Kansas City Chiefs

Andy Reid WILL win a Super Bowl with the Chiefs despite yet another championship game heartbreaker Sunday ... so says legendary coach Dick Vermeil.

"I would bet on it!" Dick tells TMZ Sports ... "I would bet that they will win one!"

Of course, Reid's history says otherwise ... his loss to the Pats on Sunday was his 6th championship game L (4 NFC championships, 1 AFC championship and 1 Super Bowl) in his 20-year, ring-less career.

But, Vermeil says Reid WILL get it done sooner than later ... saying K.C. is just too talented.

"There's no question in mind they will get there and there's no question in mind, if he sticks with it long enough, he's gonna win it."

In fact, Vermeil thought earlier this season THIS would be the year for Reid ... and said he was downright ill seeing Reid and the Chiefs fall to Tom Brady in overtime.

"Kansas City, I'm just sick. I woke up three times during the night thinking about that ballgame. I was so disappointed."

2019 season kicks off in 7 months ... could that finally be Reid's year??

Drake has finally realized that if he sides with any one sports team, they'll probably lose -- so he's sending the final 4 NFL squads good vibes by equally cursing all of them.

We're kidding, of course ... and clearly, so is Drizzy. He posted a photo of himself late Saturday night wearing a sweater with patches bearing all four remaining NFL teams --the L.A. Rams, the New England Patriots, the Kansas City Chiefs and the New Orleans Saints.

He captioned his pic ... "For everyone who believes in the Drake curse good luck tmrw."

In case you're unfamiliar ... Drake has a pretty bad streak of supporting teams ... and those teams being doomed with losing records or big losses in general (just ask the University of Alabama's football team, they're his latest victim).

Drake has also supported Kentucky basketball (title-less since 2012), the Toronto Raptors (zero finals appearances), Conor McGregor (who got smashed up by Khabib) and Serena Williams (who lost at Wimbledon last year).

Does one of the greatest Kansas City Chiefs ever regret retiring just months before the team's best run in recent franchise history???

Tamba Hali tells TMZ Sports not one bit ...

"I think there were measures -- I could've did more about being on the team this year, but I'm happy for those guys."

Hali is a legend in K.C. ... having played the last 12 seasons there and racking up 89.5 sacks -- but he retired after last season having never gotten further than the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

That's why we at TMZ Sports wondered if there was at least SOME regret that he decided to call it a career just before Patrick Mahomes got the Chiefs on an epic run this season.

But, 35-year-old Tamba says while it is "bittersweet," he's at peace with the decision.

"I think the way coach [Andy] Reid treated me was great. He kind of saved me, because I played the game wreckless. I probably would've been on the other side -- would've wrecked my body."

"So, I'm happy, yet it is bittersweet."

As for the Chiefs' AFC Championship Game against the Pats this weekend ... Hali says he's giving the edge to Mahomes over Tom Brady in the big matchup, and ya gotta hear why.

Bears head coach Matt Nagy says he spoke with Kareem Hunt just a week ago ... and didn't rule out signing the troubled RB when asked about the possibility Monday.

Hunt's been out of the NFL since TMZ Sports published video of the ex-Chiefs star shoving and kicking a woman during a February altercation at a Cleveland hotel.

But ... Nagy's got a great relationship with the RB -- he was Hunt's OC during the RB's rookie season in 2017 -- and says he wanted to check in on him when they spoke just a few days ago.

"I talked to Kareem completely wanting to know how he's doing. And we had a good conversation."

Nagy says the convo never turned to football ... but he did say he's a coach that has always been in favor of giving players second chances.

"Me, personally, depending on certain people's situations, I'm a guy that has always been that. I've been kind of raised that way to give guys second chances."

Does that mean Hunt will be in a Chicago uniform next season? Nagy certainly didn't seem opposed to the idea ... but GM Ryan Pace says the Bears need more time to make that call.

"We're not even there yet," Pace said ... "I know what [Hunt] is as a player, obviously, from watching him. Matt knows a little bit more about him as a person. But we're not even close to that point."

Drew Brees' dream of his first NFL MVP is DEAD ... that's according to Tony Gonzalez, who says Patrick Mahomes is the league's most valuable, and it ain't even close.

Mahomes is having a RIDICULOUS season ... 50 TDs and 5,000 yards (yikes), but some thought Brees would get the nod because of the Saints team's success and his INSANE efficiency.

Tony ain't one of them, and when we got him out in Beverly Hills, he shot Drew's dreams down.

"I thought Drew Brees would've had a chance, but 50 touchdowns, 5,000 yards, it's no contest."

According to Gonzalez, the Chiefs game this Sunday will also be no contest, because he's got the Arrowhead gang stomping all over the Colts.

"Obviously, I'm picking the Chiefs, not 'cause I have to either."

POLICE BEEF!!!!

The Kansas City P.D. was talking all sorts of crap about the Chargers before they took on the Chiefs Thursday night.

So, when K.C. choked away the game, the LAPD decided to rub some salt in the wound.

It all started before the big "Thursday Night Football" matchup ... when the KCPD threw shade at the Bolts for their lack of fan support in BOTH San Diego and L.A.

"While our football team doesn't have to move cities to get fans, we'd like to keep our city's traffic (both fans & commuters) moving during tomorrow's Chiefs vs Chargers game."

"Stadium full of people will be going to Arrowhead during rush hour. Plan alt. routes or extra time."

So, when Philip Rivers and company stormed into Arrowhead and silenced the 75,000 fans with a last-second, come-from-behind victory ... the LAPD decided to clap back.

"It’s ok...we’ll take the 11-3 playoff-bound @Chargers and their great win over the @Chiefs."

SHAAAAAAAAAAAADEEEEE!!

Of course ... L.A. cops weren't the only ones getting in on the K.C. trollin' -- Rivers made sure the fans at Arrowhead got some in person too!

The best news for all parties?? Both teams have clinched a playoff berth ... which means we could all get round 3 in just a few weeks.

Kansas City Chiefs owner, Clark Hunt, says the team knew Kareem Hunt was involved in 3 violent incidents BEFORE they cut him ... but says the TMZ Sports video took things to another level.

Clark Hunt finally broke his silence about Kareem to the media after the Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday ... saying, "We were obviously shocked by the video, like anybody who saw it."

He added, "We’d had some issues with Kareem not being truthful with what happened that night and we just really felt for everybody’s best interests we needed to head in a different direction."

As we previously reported, Kareem has been accused of getting violent on 3 separate occasions during the NFL offseason -- allegedly attacking a man at a nightclub in January, the hotel incident in February and another altercation at an Ohio resort in June.

"We did know about [those incidents], yes," Clark Hunt said ... "We were familiar with all 3 of the incidents that he had had in the offseason ... They’d all been reported to the NFL, and the NFL was investigating them."

During the media scrum in the Chiefs' locker room, Clark Hunt was also asked about the NFL's investigation into Kareem Hunt ... and how the league could do a better job handling similar investigations in the future.

"I’m not sure I’m at a point right now where I can say there was a breakdown and specifically what that breakdown was. The league has spent a lot of time and resources trying to build a department that can handle these types of situations."

"Obviously, it’s imperfect. I’m not sure you can ever reach perfection. There are limitations on the type of information that league security people are able to get, and I’m not sure that we can change that."

Clark Hunt was also asked if Chiefs' draft scouts ever saw any red flags when it came to Hunt's off-the-field actions before they took him in the 3rd round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

"Our staff felt comfortable with taking him, otherwise we would not have selected him," Hunt said.

"Our scouting staff does a really good job of vetting players. And part of that analysis is their character. Obviously, it’s very hard to learn everything about somebody. Sometimes you have somebody who in college didn’t have any incidents and they get to the pro level and with the fame and fortune and so forth that comes with the position, they do something that you don’t expect."

"So, we’re certainly going to try to get better, but I don’t think you can ever be perfect in that regard."

Despite leaving on bad terms, Clark Hunt says the organization is still rooting for Kareem to better himself.

"I think the most important thing for Kareem is that he get some counseling that can help him with his issues ... and I heard today that there was a report that he was going to do that, and certainly we wish the best for Kareem in the future. I hope that at some point he’s able to come back to the National Football League, not sure when that will be."

Kareem Hunt is reportedly tackling his issues by heading to counseling for alcohol and anger management in the wake of his surveillance video scandal.

Citing sources familiar with the situation, NFL.com reported Sunday that the former Chiefs running back entered counseling this week. The details of how long he's expected to be in counseling or where he's getting it done weren't immediately clear.

Clearly, Kareem is putting himself on the right track after he was caught on video attacking a 19-year-old woman earlier this year at a Cleveland hotel. The NFL is also investigating 2 other incidents in which he's believed to have gotten violent.

During one of those scuffles in January, Kareem was seen being restrained on video moments after he allegedly beat up a 37-year-old man in a Kansas City nightclub. Another incident in June -- which was not caught on video -- involves Kareem allegedly punching a guy in the face.

Brett Favre -- a three-time NFL MVP -- has weighed in ... and Drew Brees is killin' it ... but he's not the league's current most valuable player.

"I would say right now, I'd probably have to give it to Mahomes," Brett tells TMZ Sports.

It's not exactly a nuclear take from the Packers legend -- most have Brees and Patrick Mahomes as the top 2 candidates for the award -- but Favre says the younger QB gets his nod.

"What Mahomes has done in his first year is incredible."

You can tell it kinda pains Brett to say it -- Brees IS, after all, one of the last old dudes standing in a young man's game -- but Favre still showed Drew some major love anyway.

In fact ... Brett also shouted another old QB who's killin' it this season -- saying Philip Rivers deserves some praise for his huge season too!

As for Mahomes ... Brett didn't go all Dick Vermeil on us and say the Chiefs superstar can be one of the greatest to ever play -- but he also didn't exactly disagree with the ex-coach!!

Our TMZ photog was out in Washington D.C. today covering the George H.W. Bush funeral ... when Roger Goodell came walking down the street.

So, we had to ask about the obvious issue involving the NFL and TMZ ... Kareem Hunt.

We got right next to the NFL Commish and asked him if he thinks Hunt will ever play another down in the league. We asked some follow-up questions too.

But, Goodell wasn't ready to have that conversation.

The NFL has issued several statements on the Kareem Hunt situation so it's not like the league is stonewalling the media -- but so far, we haven't heard from Goodell directly.

Back in 2014 during the Ray Rice situation, Goodell held a press conference and took questions from reporters about the league's attempts to obtain the video.

So far, we haven't heard of any plans for Goodell to hold a similar media event in regards to Kareem Hunt.

The Cleveland Police Dept. says one of its officers leaked a copy of the Kareem Hunt police report to the NFL back in February -- and now it's launched an internal investigation.

"Following an internal review, it has been determined that in February 2018 a member of the Cleveland Division of Police provided a copy of the police report involving the February 10, 2018 assault incident at The 9 to a representative from the National Football League," the PD said.

"The report did not go through the official public records request process."

So, what's the takeaway? The statement implies the NFL did go outside of official channels in an effort to gather information about the incident.

The CPD also says it's looking into the "overall response" by the PD regarding the Hunt incident -- but did not get specific about other issues.

One big question ... why didn't the responding officers make more of an effort to view the surveillance video on the night of the incident?

The woman was seen on police body cam video begging the officers to view the tapes -- but cops said they were stuck because the hotel is a "private facility" and "they don't have to show us unless they're ordered by a court."

TMZ Sports obtained video of a very upset Kareem Hunt being restrained in the moments after he allegedly beat up a 37-year-old man inside of a Kansas City nightclub back in January.

As we previously reported, a man filed a police report back in January claiming Hunt and George Atkinson -- along with others -- jumped him at the Mosaic nightclub around 2 AM on Jan. 7.

In the police report, the man claims the Chiefs players had been partying at the club after being bounced out of the playoffs by the Titans a few hours earlier. The man claims he suffered broken bones and bruises in the attack.

In the video, you can clearly see Hunt being held back by a security guard -- while other patrons try to calm him down. We're told Hunt was eventually escorted out of the club.

Neither Hunt nor Atkinson were arrested and no charges were filed. Law enforcement tells us the accuser eventually stopped cooperating with police.

Of course, the very next month Hunt got into a violent altercation with a woman at a hotel in Ohio -- and despite being restrained in that incident, he broke free and brutalized the woman.

Hunt allegedly got into a 3rd altercation at a resort in Ohio in June. He was not arrested or charged with a crime in that incident either.

Kareem Hunt's out of the NFL -- and the virtual NFL too -- because EA Sports says the running back is being removed from the Madden 19 video game.

After TMZ Sports posted footage of the former Kansas City Chiefs player attacking a woman in a Cleveland hotel during an incident in February, the video game company says it made the decision to pull Hunt from the game.

"We are in the process of removing Kareem Hunt from the Madden NFL 19 roster, Madden Overdrive and Madden Ultimate Team," a rep for EA Sports tells TMZ Sports.

"Any of our players who currently have Hunt on their Ultimate Team will receive a replacement generic player with identical stats."

There's no reason Kareem Hunt shouldn't be arrested and charged with battery for attacking that woman back in February ... so says famed prosecutor Christopher Darden.

"I would have filed battery charges against him," Darden tells TMZ Sports ... saying the video evidence would essentially make it an "open-and-shut case."

Darden is most famous for his work in the O.J. Simpson trial, but also prosecuted tons of cases during his 15-year run as a part of the L.A. County District Attorney's office.

In fact, Darden tells us exactly what he would do to get the conviction -- even if the victim refuses to cooperate.

Darden also says prosecutors in Ohio still have time to make things right and arrest Hunt -- telling TMZ Sports he thinks the NFL star would benefit from a court-ordered sentence like a diversion program, therapy or anger management.

Worth noting ... the victim has 18 months from the day of the incident (Feb. 10, 2018) to go to prosecutors and seek criminal charges before the statute of limitations expires.

TMZ Sports has obtained a police report filed by a man who claims he was brutally attacked by Kareem Hunt in a Kansas City nightclub back in January ... though Hunt was never arrested.

The accuser claims he was at Mosaic nightclub around 2 AM on January 7, 2018 -- hours after the Chiefs were knocked out of the playoffs by the Tennessee Titans.

According to the police report, filed 4 days later on Jan. 11, the man says he saw his friend getting shoved by 3 men ... one of whom was George Atkinson, a running back for the Chiefs at the time.

The man claims he confronted Atkinson -- but the NFL player punched him in his shoulder. The man claims he fought back, but Atkinson and his crew (which included Kareem Hunt) beat the daylights out of him.

The man claims he was struck in his body and head multiple times and believes he was knocked unconscious. He told police he was treated at the North Kansas City Hospital emergency room for a broken rib, broken nose and multiple bruises and contusions.

Cops note in the report the accuser had cuts on his mouth at the time he filed his report.

The man told cops he did not want to file the report but his family members convinced him it was the right thing to do.

We spoke with the Kansas City PD -- and a rep says neither Hunt nor Atkinson were arrested and no charges were ever filed in the case.

Cops told us the victim stopped cooperating with investigators after filing the report -- so the case never went anywhere. Unclear why the man went off the grid.

We reached out to the alleged victim for comment but haven't been able to reach him.

It's a similar ending to the February incident involving Hunt -- when the victim initially told cops she wanted to press charges ... but also stopped cooperating.

The nightclub incident is the 3rd allegation of violence involving Hunt this year. In addition to the Feb. attack captured on video, Hunt was also accused of punching a man at an Ohio resort in June 2018.

Tom Brady couldn't help but laugh his ass off at seeing Bill Belichick cuss out Minnesota's star wide receiver on Sunday ... saying, "That was pretty funny."

During the Pats win over the Vikings ... Adam Thielen flipped out at Belichick for challenging a close spot in the 4th quarter -- to which The Hoodie replied, "Shut the f*ck up!"

Brady couldn't help but chuckle at the whole scene ... telling WEEI's "Mut & Callahan" show, "I’ve been on the other end of that a few times in my career."

"Pretty funny. … It’s competitive out there. It’s very feisty and everyone’s emotions are on their sleeves. You say something and there is just an emotional reaction. That was pretty funny.”

Of course ... Tom and Bill can laugh all they want now -- they ended up rollin' the Vikings and look poised to catch the Kareem Hunt-less Chiefs for the top seed in the AFC.

As for Minnesota -- their season's on the verge of crumbling ... but at least Thielen still looks like he's gonna be an All-Pro at the end of the year.