Football

No, Joe Burrow doesn't have a new mane that would make Simba jealous ... but a ton of NFL fans thought that was the case this week -- when an edited pic of the Cincinnati Bengals superstar spread like wildfire on social media.

The Photoshopped snap shows No. 9 sporting some luscious locks as he poses for the camera ... with many comparing the look to Anakin Skywalker in "Star Wars" or Sunshine from "Remember The Titans."

A quick search on Joey B's Instagram confirms the guy has maintained a short cut throughout the offseason ... but apparently, people just blindly wanted the fake image to be true, so they just ran with it.

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze is imploring his fans to send their prayers Brian Battie's way ... revealing Monday the Tigers running back has been put on a ventilator after he was involved in a shooting over the weekend.

The football player was initially wounded at around 3:30 AM on Saturday ... after gunfire erupted in the Tallywood Centre Plaza parking lot in Sarasota, Fla.

According to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, one person, Battie's brother, Tommie L. Battie IV, was killed during the incident. Several others, the SCSO said, needed to be transported to nearby hospitals to address their injuries.

Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and their fellow first-round draft picks might be pros now, but they ain't done learning -- soaking in some wise words from Tom Brady and Jay-Z at a luncheon over the weekend.

The Bears and Commanders top picks -- as well as Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, Giants receiver Malik Nabers, Raiders tight end Brock Bowers and Broncos quarterback Bo Nix -- attended the gathering held by Fanatics founder Michael Rubin ... and hopefully they were taking notes, 'cause TB12, Hov and the businessman shared some serious nuggets.

"When you have 53 guys on the team, you think it's about you -- it ain't about you, it's about us," Brady said during the lunch. "And the biggest problem I see with a lot of the young players today, you guys are making it too much about I and me because of social media, because of branding and all that. It's fine. You're not gonna win."

Jim Otto -- a Pro Football Hall of Famer and one of the greatest Raiders of all time -- has sadly died, the team announced this weekend. He was 86 years old.

Las Vegas owner Mark Davis extended his condolences following the legend's passing late Sunday evening ... lighting the Al Davis memorial torch at Allegiant Stadium in the former offensive lineman's honor.

"The entire Raider Nation's thoughts and prayers go out to Jim's wife, Sally, and the entire Otto family," he said.

Simone Biles is tired of hearing the trolls chirp about her husband ... telling Jonathan Owens' critics this weekend to "f*** off."

The gymnastics star took to Instagram to send the message to the haters on Sunday night ... after they had crawled out yet again following the NFL player's appearance at her competition on Saturday in Hartford, Connecticut.

You'll recall, the NFL safety has received heat from fans ever since he referred to himself as "the catch" in the couple's relationship while doing an interview on the "The Pivot" back in December ... and when he was shown on TV as "Simone Biles' Husband" at the event over the weekend, the negative comments cropped up again all over social media.

Devin Funchess has successfully made the transition from NFL player to pro hooper ... but he tells TMZ Sports he's not done yet -- he still wants to make it to the NBA!!

The ex-Carolina Panthers wideout has been training for years to establish himself as a big-time baller on the hardwood ... and so far, the journey's gone well.

He's played overseas at a few stops ... with his most recent contract coming from the Colombia Basketball League -- and he says he's pleased with how the new career's going.

Even more drama for the Kansas City Chiefs ... as two players -- Chukwuebuka Godrick and Wanya Morris -- were arrested for misdemeanor marijuana possession in Kansas.

According to the Johnson County Sheriff's Office, the offensive linemen were booked for the same charge early Friday morning ... and were released after posting a $2,500 bond.

23-year-old Morris is a former third-round pick out of Tennessee and Oklahoma ... suiting up for 14 games during the Chiefs' Super Bowl-winning season in 2023-24.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce didn't let some bad weather derail their romantic getaway in Lake Como ... flaunting some serious PDA on a boat, where it was just the 2 of them.

Check out these awesome pics ... the singer and the NFL star share a sweet kiss while enjoying a boat ride in the scenic Italian resort town. Taylor, dressed in a black dress and tan overcoat, cuddles up to Travis ... who stayed warm by wearing a black and white sweater.

There's no question Taylor and Travis enjoyed their outing ... as they happily posed for several pics for a photog who was snapping away, both on the boat and the lake's dock.

If you're waiting on Harrison Butker to get cut, don't hold your breath ... especially not after a member of the Hunt family just went to bat for the kicker in a big way.

Gracie Hunt, daughter of owner Clark Hunt, and granddaughter of team founder Lamar Hunt, appeared on Fox & Friends Friday morning from outside a church in Dallas, where she was asked for a "reaction from the Hunt family regarding the kicker, Harrison Butker."

"I can only speak from my own experience, which is I had the most incredible mom who had the ability to stay home and be with us as kids growing up," Gracie said, referencing her stay-at-home mom.

The controversial commencement speech Harrison Butker gave over the weekend has apparently made him one of the most popular players in the NFL ... as his jersey sales have exploded in the days following the polarizing talk.

According to NFL.com, Butker's red Chiefs No. 7 uni is now amongst the league's "Top Sellers" -- right up there with C.J. Stroud, Saquon Barkley and Caleb Williams.

In fact, the league's website appeared to indicate that Butker's threads are an even bigger seller than those belonging to his star teammates, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

Harrison Butker's critics are on the move, but so are his defenders -- 'cause 2 different petitions are floating around ... one wants him off the Chiefs, another wants him to stay.

A Change.org petition is circulating and going viral -- as it demands his dismissal from the Chiefs over what they believe to be discriminatory remarks ... and at this point, it's got a helluva lot of signatures, nearly hitting its 150,000 goal since it started a few days ago.

The petition, which popped up 2 days after his polarizing commencement speech, really goes after HB ... accusing him of using his platform to spread harm instead of unity, and pushing harmful stereotypes that threaten progress. However, there's an opposite movement in his favor.

New contract, new whip!

Isaiah Simmons just signed a new contract with the New York Giants (1 year, $2 million) ... so the star defender treated himself to something nice, copping a brand new Tesla Cybertruck, and hookin' it up!

The 25-year-old former first-rounder out of Clemson -- the 8th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft -- hit up Rosco Abushi, designer behind ABUSHI in Queens, New York ... for a custom wrap on his Cybertruck, the most talked about vehicle of '24.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are enjoying a little getaway in Europe ahead of the singer's next slate of shows in Stockholm ... and they couldn't pick a more romantic setting.

The couple jetted off to Lake Como, Italy to enjoy a private dinner by candlelight just outside of the luxurious 17th-century villa where they're staying.

Despite their A-list status, the Grammy winner and the NFL star kept a low profile ... with Taylor wearing a dark sundress and overcoat and Travis rocking a white long-sleeve shirt and black slacks for the outing.

Whoopi Goldberg is coming to Harrison Butker's defense following his controversial college address -- but she's not so much agreeing with what he said ... more so his right to say it.

The TV star came out swinging on Thursday's episode of "The View" ... saying the Chiefs star was technically right to speak his mind during his speech this past weekend, especially since he's a devout Catholic addressing a Catholic college.

WG says that while she doesn't agree with Butker -- noting that the women at the commencement didn't have to either -- she still feels like he was within his right to speak his views.

More bad news for the Chiefs this offseason ... the team's first-round pick, Xavier Worthy, had his car stolen in Kansas City earlier this week.

According to the Kansas City Police Dept., Worthy's ride was reported missing on Monday morning ... after it had been "parked, secured and intact" at the Two Light Apartment complex in K.C. just hours earlier.

Pro Football Talk reported Thursday those close to Worthy believe it was lifted "by a professional group of criminals who 'knew exactly what they were doing.'" No arrests have been made in the case, however.

Streamers planning to binge "College Football 25" this summer better get used to seeing a whole lot of Quinn Ewers, Travis Hunter and Donovan Edwards ... EA Sports just revealed the trio of ballers are the video game's cover athletes!!

The three CFB stars all posed with smiles on their faces for the new game -- and for good reason, considering it's the first time fans have seen an EA Sports college football game since 2013.

Previously, stars like Tim Tebow, Denard Robinson and Mark Ingram have held the honor.