Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Mixon allegedly threatened to a shoot woman in a "road rage" incident just one day before the Bengals' playoff game against the Bills ... this according to a police report, obtained by TMZ Sports.

In the Cincinnati Police Dept. documents, cops say the alleged incident happened at 12:49 PM on Jan. 21 -- less than 24 hours before Cincinnati played the Bills in the Divisional Round in Buffalo.

According to the docs, a 43-year-old woman told cops that an "unknown suspect" -- later believed to be Mixon -- "brandished a firearm and threatened to shoot her."

She added, per the report, that it was all "a result of a 'road rage' incident."

A warrant for Mixon's arrest was eventually filed last week for one count of misdemeanor aggravated menacing. In court documents, authorities said Mixon told the alleged victim at the time, "You should be popped in the face, I should shoot you, the police can't get me."

The case, however, was dismissed on Friday after prosecutors said they needed "additional investigation before we would move forward with this case." Officials said there was still a chance it could all be refiled in the future.

Joe Mixon is in the clear in his aggravated menacing case -- at least, for now -- prosecutors dismissed the charge against the Cincinnati Bengals star on Friday ... though there is still a chance they could re-file it at a later date.

Officials from the Cincinnati City Prosecutor's Office asked a judge to sign off on the case's dismissal early Friday morning ... and just minutes ago in a Cincinnati courtroom, Hamilton County Judge Curt Kissinger did just that.

"I will sign the entry of dismissal," the judge said at the hearing. "And the warrant will be recalled subject to further filing by the City of Cincinnati."

Prosecutors said in the courtroom they were asking for dismissal because they needed "additional investigation before we would move forward with this case."

They noted the alleged victim would like to still go forward with the charge "if we do decide to refile it."

As we reported, an arrest warrant for a misdemeanor count of aggravated menacing was issued for Mixon on Thursday ... after officials alleged he pointed a firearm at a woman on Jan. 21 and told her, "You should be popped in the face, I should shoot you, the police can't get me."

Mixon's rep, Peter Schaffer, said in a statement following the court filing, "It was a rush to judgment."

"I really feel that police have an obligation before they file charges -- because of the damage that can be done to the person's reputation -- to do their work," Schaffer added.

A warrant has been issued for Bengals star running back Joe Mixon's arrest in Cincinnati ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.

According to court records, the warrant is for a count of aggravated menacing -- which is described as when a person knowingly leads another to believe they will physically harm them or their property, unborn child or member of their immediate family.

Aggravated menacing is a first-degree misdemeanor, according to Ohio's State Laws and Regulations. If convicted, Mixon could face up to 180 days in jail and a fine.

Mixon, 26, just completed his sixth season in the NFL ... and the Bengals were eliminated from the playoffs on Sunday.

As a member of the Oklahoma Sooners football team in 2014, Mixon was charged with misdemeanor assault when he punched a woman after she shoved him in the chest. He entered an Alford plea ... admitting there was enough evidence to convict him. He got 1-year probation, 100 hours of community service and behavioral counseling.

We reached out to Mixon's rep for comment ... so far, no word back.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson gave Travis Kelce a ringing endorsement ... after the NFL superstar ripped the Cincinnati mayor, calling him a "jabroni" following the Chiefs' victory over the Bengals in the AFC Championship Game!

Of course, Kansas City's 6x Pro Bowl tight end channeled The Rock during his on-field postgame interview, telling Cincinnati mayor Aftab Pureval -- who trolled the Chiefs and their QB Patrick Mahomes before the game -- to "Know your role and shut your mouth, you jabroni!"

Well, the WWE legend and A-list movie star clearly got a kick out of Kelce's clap back, going to Twitter Monday night to show his appreciation for Travis.

"My boy said what he said," The Rock wrote. "I appreciate the venomous 'shut yo' over formal 'shut your' 🤣👊🏽🏆."

Kelce's speech was brilliant ... and anyone familiar with The Rock's signature punchlines knows not everyone can pull off the impersonation!

When The Rock was a WWF/WWE Superstar, he routinely made fans laugh by calling fellow wrestlers "jabroni's" and telling opponents ... "it doesn't matter what your name is!" He'd also threaten to take them to the "Smackdown Hotel." 😅

Kelce earned the right to trash talk after his performance Sunday ... he had 7 receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown, making big plays for his team, as has become routine for the league's best pass-catching TE.

Now, the 33-year-old tight end will face off against his brother, Eagles star Jason Kelce, at Super Bowl LVII in Arizona ... a.k.a. the "Kelce Bowl", a.k.a. the "Andy Reid Bowl."

Bengals DE Joseph Ossai stood at his locker with tears in his eyes as he answered questions about the back-breaking roughing-the-passer penalty he committed, but he didn't do it alone ... his teammate B.J. Hill stood shoulder-to-shoulder with his fellow d-lineman, providing much-needed support for his friend.

Of course, 22-year-old Ossai, who played a heckuva game prior to the penalty, drew the most costly of penalties when he hit Patrick Mahomes out of bounds with only 8 seconds remaining in the game, and the score tied at 20.

Mahomes ran out of bounds at the 40-yard line -- and assuming the Chiefs didn't gain any more yards (they likely would've had time to run 1 more play before kicking the FG) -- would've set up around a 57-yard field goal. An incredibly difficult kick, especially considering the freezing cold temperatures and the pressure of the moment.

However, thanks to the 15-yard penalty on Ossai, the kick was 40 yards ... obviously much easier for Harrison Butker.

Ossai was clearly crushed, crying on the bench as the Chiefs celebrated their 3rd trip to the Super Bowl in 4 seasons.

After the game, Ossai didn't hide ... he stood at his locker and answered questions like a true professional, as 27-year-old Hill, also a defensive lineman, stood by as Joseph talked about the crucial play.

“These guys mean a lot to me and to know that they have my back is extremely… it’s giving me peace right now,” Joseph told the assembled media.

Despite Ossai clearly feeling responsible for the loss, his teammates and coaches, almost to a man (more on that shorlty), have said the 2nd year player is NOT the reason Cinci lost. In fact, during postgame media, head coach Zac Taylor attempted to change that narrative, saying one play does not dictate the result of a 60-minute football game.

Linebacker Germaine Pratt initially erupted in anger after the costly mistake, screaming “What the f***! Why the f*** did you touch the quarterback?” as he walked into the visitor's locker room. But, after he had some time to cool off, Pratt changed his tune while speaking with reporters.

Patrick Mahomes' wife, Brittany, gave Eli Apple a taste of his own medicine after the Chiefs beat the Bengals on Sunday ... trolling the Cincy cornerback for running his mouth in the days leading up to the game.

Apple was oozing confidence on social media after the Bengals eliminated Buffalo last week ... channeling his inner Patrick Beverley and telling the Bills players to enjoy their early vacation as Cincy moved on in the playoffs.

As soon as the Bengals were booted from Super Bowl contention themselves, it was Brittany's time to get the last laugh.

"Cancun on 3 ✌🏼," Mahomes said on Twitter.

It wasn't just the superstar's wife going after Apple following the game ... 'cause Chiefs players unleashed on him while smoking victory cigars in the locker room.

"Eli Apple, I'mma smoke one for you!!" Juan Thornhill said on Instagram.

Even Patrick's dad had some words for the Bengals' superstar quarterback  ... saying he'll celebrate the W by "smoking on that Joe Burrow."

The Chiefs played like they were pissed off ... and Travis Kelce and others made it clear they felt disrespected by Mike Hilton referring to Arrowhead Stadium as "Burrowhead."

Travis Kelce had strong words for the Cincinnati Bengals AND their mayor after the Kansas City Chiefs secured a spot in the Super Bowl ... shutting down all "Burrowhead" talk following the AFC Championship game.

Patrick Mahomes and Co. snuck away with a nail-biting 23-20 victory on Sunday ... and the team made sure to send a message to Bengals defensive back Mike Hilton for previous comments he made about Joe Burrow "owning" Arrowhead Stadium.

Kelce interrupted Mahomes' postgame interview to respond to the bulletin board material ... shouting, "Burrowhead my ass!!" into the cameras.

"It's Mahomes' house!!"

Mahomes followed up by adding, "We showed this place, it's Arrowhead, it's not Burrowhead out here."

But, Kelce didn't stop there -- he also clapped back at Mayor Aftab Pureval for joining in on the smack talk with a social media post on Friday ... in which he asked Burrow to take a paternity test to find out if he was Mahomes' dad.

Kelce channeled The Rock to trash the disrespect ... saying, "Know your role and shut your mouth, you jabroni!!"

The Chiefs will now face off against the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12 ... and don't expect Philly players to be running their mouths -- or Kelce will have something to say.

Bengals super fan Gary Owen REALLY loves Joe Burrow ... so much so, that the comedian tells TMZ Sports he'd be thrilled if the Cincinnati quarterback ever wanted to hook up with his family members!!

Let's be honest -- the thought of relatives getting freaky in the sheets is enough to weird anyone out ... but Owen is an exception when it comes to Joey B, 'cause he says his obsession with #9 has led him to welcome the idea with open arms.

"If somebody in my family wants to sleep with him, do it," Owen joked to TMZ Sports. "Do it. Like, you don't ever want to think of any females in your family sleeping with anybody. But Joe Burrow?? Yeah, I'll drop you off. What time do you need me to pick you up??"

Owen was in Buffalo to watch his beloved team beat up on the Bills in the divisional round ... and he said he will 100% be in Kansas City for the AFC Championship game on Sunday.

But it's not just Burrow that has Owen raving about his Bengals -- he says the defense also deserves a ton of credit, even with their hands full against a dominant Chiefs offense.

"I've never been more confident in a team," he added.

Is it possible Patrick Mahomes could play BETTER on his injured ankle this weekend? Michael Vick certainly thinks so ... telling TMZ Sports he believes it could actually help the QB vs. the Bengals!!!

Vick explained ... when he was battling through ailments during big games in his legendary career, it made him focus more on the field -- and, in turn, upped his game a bit.

The former Philadelphia Eagles signal-caller tells us he expects similar results from Mahomes in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.

"I know this from playing at a high level and playing against high-level competition," Vick said, "sometimes when you play hurt, you'll be a little bit more focused. A little bit more dialed in."

Mahomes injured his ankle last Saturday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but finished out the game. Vick says the Chiefs' star's ability to come back despite twisting the limb gives him confidence Mahomes is one of the rare athletes who can step up despite a wound.

"Playing hurt is not a bad thing if you know how to do it," Vick said. "Only certain people can do it -- and the ones that are listening right now, they know what I'm saying. They can relate."

Mahomes hasn't been seen sporting much of a limp at all since the injury -- and is expected to go against Cincinnati.

Of course, if he wins, he'll have a spot in yet another Super Bowl -- and if the Eagles manage to do the same, Jalen Hurts will too ... marking the first-ever Big Game that will feature two Black starting quarterbacks.

"Burrowhead" is dead in the Bengals' locker room ... at least, that's according to Cincinnati star kicker Evan McPherson, who tells TMZ Sports the jab was a one-time thing that the team is definitely not using as a rallying cry heading into the big game against the Chiefs.

Cincy defensive back Mike Hilton coined the term following the Bengals' playoff victory over the Bills last weekend ... using it as a way to describe Joe Burrow's recent dominance over Patrick Mahomes, K.C. and Arrowhead Stadium.

Hilton was celebrating, and a hot mic captured him yelling, "We'll see ya'll in Burrowhead!" in this week's AFC Championship Game.

K.C. players have appeared to use it as motivation and bulletin board material ... but McPherson explained it's not a jab the Bengals are saying regularly -- if at all anymore.

"I think that was just something Mike Hilton said," McPherson told us.

"I haven't heard 'Burrowhead' in the locker room. I just seen it on the videos. So I think it was just kind of one of those media things."

To be fair, Burrow has been dominant when playing the Chiefs -- and in the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead last year, he played well, winning in overtime. McPherson, though, told us he and the guys are staying as humble as possible, not gloating about it all at practices and workouts.

"Obviously, it seems like Joe and the Bengals, as of late, have the Chiefs' number," McPherson said. "As a team, we're really taught to take it one game at a time and separate all those."

The mayor of Cincinnati just trolled Patrick Mahomes ahead of the Chiefs' playoff game against the Bengals ... insisting Joe Burrow has the K.C. star quarterback's number completely.

Mayor Aftab Pureval threw the shade in a video posted to his social media page Friday ... just two days before the Bengals-Chiefs AFC championship game -- poking fun at the Kansas City signal-caller.

In the clip, the mayor jokingly says officials asked Burrow to take a paternity test to determine if he's Mahomes' dad ... since the Cincy QB is 3-0 in his career against Patrick.

Pureval then reminisced about the Bengals' 27-24 AFC title game victory last season ... and proclaimed Jan 29, 2023 as "They Gotta Play Us Day" in Cincinnati.

Of course, the mayor has all the reasons to gloat ... the Bengals have found both regular-season and postseason success against Mahomes and the Chiefs -- and are considered by many to be the favorite on Sunday.

Damar Hamlin's presence at the Bills' playoff game has fueled wild conspiracies on the Internet among the tin foil hat-wearing crowd ... with some suggesting a body double was used in the 24-year-old safety's place.

But, multiple sources tell TMZ Sports that's simply not true ... sorry, conspiracy theorists.

Hamlin attended the Bills-Bengals game Sunday afternoon at Highmark Stadium ... his first time back at an NFL game since he went into cardiac arrest on the field in Cincinnati on January 2.

Damar, wearing a mask, hoodie, and sunglasses, was shown on television and the stadium scoreboard ... but between the accessories and bad weather in Buffalo, it was difficult to see Hamlin.

FYI, it was 30 degrees in western New York on Sunday.

Given Hamlin didn't speak with the media, and his face wasn't seen clearly, some people went to Twitter and online forums, suggesting a stand-in was used in DH's place.

The speculation has even gotten to the point where people were dissecting other pictures of Damar ... including the one teammate Matt Milano posted last weekend, which was believed to be Hamlin's first return to the Bills facility.

In the interest of debunking Internet conspiracy theories, we made some calls ... and multiple people close to Damar say it's absolute nonsense.

Bottom line -- Damar Hamlin was at the Bills game.

Don't be shocked if Cincinnati upsets Buffalo in their playoff game this weekend ... ex-NFL star T.J. Houshmandzadeh tells TMZ Sports he's confident his former squad will get the dub on Sunday!!!

The ex-Cincy wideout broke it down for us at LAX this week -- right after Joe Burrow and the guys beat the Baltimore Ravens in their Wild Card matchup last weekend.

"I like the Bengals' chances," he said.

The 45-year-old former Pro Bowler explained that with the way the Bengals looked against the Bills during their brief "Monday Night Football" contest earlier this month -- he's giving the edge to Cincinnati heading into the big AFC Divisional Round game.

"The way that regular-season game was going," he said, "I like the Bengals' chances."

Of course, the experts in Vegas disagree -- calling the Bills a 5.5-point favorite.

We also talked about the matchup with Houshmandzadeh's former Bengals teammate, Chad Johnson, at the L.A. airport -- and while he didn't seem as sure as his pal did about the outcome of the game, he didn't exactly pick Buffalo either.

"I think it comes down to whoever makes the fewest mistakes," Ochocinco said. "And, the offense that executes the best."

Stefon Diggs might have a job in commentary after his NFL career -- but not necessarily calling football games -- the Bills star did some impromptu play-by-play on social media during the first Power Slap event, and it was hilarious!!

The 3x Pro Bowl receiver was flipping through the channels Wednesday night when he turned on Dana White's new Power Slap event on TBS ... and Diggs was in complete and utter shock as he watched Kortney Olson and Sheena Bathory slap the crap out of each other.

"Nah, this some crazy s**t right here," Diggs, as he lay in bed watching, said in a video he posted to social media, adding, "they right here smacking the s**t out of each other. Watch this right there... Ohhh! My gosh!"

In fairness to Diggs, what he was watching was actually insane ... Olson was KO'd with a massive slap from Bathory and the doctors called the fight.

"Oh s**t!" Diggs said watching the knockout, "Oh my gosh!"

Diggs also watched Jon Kennedy getting KO'd by Wesley Drain ... and hilariously dropped a famous quote from the iconic movie, "Friday," when Deebo knocks Craig down.

"Get up Craig! Get up, Craig!" Diggs yelled, "Get up! Get up, Craig!"

Of course, Diggs has somewhere to be on Sunday ... his Bills squad will play the Bengals in the Divisional round of the NFL Playoffs.

Joe Burrow had a digit disaster at his press conference on Wednesday ... 'cause the superstar quarterback wore the wrong jersey!!

The 26-year-old showed off the new look as he met with reporters ... and he was immediately asked if he was ditching #9 for #8.

Naturally, as soon as Burrow looked down to check what they were talking about ... he started cracking up.

"I guess I put the wrong one on," Burrow laughed. "So what happened was, I forgot about the press conference ... so I put my jersey back on. But apparently, it wasn't my jersey."

"Guess it's been that kind of day, huh?"

FYI -- #8 belongs to Brandon Allen, the backup quarterback who resigned with the Bengals last March.

Hopefully, Burrow remembers to wear his own jersey when the Bengals take on the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round of the playoffs on Sunday.

Speaking of the game, Burrow eventually got to talkin' about the big road matchup ... and he's not concerned about the Bills being the betting favorite.

"I always enjoy going on the road. Just you and your guys," Burrow said. "It feels like it's you against the world and that's where we like to be."

"Never feel like an underdog."

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor continued his playoff tradition after his team pulled off a tight win over the Baltimore Ravens ... by hitting up a Cincinnati bar to present a game ball to fans!!

The fourth-year play caller showed up at The Blind Pig -- right across the street from Paycor Stadium -- following the Bengals' 24-17 dub over their division rivals on Sunday night ... and the crowd was clearly thrilled to have him join their party.

Taylor even addressed the patrons in attendance ... thanking them for their continued support.

"We appreciate it," Taylor said over the mic. "You all are the best fans in the whole world."

"Playoff win, the first of many," he continued. "Love you guys. Game ball to the Blind Pig. Appreciate all your support. We need you next week in Buffalo, find a way to get up there. Find a way, find a way. Who Dey!!"

The Bengals will now travel to New York to face the Bills in the divisional round ... setting up a matchup between Joe Burrow and Josh Allen.