Cincinnati Bengals

Move over Patrick Mahomes -- Joe Burrow is actually the best quarterback in the NFL ... so says Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson, who tells TMZ Sports the Cincinnati Bengals superstar deserves the title when he's 100% healthy.

Joey B has had his fair share of injuries in his short career -- he tore his ACL and MCL in his rookie season, forcing him to miss the final six games ... and, more recently, suffered a calf strain in July that continued to give him trouble early on in his 2023 campaign.

He's now proving he's back to his usual self after leading the Bengals to four straight wins ... and Ochocinco says this version of Burrow is all the evidence he needs to put him at the top of his QB list.

"A healthy Joe Burrow is the best quarterback in the NFL," 45-year-old Johnson -- who played for the Bengals from 2001 to 2010 -- said this week.

"You can argue Patrick Mahomes, you can argue what other quarterbacks, but he just is."

Burrow has been balling out lately ... with big wins over San Francisco and Buffalo over the past two weeks as the Bengals find themselves in the contender conversation once again.

Since Burrow was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in 2020, he has led the Bengals to five postseason wins and a Super Bowl appearance ... something Johnson said shouldn't be ignored.

"What he's done for that franchise in such a short amount of time, I mean, how can he not be [the best]?"

Speaking of Burrow, he appeared on this week's edition of "Inside the NFL" -- which airs Tuesdays on the CW -- and Johnson said he had a blast interviewing the Ohio product.

"It was a joy for me," Johnson said. "It was really, really dope."

Damar Hamlin made his first return to Paycor Stadium since suffering cardiac arrest back in January ... and the Buffalo Bills safety was visibly emotional as he reflected on his journey in a postgame moment on the field.

25-year-old Hamlin -- a healthy scratch from the Bills' 24-18 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals -- made his way onto the field after Sunday's matchup ... crouching down near the spot he collapsed and needed resuscitating last season.

"Head Clear. Blessed & Highly Favored. Thank You," Hamlin said on social media alongside a short clip of his time on the grass.

It was a special night for Hamlin -- he also embraced several Bengals players before the game ... smiling from ear-to-ear as he dapped them up.

"Tonight was everything for me," Hamlin said on X. "Y'all don’t know the half of it. Trust me."

Hamlin also took his return as an opportunity to do something really special -- announcing scholarships named after the 10 medical professionals who brought him back to life ... and enjoying a dinner with the heroes over the weekend.

Ja'Marr Chase could look more like Ja'Marr Uno this weekend ... 'cause after striking an agreement with Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson this week -- he's promised to recreate one of the Bengals legend's epic touchdown celebrations!!

The deal was consummated on Thursday afternoon ... after the Cincinnati superstar initially offered it to Johnson during his media availability earlier in the day.

Chase told reporters if the former Bengals wideout would pay the fine, he'd go and grab a broadcast camera after scoring a TD just like Johnson did nearly 16 years ago.

And, it didn't take for Johnson to shake on the pact ... because just minutes after he became aware of Chase's words, he tweeted out, "Say less I’ll pay the fine."

Chase, of course, will now have to find the endzone against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night in order to try to duplicate the celly ... though it shouldn't be too hard for him, considering the tear he's currently on.

Chase has recorded 31 catches in his last three games ... and he's scored four times in that time frame as well.

Adam "Pacman" Jones is trying to turn his most recent run-in with the law into some clicks for his new music ... using the police video of his arrest earlier this month to promote his latest rap song.

The 39-year-old posted some of the footage on his Instagram page on Wednesday ... showing him yelling at an officer after he was taken into custody at Northern Kentucky International Airport on Sept. 11.

In the clip, you can see the ex-NFL star in the back of a police cruiser ... loudly questioning a cop about why he was being arrested after he said all he did was complain to airline employees about a faulty charging port on his plane.

"Bro, I'm going to jail for being on the plane?!" Jones said. "Bro, I didn't even yell at nobody!"

Jones' video then transitioned into a snippet of his new rap song.

"Its always two sides of the story …….," Jones captioned the vid. "👂🏾👂🏾👂🏾new music. Ep coming."

Joe Burrow está como nuevo después de que los Bengals fueran sacudidos por los Browns, dejando atrás su viejo peinado para zanjar el hedor de la pérdida 24-3 del domingo.

El quarterback superestrella estrenó el nuevo look durante su comparecencia ante los medios el miércoles, y cuando se le preguntó acerca de su decisión, medio bromeó diciendo que estuvo inspirado en el enfrentamiento contra Cleveland la Semana 1.

"Cuando tienes un partido como ese el domingo", dijo Burrow con una sonrisa.

Un reportero intentó seguir averiguando si el ex seleccionado general en el Draft de la NFL 2020 estaba hablando en serio o solo jugando, y admitió que era "un poco de ambos".

Los Bengals, de los cuales se espera que sean uno de los mejores equipos de la AFC esta temporada, salieron a tropiezos en Cleveland, con Burrow y compañía luchando por hacer funcionar las cosas en el ataque.

Joe Burrow is starting fresh after his Bengals got rocked by the Browns ... chopping off his locks to ditch the stench of Sunday's 24-3 loss.

The superstar quarterback -- who became the highest-paid player in the NFL after inking a 5-year, $275 million extension -- debuted the new look during his media availability on Wednesday ... and when asked about his decision to ditch his solid flow, he half-joked it was inspired by the Week 1 matchup against Cleveland.

"When you have a game like that on Sunday," Burrow said with a smile.

A reporter followed up on whether the former #1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft was being serious or just playing around ... and he admitted it was "a little of both."

The Bengals -- who are expected to be one of the top teams in the AFC this season -- stumbled out the gates in Cleveland ... with Burrow and Co. struggling to get things going on offense.

TMZ Sports obtuvo imágenes del incidente que condujo a la detención de Adam "Pacman" Jones en un aeropuerto. Estas muestran cómo la ex estrella de la NFL se calienta con los asistentes de vuelo y los pasajeros antes de ser expulsado del avión, pero el ex Bengala cree que el video demuestra que no hizo nada malo.

Jones, de 39 años, se dirigía a Nueva Jersey desde la zona de Cincinnati para asistir al partido entre los New York Jets y los Buffalo Bills el lunes por la mañana, cuando pidió que lo cambiaran de asiento debido a un enchufe eléctrico defectuoso.

En los videos se escucha a Pacman discutir con los auxiliares de vuelo sobre los problemas técnicos, hasta que en un momento dado, estos le explican que el avión volverá de regreso a la puerta de embarque debido a su comportamiento.

A lo largo de la discusión con el asistente, Pacman se defiende diciendo que simplemente estaba tratando de cambiarse a un asiento que funcionara. Las fuentes nos dicen que Pacman esperaba cargar su iPad para poder repasar sus notas del partido del Monday Night Football, el que tenía programado cubrir más tarde esa misma noche.

Mientras el avión se devolvía a la puerta de embarque, Pacman se enfadó por todo el incidente, insultando y discutiendo con los pasajeros que estaban enfadados por el retraso.

De hecho, se oye a Jones referirse a varios de ellos como "chiflados", alardeando de su riqueza y preguntándose por qué nadie lo respaldaba.

Cuando el avión volvió a la puerta de embarque, Jones fue recibido por agentes de la policía del Aeropuerto Internacional de Northern Kentucky, quienes lo detuvieron.

Jones fue fichado por alteración del orden público, intoxicación etílica y amenazas terroristas. Pero él nos dice que los cargos son falsos.

"No amenacé a nadie", dice Pacman a TMZ Sports. "No estaba borracho. Y como muestra claramente el video, fui yo quien fui maltratado".

TMZ Sports has obtained footage of the incident that led to Adam "Pacman" Jones' arrest ... showing the ex-NFL star getting heated with flight attendants and passengers before being booted from his flight -- but the former Bengal believes the video proves he did nothing wrong.

39-year-old Jones was heading to New Jersey from the Cincinnati area for the New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills game early Monday morning ... when he asked to change seats due to a faulty electric outlet.

In the clips, Pacman is heard going back and forth with flight attendants about the technical issues ... and at one point, they explain the aircraft will be taken back to the gate due to his behavior.

Throughout his argument with one attendant, Pacman defends himself ... saying he was simply trying to relocate to a seat that worked. Sources tell us Pacman was hoping to charge his iPad so he could go over his notes for the Monday Night Football matchup he was slated to cover later that night.

As the plane was heading back to the gate, Pacman sounded off over the debacle ... cussing and bickering with pissed-off passengers who were upset about the delay.

In fact, Jones is heard referring to several travelers as "crackers" ... bragging about his wealth and asking why no one backed him up.

Once the plane got back to the gate, Jones was met by Northern Kentucky International Airport police officers, who took him into custody.

Jones was booked for disorderly conduct, alcohol intoxication and terroristic threats ... but he tells us the charges are bogus.

"I did not threaten anyone," Pacman tells TMZ Sports. "I was not drunk. And, as the video clearly shows, I was the one who was mistreated."

Joe Mixon will head into the 2023 NFL season with his road rage case in the rearview mirror ... the Bengals running back was just found not guilty on Thursday morning.

The tailback had been in court on trial in the case since the start of the week ... and after four days of back-and-forth between prosecutors and Mixon's attorneys -- a judge found him not guilty of misdemeanor aggravated menacing.

Mixon -- wearing a light-colored suit and navy blue tie -- did not take the stand during Thursday's proceedings. He appeared relieved after the judge's ruling was announced.

Joe did not speak with reporters after court ... directing media members to speak with his attorneys instead. One of the lawyers said outside of the courtroom, "We thought it came out the way it should have."

The 27-year-old football player was initially charged in the case back in February ... after a 43-year-old woman alleged he had pulled a gun on her on Jan. 21 and threatened to shoot her over a dispute the two had been having on a roadway in Cincinnati.

The charge was at first dismissed just a couple days after it was filed ... but the case was reopened on April 7 after investigators said they found "new evidence." Mixon pled not guilty to the charge less than two weeks later on April 19.

Mixon is expected to have a huge role for the Bengals this year ... after the team parted ways with his primary backup, Samaje Perine, in the offseason. It's unclear if he's still facing punishment over the criminal case from the NFL despite Thursday's ruling.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, one of the best young players in the NFL, is seeking court-ordered protection from a woman he claims is harassing him and his mother.

Ja'Marr beelined it to court Tuesday to file for a temporary restraining order against a woman named Ambar Hunter, who he claims he had a one-night stand with.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Ja'Marr claims Ambar is behind an "unhinged and disturbing" pattern of harassment aimed at him and his mother ... claiming she started threatening them after he refused to continue their relationship after a single night of romance.

Ja'Marr says he hooked up with Ambar way back in July 2021, and she's since tried to damage his brand, reputation and corporate sponsorships through "calculated and ongoing harassment."

The NFL All-Pro says Ambar mainly harasses him on social media, where she posts false statements about him being a deadbeat dad in order to sic her 18,000 followers on him and his mom.

Ja'Marr says they do not have a child together, as Ambar claims, and says she posts photos of another person's child to make it seem like they have a kid. Ja'Marr says she's refused to subject the kid to a DNA test.

What's more, Ja'Marr claims Ambar is spinning a web of lies about being a victim of domestic violence ... he says no law enforcement agency has found her to be credible.

Ja'Marr says Ambar is still ranting about him on social media as recently as this past July ... even going so far as to post his and his mother's personal cell phone numbers on Instagram, which he says led to tons of harassing calls and texts.

In the docs, Ja'Marr slams Ambar for what he says is an "ongoing harassment scheme" to harm him and negatively impact his NFL career ... and he's asking a judge to sign off on a temporary restraining order.

The Battle of Ohio is getting an offseason showdown this year ... 'cause the Cincinnati Bengals just went after the Cleveland Browns over their white throwback helmets -- claiming they're a blatant rip-off!!

The Browns announced the bold new look on Tuesday ... revealing players will rock non-orange helmets for several games this season -- something the franchise hasn't done in more than 70 years.

While famous Browns supporters like LeBron James praised the clean combo, the Bengals -- who rocked alternate white domes last season -- were far from thrilled ... calling out the team for jacking their swag.

The Bengals shared old footage of team owner Mike Brown discussing the two teams' similar jerseys and colors back in the day ... saying former Browns honcho Art Modell believed Cincy "ripped off" Cleveland's look.

In other words, the Bengals think the roles have been reversed.

The Browns clapped back with their own tweet ... pointing out the fact the team rocked white helmets from 1946-51 -- way before the Bengals even existed.

Incredibly powerful moment at the ESPYs just now ... when Damar Hamlin presented the Buffalo Bills staffers who saved his life back in January with the Pat Tillman Award for Service.

The 25-year-old safety took the stage and was visibly emotional as a video tribute played for the star-studded crowd in attendance ... with Hamlin detailing his commotio cordis incident against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football.

"I didn't wake up that morning in January thinking that I would need someone to save my life that day," Hamlin said in the clip, "and I doubt the training staff thought that they would have to do what they did either."

"That, as much as anything else, is what I took away from what happened to me 6 1/2 months ago ... that any of us, at any given time, are capable of doing something as incredible as saving a life, and living a life in service of others."

After the video, the audience gave Hamlin a standing ovation as he welcomed the staffers on stage to accept the award, which is given to sports figures who served others like Tillman, who died while deployed in Afghanistan in 2004.

Hamlin shared a hug with several staffers for a bit before head trainer Nate Breske gave a touching speech.

"Damar, first and foremost, thank you for staying alive, brother," Breske said. "Seriously, we are so honored to be standing up here with such a strong and courageous human being."

Breske also stressed the importance of CPR training -- something Hamlin has campaigned for in the months following the incident.

Deion Sanders is slated to have emergency surgery on Friday ... after a blood clot was discovered in his groin.

Former Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones shared the news just minutes ago ... saying Prime Time will go under the knife at 6 AM to fix the issue.

"I had a chance to talk to him this morning," Jones said on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Thursday. "I said, 'Man, I hope they don't have to cut off your d***.' That's what I told him."

"I said, 'Bro, it would be bad if they have to cut off your d***, bro. Just cut the leg off.'"

Of course, Sanders is no stranger to blood clot issues -- he previously had two toes amputated and underwent multiple surgeries due to a lack of circulation in his left leg ... and doctors feared he was at risk of losing his foot if his condition did not improve.

Jones said he's seen Prime fight through his obstacles ... and it's been difficult to watch.

"I just want him to get healthy, man."

It appears the Cincinnati mayor is taking Travis Kelce's advice by knowing his role and shutting his mouth ... 'cause Aftab Pureval just helped the Bengals announce their Week 17 matchup with the K.C. Chiefs -- and poked fun at his misfired trash talk in the process.

The team just dropped the funny clip on Wednesday ... showing newly-acquired offensive tackle Orlando Brown helping him record the promo inside his office.

"The Bengals play the Chiefs Week 17 ... and I've got nothing else to add," Pureval said in the clip.

When the mayor asked Brown how he did, the lineman jokes it "was better than the last time."

Remember, Pureval put his foot in his mouth days before last season's AFC Championship Game ... calling on Joe Burrow to take a paternity test to determine if he's Patrick Mahomes' dad, as he was 3-0 in head-to-head matchups at the time.

But, as we all know, the Chiefs ended up coming away with the 23-20 win ... and Kelce made sure to call out the Cincy mayor right after the game by channeling his inner Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

"Know your role and shut your mouth, you jabroni!!" Kelce said after the game.

Damar Hamlin's near-death experience apparently brought him even closer to his Cincinnati buddies ... 'cause the Buffalo Bills safety spent part of his offseason hanging with the Bengals' trio of star receivers -- including Tee Higgins -- less than five months after his on-field collapse.

Of course, Hamlin was already tight with receiver Tyler Boyd ... as the two grew up playing against each other on the youth football field in Pennsylvania.

But, the longtime pals were joined by fellow Bengals route runners Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase when they decided to take a trip to the desert sometime recently ... with the four NFL stars posting up next to some ATVs.

"Hot Boyz," Boyd captioned the shot.

Remember, Damar was attempting to tackle Tee during the Jan. 2 Monday Night Football game before suffering commotio cordis and being rushed to a local hospital.

Higgins and his mother remained at the facility throughout the night ... and were there every step of the way to support Hamlin's family.

Now, five months later, Hamlin is thankfully cleared to return to normal life AND his football career ... and has since used his story to spread awareness for AEDs and CPR training.

Joe Mixon appeared in an Ohio courtroom on Wednesday to fight back in his aggravated menacing case ... pleading not guilty to the misdemeanor charge he was hit with earlier this month.

The NFL star wore a white button-down shirt and dark pants for the occasion ... and said nothing to reporters neither during his arrival nor during his exit at his arraignment hearing in Hamilton County.

During the proceedings, Mixon entered his plea ... and his bond was set at $10,000.

As we reported, Mixon was initially charged with aggravated menacing on Feb. 2 -- after prosecutors said he threatened to shoot a woman during a road rage incident on Jan. 21.

The charge was dismissed after officials said they needed "additional investigation" -- but it was refiled on April 7 after authorities said they found new evidence in the case.