ESPN

ESPN anchor Sage Steele returned to work on Wednesday less than three weeks after she was struck in the face by a golf ball -- and she said on-air that she felt fortunate to still be alive.

Steele was hit at the PGA Championship on May 19 by an errant Jon Rahm drive ... and she explained during an episode of "SportsCenter" on Wednesday morning that she feared for her life after impact.

"One moment you're out on a course just innocently watching amazing golfers play out at a golf major," Steele said. "Next moment, you're on the ground. You're in pain with your entire life flashing before your eyes, scared to death, trying to comprehend what the hell just happened."

Steele thanked God on the show, and said that she feels like "the luckiest person in the world to still be here and be standing after that."

The 49-year-old also thanked her co-host, Matt Barrie, for all that he did out at the event and at the hospital to keep her calm.

Steele suffered undisclosed mouth injuries in the incident -- and shared a photo showing the golf ball caused her to bleed profusely.

She said she's spent countless hours with her dentist in wake of it all, and added there's still more work to be done on the road to recovery.

If Ryan Clark's goal for Monday was to stir things up, mission accomplished ... the former NFL star just kicked a hornet's nest by saying Chris Brown is "more talented" than the legendary Michael Jackson!

Oh, he was immediately ripped for it ... the ex-safety received all sorts of mean comments from Twitter users after he tweeted the controversial statement.

"Chris Brown is more talented than Michael Jackson," Clark said, "there I said it! Have a great week."

"I do not care!! You out CB and MJ in the talent Olympics Chris Brown wins."

The responses RC got were hilarious -- from GIFs to some fans asking Clark if he was drunk or high ... 'cause they couldn't believe a sober mind could come up with such an analogy.

"Drinking early this morning??" one fan said while another said, "Whatever you're sippin on, I need it for later 😂 😂"

Another fan thought Ryan needed a Snickers candy bar ... saying, "I trust you and highly respect you but maybe you are hangry or something! Stay happy!"

Clark -- who currently works for ESPN -- even got ripped by his colleagues ... Marcus Spears hit him with the classic 'how?' GIF. Cowboys writer Clarence Hill Jr. even got in on the fun, responding, "get your boy man".

😬😬😬😬😬

Tim Tebow's already so convinced that Tom Brady will be great in the broadcast booth ... he tells TMZ Sports he's hoping the G.O.A.T. will give him TV advice -- not the other way around!!

We got the former Heisman Trophy winner -- who's been analyzing football games for ESPN for nearly a decade -- out at LAX ... and he's guaranteeing TB12 will thrive in a post-football role as a color commentator.

"He'll be amazing," the 34-year-old said. "He'll be so good at it. He's got so much knowledge and he's such a good guy and kind guy. And, he knows the game too well. He'll be amazing."

Tim, who actually played with Brady during his short stint as a New England Patriot back in 2013, said repeatedly he doesn't have any TV advice to share with Tom -- simply because he believes Brady already has all the tools needed to be the next Tony Romo or Troy Aikman.

"Listen," Tebow said just a few days after Brady signed a monster contract earlier this month to join Fox Sports after his career ends, "He's the greatest of all time for a reason. He's going to go up there and he'll be amazing. So, truly will."

NFL reporter John Clayton, who covered the league for decades and was one of the most recognizable reporters on television, has died at the age of 67 years old.

The detail surrounding Clayton's death are not publicly known ... but John's friend and former colleague Chris Mortensen provided some information on social media.

"John Clayton passed away today at a Seattle area hospital. His wife Pat and sister Amy were at his side and communicated earlier he passed peacefully after a brief illness," Chris wrote.

"We loved John. We are mourning his loss. Pat has asked the @Seahawks to release further information."

Clayton began covering professional football in the early 1970s in Pittsburgh ... and ended up rising all the way to ESPN, where he wrote for the website, and appeared on TV and radio.

He first joined the network in 1995.

Aside from all his great on-camera work in Bristol, John also starred in one of the funniest ESPN commercials ever ... dropping the line, "Hey Ma, I'm done with my segment!!"

Clayton, a member of the writer's wing in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (2007), was incredibly respected by both colleagues and fans.

JC was also inducted into the HOF at his Alma Mater, Duquesne University, in 2001.

John is survived by his wife Patricia.

Baker Mayfield wants out -- the 2018 first-round pick just asked the Cleveland Browns to trade him ... after reports the team was in pursuit of Deshaun Watson.

The 26-year-old quarterback just released a statement regarding his wish ... saying, "It’s in the mutual interest of both sides for us to move on," according to ESPN.

"The relationship is too far fine to mend. It’s in the best interests of both sides to move on."

The news comes on the heels of Mayfield's statement to Cleveland fans on Tuesday ... which most took as a goodbye note to the city.

The Browns, however, reportedly will NOT grant his request.

The request comes right after reports the Browns were no longer in contention for Watson. The New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons are reportedly the final two potential landing spots for the Houston Texans QB.

If it's the end of Baker's time in The Land, he'll finish with 14,125 yards, 92 touchdowns and 56 interceptions ... going 29-30 through 4 seasons.

Mayfield is undoubtedly the most successful quarterback since the Browns returned in 1999 -- leading Cleveland to a playoff win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021.

Mayfield could join fellow stars Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham, who also left the Browns over the past few months.

Dick Vitale just scored the first win of March Madness -- the legendary college hoops analyst announced that his recent scans came back clean ... meaning he's cancer-free!!!

Dickie V got his positron emission tomography (PET) scans done on Tuesday ... a procedure that detects early signs of cancer and other diseases.

While he waited for his results, Vitale admitted he was nervous ... and asked his fanbase to send thoughts and prayers.

The good vibes certainly helped ... 'cause the 82-year-old revealed the scans showed no signs of cancer!!

"OMG ALL THE PRAYERS many of (you) have sent have been answered as DR Brown who heads my cancer TEAM called & said PET SCAN came back that NO CANCER is showing," Vitale said on Twitter.

This is great news for Dickie V, who has been challenged with two types of cancer recently -- in the last year, he was diagnosed with lymphoma and melanoma.

Dickie V also had vocal cord surgery last month and was ordered to be on voice rest.

Throughout his journey, he's received nothing but support from fans ... getting an emotional standing ovation in December at the Baylor vs. Villanova game.

"I feel like a coach playing for the Final 4 has a PTPer hit a shot at buzzer," Vitale added.

"My MARCH MADNESS starts with a W baby!"

Now, Vitale gets to rest up and recover in time for the 2022-23 season ... and hoops fans will be more than happy to have him back.

A new Colin Kaepernick docuseries is promising to tell the former NFL star's story through his own words ... and Spike Lee has been tapped to direct it all.

ESPN Films announced the partnership and the plan on Wednesday night ... saying in a statement that production on the project has already begun.

No word yet on a title or how many hours/episodes it'll all end up being ... but ESPN officials promised the Lee-directed piece will tell a side of the Kaepernick story that has yet to be heard.

"Kaepernick, who has never given a full, first-person account of his journey, is collaborating closely with Lee who plans to use extensive new interviews and a vast never-before-seen archive to help Kaepernick tell his story from his perspective," ESPN said in a statement.

The two were spotted taking in a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden right around the time ESPN dropped the statement.

The director and the football player were seen chatting it up courtside -- and then they left the venue together as well.

The new docuseries, meanwhile, will be far from the first television project Kaepernick has been involved with ... you'll recall, his Netflix show, "Colin in Black and White," was released last year and received great reviews.

Stephen A. Smith says his battle with COVID-19 included pneumonia in both his lungs as well as a 103-degree fever "every night" ... and things got so bad, he wondered if he was going to die.

The ESPN personality -- who returned to "First Take" this week after being away from the show to fight the virus the past several weeks -- spoke in-depth Monday about his bout with corona, and he revealed it was pure hell.

Smith said there were night sweats, fevers, headaches and a cough -- and he said it was all so awful, he was forced to spend New Year's Day in the hospital.

"I can't tell you how lucky and sincerely blessed I am to be sitting here with you guys today," Smith told his co-hosts, "because two-and-a-half, three weeks ago, I didn't know if I was going to make it."

Smith said doctors told him if he hadn't been vaccinated, he likely would be dead.

"That’s how bad it was," Smith said. "I had pneumonia in both lungs. My liver was bad. It ravaged me."

Ex-NFL star Bart Scott has some WILD advice on how Josh Allen can handle the freezing weather during Saturday's home playoff matchup ... saying the Bills QB needs to pop some Viagra before the game!!

The 11-year vet just gave the tip during his segment on ESPN's "Get Up" (how fitting) on Thursday ... explaining how Allen -- who's struggled while playing in the cold -- can beat the single-digit temps by popping the blue pill.

So ... why?! Let's hear him out.

"Take some Viagra before the game, baby," Scott said minutes ago. "That'll get that circulation going right."

Naturally, things got hella awkward after Scott's tidbit ... with fellow analyst Damien Woody cracking up in the middle of the segment.

But, Scott is dead serious ... explaining a ton of players during his time used it to help during cold games.

"Viagra was first a heart medicine, right?," Scott explained. "So, it builds up circulation, which makes sure it gets circulation to the feet."

"I swear, I'm not trying to be funny."

Co-star Dianna Russini says Allen will probably just elect for a space heater on the sidelines in order to keep warm ... but heck, maybe it's worth a shot??

One of sports TV's power couples has broken up -- ex-NBA player Jalen Rose filed for divorce from ESPN host Molly Qerim, TMZ Sports has learned.

Court records show Rose filed docs earlier this year ... kickstarting the process to end their 2 and a half year marriage.

Sources tell us the breakup was amicable and both sides remain cordial.

Rose first went public with the "First Take" host in June 2016 ... and they tied the knot at a lowkey NYC ceremony in July 2018.

Jalen filed April 30, 2021 ... just months after the couple starred in a Gatorade commercial together. Jalen says in court docs the marriage broke down irretrievably after Qerim moved to Connecticut.

It should be known -- in the docs, Jalen does not want alimony and doesn't want Molly to have it, either. We're told there was not a prenup and Molly does not want any spousal support.

The breakup signs were all over social media -- Molly previously included "Rose" in her name on Instagram and Twitter, but has recently scrubbed it from her accounts.

On top of that, the couple hadn't been photographed together much at all in the months leading up to the filing ... and Jalen and Molly also haven't posted each other on their pages for months.

However, Qerim has shown public support for Rose even after the filing -- in June, she spoke out about his struggles with deaths in the family in an emotional segment on "First Take."

Rose played in the NBA from 1994-2007 before taking his talents to television. Qerim previously worked at NFL Network.

If you thought Eli Manning flipping the bird on "Monday Night Football" pissed off America, just wait 'til you hear about all the people upset with Marshawn Lynch dropping f-bombs.

Just kidding.

Two total viewers throughout the country wrote in to the Federal Communications Commission after Lynch said "s***" and "f***" while hanging out with Peyton and Eli on their Week 7 broadcast of the "ManningCast" ... with one, in particular, going OFF in their complaint.

"NFL Player Marshawn Lynch made an appearance on 'Monday Night Football' with Peyton & Eli and repeatedly said 's***' and 'f***' on live prime time television," someone from Dahlonega, Georgia said.

"I had children in the room at the time and I am very upset that ESPN allowed Marshawn Lynch to repeatedly curse on live TV. I have an expectation when I turn on ESPN that I will not have to remove children from the room."

There's more ... "ESPN could have warned him of the rules for live television in advance, monitored his speech and conduct when he was on the air, and removed him immediately after the first curse word was uttered. This is totally unacceptable!"

The pissed viewer said the network needs to be "sternly punished for violating FCC regulations" ... although the FCC actually has no jurisdiction over ESPN or ESPN2.

The viewer even points out other times the "ManningCast" has had issues with swearing -- perhaps Eli's double bird or Travis Kelce's s-bomb.

The complaint continued ... "Issuing an apology from Peyton is insufficient because it can't take back what my children heard from Marshawn Lynch."

The other complaint -- from Greensboro, North Carolina -- was also passionate, but a bit briefer in getting their point across.

"The ESPN2 broadcast on Monday night was laced with vulgar words from Marshawn Lynch," it reads. "Peyton Manning apologized for it, but there is no place on this type of show at this hour for this language."

Great sight for hoops fans last night -- legendary college broadcaster Dick Vitale made his return to the broadcast booth amid an ongoing cancer battle ... and the scene was emotional.

Vitale -- who battled melanoma earlier this year -- revealed back in October that he was battling another form of the disease ... and would be required to undergo six months of chemotherapy treatment.

Dickie V announced that he would continue to call games even during his treatment for lymphoma ... saying "That's my best medicine of all," and on Tuesday, he kept true to his promise.

Vitale was on hand last night to call the highly-touted matchup between #1 Gonzaga and #2 UCLA ... and naturally, it was a special moment.

In the video, you can see an emotional Dickie V fighting back tears as he was overwhelmed with emotion ... detailing how he felt during his first college game since his most recent diagnosis.

"It's great being here, Dave. I didn't want to cry," Vitale said. "I can't believe I'm sitting here. It's really a big thrill for me."

82-year-old Dickie V also said he never thought he'd be at courtside again following the diagnosis, but the support from ESPN, his family and the fans made his return possible.

"I want to thank all you people who sent me so many great messages. I want to thank, certainly, my family. All the fans."

Legendary college hoops broadcaster Dick Vitale just revealed he has cancer again ... just months after beating another form of the disease in August.

"For the second time in just a few months, I've been diagnosed with a form of cancer," Dickie V said on Monday.

"As a result of some symptoms I've had in recent weeks, I've been undergoing tests and doctors have now confirmed it's lymphoma."

The 82-year-old says medical professionals don't believe the lymphoma is related to the skin cancer he had multiple surgeries on in August.

"What's evident is that the treatment plan for this lymphoma is going to be a lot tougher, and in both cases, early detection played an important role in helping to manage the cancers."

The ESPN great says he will do six months of chemotherapy and treat his lymphoma with steroids -- and, some good news ... "The medical experts tell me it has a 90-percent cure rate," he added.

"They say I can continue to work so I will have to manage my work schedule around my chemo schedule as they will monitor my test results along the way."

Dickie V says early detection is key to getting treatment for the deadly disease ... something he's learned from working with the V Foundation.

"If you see me, please just give me a fist bump and say a prayer that I can return from being 82 years old to acting like I'm 12. Thanks so much for your love."

Ashton Kutcher was invited to an ESPN set this weekend to share his thoughts on college football -- but all he got in return from the crowd was some harsh advice on his hygiene.

The actor got tapped by the network to be the guest prediction picker ahead of Saturday's slate of games, especially the big Iowa matchup later today between Iowa State and the University of Iowa -- with the latter being Ashton's alma mater.

As soon as AK touched down by jet and was revealed as the big surprise for the broadcast, he got torched by the college crowd that were standing by at Jack Trice Stadium.

They were chanting "Take a shower!" pretty damn loudly ... which the mics on set were picking up and broadcasting while Ashton was being intro'd. Doesn't seem like he heard it right then and there, but don't sweat ... the Cyclone fans had another go at it.

Not too long after, Ashton eventually plopped down on his chair for the pre-game panel ... where he was talking football and charities of his -- and there, too, the "Take a Shower!" chant picked up again. This time, it was way closer ... and Ashton probably heard.

He didn't flinch ... acting as if it didn't bother him. And, who knows ... maybe it doesn't. The guy already made fun of himself over the whole bathing fiasco earlier this summer.

ICYMI ... Ashton and Mila Kunis revealed back in July that they didn't really wash their kids daily, and only threw 'em in the shower as they saw fit, or if they saw noticeable dirt. It sparked a huge debate about kids and cleanliness -- but the Kutchers took it in stride.

Todd McShay just announced he's temporarily stepping away from his role at ESPN ... just 3 days after viewers expressed concern over his appearance at the Alabama-Miami game.

McShay was reporting from the sideline during the big college football matchup ... when fans -- including ex-NFL player Darius Butler -- noticed things looked off with the reporter.

"I don't know Todd McShay personally," Butler said, "but I hope he's ok."

It's unclear if McShay's announcement Tuesday is in any way related to the concerns over his television appearance ... the longtime ESPN reporter said only, "I am going to take some time away to focus on my health and my family."

"Thank you ESPN for being so supportive and for all the well wishes -- I can't wait to be back on the sidelines soon."

ESPN announced it's fully supporting McShay's decision ... adding in a statement of their own, "Todd has ESPN's full support as he steps away at this time to focus on his health and his family."

McShay has battled health problems in the past year ... he tested positive for COVID in early 2020, and he was also removed from his role as a sideline reporter during a game in November due to illness.

Started from the bottom, now he's taking over "Monday Night Football" ... 'cause Drake is teaming up with ESPN to curate music for the upcoming season!!

The announcement just dropped minutes ago ... with the network saying the 6 God will be in charge of the aux cord for 10 games throughout the 2021-22 campaign.

ESPN says Drake will feature his newest songs and possibly some classics ... and while he has more than enough tracks to fill that demand, he'll also feature some other artists worthy of getting exposure.

Of course, this isn't the first collab between Drake and ESPN -- he "hacked" into "SportsCenter" last month to share the release date for his newest album, "Certified Lover Boy," ... which is doing record-breaking numbers in its first week.

"Now we are here ... the kickoff of the football season," ESPN's VP of Sports Marketing, Emeka Ofodile, said Tuesday. "And, who better to curate music for Monday Night Football than Drake, who sits firmly at the intersection of music and sports."

BTW -- Drake is a massive sports fanatic and can be spotted passionately cheering at sporting events ... so it's a safe bet he'll put that same energy into his new gig.

"We couldn't be more excited for this upcoming collaboration," Ofodile added.

Big names like Diplo and DJ Khaled have shared music duties in previous years ... which ESPN said was a "big hit."