Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions just released Marvin Jones Jr. ... shortly after the receiver announced he was stepping away from the team to focus on "personal family matters."

The 33-year-old posted a statement on Instagram Tuesday afternoon ... days after Jones Jr. failed to travel with the Lions to the Ravens game in Baltimore.

"To be brief, I am stepping away from the team to take care of personal family matters," Jones Jr. said. "Although this was no easy decision, I cannot be the person/player that I need to be for this team as well as tend to my family from afar."

"This organization has been amazing showing love and support for myself and my family over the years and this time is no different."

Shortly after, the Lions released their own statement announcing the roster move online, stating Jones Jr. was released.

Despite being thoroughly dominated by the Ravens on Sunday, the 5-2 Lions are currently leading the NFC North ... and although Jones Jr. will no longer be on the field, he's vowed to continue supporting his squad.

No, Amon-Ra St. Brown isn't quitting football to hide a pot of gold ... he just looked like it on Thursday -- and it's all 'cause he lost a bet to his teammate!

The Detroit Lions star showed up to media availability dressed as if he were a new Lucky Charms spokesperson ... and when reporters asked why he was in the all-green garb, he told them it's because USC fell to Notre Dame in their rivalry game on Saturday.

"We made an agreement," the 23-year-old former Trojans star said of he and his teammate, ex-Notre Dame defensive lineman Julian Okwara. "I called J.O. -- FaceTimed him -- and he said if SC wins, he has to be Tommy Trojan. I said, 'OK.' And he said if Notre Dame wins, I gotta be -- I don't know what this is called."

Of course, the Trojans put up a decent fight for a while against the Irish in South Bend ... but they crumbled late, giving Okwara the win over St. Brown.

What's hilarious ... the Lions star told media members not to call it all a "bet" -- as the NFL has been recently cracking down on gambling inside locker rooms, although we're pretty sure Roger Goodell would've let this one slide.

A Green Bay Packers fan was so annoyed with Amon-Ra St. Brown following his touchdown on Thursday night, he dumped his beer all over the Lions star's head.

The incident happened in the first quarter of Detroit's "Thursday Night Football" game against Green Bay ... when St. Brown hauled in a 24-yard TD -- and then headed for some front-row seats to celebrate with Lions fans.

The 23-year-old did his version of the Lambeau Leap -- jumping over a wall behind the end zone into the waiting arms of several people decked out in blue and silver -- and while he initially was having a good time, a Green Bay fan decided to ruin the moment.

You can see in a replay of the celly, the Packers fan reached out with his drink and poured it on St. Brown's helmet. Just seconds later, the wide receiver hopped down and rejoined his team.

It's unclear if the fan was punished for the act ... or if St. Brown even noticed amid all the chaos in the stands. After the game, though, he did joke about the celebration to reporters, saying, "I lost my Lambeau Leap virginity."

In the past, cops have investigated similar incidents at NFL stadiums -- you'll recall, in 2018, the Foxborough Police Dept. launched a probe into a fan after he was seen throwing beer on Tyreek Hill following a touchdown at Gillette Stadium.

No word yet if the Green Bay Police Dept. is involved in Thursday night's incident ... we've reached out to cops for comment, but haven't heard back.

Even with a loss or a draw on Thursday evening, Lions defensive tackle Benito Jones is still leaving Lambeau Field a winner regardless ... 'cause he just earned the honor of best pregame 'fit by far!!!

The 25-year-old rolled up to the big "Thursday Night Football" matchup against the Packers in nothing but orange overalls, boots, and a cowboy hat.

The guy absolutely crushed the look ... and it was so great -- the Lions just had to make it the final picture of their pregame Instagram carousel.

"All I can say is...," the team wrote on its social media page, "swipe until the end 😂."

The rest of the Lions opted for more muted outfits ahead of their NFC North clash ... with star quarterback Jared Goff sportin' simply jeans and a flannel.

No matter which look you prefer -- ya gotta give Jones credit for putting it all out there.

Jared Goff was gettin' all types of Ws on Thursday night ... 'cause after upsetting the Chiefs in the NFL's kickoff game, he got a celebratory kiss from his swimsuit model fiancée!

The PDA happened after the quarterback and his Detroit Lions shocked the defending Super Bowl champions, 21-20, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

Goff's partner, Christen Harper -- who just got engaged to the signal-caller back in June -- shared footage of the postgame smooch on her Instagram page ... showing her getting some lip-on-lip action with the QB after the game from the stands.

"Biiiiig fan of 16," Harper captioned the clip.

Of course, Goff deserved every bit of the love from Harper ... he threw for 253 yards and a touchdown in the victory, taking care of the ball throughout all four quarters of the close game.

Seems the quarterback should be getting used to the PDA from Harper going forward ... because the Lions appear to be the real deal, playing well in all three phases of the game.

Matthew Stafford's wife is admitting she made a mistake by going public with the quarterback's communication struggles in the locker room ... calling it, "probably the worst thing I've done when it comes to him."

Kelly made headlines after revealing the 35-year-old Rams star wasn't connecting with his younger teammates on her "Morning After" podcast last week ... when she said the Super Bowl champ has found difficulty vibing with guys compared to years past.

Now, Kelly is regretting her decision to share that info ... telling Local 4 in Detroit, "That was tough. I say all the time, probably not the best if your wife’s name is in the media, if it’s talking about sports."

"I felt pretty bad last week," she added. "I put my foot in my mouth pretty good last week."

The mother of four explained she thought the topic was relatable ... and she still believes it to be a true statement.

"But I'm not in an NFL locker room, I'm not spending every day with these teammates."

Rams coach Sean McVay commented on Kelly's statements earlier this week ... saying he took it like more of a joke at Matthew's age instead of a real issue within the team.

Detroit Lions star Jameson Williams -- the 12th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft -- has just been suspended six games ... after the NFL says he violated its gambling policy.

The exact allegations against the former Univ. of Alabama receiver are unclear -- though according to the Lions, one of Williams' violations included betting from an NFL facility on non-NFL games.

Several other players were hit with punishments for gambling policy violations on Friday as well, including receiver Quintez Cephus, defensive back C.J. Moore and wideout Stanley Berryhill, who were all teammates with Williams in 2022.

Cephus and Moore received indefinite bans and were cut by the Lions immediately afterward. Berryhill received a six-game suspension -- though he and Williams are still slated to remain on Detroit's roster.

"As a result of an NFL investigation, it came to our attention that a few of our players had violated the league's gambling policy," Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes said in a statement Friday. "These players exhibited decision making that is not consistent with our organizational values and violates league rules."

"We have made the decision to part ways with Quintez and C.J. immediately. We are disappointed by the decision making demonstrated by Stanley and Jameson and will work with both players to ensure they understand the severity of these violations and have clarity on the league rules moving forward."

Washington Commanders defensive lineman Shaka Toney was also suspended indefinitely on Friday for violating the NFL's gambling policy, the league announced.

When the NFL revealed its rulings ... officials added their probe "uncovered no evidence indicating any inside information was used or that any game was compromised in any way."

Stanley Wilson Jr.'s family claims the ex-NFL player didn't simply collapse and die while in police custody last month ... they believe he was actually beaten by law enforcement officials before he passed away.

The attorney representing Wilson Jr.'s family, John Carpenter, said at a news conference on Tuesday photos of Wilson Jr.'s body show the Detroit Lions cornerback was a victim of excessive force before he died suddenly at a Los Angeles County mental hospital on Feb. 1.

Carpenter said pictures of abrasions on Wilson Jr.'s head appear to show he was kicked or stomped. Images of markings on his wrist, meanwhile, seem to reveal he was cuffed at the time of the attack, Carpenter said.

Wilson Jr.'s mom, Dr. D. Pulane Lucas, said county officials had told her the former football player had collapsed and fallen out of a chair while going through the intake process at Metropolitan State Hospital before he died. But, Carpenter said the photos show a "stark contrast to what we've been hearing."

Carpenter filed three claims against L.A. County on Tuesday morning over it all -- one on behalf of Wilson Jr.'s mother, one on behalf of his father, and one on behalf of his estate -- asking for damages in excess of $45 million.

"The County has grossly misrepresented the cause and circumstances of Stanley Wilson Jr.'s death," the attorney said in the court filings.

Carpenter added during the news conference that he has yet to receive Wilson Jr.'s autopsy results.

As we reported, Wilson Jr. had been in custody following his vandalism arrest back in August ... but after he was declared incompetent to stand trial -- he was transferred from county jail to the Metropolitan State Hospital, where officials say he died.

Law enforcement sources told us at the time foul play was not suspected.

Move over, Mel Kiper Jr. ... Taylor Lautner's now comin' in hot with the NFL draft advice -- telling TMZ Sports he wants his beloved Lions to go defense in the first round this year!!

We got the "Twilight" actor -- who's a MASSIVE Detroit fan -- out in L.A. on Wednesday ... and he made it clear, when Dan Campbell's guys get on the clock in April, he's hoping for some players who can scare the hell out of opposing offenses.

"Defense was lacking a little bit this year," the Grand Rapids, Mich. native said.

Lautner clearly knows his stuff (he has been, after all, a Lions supporter since he was a kid) -- Detroit had statistically one of the worst D's in the league in 2022 ... giving up the third-most points in the NFL, and the most yards.

The good news? The Lions have two first-round picks this year thanks to the Matthew Stafford trade with the Rams in 2021 -- and most mock drafts have them going with defenders at both picks.

In fact, in ESPN analyst Todd McShay's most recent mock on Wednesday, he had Detroit going with a Clemson pass rusher and a Georgia cornerback.

Stanley Wilson Jr. -- a former Detroit Lions cornerback and the son of ex-Bengals running back Stanley Wilson Sr. -- has died after collapsing at a mental hospital earlier this month ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Wilson Jr. had been in police custody following his vandalism arrest back in August ... but according to prosecutors, he was declared incompetent to stand trial and was transferred from county jail to the Metropolitan State Hospital in Los Angeles County on Feb. 1.

But, law enforcement sources tell us during intake at the medical facility -- which specializes in caring for those with mental health issues -- he collapsed and died.

Our sources say foul play is not suspected. Autopsy results are pending toxicology.

Wilson Jr. was just 40 years old.

The former defensive back was taken by the Lions in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft ... and went on to play three seasons for the team -- before suffering a career-ending Achilles injury prior to the beginning of the 2008 season.

After his NFL career had concluded, Wilson found himself in trouble with the law multiple times.

In 2016, he was charged with attempted burglary after he was shot in the abdomen after he allegedly attempted to break into a home in Portland while completely nude. Months later, in 2017, he was arrested after he was accused of walking around a Portland neighborhood while naked. He was arrested a third time in 2017 after another alleged attempted break-in.

In August, he was arrested once again for allegedly breaking into a home and then taking a bath in an outdoor fountain after ransacking the place.

Wilson Jr. played in 32 games in his pro football career, logging eight pass breakups, a forced fumble and 87 total tackles.

Pete Davidson is a captain at the Pro Bowl Games in Vegas this weekend -- which is sort of a weird sight ... but not nearly as bizarre as the ink Amon-Ra St. Brown was rocking.

The Lions WR was front and center Sunday for the off-weekend just before the Super Bowl next week, and during an interview with Robert Griffin III ... he showed off what appeared a relatively fresh tattoo he had plastered on his arm ... a tat of Pete's face, no less.

There's some writing underneath the drawing of PD's mug too ... it says, "Pete #1" -- as in Pete's #1 fan. Unclear if it's real or not, but Pete was brought over to take a closer look.

He was clearly impressed and moved by the gesture -- apparently, Amon-Ra is a big fan -- but he also said what most everyone else was thinking ... hopefully, that thing comes off!

As for why Pete's there at all ... he's just one of a handful of celebs on the field to help spice things up. Snoop Dogg and other stars are there too, and everyone's just goofing around and hamming it up for the camera -- notable during Pete's Best Catch judging.

Naturally, there were jokes made about his dating resume, which includes a lot of high-profile women he's been with over the years. Good sport that he is, Pete leaned in.

At one point, RGIII even made a little crack about Pete's "game" off the field ... and the dude was appreciative of the compliment -- noting, he's just there to have a good time.

Jessie Lemonier -- a former outside linebacker for the Detroit Lions -- has passed away, the team announced Thursday morning. He was only 25 years old.

Details surrounding Lemonier's death are not yet known.

The Lions broke the sad news with a statement, saying they're "shocked and saddened" by Lemonier's death.

"Jessie was a model teammate and wonderful young man who is gone far too soon," the team said on social media.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time."

Many paid their respects to the late Lions player in the comments ... including Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson who shared the post with praying hand emojis.

Lemonier was an undrafted free agent out of Liberty University ... where he became the third player in Flames history to record 10 or more sacks in a season.

The Los Angeles Chargers picked him up after the 2020 NFL Draft and Lemonier played in 6 games before he was waived in August 2021.

He then signed with the Lions' practice squad a month later and was promoted to the active roster. He appeared in 7 games and had 15 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

Lemonier also had a short stint with the Arizona Cardinals.

It seems like Lemonier was positioning for a career in the United States Football League as he recently signed with the Houston Gamblers in December 2022.

He was traded to the USFL's defending champions Birmingham Stallions and their season was scheduled to start this April.

A Jimmy John's employee hilariously trolled former Lions QB Dan Orlovsky for notoriously running out of the back of the end zone during a game 14+ years ago ... reminding him of the gaffe while the analyst simply attempted to order lunch.

It was 2008 ... Orvlosky was the quarterback in Detroit, and the Lions were on the road in Minnesota, playing the Vikings at Mall of America Field.

Orlovsky and the Lions were backed up in their own territory. Orlovsky dropped back to pass, but was pressured by star DT Jared Allen, who began chasing Dan.

Orlovsky panicked once he saw Allen pursuing, and proceeded to run out of the back of the end zone, resulting in a safety, and giving birth to one of the funniest plays in NFL history.

On Monday, ESPN's Laura Rutledge posted video of Orlovsky being trolled ... saying someone at the popular sandwich chain, Jimmy John's, rehashed the iconic (or painful, if you're Dan) moment.

"Watch out for the back of the end zone," the sandwich's packaging read, much to Dan's chagrin. "How they gonna do our guy like that," Laura asked jokingly.

Meanwhile, Dan's other colleague, Mina Kimes, seemed to think the troll job was hysterical.

To his credit, Orlovsky did crack a smile ... and also got the last laugh, clapping back ... "I like Subway better."

FedEx is vowing to help Detroit Lions star Taylor Decker ... after the star tackle accused the delivery giant of losing a delivery of breast milk meant for his newborn baby and initially refusing to make amends.

It started when 29-year-old Decker ripped FedEx on Friday ... saying the company lost a big shipment of frozen milk for his 3-month-old baby girl, Daisy Faye Decker, and then refused to pay him back, infuriating the OT.

"Shoutout FedEx for losing a perishable 24-hour shipment of a month supply of milk for my newborn, and responding that there is nothing they can do, and will not reimburse me. What a joke", Taylor wrote on Twitter.

Well, the complaint was blasted out to Decker's 114K followers, which seemed to get the attention of the folks at FedEx HQ ... who told us they're in contact with Decker and are trying to "resolve the issue."

Decker says it's not as easy as just running to the store and replacing the milk ... it's his wife's breast milk that the couple froze and shipped to Arizona for the offseason.

Before taking to social media to air his grievances, Taylor says he drove across Phoenix to 4 different FedEx locations, trying to track down the milk.

Packers star Quay Walker is apologizing for shoving a Detroit Lions trainer during "Sunday Night Football" -- calling his actions both "stupid" and "wrong."

The Green Bay defender put his hands on a Detroit official who was trying to tend to an injured player late in the game at Lambeau Field ... and the rookie linebacker's actions were so disturbing, referees actually ejected him from the game.

The 22-year-old first-round pick was panned for the move -- particularly after the Buffalo Bills had just credited one of their trainers with helping save Damar Hamlin's life earlier in the week -- and on Monday morning, Walker issued an apology for his actions on his Twitter page.

"I want to apologize publicly about what happened Sunday night," said Walker, who led the Packers in tackles this season. "I reacted off of my emotions again and take full responsibility of making another stupid decision."

"Since then I've questioned myself on why did I do what I did when the trainer was doing his job!! I was wrong!!"

Walker -- who was actually ejected earlier this season against the Bills for shoving a Buffalo assistant in a similar fashion -- also explained his actions that followed the ejection ... saying he was kicking himself in the stadium tunnel after he had "messed up again."

"[I] was wrong for what I did and couldn't believe I did it again," Walker said. "To the Detroit lions and to the entire training staff including the person I did that too. I'm sorry."

Walker says he will accept whatever punishment will come his way.

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, meanwhile, called the incident "unacceptable" ... and said he holds his players to a "much higher standard."

NFL football on Thanksgiving Day is one of the best traditions there is -- but before we dive into the games (and food), let's meet the lovely wives and girlfriends of the athletes hitting the field on Thursday.

The Bills and Lions are set to kick things off in Detroit -- Josh Allen's GF, Brittany Williams and Stefon Diggs' GF, Tae Heckard, will certainly be rooting for their men to link up for some big plays.

Jordan Poyer's wife, Rachel Bush, will be hoping her man has a feast defensively against Jared Goff ... as he's cheered on by his fiancée, Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Christen Harper.

Dak Prescott has a lot to be thankful for this holiday season -- his GF, Natalie Buffett, will watch as her man's 7-3 Cowboys play the Giants at Jerry World on Thursday.

Saquon Barkley and the Giants will be hoping to spoil the Cowboys' Thanksgiving, which would assuredly put a smile on the face of Anna Congdon, his longtime girlfriend and mother of his kid.

Meanwhile, Mac Jones and his girlfriend, Sophie Scott, will have to wait to stuff their faces with Thanksgiving delights ... as the Pats QB plays the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in the late game.