TMZ Sports - Page 5

Clemson fans, break out the Kleenex (and dust off the pom-poms, Jacksonville) -- Trevor Lawrence is officially foregoing his senior season in "Death Valley" to head off to the NFL.

The Tigers' superstar quarterback made the announcement in an emotional video Wednesday morning ... thanking his coaches, teammates and fans for their support since 2018.

"Over the past three years, it's been the most fun ride I've been on," the 21-year-old said. "I'll look back at these last three years and have the best memories."

Lawrence continued, "I really feel like I'm a man now and I'm ready to take on those challenges and just super excited for life ahead. The best is always yet to come, but, man, I'm grateful for Clemson and I'm going to miss it."

It's a big blow for the Tigers ... Lawrence is one of the greatest college football players EVER -- and some thought there was maybe a small chance he could return for his senior season.

Of course, this now opens the door for the Jacksonville Jaguars to draft him with the #1 overall pick this spring ... and they no doubt couldn't be more excited to do just that.

Lawrence is considered one of the best QB prospects to ever come out of college ... with many trusted draft pundits ranking him alongside Andrew Luck and John Elway.

The week from hell continues to get worse for the Cleveland Browns ... this time, wide receiver Rashard "Hollywood" Higgins has been cited for drag racing in Ohio.

26-year-old Higgins -- who has 4 TDs and nearly 600 yards receiving this season -- was pulled over along with another vehicle on Tuesday around 9:36 AM in Westlake, according to an incident report obtained by the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram.

Both drivers were cited for drag racing, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

The report also states a suspected marijuana joint was found in one of the cars, but the report doesn't say who the cops allege it belonged to.

Hollywood jokingly tweeted about the incident Tuesday afternoon, saying, "Foot slipped srry."

"Was tryna get away from Covid," he added.

The Browns released a statement to the Chronicle ... saying, "We are aware of the incident, will gather more information and handle this matter appropriately."

The most recent news adds to the Browns' troubles as they prepare for their first playoff appearance since 2002 -- a COVID-19 outbreak has forced head coach Kevin Stefanski, Pro Bowl guard Joel Bitonio and more to miss this Sunday's AFC Wild Card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Higgins is due back in court for the case later this month.

Nick Saban's daughter says she's "ashamed" she accused Ohio State of trying to use COVID-19 as an excuse to push back the national championship game ... and now, she's issuing a lengthy mea culpa.

Just minutes after reports circulated that the Alabama-OSU game could be moved from Jan. 11 to Jan. 18 due to a possible coronavirus outbreak on the Buckeyes, the Tide legend's daughter went in on Twitter.

Kristen bluntly implied the Buckeyes were making up tests to try to buy more time for star QB Justin Fields -- who was injured during the team's semi-final game against Clemson.

"If you're not confident to play then SAY IT," Kristen wrote in a now-deleted tweet. "I call BS on the COVID cases. They're just worried about their QB and want him to have more time to heal."

Kristen added, "If he's hurt put in your backup. You didn't see us postpone the rest of the season to wait for [Jaylen] Waddle. BYE."

Predictably, the tweet was met with heavy backlash ... and Kristen wrote out a long note titled "I'm so sorry" just a few hours later.

"The tweet I posted earlier this evening was uncalled for and hurtful," Kristen said. "I made a huge mistake and I apologize. In a moment of frustration, I let my anger get the best of me and acted before thinking."

"I sincerely regret my choice of reckless words. In no way did I intend to undermine the seriousness of the global pandemic and my heart goes out to those it has affected."

Kristen continued, "The health and safety of others is first and foremost and I pray that we all can find peace soon. I am ashamed and embarrassed. I hope you can forgive me."

Kristen's Twitter page was then taken down.

The championship game, meanwhile, is still slated for Monday night despite the reports of a possible outbreak that could sideline an entire position group for Ohio State.

Some of the biggest star athletes in the world are sending their love to Dr. Dre -- from LeBron James to Magic Johnson and many, many more.

"Praying for you my Brother," LeBron posted on social after learning Dre was hospitalized in Los Angeles following a brain aneurysm.

LeBron and Dre go back years -- Bron reportedly partnered with the rap legend back in 2008 to be an ambassador for Beats By Dre, and in exchange Lebron got an ownership stake in the company.

Bron's former teammate, Kendrick Perkins, said in 2020 that LeBron made $700 MILLION when Apple bought the company for $3 billion in 2014.

LeBron never confirmed the windfall personally -- but in 2018, LeBron told Maverick Carter getting into business with Beats by Dre was one of the best business decisions of his life.

Other stars also sent love to Dre -- including Magic Johnson who wrote, "Cookie and I are praying for our friend Dr. Dre to make a full recovery! Get well soon my friend!"

NFL star Russell Wilson -- "Prayers up for Dr. Dre."

Dwyane Wade -- Sending Love and protection to Dr. Dre."

Robert Griffin III -- "Prayers up for Dr. Dre and his family"

"I know y'all scared and sh*t, but let's just make the fight happen for the fans. Let's just do that. Don't overprice yourselves. If y'all believe y'all the best and y'all think that y'all can take this, then let's make the fight happen! Man, don't be p**** about it!"

That's 23-year-old boxing champ Teofimo Lopez throwing down the gauntlet to rivals Ryan Garcia, Gervonta Davis and Devin Haney ... 3 of the sport's youngest, most-talented stars.

TMZ Sports talked to the undefeated, lightweight champ about his next move ... as he plots his return just months after dethroning pound-for-pound king, Vasyl Lomachenko.

"Our goal is to shoot for three fights this year whether it's my mandatory [boxer George Kambosos], Garcia, Haney, Tank Davis, those guys at 135 lbs., that's where our goal is."

22-year-old Garcia (21-0, 18 KO's) beat Olympic gold medalist Luke Campbell Saturday night ... and then demanded a fight with 26-year-old Davis (21-0, 20 KO's), telling us he'll knock out Tank inside 2 rounds.

Why isn't anyone calling out Lopez?? Teo says it's fear.

"It's because they're scared! It's really what it comes down to. They're scared."

Unbeaten Tank Davis, scared?

"Yeah, he is [scared]. He is. He's not scared of the opposition he's facing right now because it's light work. I mean he knocked out a 122 pounder [Leo Santa Cruz]. C'mon yo! I can do the same sh*t and I can do it better, in a better fashion," Teofimo says.

"But hey, I take my hat off to [Davis], he's doing his thing and I congratulate all of them. Haney, Garcia, Tank. But, when it comes to it man, I'm the king of the division. I'm the kingpin!"

Huge breakthrough for Tommy Lasorda -- the Los Angeles Dodgers legend has returned home after spending more than a month in the hospital battling heart issues.

As we previously reported, the 93-year-old former skipper was admitted to a Southern California facility in "serious condition" in mid-November. He required sedation and was put on a ventilator.

Worth noting -- we're told the issues were NOT COVID-19 related.

Lasorda spent 2 weeks in the Intensive Care Unit before beginning rehab at the hospital in Orange County ... and began making strides in recovery.

Now, TMZ Sports has confirmed Lasorda has finally made it back home.

The Baseball Hall of Famer is one of the greatest MLB managers of all-time ... leading L.A. to World Series titles in 1981 and 1988.

He also won Manager of the Year twice -- in 1983 and 1988.

Before that, he was a pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1954-55 ... so yeah, the guy bleeds Dodger Blue.

If 2020 has shown you anything, think the unthinkable ... like a wide receiver winning the Heisman!

Yeah, that just happened ... with Alabama's DeVonta Smith becoming just the 3rd wide receiver EVER to win college football's most coveted award!!

Smith beat all the odds coming into the 2020 season to earn the honor -- seriously, wideouts NEVER win the award -- and he's now the first WR to inscribe his name on the trophy since Desmond Howard did it in 1991.

As for whether or not he deserved it ... there's no debate there -- Smith was a MONSTER for the Tide this season, posting 105 catches for 1,641 yards and 20 touchdowns in just 12 games.

The 22-year-old also had a rushing touchdown ... and is currently the nation’s leader in all-purpose yardage heading into next week's National Championship game against Ohio State.

As for Tuesday's awards ceremony, it truly is quite the accomplishment for Smith to beat out quarterbacks for the honor -- only six receivers since 2000 have even cracked the top five in Heisman voting, let alone the top 3!!!

Smith -- who received 447 first place votes -- took down his QB Mac Jones, as well as Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence and Florida QB Kyle Trask to grab the award.

Who knows ... maybe he'll add a title championship ring to go along with it next week??

The wrath of coronavirus is threatening to delay the biggest game of the college football season -- the National Championship.

Ohio State is reportedly concerned COVID protocols could leave them short-handed when they take on Alabama on January 11. The school is worried "it could be without a position group due to COVID-19 testing and related protocols," according to AL.com.

Unclear which position group would be affected -- but imagine playing in a championship game without all of your wide receivers ... or offensive linemen ... or QBs??? C'mon.

There's already a backup plan in place -- the College Football Playoff honchos booked Hard Rock Stadium for Jan. 18 in case the game was delayed.

Multiple outlets, including AL.com and ESPN, have confirmed there have already been talks about postponing the game ... but so far, the plan is still to kick off on Jan. 11.

"I can tell you there are no changes," College Football Playoff executive director Bill Hancock told ESPN ... "The game is scheduled for Jan. 11 as planned, and we look forward to it."

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith also addressed the situation -- essentially saying the team will be ready to switch dates if it comes down to it.

"We're following the same protocols we followed all season long," Smith told ESPN.

"We intend to play on Jan. 11, and we continue to communicate with the Big Ten and now the CFP, so at this point in time, we see the game being played. But who knows what tomorrow will bring? That's COVID. We're on track right now."

Hank Aaron got his COVID vaccine shot on Tuesday -- and he did it in front of cameras in the hopes of inspiring other Black Americans to follow his lead.

The 86-year-old Hall of Famer masked up and went to the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta along with his wife Billye to receive the first of two doses of the Moderna vaccine.

"[It] makes me feel wonderful," Aaron told the Associated Press ... "I don’t have any qualms about it at all."

"I feel quite proud of myself for doing something like this. ... It’s just a small thing that can help zillions of people in this country."

The Aarons were joined at Morehouse by civil rights leader Andrew Young and former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Louis Sullivan, who were also vaccinated.

The decision to go public with their vaccinations stems from mistrust many Black Americans have about medical research -- mistrust that stems from the Tuskegee experiment, which began in the 1930s.

The federal government essentially lied to Black people for decades -- telling them they were getting free health care, when in fact they received horrifically improper care so the U.S. Public Health Service could secretly study the effects of syphilis when untreated. 128 people died and many others suffered.

In fact, the AP conducted a survey back in December which showed 40% of Black people in America would not get the COVID vaccine, even though COVID has hit the Black community particularly hard.

Hammerin' Hank Aaron is one of the greatest baseball players of all time -- he famously broke Babe Ruth's home run record in 1973.

Serena Williams' husband is clapping back HARD at a billionaire who criticized the tennis legend ... with Alexis Ohanian calling the guy a straight-up "racist/sexist clown."

Here's the backstory ... Ion Tiriac -- the super-rich ex-tennis star who's the director of the Madrid Open -- went on a Romanian television show recently and jabbed at Serena.

"At this age and the weight she is now, she does not move as easily as she did 15 years ago," Tiriac said, according to ProSport in Romania.

"Serena was a sensational player. If she had a little decency, she would retire! From all points of view."

FYI, Tiriac has quarreled with Serena in the past ... he's criticized Williams' weight while pining that the sport needs to shine a spotlight on players outside of her. Williams, meanwhile, called those comments in 2018 both "ignorant" and "sexist."

This time, however, it was Williams' husband who fired back at Tiriac ... and the co-founder of Reddit didn't pull punches.

37-year-old Ohanian went after Tiriac on social media ... blasting the 81-year-old in a series of tweets.

"Safe to say no one gives a damn what Ion Țiriac thinks," Ohanian wrote. "Had to Google it... turns out my 3 year old has more Grand Slam victories than this [clown]."

Ohanian added, "2021 and no holding back when a racist/sexist clown with a platform comes for my family."

Ever seen a dunk so vicious it broke the backboard AND earned love from the game's ref?!?

Now you have ... 'cause Texas high school basketball star Tyler Stone did just that mid-game Saturday -- and the video is INSANE!!!

The scene all played out in Joshua H.S.'s game against Ennis H.S. in the Dallas-Fort Worth area ... when 6'3" Stone got the ball on a breakaway.

You can see in the clip, the senior guard rose up quickly to try to score before the two defenders chasing him could get to the hoop ... and what happened next was wild!

Stone slammed the ball through the rim so hard, it shattered the glass backboard -- raining shards all over the floor!!!

The crowd in the gym went from elated, to stunned, to downright raucous ... and the play was so cool, even the ref slapped hands with Stone afterward!!!

Don't worry ... nobody was hurt by the raining glass -- and seems officials were able to replace the hoop no problem, 'cause the game went on without a hitch.

It's a good thing Travis Kelce's NFL career worked out -- 'cause the guy says he blew every cent of his rookie contract on awesome/dumb stuff like shoes and watches!!!

"Man, I spent it all," the Kansas City Chiefs tight end revealed on Shannon Sharpe's "Club Shay Shay" podcast ... "I should've been on the '30 for 30: Broke' the way I was spending!"

Here's the deal ... Kelce was a 3rd round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft and signed a 4-year, $3.1 million deal with a $700k signing bonus. Great money for a normal person but far from generational wealth!

So, how did Travis spend his first NFL checks? Shoes and a Rolex.

"I'm a big sneaker fan ... and the Marty McFlys ... the 'Back to the Future' ... the Nike Air Mags were the first purchase of kicks that I got."

"I knew I wanted 'em ever since I saw 'em self tie themselves on McFly's feet!"

There's more ... "On top of that, I always wanted a Rollie man so I went out and got myself a Rollie from a Kansas City jewelry shop."

Kelce says he could barely afford rent -- but hey, he REALLY wanted the kicks and the jewelry!

"Man I was walking in this empty apartment with some Marty McFlys on and a Rolex. I felt like the coolest guy in the world, man."

Don't worry ... things worked out for Travis, who signed a $57 million contract extension in 2020. He'll be fine.

But, he has some advice for the next generation of young guys ...

"All the young guys in the league, all the guys that have the opportunity to get that big first check from the NFL -- save it!"

NFL superstar Deshaun Watson threw his girlfriend Jilly Anais an AMAZING 25th birthday party in Texas on Monday -- but there was one thing missing ... masks.

The Houston Texans QB rented out a huge space at Vic & Anthony's Steakhouse ... and packed it with balloons, flowers, candles and a light-up sign that said, "Luv Bug."

Once they arrived, there was a photography crew snapping pics and videos -- along with an artist, who was painting a pretty incredible portrait of the happy couple while party guests looked on.

There was a table set for roughly 20 guests -- though in the videos Jilly posted on her social media, none of them were wearing masks or social distancing, despite the looming threat of COVID-19.

But, no one seemed concerned ... the guests danced, drank and partied the night away with no worries.

It's interesting since Deshaun was fined by the NFL just last month after several guests (including NFL players) were photographed indoors at the QB's restaurant opening without face coverings -- a violation of the league's COVID safety protocols.

But, Watson's season is over now -- so, free to lose the masks if he wants?

Terrible news for the Cleveland Browns -- the team will be without head coach Kevin Stefanski for its first playoff game in 18 years ... he just tested positive for coronavirus.

And he's not the only one ... 2 players and 2 assistant coaches have also tested positive for COVID-19 -- and the team has shut down its facility while contact tracing is underway.

The timing couldn't be worse for the Orange & Brown -- which is set to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Wild Card playoff game on Sunday.

Losing Stefanski is a major blow -- he's a candidate for NFL's Coach of the Year, leading the Browns to an impressive 11-5 record, the team's best season in forever.

The Browns announced special teams coordinator Mike Priefer will serve as acting head coach on Sunday ... and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt will take over play-calling duties.

"The team will continue to consult with the league and medical experts to determine the appropriate next steps as the health and safety of our players, coaches, staff and the entire community remains our highest priority," the team said in a statement.

No word on the health status of the team's top stars -- including Baker Mayfield, Myles Garrett, Jarvis Landry and others. Hopefully, they're okay and will be ready to play.

Remember, Cleveland was forced to play without its top 4 wide receivers and several other key players in Week 16 against the pathetic New York Jets ... with the Browns taking an "L" as a result of its decimated roster.

The Dallas Cowboys got at least ONE thing right this season ... so says team owner Jerry Jones, who boasted Monday that his team drew the biggest crowds in the world despite the pandemic.

"I’m gonna arm wave," the 79-year-old said on 105.3 The Fan. "I think we set the world record for attendance for a venue this year at our stadium, in the world of a pandemic."

Jerry added despite the large numbers, he believes it was all with safe results too.

As for the actual figures at AT&T Stadium this season ... the Cowboys say they had more than 20,000 people at all 8 of their home games in 2020.

In fact, team officials say on 4 separate occasions, they had more than 30,000 people pack their 80,000-seat stadium.

It's all interesting, considering coronavirus numbers in Texas have been some of the worst in the country ... with a reported 1.83 million cases in the state and more than 28,000 deaths.

Jerry, though, seemed confident fans were safe at his venue ... saying the Cowboys' games were "maybe at the top" of the safety lists in the league.

"If you do not take this next fight from me, you will not be remembered. Your legacy will forever be tainted if you do not accept this fight."

Boxing superstar Ryan Garcia says he's trying like hell to make Gervonta Davis his next opponent ... telling TMZ Sports, "It's the most important fight to boxing right now."

Of course, Garcia -- fresh off a huge TKO win over Luke Campbell -- has wanted a piece of Tank for more than 2 years now ... but he tells us it's finally time for them to meet in the ring.

"I don't have time for celebrations," 21-0 Garcia tells us. "I'm on one mission. I'm on a mission to knock out Gervonta Davis in 2 rounds ... This man will go down. 2 rounds -- that's a promise!!"

Remember, 22-year-old Garcia has called out 26-year-old Tank every possible chance he gets -- see here, here, here and here -- and Davis has taken notice, threatening to "kill" him in the ring.

Now that both fighters have a clear schedule, Garcia says he wants to give the sport what it deserves ... comparing it to an Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury matchup.

"This is the fight. Joshua needs to fight Fury and I need to fight Gervonta. That's it! We need to get this on. I'm going for it! This is it!"

As for when it should go down, Garcia tosses around May or September ... but makes it clear he wants fans in person for the huge event.