Jarrett Payton Taylor & Travis Are Real Deal ... I Saw Them Up Close!!!
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Former NFL star Jarrett Payton has no doubts about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce bein' a couple ... and that's coming from the guy who got the viral video of them leaving the Chiefs game together.
Jarrett, the son of football legend Walter Payton, joined us on "TMZ Live" Monday to talk about his experience capturing Taylor and Travis leaving Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium together ... and he's telling us why there's real chemistry between them.
![092523-jarret-payton-kal](https://imagez.tmz.com/image/ff/16by9/2023/09/25/ff2aba5361274c5b8394cc3584d42262_md.jpg)
Jarrett's quick clip has quite the story behind it -- he says he was on the field filming coverage for Chicago's WGN and was heading to the car when he was stopped by security and told to wait there while they dealt with something ... or someone.
Luckily, he says he was told to stay put in the hallway ... and the 2 strolled past him not long after that.
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He also thinks Travis gave him a bit of a look while walking out -- a total "come on, dude" kind of glance -- but Jarrett admits was like a kid in the candy store.
As you know, the internet's been going nuts over Taylor and Travis leaving together ... and the singer was also having a blast in a private box with Travis' mom, Donna, just hours before.
And for those of you who are convinced the 2 are an item, it sounds like Jarrett's right there with you on that one.
Do you think Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are the real deal, or just a PR stunt? Vote below.
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Alan Williams Bears D.C. Resigns
Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams is no longer with the team -- the coach resigned from his position on Wednesday.
Confirmed details surrounding Williams' status remain unclear at the time of this post.
Williams -- who did not travel with the Bears for their matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers over the weekend -- released a statement regarding his resignation ... saying, "It is with great regret that I tender my resignation as the Defensive Coordinator of the Chicago Bears Football Club effective immediately."
"I am taking a step back to take care of my health and my family. I appreciate the opportunity to work with the Chicago Bears, a storied NFL franchise with a rich history. The McCaskey family is first-class and second to none. I would also like to thank Coach Matt Eberflus and General Manager Ryan Poles for giving me the opportunity to come to Chicago. I would also like to thank President Kevin Warren, the coaches and players of which I value the relationships and camaraderie."
Williams continued ... "I value the NFL shield and all that it stands for and after taking some time to address my health, I plan to come back and coach again."
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Eberflus declined to expand on Williams' situation with reporters ... saying he had no update at the time.
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NYG's Isaiah Hodgins Honors His Kids With Custom Cleats
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Isaiah Hodgins' two kids will be in his heart, on his mind AND plastered to his feet this season ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned the Giants receiver just copped some custom spikes to honor his two babies.
Cleat artist Joe Castro is the man behind the sweet pieces ... and he tells us the receiver actually reached out to him recently with the idea.
Castro took a bit to get the kids' faces painted on the Nike cleats just right ... but in the end, they came out great.
Featured on one of the shoes is Hodgins' son, who was born in 2020. On the other is Hodgins' newborn daughter.
Unclear when Hodgins will rock the blue-and-white spikes ... but it might just be next week, when NY opens its season against the Dallas Cowboys.
The New York wideout isn't the only NFL player who will rep his kids on his cleats this season ... Jackson also made customs for Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter -- who got his son and the mother of his child on his Nike cleats recently as well.
Football and family ... can't beat the combo.
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Jay Cutler Forget Playing For The Bears ... I Hunt Them Now!!!
Jay Cutler has gone from playing for the Bears ... to slaying them -- the ex-Chicago quarterback just revealed he shot and killed a wild one while out on a hunt in Montana.
The 40-year-old has been in Big Sky Country for the last few days enjoying the state's spring bear hunt ... and on Tuesday morning, he came away with a big trophy.
According to Outsider, Cutler shot a cinnamon black bear with a scoped bolt action rifle ... and it wasn't hard to see the former NFL star was thrilled with his catch.
Cutler posted a pic with the dead animal on his social media page ... writing, "MT bear hunt in the books" -- and saying he was off to go enjoy a beer now.
Cutler also had a memorable moment on the hunt over the weekend, he found a huge elk rack and skull that was nearly as big as him.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
Cutler's become quite the outdoorsman in his retirement from football -- he posts about his hunts regularly. In fact, just last summer, he said he hunted down a deer that he had been stalking for some two years.
Tuesday's bear hunt, of course, sparked heated debates in Cutler's comment section ... but Outsider reports hunting black bears in Montana "is a crucial part of state conservation."
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D.J. Moore New Team, New Bling After Trade ... Gets Watch, Chain In Bears Orange
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It's out with the old and in with the new for NFL star D.J. Moore ... and we're not just talking his next team -- he upgraded his jewelry, too!!
TMZ Sports has learned ... the former Carolina receiver -- who just got shipped to Chicago as part of the Panthers' acquisition of the first overall pick in the 2023 Draft -- decided to give a shiny shout-out to his new squad ... by getting some bling that matches the Bears' colors.
![watch fixed](https://imagez.tmz.com/image/b3/16by9/2023/04/12/b36acb34ab58485baa04f32e937b8048_md.png)
We're told Moore hit up Al The Jeweler from Labelle Jewelry in Totowa, NJ for the job ... and he came up with some seriously high-quality pieces that have him pretty stoked!!
Moore is now the new owner of a chain decked out in orange sapphires and VS white diamonds ... and a matching Cartier watch!!
Of course, Al has done work for a ton of NFL guys in the past -- including Stefon Diggs, Sauce Gardner and more.
Moore is now slated to be a big target for quarterback Justin Fields in Chicago ... and who knows -- maybe if they start off the season strong, he'll get a matching chain and watch, too!!
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Chicago Bears Trade 1st Overall Pick To Carolina ... For D.J. Moore & More!!!
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The first overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft now belongs to the Panthers ... Chicago just traded the selection to Carolina for star wideout D.J. Moore -- and a boatload of other picks.
ESPN's Adam Schefter just broke the news ... reporting the swap between the two teams went down on Friday afternoon.
The Bears, according to Schefter, will get Moore and the Panthers' first-round pick (No. 9) this year, their second pick (No. 61) this year, their first-round pick next year ... AND a second rounder in 2025.
Moore reacted to the news on Twitter -- posting two shocked emojis.
The deal now likely means a quarterback prospect will be headed to the Panthers -- though it's unclear which one.
Alabama's Bryce Young and Ohio State's C.J. Stroud are the favorites -- but Florida's Anthony Richardson is also in the mix for the top spot.
The draft kicks off on April 27 in Kansas City ... getcha popcorn ready!
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Roquan Smith Cries, Cuts Press Conference Short After Robert Quinn Trade
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Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith showed raw emotion over his friend, Robert Quinn, getting traded to the Philadelphia Eagles ... breaking down in tears and ending his press conference after hearing the news.
32-year-old Quinn -- who had 18.5 sacks in 2021 -- was shipped to Philly in exchange for a fourth-round pick on Wednesday ... and Smith was in the middle of his media availability when he got wind of the deal.
"It sucks," 25-year-old Smith said as he tried to compose himself. "I'm gonna take a second for a second, if you don't mind."
"I have a great deal of respect for that guy, you know ... damn. Crazy."
Smith waited several more moments before deciding to get up and leave the room.
Quinn now joins an undefeated Eagles team that's sitting pretty at the top of the NFC East ... which is a much better situation than the 3-4 Bears.
Smith and his Chicago teammates will now try to improve their record without their star defensive end.
As they say -- that's the nature of the business, folks.
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Packers' Allen Lazard Hits Ayahuasca Celly With Rodgers ... After Scoring TD
All of the Packers' starting offense is now drinking the ayahuasca Kool-Aid -- at least, figuratively -- 'cause they pretended to partake in the consumption of the psychoactive tea in the end zone on Sunday night!!
Allen Lazard kicked off the celebration in the second quarter of Green Bay's game against the Bears -- after catching a touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers.
Best celebration of season. Thank you Twitter for pointing out it’s Ayahuasca pic.twitter.com/KPna2bMLoM
— Andrew Perloff (@andrewperloff) September 19, 2022 @andrewperloff
The Packers wideout pretended the ball was the infamous drink that Rodgers said earlier this year led to the "best season of my career" -- pouring it into the hands of all of his teammates.
One by one, each guy pretended to sip the drink -- and then fell over. Eventually, it got to Rodgers, who faked being shocked by it all before giving Lazard a big hug.
The two then kept the party going all night ... 'cause they went on to smash the Bears, 27-10.
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No word if any of the guys has followed in Rodgers' footsteps by actually taking part in the ritual -- but Rodgers is continuing to look great at 38 years old after it ... so maybe it's the right time to try it if not?!
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NFL's David Moore Arrested ... After Allegedly Falling Asleep In Taco Bell Drive-Thru
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NFL wide receiver David Moore -- who just signed a contract with the Chicago Bears this offseason -- was arrested this month after he allegedly fell asleep in a Taco Bell drive-thru, TMZ Sports has learned.
According to the Gainesville Police Dept., officers found Moore asleep in the driver's seat of a 2018 Ford F250 at the local fast-food joint at around 11:18 PM on July 3.
Cops say they were able to make contact with Moore -- and claim he smelled of weed during questioning.
An ensuing search, police say, revealed he had "a package of THC edible candies along with three pistols" in his car. Moore was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and unlawful carrying of weapons.
Records show Moore was booked into Cooke County, Texas jail on July 4 ... on the weapon and drug charges. The records show he bonded out a short time later.
Everything about this play was insane. Russell Wilson throws another perfect deep ball and David Moore keeps his feet in for a 38-yard TD.#LetRussCook pic.twitter.com/oQ6mqWMD2B
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 21, 2020 @MySportsUpdate
Moore -- who's from Gainesville, Texas -- was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the 7th round of the 2017 NFL Draft, and quickly became a reliable target for Russell Wilson.
In four seasons with the 'Hawks, he recorded 78 catches for 1,163 yards and 13 TDs.
He later went on to play for the Panthers, Raiders, Broncos and Packers -- before signing with Chicago in April.
Moore is now the third Bear to run into legal trouble this offseason -- receiver Byron Pringle was jailed in April, while linebacker Matt Adams was just arrested last month.
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Bears' Matt Adams Arrested For Gun Possession
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NFL linebacker Matt Adams' time in Chicago is off to a bad start -- the 26-year-old was arrested for gun possession on Thursday, TMZ Sports has learned.
We're told Adams -- who signed a 1-year deal with the Bears in April -- was questioned by cops around 6:45 PM after he was spotted near a Jeep that was reported stolen.
Adams allegedly claimed to have bought the car ... but when cops searched the vehicle, they found a loaded handgun in the center console and an extended mag in the trunk.
We have signed Matt Adams to a one-year contract.
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) April 9, 2022 @ChicagoBears
Welcome to the Windy City, @all_in_adams!
Adams was arrested and booked on misdemeanor unlawful use of a weapon -- carrying/possessing a firearm ... and was cited for having a high capacity magazine and metal piercing bullets.
We're told Adams had a permit for the gun ... but it was NOT issued by the state of Illinois.
Adams -- who is still in custody at the time of this post -- is due in court in August.
As for the car, we're told the owner did not want to press charges ... chalking the whole thing up as a misunderstanding.
Adams joined the Bears this offseason after four years with the Colts ... following his former defensive coordinator, Matt Eberflus, who just took the head coaching gig in Indy.
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Chicago Bears Players Wear #41 For Brian Piccolo ... Honoring Anniversary Of Tragic Death
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Very cool gesture by the Chicago Bears ... the entire team wore No. 41 jerseys at practice to honor Brian Piccolo, who tragically died from cancer 52 years ago Thursday.
Piccolo -- who spent 4 seasons in the NFL (all with the Bears) -- was diagnosed with embryonal cell carcinoma, a form of testicular cancer, back in 1969 ... and sadly passed away at just 26 years old from the disease on June 16, 1970.
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said he thought it was important for his team to be reminded of everything Piccolo did before his death, so he brought out the jerseys for Thursday's anniversary.
"He was a really good teammate and he liked to have fun with his teammates, he liked to play practical jokes on them and stuff like that," Eberflus said of Piccolo.
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"Just a real man and a real person and a Chicago Bear. So, I wanted to make sure they got that message."
Piccolo, an undersized fullback, ultimately gained national fame during the 1960s for his beautiful friendship with teammate Gale Sayers.
The two grew so tight during their time as Bears, Sayers actually dedicated his George S. Halas Award (given to the Most Courageous Player) to Piccolo just before his death. The gesture -- along with the duo's friendship -- was depicted in the 1971 movie "Brian's Song."
The Bears have honored Piccolo yearly with the Brian Piccolo Award -- which is given to one veteran and one rookie who best exemplify the attributes Piccolo displayed during his life.
Running back Khalil Herbert and pass rusher Robert Quinn were this year's recipients.
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'ROOKIE OF THE YEAR' STAR Wife Files For Divorce
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The disc jockey wife of "Rookie of the Year" star Thomas Ian Nicholas is pulling the plug on their marriage ... because she just filed for divorce.
DJ Colette, a house DJ and vocalist, filed divorce docs Thursday after more than 12 years of marriage.
Thomas, who was a child actor when he played Chicago Cubs fireballer Henry Rowengartner in the 1993 sports flick, and Colette tied the knot way back in January 2007 and they have two minor children together, a son and a daughter.
According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Colette lists the date of separation as Sept. 3, 2019, and she is citing the usual "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the split.
Colette is seeking joint legal and physical custody of the couple's children, and she wants to block the court's ability to award support to either parent. She says the couple has a prenup that she wants the judge to enforce it.
Thomas is also famous for his recurring role as Kevin Myers in the 'American Pie' franchise.
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NFL's Byron Pringle Arrested For Doing Donuts In Hellcat ... With Young Son In Car
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Chicago Bears WR Byron Pringle was arrested Saturday in Florida after state troopers say they busted him doing donuts in his sports car on a suspended license, with a child in the car, TMZ Sports has learned.
And, cops say Pringle was uncooperative ... becoming "verbally confrontational" with them during the stop.
28-year-old Pringle -- an NFL vet out of Kansas State -- was pulled over by Florida Highway Patrol in his Orange 2016 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat around 6 PM in Pasco County, FL after an FHP officer says he witnessed the car burning rubber, doing donuts on a public road, according to an incident report we obtained.
FYI, the Hellcat has over 700 HP ... and has a top speed of around 200 MPH. The car starts at over $65K.
Troopers say Byron was the driver of the vehicle. The car had two passengers ... an adult male in the front passenger seat, and a male child in the back seat. We're told the kid was Pringle's.
When police ran Pringle's license, they say it came back suspended.
Byron was taken into custody at 6:15 PM ... when he was taken to the county jail. He was arrested for Reckless Driving and driving on a suspended license.
The Hellcat was towed to a local yard.
Pringle was undrafted out of college ... before signing with the KC Chiefs as a free agent. He won a Super Bowl (LIV) during the 2019 season. Over his 4 years in Kansas City, he caught 67 balls for 4 touchdowns.
In March, Pringle signed a contract reportedly worth $6 million ($4 mil guaranteed) with the Chicago Bears.
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NFL Reporter Ian Rapoport Abruptly Leaves Radio Show To Break News ... 'Oh S***!!!'
Hilarious moment on the radio waves Thursday ... NFL reporter Ian Rapoport hung up on a show in order to break some Chicago Bears news, saying "oh s***!" just before he bolted!!
It all happened just minutes ago on WEEI ... when Rapoport, an insider for NFL Network, was discussing the possibility of future overtime rule changes in the league.
Statement from @TheRealGresh & @Keefe21 on @Rapsheet hanging up on us to break the Eberflus news
— Gresh & Keefe (@GreshKeefe) January 27, 2022 @GreshKeefe
"We respect Ian's decision to put his job as an insider first as there's a drive into deep left field by Castellanos and that'll be a home run. And so that'll make it a 4-0 ballgame" https://t.co/nb2egrN9lj pic.twitter.com/7rAhGF48Un
Rapoport was humming with his hit, saying a change could eventually come ... when suddenly, he abruptly paused.
"You know -- the," Rapoport said awkwardly. "Oh, s***! I just got a text. I got to go!"
Rapoport quickly hung up, and the guys howled with stunned laughter.
Everyone later learned Ian had to go to break the news that the Bears are expected to name Matt Eberflus as their next head coach.
Source: The #Bears are working to hire Matt Eberflus as their new head coach.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 27, 2022 @RapSheet
No worries ... nobody appeared to be offended by Rapoport's sudden exit -- the show hosts, and some of Rapoport's colleagues, even joked about it on Twitter afterward.
Good times!
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Bears Star Allen Robinson I Had Brutal Battle With COVID ... Lost 10 Pounds
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Allen Robinson's fight with COVID-19 was so bad ... the Bears star said he lost 10 pounds -- and is still recovering weeks after contracting the virus.
The wide receiver -- who's missed Chicago's last two games due to COVID -- opened up about his battle with coronavirus on Tuesday ... and he called it all a "beast."
The 28-year-old told reporters he experienced all of the common symptoms associated with COVID -- and added that even though he's getting better, he's still not 100 percent.
"Still kind of fighting through it," Robinson said.
Sit back and enjoy @AllenRobinson's most insane catches of 2020.
— NFL (@NFL) March 7, 2021 @NFL
You won't regret it. pic.twitter.com/xZp1a9bW6F
Allen, though, said he's hopeful he can play for the Bears this weekend ... which would be big for the wideout, because he's had a mostly forgettable season so far.
In addition to COVID, Robinson's also battled some injuries ... and he's tallied just 32 catches in 10 games this year.
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Illinois Fans Chant 'Fire Nagy' During Game ... Days After Bears Win
Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy can't catch a break ... 'cause even after winning a game on Thanksgiving Day, fans in his own backyard still want him gone.
It all went down Monday night -- Notre Dame was trailing Illinois in the second half of action when "Fire Nagy" chants broke out from the packed fans in attendance.
This has gotta be tough for Nagy, considering he just picked up a win against division-rival Detroit ... right as rumors of his impending firing were making waves.
Of course, this isn't the first time we've seen fans voice their displeasure with the Bears play-caller -- chants of "Fire Nagy" erupted as the Bears lost a last-minute thriller to the Ravens a few weeks ago.
On top of that, an Illinois high school recently apologized to Nagy after "Fire Nagy" chants were directed towards him ... as he was in attendance to watch his son's high school football game.
Below is a statement regarding the recent Cary-Grove vs. Lake Forest 6A high school football game: pic.twitter.com/cUjUfJduDk
— Cary-Grove H.S. (@CaryGroveHS) November 23, 2021 @CaryGroveHS
Nagy -- now in his fourth season as coach -- has been in the direct line of fire from fans across all sports in the state of Illinois this season ... and it's clear even coming up victorious can't make it stop.