Detroit Lions

Cops are investigating text messages in a murder-for-hire case in which a skin specialist to the stars bragged about soliciting former Detroit Lions offensive lineman Chris Geile to kill a rival skin specialist ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Geile was a guard who played 3 games for the Lions in 1987.

We reached out to Chris for comment -- but could not reach him.

We know ... skin specialist Dawn DaLuise was arrested on Wednesday for solicitation to commit murder .

Our sources tell us ... the text messages in question were allegedly sent from Dawn to a friend -- and in them, she brags that Chris will "take out" her intended target. She also mentions that Chris is 6'7" and 315 lbs. She also claims he was a QB ... but that just ain't true.

As for DaLuise -- she's currently being held on $1 million bail.

A former Detroit Lions football player is suspected of being the hit man in a real-life Hollywood murder for-hire-plot ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ Sports.

The identity of the former NFL player has not been released ... but sources tell us the guy is VERY big (in size).

Here's the backstory -- we know ... celebrity skin specialist Dawn DaLuise was arrested Wednesday for allegedly trying to hire someone to kill a skin care competitor. Sources tell us the person she contacted once played for the Lions.

FYI -- The murder was never carried out ... cops stepped in after someone tipped them off about the alleged plot.

Tim Allen -- Detroit Lions mega-fan -- isn't too pumped about his team's new head coach ... telling TMZ Sports he's not sold on Jim Caldwell after his disaster of a season in Baltimore.

The "Last Man Standing" star was leaving The Improv in L.A. last night when we asked how he felt about the former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator taking over the Lions.

His response was less than enthusiastic.

"Let's just say ... how well did Baltimore do with their offense this year? Kinda sloppy right?"

Allen raises a good point -- under Caldwell, the Ravens finished the season an abysmal 29th in total offense and lowly 25th in scoring.

Still, Allen -- a 45-year fan -- say, "I hope he does well."

Detroit Lions star Nate Burleson tells TMZ ... the 911 caller was mistaken -- he wasn't woozy, or off-balanced or DRUNK in the moments following his car crash last week ... but he did fumble his pizza.

Nate says he was in shock in the moments following the wreck, in which he suffered a broken arm and cuts on his face after a night at Happy's Pizza and Pub in Detroit -- but the 32-year-old explains, "I was completely coherent. I was trying to grasp what was going on at the moment."

As we previously reported, one of the people who called 911 following the crash last Monday night told the operator Nate "was losing his balance" and "appeared to be intoxicated."

But Nate tells TMZ, "My arm was broken so that may cause you to stumble, but it was not alcohol-related at all."

In fact, Nate says the cops complimented him on how composed he was following the crash -- considering his injuries.

As for the pizza, Nate admits he tried to save the pie as it slid around on the front seat of his GMC Yukon ... but the food slipped through his fingers ... and that's when he lost control of the ride and crashed.

We obtained photos of the pizza carnage following the wreck ... showing the deep dish pepperoni (with mushrooms) all over Nate's whip.

"I get the jokes, 'cause reaching for a pizza isn't the way you wanna crash your car," Nate says ... "But I'm lucky to have walked away."

Moments after Nate Burleson smashed his SUV into a median -- a witness called 911 and said, "He was losing his balance" ... and that he believed the Detroit Lions star appeared to be intoxicated.

Burleson wrecked last Monday night, and police have said they do not believe alcohol or drugs were a factor -- but on this 911 tape you clearly hear the caller say, "He looks a little messed up. He's walking around, but if I had my guess I'd say he's drunk."

Nate told police he lost control while reaching for a pizza box that was falling off his front seat.

TMZ spoke to a witness at the pub and pizza spot where Burleson had been hanging out that night who told us he had a couple of beers.

Detroit Lions' wide receiver Nate Burleson didn't just break his arm when he crashed -- while reaching for a pizza box -- based on this pic TMZ obtained ... his sweet SUV is dunzo.

Burleson's 2009 GMC Yukon -- or what's left of it -- was hauled by flatbed to a GMC dealership Wednesday in suburban Detroit.

As we told you ... Burleson told police he swerved into a median when he tried to save a pizza from sliding off the front seat.

The SUV is clearly out for the season, but the good news for Detroit is ... its owner is expected to be back on the field before the end of the season.

Next time? Delivery, Nate ... delivery.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Nate Burleson's season could be over after busting his arm in an early morning car accident caused by ... wait for it ... a late night pizza pickup.

Police say the Lions' star was driving on a highway outside Detroit around 2:25 AM when he swerved and wrecked the vehicle ... breaking his arm in two places.

The painful twist here, according to cops, is Burleson was simply reaching for a pizza that had fallen off the seat when he lost control of the SUV.

Better than a DUI ... but still ... dude's season could be over. He also missed most of last season with a broken leg -- but that injury happened on the field.

Reggie Bush fielded the greatest question of his football career last night -- and by the greatest, we mean the funniest ... because even Reggie couldn't hold back his laughter.

Reggie was in Bev Hills when we brought up his new 4-year, $16 million contract with the Detroit Lions -- and you can't talk Lions running backs without talking about the legendary #20, right?

So ... the question: "Do you think you could possibly be the next Barry Sanders?"

Once you stop laughing ... watch the clip to see Reggie's reaction.

Gay football players NEED to have thick skin ... 'cause there's a 100% chance they'll get "teased" in an NFL locker room if they come out ... so says NFL legend Barry Sanders.

The Detroit Lions icon had just touched down in New Orleans last night when we asked him if gay players pose a "problem" in NFL locker rooms.

Sanders response -- absolutely not -- adding, "I don't know that there haven't been MANY gay players [in the past]."

Comedian Louie Anderson narrowly averted disaster this week at a taping of "Splash" -- because he nearly sank to the bottom of the pool from sheer exhaustion -- but thankfully, Detroit Lions star Ndamukong Suh came to the rescue.

Sources close to the production tell TMZ, Louie -- who's a contestant on the show -- was practicing his dives on Wednesday when he became a little too bushed to pull himself up the ladder ... falling back into the water again and again.

We're told Louie eventually had to be rescued by Suh and divemaster Greg Louganis -- who physically lifted the foundering funnyman to the poolside. Louie then sat coughing up water for several seconds.

Despite the scare, we're told Louie's gonna be fine -- his rep says Louie is already “feeling great, loving the challenge."

Ndamukong Suh should NEVER have signed up to compete on "Celebrity Diving" ... this according to several of Suh's Detroit Lions teammates who tell TMZ the decision is shockingly irresponsible.

We broke the story ... Suh -- who's in the middle of a 5-year $68 MILLION contract with the Lions -- recently joined the cast of the ABC reality show ... and will be required to launch his 6'4", 307-pound body off a high diving board.

TMZ spoke to a BUNCH of Suh's teammates ... who all feel (very strongly) that he's making a huge mistake.

One source tells us ... "We need him on the field and if he gets hurt during the off-season doing wild stunts ... it would be bad and it ain't worth it. He is too valuable to the team."

Another source expressed similar concerns -- "if he gets a busted ear drum or an infection, it could have serious effects on his off-season training."

Several of Suh's teammates also told us they were surprised the organization would allow him to participate in the first place ... since there is a real serious risk he could hurt himself.

During the first quarter of the Lions game today, the announcer, Chris Myers was talking about a player who was on the Pittsburgh Steelers last season but now plays for Detroit. He said, "Going from two Super Bowls in Pittsburgh to the winless Detroit team -- that's like going from dating Beyonce to Whoopi Goldberg."

Now, Mark's a smart guy, as evidenced by his college degree and the fact he was the only USC player to answer our impromptu "current events quiz" during the Rose Bowl -- but why would anyone on the planet have any legitimate desire to play for the worst team in the history of professional sports?