Football

Taylor Lewan showed Wednesday morning he's got a big ole heart to go along with his big muscles ... as he helped save a turtle from becoming roadkill!!

The former NFL star said he performed the good deed a short time after dropping off his kids at school ... when he noticed a huge snapping turtle trying to cross a roadway in the Nashville area.

Lewan stated on his Instagram page he got it off the side of the road and into a grassy area safe and sound.

Patrick Mahomes is sticking up for Harrison Butker ... praising the kicker as a man of good character following his controversial commencement speech earlier this month.

Butker is at the center of a ton of criticism after speaking at Benedictine College's graduation ceremony ... in which he shared his views that many considered sexist, anti-gay and politically divisive.

The Kansas City superstar addressed the Butker backlash with reporters at Chiefs practice on Wednesday ... and while he said the two might not see eye-to-eye on every issue, he still understands his teammate to be a good guy.

Roger Goodell just addressed Harrison Butker's controversial commencement speech ... and he didn't take a stance on it one way or the other, opting instead to simply praise the NFL's "diversity of opinions."

The Chiefs kicker's polarizing Benedictine College talk came up at the end of Goodell's chat with media members on Wednesday at the Spring League Meeting in Nashville ... when a reporter wondered if the NFL's commissioner had further thoughts on the matter.

Many, of course, had hoped Goodell would admonish Butker -- after critics called the KC star's words anti-gay and misogynistic.

Travis Hunter's a Colorado Buffalo, but he now drives a RAM ... and TMZ Sports has learned it features some crazy modifications!!!

The college football star landed the truck as a surprise present from his fiancée, Leanna, for his 21st birthday earlier this month ... and Dreamworks Motorsports honcho Adam Wolfe tells us it's a "1-of-1" ride.

Wolfe says he and his team spent about a week tricking it out for Deion Sanders' two-way player ... giving it all kinds of bells and whistles before sending it off to the receiver/cornerback for his big cake day.

Aaron Rodgers is opening up on his decision to forgo a political career -- at least for now -- saying he simply wasn't ready to walk away from his day job as the quarterback of the New York Jets.

AR8 spoke with the media at his team's OTAs on Tuesday ... when he addressed his name being thrown around as Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s potential running mate for the 2024 presidential election.

Specifically, he was asked how seriously he considered the move ... and Rodgers explained he was facing a fork in the road -- but it ultimately came down to one thing.

NFL star Tank Dell is looking damn near 100% just three weeks after suffering injuries in a nightclub shooting ... rejoining his Houston Texans teammates and crushing it during Tuesday's practice.

No. 3 was front and center during organized team activities ... even taking passes from quarterback C.J. Stroud at one point.

There were no signs of injury or anything else holding him back ... which is a great sign, considering what he went through last month -- as well as during the 2023-24 season.

The photographer who initially accused Rashee Rice of assault now no longer wants to press charges against the Kansas City Chiefs star, according to the Dallas Police Department ... but an investigation remains ongoing.

The photog first alleged that Rice clocked him during an altercation outside of Lit Kitchen in Dallas on May 6 ... but the DPD said in a statement he recently signed an affidavit of non-prosecution.

It doesn't necessarily mean Rice is now in the clear -- the DPD said a probe into the allegations is still moving forward -- although a case against the NFLer now no doubt got substantially more difficult to prove.

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.