Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank has just revealed he's been diagnosed with prostate cancer -- but says he's battling like hell ... and vows to defeat it.

73-year-old Blank says he was diagnosed in December -- and has since visited with several doctors and hospitals to come up with the best battle plan.

Blank -- who co-founded The Home Depot in 1978 -- says he has chosen an "aggressive approach" which will require surgery -- and the overall prognosis is good.

Roddy White just went all Randy Travis when describing his future in the NFL -- telling TMZ Sports, "I'm a Falcon forever and ever, amen."

The ATL wide receiver was at LAX recently when we brought up that his contract with the team ends at the end of the 2017 season ... and where he sees his career going.

White made a pretty strong statement.

BONUS -- we also asked White about the other sport in his life ... ping pong.

Turns out, Roddy takes the sport pretty seriously and says he's already bought a new table to boost his training sessions.

Meantime, enjoy some Randy Travis ...

Here's Atlanta Falcons linebacker Kroy Biermann proving bikini bottoms aren't just for women -- rockin' a pair of grape smugglers on a beach vacation with is famous reality star wife.

Another milestone for Brian Banks -- the football star who made it to the NFL after proving he was wrongly convicted of rape ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned he's getting married ... TOMORROW!!!

Brian's story is incredible ... he was a high school football superstar who spent 5 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Then, after he proved his accuser made the whole thing up, he battled his way in to the Atlanta Falcons training camp in 2013 and actually played in some pre-season games!

Now, we've learned... the 29-year-old is all set to tie the knot with his fiancee Emmy -- and it's all going down in Vegas. The two have been together for 3 years.

We're told the ceremony will be pretty small -- just close friends and family -- but there will be a few famous faces in the crowd ... including NFL insider Jay Glazer and former UFC fighter Frank Trigg.

And get this ... Banks became close with an officer in the Navy during some of the USO/NFL tours he did recently ... and we're told the officer has a cool gift in store for Brian.

He's going to fly the USA flag over Camp Lemonnier during the moment of Brian's "I Do's" ... and told Brian it's because, "Lives with meaning like yours are worth fighting for. You deserve the best."

Congrats!!!

Jay Glazer says the NFL went WAY TOO HARD on the Atlanta Falcons -- claiming a $350k fine and a docked 2016 draft pick was a crazy overreaction for illegally piping crowd noise into their stadium during games.

The "NFL on FOX" star was leaving Craig's in West Hollywood Monday night when he told us Roger Goodell and his crew could've handled the situation a lot better ... if RG woulda just picked up the phone and called the owner.

"Just call em up ... say, 'Knock it off! Enough! Just don't do it!'"

Instead, Glazer says ... the NFL went way over-the-top and clearly Jay feels it's damaging the league.

"Not everything has to be a freakin' congressional hearing. You don't need a big investigation into everything."

Bill Cowher did it. So did Herm Edwards and Jim Harbaugh ... but Tony Gonzalez says there's NO CHANCE he's gonna join that gang as the next NFL player-turned-coach.

The future Hall of Famer -- who still gets calls from NFL teams to come back and play -- arrived at LAX yesterday when we asked if he had gotten any calls to COACH as well.

The fan who made a twitter bet with Atlanta Falcons star Roddy White AND WON will finally get his prize -- 2014 season tickets to ATL Falcons games -- but it ain't Roddy who's forkin' over the goods.

In case you missed it ... White's been under fire for the bet, in which he told Dylan Hoyt, "If Mercer beat Duke (in the NCAA tourney) I will give you season tickets 50 yard line first row."

Well, Duke lost ... and Roddy tried to weasel his way out of paying up by only giving the guy tix to ONE game. Hoyt told the media he was cool with Roddy's offer and never really expected anything.

But now, TMZ Sports has learned ... sports memorabilia website OnlyJays.com has contacted Dylan and offered to come through -- with season tickets as close to the 50 yard line as they can get.

A rep for OnlyJays.com tells us they decided to give Dylan the tickets because they felt he handled the situation with "class and grace."

Also, let's get serious ... IT'S A GREAT PUBLICITY MOVE!

Atlanta Falcons superstar Roddy White does NOT want his kids to grow up in New York -- and he's begging a judge to block his baby mama from moving the children to NYC before it's too late, TMZ Sports has learned.

Roddy is going to WAR with Marangelis Marrero -- who gave birth to two of Roddy's kids (one in 2009, one in 2011).

White says Marrero recently told him she plans to move to the Big Apple with the kids -- and he's FURIOUS ... claiming she'd be messing with the custody deal they have in place since they both currently live in Georgia.

In court docs obtained by TMZ Sports, White says, "It is not in the children's best interest that they be allowed to relocate out of state."

In fact, Roddy's so upset ... he wants the judge to empower him with "final decision-making authority regarding the children."

But Roddy's anger might not stem from the crowded streets and rats -- it could be about $$$.

According to court docs, Roddy makes $330k-per-month from the Falcons ... but he's only paying $6,000-per-month in child support in Georgia.

If Marrero moves to NYC, where there's more favorable child support laws, she could squeeze Roddy for A LOT more cash.

But Marrero's attorneys tell us that's not the case -- she simply wants to move BACK to NYC (where she's lived in the past) because she likes it there. She also insists the move won't occur until AFTER the kids complete their current school year.

We're also told Marrero gave White notice about the move "a while ago" in an effort to be as courteous as possible.

Atlanta Falcons lineman Kroy Biermann might not be ready to retire yet ... but his balls are -- 'cause the defensive end tells TMZ Sports his baby makin' days are officially over.

Kroy and his reality superstar wife Kim Zolciak were leaving LaGuardia Airport in NY this weekend without their 4-month old twins ... the 5th and 6th kids in the Biermann family.

Of course, we had to ask if the couple was planning on poppin' out a lucky #7 ... but Kroy made it crystal clear six is plenty enough.

Da Brat is already made a dent in paying off her massive $6.4 million debt ... $400 down, $6,399,600 to go.

The rapper performed Saturday night at a bar in Atlanta ... and according to Dennis Byron -- the guy who shot the video -- Brat's raps were inspired by her prison stint.

We broke the story ... Brat has to pay an Atlanta Falcons cheerleader $6.4 million for beating her face in with a bottle back in '07.

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White was arrested in Atlanta this morning ... and it's all because the guy was rollin' around town with tinted windows.

Law enforcement tells TMZ Sports ... cops pulled over White's Audi A8 for speeding around 3:16 AM ... and during the stop, they noticed a warrant out for Roddy's arrest.

Turns out ... in February 2013, White was cited for having non-transparent tinting on his car window -- and he was required to appear in court the following month.

But officials say White blew off his court date -- so a judge issued a warrant.

The 32-year-old was arrested and hauled to a nearby station -- where he was booked and posed for a smiling mug shot.

Law enforcement tells us Roddy was very cooperative and couldn't have been nicer during the situation.

Thomas Howard – an NFL linebacker who was cut by the Falcons last week – killed himself and another person this morning when he slammed into a big rig truck at more than 100MPH ... officials say.

Witnesses told the CHP ... Howard -- a 2nd round pick in the 2006 NFL Draft -- was blazing down a highway in Oakland, CA when he lost control of his BMW 750Li and smashed into the back of a semi.

Howard's car went airborne and flew across the center median -- and eventually collided with a Chevy Monte Carlo AND a Honda CR-V.

The collision was bad, both Howard and the driver of the Honda -- a 55-year-old man -- died at the scene.

The driver of the Chevy was transported to a nearby hospital. The condition of the semi driver is unknown.

30-year-old Howard was drafted by the Oakland Raiders and blossomed into a star. He also played for the Bengals and most recently the Falcons. He was cut by ATL on November 12.

Tom Brady's gonna have to earn his millions in week 4 of NFL action as the New England Patriots face a tough road opponent in the Atlanta Falcons.

The Pats won 2 games by the skin of their teeth this season. Harv can relate ... he's 2-1. So, let's find out who our pigskin soothsayer is riding this week ...

Charles: New England at Atlanta, who ya got?
Harvey: I'm going with New England ... because the one thing Tom Brady, and especially Gisele, don't like is ugly. And Brady has had ugly wins pretty much all season.

Charles: Except for that Bucs game, but that's the Bucs. Why not pick Atlanta at home?
Harvey: I like the Falcons good enough. In fact, one of their star players used to live with this news chick I know in L.A. -- but it just comes back to Brady being a winner.

Charles: I hate to say it, but Tom Brady is getting kinda old, and Matt Ryan's the young gun.
Harvey: In a weird way, Brady has to be especially charged because Ryan is gunning to be the next Tom -- maybe a little too much.

Charles: You keep saying you think Brady's got retirement on his mind, but --
Harvey: Look, everybody thinks I'm crazy to say it, but if you saw Brady's house in L.A. ... let's just say it beats a brownstone. So, I think he wants to go out with a bang, and we're not just talking Gisele.

The Atlanta Falcons' Julio Jones is a superstar wide receiver, which basically means no matter how many TDs he scores -- some freakin' quarterback will steal the spotlight!

Y'know, 'cause they're all selected for their looks ... is what someone wants you to believe.

Michael Turner's days in the NFL ain't over yet ... the ex-Falcons running back tells TMZ he's "pretty sure" he'll return to the field in 2013.

31-year-old Turner was leaving LAX Monday when we asked if he's found a new squad after parting ways with Atlanta after the 2012 season.

"I'm still relaxing right now," Turner said ... "Still waiting."

Doesn't seem like he's gonna have to wait long -- sources connected to the 2010 and 2011 NFC rushing leader tell us there's real interest from "multiple teams."

We're also told Michael's been busting his incredibly large ass in the off-season and feels back to his old self after suffering groin and elbow injuries last year.

We also asked Turner about Tim Tebow in New England -- Turner suggested we should be more concerned about Tom Brady.