Football

11:31 AM PT -- The Lions just released a statement on the matter ... saying they were made aware of the allegations only on Wednesday morning.

"We will continue to monitor the situation and will not have further comment at this time," the team said.

10:01 AM PT -- The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said in an updated statement Wednesday that Cameron Sutton is wanted for Domestic Battery by Strangulation, not Aggravated Battery - Domestic Violence.

Detroit Lions defensive back Cameron Sutton is a wanted man in Florida ... cops say they're looking to arrest him after he was allegedly involved in a violent incident with a woman earlier this month.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, the alleged victim in the case called cops at around 4:52 AM on March 7 claiming she had just been roughed up by Sutton.

During the call, cops say she told dispatch she was in fear for her life.

However, an HCSCO spokesperson tells TMZ Sports ... Sutton was gone by time the officers arrived -- and ever since, they've been having trouble tracking him down.

We're told they've attempted to locate the 29-year-old at his residence in Pinellas County to no avail. Cops say they've also tried to call him, though his phone has apparently been shut off.

HCSO officials put out a "Warrant Wednesday" post on X on Wednesday morning seeking the public's help in finding the NFL player ... writing, "He is wanted for Aggravated Battery - Domestic Violence. He may be driving a Jeep Grand Wagoneer with a plate number of FL-AZ33QB."

"If you have any information on the whereabouts of Cameron Sutton, please call 813-247-8200."

Sutton has been playing in the NFL since 2017 ... beginning his career with the Steelers. In 2023, he signed a 3-year, $33 MILLION contract to join Detroit. He started 17 games in his first year with the Lions, recording one interception and 65 total tackles.

The Lions have yet to comment on the situation.

Travis Kelce just pulled off a Taylor Swift impression, crooning part of the chorus of one the pop star's biggest hits -- and ... it wasn't awful!!

The Kansas City Chiefs star belted out "Bad Blood" on this week's episode of his "New Heights" podcast ... when he and his big bro, Jason, were talking about the Eagles' recent addition of Kenny Pickett.

Jason told the audience his former team acquired the quarterback in a trade with the Steelers ... before Travis jumped in to explain Pittsburgh simply had to make the move because the former first-round pick was upset over the recent addition of Russell Wilson.

"Kenny and the Steelers," he said, "their relationship ended in a little baaaaaaad bloooood!"

"Because," Travis continued, "Kenny is saying he preferred to move on."

Jason let the tune go without further reaction -- and the two didn't make reference to Travis' girlfriend again during the episode.

Travis, though, did talk about a night out in L.A. that he had sans Swift last week -- raving to Jason about the Justin Timberlake show he attended.

Travis gushed about the "Suit & Tie" singer's concert -- calling it a "fun evening" while urging all of his fans to buy JT's new album.

Braxton Berrios and Alix Earle don't appear to be close to tying the knot anytime soon ... but the Dolphins wide receiver certainly ain't ruling out the possibility of future nuptials!!

We got the "it couple" out in Los Angeles this week ... and as they looked smitten walking through city streets -- we just had to ask Braxton if an engagement was on the horizon.

The football player laughed -- but when Earle jokingly prodded him to answer the question ... he didn't say no!!

Berrios then added that he and Earle are happy together ... and things are "going well."

Berrios and Earle have only been dating for around a year -- but the two have been inseparable since making things official.

Berrios has been seen in a myriad of her TikToks -- while the social media star has attended a few of his NFL games at Hard Rock Stadium.

In fact, they've grown so close, they each got matching pendants to memorialize their "Panda" nicknames back in February.

Travis Kelce's apparently got his eyes on taking his tight end to a new seat ... he's now reportedly in talks to become a game show host in the very near future.

The Kansas City Chiefs star and Prime Video reps are working to hammer out a deal that would make the three-time Super Bowl champion the face of a "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" reboot, according to Variety.

The outlet reported Tuesday, however, that it's far from a foregone conclusion ... as there's at least some concern on the suits' end that Kelce wouldn't be able to do the gig properly if he continued his NFL career.

Jeff Foxworthy hosted the first iteration of the show on Fox way back in 2007. John Cena then picked up hosting duties years later when a new version of the program landed on Nickelodeon.

The show was a popular one -- as it, in part, tested adults' knowledge of information generally taught to elementary school students.

Variety reported Tuesday the new Prime Video version would feature celebrity contestants.

Of course, if Kelce does score the role ... it'd hardly be his first foray into the television world. He was once the center of a reality dating show called "Catching Kelce." He also famously hosted "Saturday Night Live" last year. And, don't forget, he's on-camera weekly with his brother, Jason, for their ultra-popular 'New Heights' podcast.

If Kelce's sweating the talks, he's not showing it much ... 'cause he's rumored to be down in the Bahamas with Taylor Swift at the moment -- and, yeah, kinda hard to focus on business there.

Jalen Hurts is lending a big hand to the family of a high school football player who was shot and killed in Texas earlier this month ... paying for the teen's funeral expenses.

The footballer -- 18-year-old Jarvon Coles -- died on March 9 ... after authorities say at least one shooter fired gunshots in the direction of a Houston house party he had been attending.

Cops say Coles was struck by the gunfire -- and despite life-saving efforts, the North Shore H.S. linebacker was pronounced deceased a short time later at a nearby hospital.

Hurts, who attended a rival high school of North Shore, was so moved by the tragedy after learning of the news ... he decided to pay for Coles' memorial service, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The funeral was held over the weekend at The Light of the World Christian Fellowship Church in Humble, Texas.

"He was like a light in the tunnel," Coles' grandfather, Braxton, told KHOU. "Everybody loved him. He had absolutely no enemies and it’s just beyond my comprehension that something like this would happen."

Coles, who wore No. 10, was a team captain in 2023. He helped lead North Shore to a 15-1 record this past season.

He had a 4.1 GPA and received several college offers ... but was planning to go to Lamar University.

Travis Kelce's teammate is hoping his relationship with Taylor Swift results in love, marriage and a baby in a carriage ... 'cause Harrison Butker can't get enough of the tight end's girlfriend!!

The Chiefs kicker revealed his wishes for the two lovebirds in an interview with EWTN's "In Depth" recently ... when he was asked his thoughts on the pop superstar's presence at Kansas City games this season.

Butker admitted he was initially nervous to meet Swift at first (despite not really identifying as a Swiftie) ... but praised how down-to-earth the "Karma" crooner is in person.

He pointed out the feeling was mutual ... as Swift was mind-blown over the fact he's able to kick balls so far and accurately.

Butker pointed out he hung out with Swift for a bit at a New Year's Eve party ... and it was "a great experience" and he couldn't say enough good things about her.

As for Traylor's future, Butker is wishing nothing but long-term success for the power couple ...  saying "I hope they get married and start a family."

The comments are pretty interesting -- Butker has no issue putting that kinda pressure on Kelce, so maybe the guys have talked about the tight end's true feelings toward Swift and what his intentions are in the relationship.

Leighton Vander Esch is retiring at just 28 years old -- the Dallas Cowboys linebacker announced he is unable to return to the football field after his latest neck injury.

The team shared the news on Monday ... days after the former first round pick was released with a failed physical designation.

The All-Pro and Pro Bowler dropped a statement on the news ... saying, "I love the game of football so much, and my body won't cooperate any longer."

"I cherished every moment of my NFL career, and it has been such a blessing to play the game for as long as I have played."

Vander Esch was solid for the Cowboys D on the field ... but his six-year career was unfortunately riddled with injuries, including the neck ailment he suffered back in October that ended his 2023 season.

Jerry Jones spoke highly of LVE ... saying, "Seldom do you come across a player like Leighton, who grew up playing eight-man football only to first play the 11-man game at the major collegiate level and excel."

"His passion and love for the game was contagious, and from the moment he arrived, he has been a difference maker. His grit, toughness, motivation, determination and football IQ will be sorely missed. Leighton also embodied the strong character and personal qualities that make him much more than an accomplished player."

LVE finishes his career with 557 tackles ... including 176 in his first season alone, a franchise record for a rookie.

Marquise Brown celebrated his Chiefs signing in perhaps the most fitting way possible ... rockin' out to some Taylor Swift tunes with a bunch of Kansas City fans!!

Just minutes after the former Arizona Cardinals wideout agreed to join up with Swift's boyfriend, Travis Kelce, for the 2024 season ... he took to Twitch to memorialize the moment with some of his biggest supporters.

He started out by dancing along to some of his favorite songs -- before he took music requests from commenters in the chat.

Some suggested "Red Kingdom" and "Swag Surf" -- Arrowhead Stadium staples -- but others told him to play some T Swizzle.

And, eventually, he got around to it ... and it's clear as day he was digging it.

Brown swayed back and forth to "Blank Space" -- getting familiar with a voice that will assuredly be around a whole lot in '24 if Swift and Kelce remain strong.

Brown also took some time on his stream to thank several people -- including Andy Reid -- for making Friday's signing happen.

"I'm ready to work," he said. "I'm ready to meet my teammates. Meet the coaches. Get ready to work. Earn my stripes. Earn trust within the team, within the organization."

Shocking news in the NFL world ... Aaron Donald -- arguably the best defensive player of his generation -- is retiring.

The Los Angeles superstar just announced his decision on social media ... revealing that after 10 seasons with the Rams, he's hanging up his cleats.

In his announcement post, the 32-year-old thanked L.A.'s org. and its fans ... before explaining he's now hoping that without football in his life, he'll be able to spend plenty more time with his wife and kids.

"Throughout my career," Donald said, "I have given my everything to football both mentally and physically -- 365 days a year was dedicated to becoming the best possible player I could be."

"I respected this game like no other and I'm blessed to be able to conclude my NFL career with the same franchise that drafted me."

Donald was picked by the Rams in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft and he immediately became one of the team's best players. In his first year, he started 12 games and won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.

He went on to make the Pro Bowl in every season he played in ... and was named an All-Pro eight total times. He also won Defensive Player of the Year honors three times.

Most didn't expect him to retire this offseason -- as he was still playing at an extremely high level. However, rumors of him possibly turning in his helmet have swirled since 2022, when it was revealed that he had previously only envisioned playing eight seasons.

The only question that remains surrounding his career is not if he'll get a gold jacket in five years -- but whether or not he'll be remembered as the greatest defensive tackle ever.

Saquon Barkley is trying to make peace with upset Giants fans ... saying in an emotional note to Big Blue late Thursday night that his move to the rival Eagles was simply a "business" decision.

The 27-year-old running back posted the message to his Instagram page ... two days after he spurned New York in favor of a three-year, $37.75 million deal with Philadelphia.

In his letter, Barkley thanked the Giants' org and their supporters for all the love they showed him the past six seasons ... before he seemed to explain that his move out of NY was all about dollars and cents.

"The last three days have been a whirlwind of emotions," he said, "but I wanted to take a minute to acknowledge all the Giants fans that have supported me and my family over the last six years."

"When I was drafted here," he continued, "I wanted my impact off the field to rival the accomplishments we had on it, and I can only hope that I came close to doing that."

"Ultimately the NFL is a business, and I hope that everyone can respect my decision."

The two-time Pro Bowler, of course, has received plenty of hate for leaving the Giants in free agency ... most notably from legendary tailback Tiki Barber, who said the former No. 2 overall pick was now "dead" to him.

Barkley famously clapped back on X, blasting Barber ... while adding he shouldn't be getting backlash because he "got the deal" he "wanted" from the Eagles -- not the Giants.

"You been a hater since I got to New York …," he wrote to Tiki, "and all the 'Dead to me' talk don’t smile in my face when you see me."

Jason Kelce's beloved dog, Winnie, has sadly passed away ... and the Kelce family is heartbroken over the loss, with his wife writing in an emotional social media post that she's "lost part of my soul."

It's unclear how the pooch passed ... but Kylie Kelce said on her Instagram page Thursday night the pup "is at peace" now.

"When I was in high school I had a folder on my desktop labeled 'Gods gift to earth,'" Kylie said in an IG post. "It was images of Irish Wolfhounds that I had collected from Google. I had fallen in love with the breed when I was a young and never let my fascination with them fade. It all lead me to Winnie and holy s*** did she live up to the hype."

"I love you, Winn," she continued. "You will always be my first born child."

Travis Kelce sent out his condolences in the comment section, writing, "You [gave] Winn an amazing life Ky!!" The Chiefs star's ex, Kayla Nicole, sent her support with a comment too.

Winnie played a huge role in the Kelce family ... she was the "flower girl" at Jason and Kylie's 2018 wedding. She was also mentioned on Jason and Travis' "New Heights" podcast often ... in fact, the brothers just brought her up on a recent episode when comparing her to animals Travis had seen on his Australian zoo date with Taylor Swift.

Winnie and the Kelces' other dog even had their own Instagram page.

"She was everything I had hoped for in a wolfie," Kylie said in mourning the dog's passing, "and more."

3/15 6:35 AM -- Dak Prescott's attorney, Levi McCathern, released a statement on the new investigation ... claiming the accuser and her legal team only filed a police report (in a different jurisdiction) after learning their "extortion plot" failed.

"Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see what is going on," McCathern said. "Clearly they think that this will somehow mitigate their criminal responsibility for attempting this illegal shakedown."

"It won’t, and it is a true disservice to the real survivors of sexual abuse."

There are now dueling criminal investigations surrounding Dak Prescott and a Texas woman ... with Dallas police launching a probe into sexual assault allegations made against the Cowboys quarterback.

As we previously reported, Dak filed a lawsuit on Monday ... claiming Victoria Shores tried to extort $100 million out of him to not go to police over an alleged encounter that occurred on Feb. 2, 2017.

Prescott and his team have maintained Prescott has never engaged in any nonconsensual acts with anyone in his life ... adding they went to authorities to report Shores' "criminal actions."

TMZ Sports has confirmed the Dallas Police Department received a report on Tuesday of an alleged sexual assault outside the XTC Cabaret strip club on Feb. 2, 2017 ... and the investigation remains ongoing.

Meanwhile, Prosper, Texas officials are investigating Precott's claims ... and the whole back-and-forth will now play out both criminally and civilly.

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones briefly addressed Prescott's status with the team on Thursday ... saying the ongoing situation would not impact his current contract negotiations, but had no further comment considering it is a legal matter.

Prescott is suing Shores and her attorneys for defamation, slander, civil extortion/duress and more.

Robert Kraft poured his heart out while reflecting on the end of Tom Brady's career in New England ... admitting he knew the quarterback's departure would pull the plug on "the greatest cycle in the history of the NFL."

The Patriots owner opened up on TB12's 20-year run with his franchise in the latest episode of the Apple TV+ doc, "The Dynasty: New England Patriots" ... reminiscing on his first memory with the future 7-time Super Bowl champion.

Kraft said upon his arrival in Foxborough, Brady approached him and said it was "the best decision the organization has ever made in drafting him #199 in the sixth round" ... and it's safe to say the guy backed his words.

Over the next two decades, Brady led the franchise to six Super Bowl victories ... and Kraft acknowledged how special it was to watch him develop into the leader he became.

But, of course, all good things come to an end ... and when it came time for Brady to leave his first NFL home for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020, Kraft knew the impact it would have on the organization.

"'I thought, 'Wow, the greatest cycle in the history of the NFL is ending,'" Kraft said.

Brady previously opened up on his decision to switch teams for the final three years of his career ... saying he was ready to split off from Bill Belichick over how things transpired in recent years.

The Bucs won it all the next season ... and the Patriots have struggled to find the same success in the post-Brady era.

Patrick Mahomes is connecting with Travis Kelce for another off-field highlight -- the pair of Chiefs superstars are getting in the restaurant industry once again with a new steakhouse in Kansas City.

The hot spot is named 1587 Prime (a nod the duo's jersey numbers) ... but their business partners over at the Noble 33 hospitality group say their involvement goes far beyond that.

Entrepreneur Tosh Berman -- who runs several popular restaurants with Noble 33 -- says Mahomes and Kelce have been "instrumental" with input about the place's concept ... and have shared cool, original ideas to bring to the business.

The two-story, 10,000-square foot eatery -- which will be located inside the Loews Hotel in downtown -- is slated to open in early 2025 ... and it sounds super fancy, with a meat display as the focal point of the whole thing, as well as "hyper-subtle" nods to the Super Bowl champions' on-field accomplishments.

There will also be a massive wine collection, which will be one of the largest in the state.

Mahomes -- who also teamed up with his favorite target by investing in Chicken N Pickle -- spoke about the decision to join forces with Kelce again ... saying, "Travis and I have become frequent visitors of Noble 33 restaurants in other cities so it only made sense to bring something special to our own community in Kansas City."

Kelce added ... "We're excited to be a part of this journey with Noble 33 to create a one-of-a-kind dining experience, and what better place to start than our very own, Kansas City."

The guys are essentially attached at the hip both on and off the field ... and now they got the perfect place to double date with Brittany Mahomes and Taylor Swift!!

Aaron Rodgers is attempting to clear up his position on Sandy Hook, a day after a scathing report claimed the superstar QB denied the horrific shooting ever happened, saying that's simply not true, calling it "an absolute tragedy."

"As I’m on the record saying in the past, what happened in Sandy Hook was an absolute tragedy. I am not and have never been of the opinion that the events did not take place," 40-year-old Rodgers tweeted from Costa Rica.

"Again, I hope that we learn from this and other tragedies to identify the signs that will allow us to prevent unnecessary loss of life. My thoughts and prayers continue to remain with the families affected along with the entire Sandy Hook community."

The statement comes after CNN published a report on Wednesday citing two people who claimed AR was adamant the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, CT was fake, attributing the following quote to the 4x NFL MVP.

"All those children never existed. They were all actors.”

Rodgers tweet seems to directly contradict the CNN story ... but not all of it. The network also reported Aaron believes, or at least did in 2013, that the shooting was an "inside job" perpetrated by the United States government.

The Jets signal-callers message does not address whether he ever claimed the shooting was an inside job.

Jon Gruden is back to work ... but it ain't in the NFL -- or America, for that matter -- it's with a European football team as an advisor.

The Milano Seamen of the European League of Football announced the hire on Wednesday ... saying the former Super Bowl-winning coach has joined the staff to "help us to improve our organization in every aspect."

The team also shared a pic of 60-year-old Gruden decked out in Seamen gear ... and revealed he's already started to work with current staffers.

It's Gruden's first full-time gig since his controversial departure from the Las Vegas Raiders in October 2021 ... after it was revealed he used homophobic, racist and misogynistic language in past emails.

Gruden sued the NFL a month later ... accusing the league and commissioner Roger Goodell of orchestrating a campaign to torpedo his career.

A United States House Oversight and Reform Committee report later alleged it was the Washington Commanders that released the messages to the media.

Gruden has long maintained his desire to remain in coaching ... and he will now at least be back in the sport with the Italian team.

Gruden spent a bit of time with the New Orleans Saints in 2023, but ultimately did not join the staff with a full-time position.

FYI -- the ELF is relatively new. It was founded in 2020 and currently houses 17 teams across the continent.