" afterward and headed toward the Raiders' headquarters just feet away.

The woman in the docs says she suffered several injuries in the accident -- including head trauma, and is now dealing with shoulder, neck and back pain as well as depression and panic attacks.

She says she suffered damages exceeding $92,000.

Police records show Arnette was actually cited for the crash ... and in an incident report we obtained, cops say he did admit to making the unsafe right turn and crashing, but said he stayed long enough to render aid to the woman.

In the police documents, Arnette said he only left "because he was running late to a meeting at work" ... but had a friend stay at the scene to provide his contact information to authorities.

Cops claim the friend did not provide Arnette's info -- and actually tried to take the fall for the NFL player ... but cops were ultimately able to get to the bottom of it after locating Arnette at the Raiders' facility.

Arnette -- who has played sparingly for the Raiders this season despite being such a high draft pick last year -- was cited for failure to maintain travel lane as well as duty to stop a property damage accident.

As for Damon's side, his attorney Richard Schonfeld tells us ... "Mr. Arnette denies the allegations in the complaint and looks forward to addressing these claims through the court process."

Derek Carr is expressing remorse over the Henry Ruggs accident ... saying he wishes he could've done something to help prevent the crash -- questioning, "Did I not let him know that I could be there for him at 3 AM??"

The Las Vegas Raiders QB spoke with reporters Wednesday about his ex-teammate's situation ... saying, "No one ever wants to see this, whether it's a football player or not. You never wanna see something like this happen and it broke my wife and I's hearts, honestly."

Carr says he actually got a text from Ruggs hours before the tragedy ... with the 22-year-old asking him to critique his swing while at Top Golf in Vegas.

"He literally texted me at midnight a golf swing, hit me and Hunter (Renfrow), 'How's my swing look? You guys need to help me' and just seeing that and then getting the news when we woke up, I just ... I don't even know how I'm supposed to handle that. How am I supposed to react?"

Carr adds his heart goes out to the family of the 23-year-old victim ... and he hasn't reached out to Ruggs yet, but he will in due time.

"I will always be here for him," he added. "That won't change and I prove that over course of time to him, not to anybody else, but he needs people to love him right now."

Raiders interim HC Rich Bisaccia also spoke ... sharing his condolences to the victim's family and saying, "We love Henry Ruggs."

A memorial has been set up in Las Vegas for the victim in the Henry Ruggs accident ... at the spot where the former Raiders player slammed into the back of a RAV4, killing 23-year-old Tina Tintor -- and it's an incredibly sad display.

TMZ Sports has photos of the memorial -- complete with photographs, candles and flowers -- erected by family, friends and other people deeply touched by the tragic story just feet away from where the horrific crash occurred.

Maybe the most heartbreaking -- a pic of the 23-year-old with her beloved golden retriever ... who also died in the crash and subsequent fire. Both were trapped in the vehicle and unable to escape.

Police allege an intoxicated Ruggs was driving his Chevrolet Corvette at ridiculous speeds, hitting 156 MPH just 2.5 seconds before rear-ending the Toyota at 127 MPH, sending both vehicles skidding over 500 feet.

Officials say the 23-year-old and her dog were unable to escape ... and burned inside the car before help could save them.

22-year-old Ruggs, whose BAC was .161 at the hospital, has been charged with multiple felonies -- DUI resulting in death or serious injury and reckless driving -- and is facing 46 years in prison, according to the District Attorney.

On Thursday, we posted an emotional video from the scene ... showing Henry embracing his GF as they sat on the pavement, yelling and crying, just feet away from the burning car.

Ruggs -- who was released by the Raiders less than 24 hours after the accident -- posted $150K bond and is out of custody.

Tina Tintor, the woman Henry Ruggs killed in a horrific crash worked as an employee at Target ... and the store is helping her co-workers deal with the grief of losing a friend.

Tintor, a Vegas resident, worked at a Target location close to her home and the crash site. Tina's former boss and store director, Travis Winston, tells us, "We’re deeply saddened by the death of our former team member, Tina Tintor. We extend our sympathies to her family and friends, and to all those impacted by this tragedy."

Winston also says Target is providing Tina's former coworkers with support, including access to onsite counselors.

As we reported, Tina was trapped inside her Toyota after Ruggs hit her from behind, traveling at an estimated 156 mph. The car burst into flames, and onlookers tried to free Tina, but the heat and smoke were too strong. The 23-year-old and her dog died inside the vehicle.

TMZ Sports obtained video from the scene, showing Ruggs sobbing and cussing just minutes after the accident.

The former Las Vegas Raider made his first appearance in court Wednesday, wearing a neck brace and sitting in a wheelchair. He's been charged with DUI resulting in death and reckless driving ... both felonies.

Even NBA MVPs can't get enough of Harry Styles ... 'cause Giannis Antetokounmpo was among thousands of super fans hitting up the singer's concert in Milwaukee on Wednesday -- and he was loving every second of it!!

"I just went to @Harry_Styles concert and it was 99% women and me 😂," Giannis tweeted after the show. "I’m a big fan, what a great performer."

The concert took place at the Fiserv Forum, where Giannis routinely dunks on his opponents night in and night out ... but this time, #34 was there to catch some sounds and enjoy the vibe from the superstar musician.

In the video, you can see the Greek Freak in what appears to be a suite ... nodding his head and smiling as the packed crowd below had all eyes on Styles belting out "Watermelon Sugar."

BTW, Giannis is as big of a fan as they come ... he's previously been on Instagram Live jamming to some One Direction … singing his out heart out to "Best Song Ever."

Phoenix Suns co-owner Robert Sarver is being accused of using the N-word on multiple occasions over the course of his 17 years with the team ... but he's denying all but one claim made against him.

ESPN just released a lengthy report on Sarver's tenure with the Suns organization ... with several sources accusing the 60-year-old of racism, sexism and misogyny.

Earl Watson -- who was head coach of the Suns from 2016-17 -- claims Sarver hurled the slur multiple times after a game against the Golden State Warriors ... saying, "You know, why does Draymond Green get to run up the court and say [N-word]?"

The ex-NBAer says he fired back at Sarver by explaining he's not allowed to use the word ... to which Sarver replied, "Why? Draymond Green says [N-word]."

While Watson claims he said the word, Sarver says he actually used the phrase "N-word."

Sarver adamantly denies calling or referring to anyone as the racial slur ... saying, "It is abhorrent and ugly and denigrating and against everything I believe in."

Sarver -- who also co-owns the Phoenix Mercury -- does admit using the word "many years ago" ... claiming he was responding to a player while discussing team chemistry.

"An assistant coach approached me a short time after and told me that I shouldn't say the word, even if I were quoting someone else," Sarver told the outlet.

In a 2004 meeting that included Steve Nash, Amar'e Stoudemire, agents and other staffers, Sarver allegedly said the term "black guy" loosely, which employees believed came off as racially insensitive.

6 other staffers claim Sarver also used the N-word when sharing stories relayed by a black player.

There's more -- an executive claims Sarver explained his decision to hire Lindsey Hunter as head coach over Dan Majerle back in 2013 by saying, "The N-words need an N-word."

Watson also says Sarver mentioned race while asking him to cut ties with Rich Paul's Klutch Sports amid contract negotiations with player Eric Bledsoe ... claiming he said, "Yeah, I understand what race you two are. So I'm asking you, How bad do you want your job?"

Watson claims to have responded -- "You can do whatever you want. You own this team, but my culture is not for sale. And, I'm not for sale."

As for Sarver, he says his issues with Klutch were due to a conflict of interest and not race. Watson was later fired 3 games into the 2017-18 season.

The report claims Sarver told a pregnant employee in 2008 she would not be able to do her job because she would be at home breastfeeding all day ... but Suns management rebuked Sarver's wishes and did not fire the woman due to fear of discrimination.

Sarver is also accused of showing employees pictures of his wife in a bikini ... which he claims was meant to show off team-branded swimsuits that were recently approved for sale.

There's more -- Sarver is admitting to pulling down an accounting exec's pants in front of fellow employees during an ALS Ice Bucket Challenge back in 2014, which he regrets.

Sarver also allegedly made comments to staffers about shaving their private parts, NBA players getting strippers pregnant and female employees crying too much.

Others claim Sarver discussed receiving oral sex from his wife, needing to wear extra-sized condoms, and asking players about their sex lives ... which he's denied.

As one employee put the working environment under Sarver ... "If the commissioner comes in and investigates to see what the f*** is going on in Phoenix, [he] would be appalled."

Nick Saban is pleading with his team to learn from the Henry Ruggs tragedy ... explaining to reporters he hopes the car crash reinforces to Alabama players to "make good choices."

"I think this is something that a lot of folks can learn from -- I think a lot of players on our team," said Saban, who coached Ruggs from 2017 to 2019 at 'Bama.

"When we say challenge people to make good choices and decisions -- do the right thing. Because sometimes the consequences can be devastating. And these consequences are going to probably be pretty devastating to Henry."

Saban said he and the rest of the Alabama football team are still supporting Henry -- despite allegations that the former Raiders star drove at 156 MPH with a BAC of .161 before crashing into and killing a woman and her dog in Las Vegas on Tuesday morning.

"We love him," Saban said of Ruggs. "We're going to support him through it. But we also have a lot of compassion for the victims and our thoughts and prayers are also with them."

Ruggs was a star for Saban at Alabama, piling up 1,716 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns in three seasons. He was eventually picked by Las Vegas in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Ruggs, though, was released by the Raiders following the car crash Tuesday.

Swae Lee got an extra bonus after Anthony Davis gave him his jersey after Tuesday's game ... literally getting the Lakers superstar's DNA in the exchange after getting his bloody threads!!

It went down after the Lakers beat the Houston Rockets in the Staples Center, 119-117.

Davis -- who had 27 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists -- saw the one-half of rap duo Rae Sremmurd sitting courtside and decided to show love by offering his game-worn #3 jersey.

But, before he handed it over, he warned the 28-year-old rapper the jersey had his blood, sweat and tears on it ... literally!!

"It got blood on it!" Davis said.

Swae didn't care one bit -- he was actually super hyped about it saying, "even better!!!"

He even gave a close-up of the genetic evidence ... revealing the bloodstains on the #3 Lakers gear on his IG.

"Man, that s*** make it more worth even more. Make it mean even more. Y'all boys put y'all heart into that s***, man," Swae said.

"Blood, sweat and tears. Lakers baby!"

This ain't Swae's only Davis jersey -- he rocked one while celebrating the Lakers' 2020 championship last October.

Henry Ruggs sat near a sidewalk just feet away from the Toyota engulfed in flames -- which killed a woman and her dog -- and he and his girlfriend swore and sobbed ... in this new video, obtained by TMZ Sports.

Just seconds after the former Raiders star slammed his Corvette into the back of a Rav4 at around 3:40 AM in Las Vegas ... footage shows Ruggs and Kiara Washington locked in a hug on the ground. In the clip, you can hear parts of their emotional conversation.

"OK. OK, here," she told Ruggs as she grabbed his face. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

He responded, "F***!!! Stop yelling!!!"

Video later shows one witness, who had arrived just minutes after the crash, telling an officer, "That's Henry Ruggs right here. That's Henry Ruggs right here. He plays for the Raiders."

The woman holding Ruggs then was sent into a panic -- as Ruggs appeared to drift in and out of consciousness in her arms.

"Can we get help?!?" the woman yelled. "Can you please help him!?!" He is knocked unconscious!"

Ruggs then seemed to come to -- and you can hear in the video, he began crying and sobbing as his girlfriend still held his head.

As we previously reported, cops say Ruggs showed signs of impairment at the scene when they interrogated him -- and, after being checked out at a local hospital, he was arrested and booked on charges of DUI and reckless driving.

In police documents, cops say he was going 156 MPH just before the crash ... and ultimately hit the Toyota at 127 MPH. Prosecutors later said bloodwork showed he had a BAC of .161 -- more than two times the legal limit of .08.

They added the 22-year-old also had a gun in the Corvette.

Ruggs -- who was released by the Raiders after the wreck -- showed up for a hearing on the matter in court on Wednesday in a neck brace and a wheelchair ... and later posted $150,000 bond.

Chris Rock's making it clear where he stands in the vaxx/anti-vaxx debate by taking a big swipe at Kyrie Irving ... and he did it in a prime location.

Chris was onstage Wednesday night in Brooklyn along with a bunch of bands and comedians performing at an NFT Week event when he hyped up the crowd by calling out anti-vaxxers. He eased into it with a joke about wearing face masks at concerts, and then simply asked, "Where's my anti-vaxxers at?"

Oddly, the question actually drew some cheers -- NYC requires vaccinations to attend shows like this -- and then Rock hit 'em with ... "You dumb, Kyrie motherf******!!!"

Chris was just a few miles away from Barclays Center, where Kyrie will NOT be playing this season for his Brooklyn Nets -- but his joke still scored laughs from the hometown crowd. Remember, Chris is from Brooklyn ... but he's still a diehard Knicks fan.

Lil Baby, Questlove, Aziz Ansari, and Rich the Kid were some of the other performers -- and after Chris took his shot at Kyrie Irving, he introduced The Strokes.

UCLA is vowing to take disciplinary action against Bruins defensive lineman Jay Toia ... after the 6'3", 325-pounder was captured on video threatening to slap a woman on an elevator last weekend.

The video made rounds earlier this week ... appearing to show the freshman approach an elevator on campus full of students he thought were from USC.

Toia -- donning a UCLA hoodie -- had to be held back by his friends as he goes on an expletive-filled rant threatening to hurt any USC student.

One girl tries to clear the air, saying "we go to Santa Barbara! Nobody's a Trojan! We go to USCB!"

Toia still goes off ... yelling, "you a f***ing Trojan n****! I'll slap a b****, too! I'll slap a b****!"

Worth noting -- the 4-star recruit signed with the Trojans back in Dec. 2020 ... before transferring to UCLA this June. He was the 21st ranked defensive tackle in his class and had offers from Arizona, Cal, Michigan, Nebraska and more.

UCLA's athletic director, Martin Jarmond, and football head coach, Chip Kelly, released a statement saying they saw the clip and Toia will be disciplined.

"We're aware of a recent video in which a student-athlete made disparaging remarks. This was inappropriate and not in line with our values and expectations."

"As such, we are taking disciplinary action and working with campus partners to assist with educations for the student."

Toia already lost an NIL deal with college apparel company Campus Mogul due to the video ... but has been practicing with the team all week.