Las Vegas Raiders

A huge police union in Las Vegas is beefing with the NFL over one of its new credentialing policies ... and if the matter doesn't get sorted out soon -- it could mean big headaches are on the horizon for the Raiders.

According to Steve Grammas -- the president of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association -- Roger Goodell's org. has implemented a new series of protocols for police members working games this season ... and Grammas says he's got issues with them.

Specifically, Grammas says The Shield wants cops to submit biometric data -- including a picture of themselves -- on an app in order to gain clearance to do their jobs in specific parts of Allegiant Stadium.

Morgan Wallen made quite the splash in Nevada Friday ... doing one of his customary walkouts with a couple of major celebs -- Tom Brady and Mike Tyson.

Wallen was flanked on either side by the NFL great and boxing legend at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, where he performed Friday night during a stop on his country music tour.

Check out the video ... the trio kicked things off inside a tunnel, where Morgan gave a huge hug to Brady before shaking hands with Tyson and embracing him.

Chandler Jones reached a deal with prosecutors this month to close out his domestic violence case ... and, for now, the former NFL star has dodged jail time.

According to Nevada court records, Jones reached the pact with Clark County prosecutors on June 17 -- agreeing to plead no contest to a misdemeanor domestic violence charge. In exchange, the other misdemeanor DV charge he had been facing was dropped.

The 34-year-old was sentenced to 90 days behind bars -- though it was suspended ... and, according to the records, if the ex-pass rusher keeps his nose clean for the next six months, the case will be dropped entirely -- and he'll avoid jail time altogether.

Don't expect to see Darren Waller on an NFL field ever again ... the former Giants star tells TMZ Sports he's thrilled with his decision to retire -- and is adamant he'll feel that way going forward.

The ex-tight end officially called it a career on Sunday ... but at 31 years old and still productive when healthy, many of his fans wondered if he really meant it.

But, when we spoke with him a couple days after he made the choice to hang up his spikes, he made it clear, he's done done.

The woman rumored to be expecting a child with Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis is actually welcoming a baby with MLB player Joey Gallo, TMZ Sports has learned.

The erroneous reports were made over the weekend ... with several irresponsible NFL social media accounts assuming Hayden Hopkins -- who was spotted alongside the team owner at a game in 2022 -- was pregnant with his first kid.

We got down to the bottom of things ... and as it turns out, there is still a sports connection to Hopkins' future baby -- just not what was previously indicated.

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.

Sabrina Ionescu is officially off the market ... the star NY Liberty guard just married her longtime boyfriend over the weekend, Raiders center Hroniss Grasu!

One of the wedding guests, Dallas Wings forward Satou Sabally, shared photos and videos from the beautiful ceremony ... showing Ionescu and Grasu dancing, as friends and family watched.

"To an everlasting bond of love 💗," Sabally wrote in the IG caption.

"What an amazing wedding of two very special people, a weekend full of smiles and happy tears 🥹"

Vanessa Bryant, along with her daughter Natalia, was also in attendance. Remember, Ionescu was mentored by Kobe before his tragic death in 2020.

"Congratulations to Sabrina and Hronnis!" Vanessa said ... "Such a beautiful couple. Wishing you both the very best, always!!! Xo"

Ionescu and Grasu -- who revealed their relationship to the public in 2021 -- are both of Romanian descent and University of Oregon alum.

Sabrina, heading into her 5th season with the Liberty, and Hroniss, who has been in the NFL since 2015, got engaged last January ... as the big man got down on one knee in front of a massive floral arrangement on the roof of a high-rise in the city.

Former Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Damon Arnette claims reports of his recent arrest for meth and gun possession are straight-up wrong ... insisting the whole thing is a giant misunderstanding.

Arnette's most recent legal trouble made waves on Monday ... with multiple outlets stating the former first-round pick was busted in Richardson, Texas on Jan. 6 and charged with possession of less than a gram of meth and unlawful carrying of a firearm.

The 27-year-old's attorneys released a statement to TMZ Sports shortly after the news broke ... and they are adamant Arnette's name will be cleared.

"Our client, at the time of the stop, was unable to provide law enforcement with his prescription for a lawful medication," Jason Lampert and Thomas Wynne said. "The arrest was predicated on Mr. Arnette being unable to prove the medication was prescribed, had he been able to do so at the time of the stop, there would have been no arrest for either the controlled substance or the firearms."

"Our offices are working with the local law enforcement to rectify this matter before any charges are brought by the District Attorney’s Office."

In other words, Arnette's team believes once the methamphetamine charge is sorted out, the gun charge will be handled as well ... as it's legal in Texas to carry a weapon without a license.

It's not the first time the former Ohio State star made headlines for the wrong reasons -- he was released from the Raiders after making threats and flashing firearms on video in 2021 ... and has had multiple off-field incidents.

Maxx Crosby might be bummed he didn't win NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors this season ... but the Raiders star tells TMZ Sports he's planning on using the snub as motivation to whoop some ass next season.

ICYMI, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett edged out Crosby -- and other finalists T.J. Watt, Micah Parsons and DaRon Bland -- for the big award at the NFL Honors ceremony on Feb. 8 ... which many felt Crosby deserved.

After all, Myles had 14 sacks and four forced fumbles on the year ... while Crosby totaled 14.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

So, when we got the Las Vegas pass rusher out at Super Bowl week, we had to ask the three-time Pro Bowler how he was taking it ... and it's clear, he's using it as fuel for this offseason's workouts.

"I mean, it's exactly what I needed," he said. "I know I'm going in the right direction. I know what I'm capable of. It's just the beginning."

"People haven't seen anything yet," he added.

Before he embarks on the road to dominance in '24, though, Crosby had a little fun in Vegas ahead of Super Bowl LVIII ... horsin' around on a red carpet with none other than Tom Brady.

Bad news for Jimmy Garoppolo ... the quarterback is going to have to sit out two games next season after the NFL said he violated its Performance Enhancing Substances Policy.

The league handed down the suspension on Friday morning, according to Adam Schefter, and Garoppolo is not expected to appeal ... meaning he now won't be allowed to suit up for game action until Week 3 of the 2024 season.

Schefter reported the punishment stems from Garoppolo "using a prescribed medication without having a valid Therapeutic Use Exemption."

In even worse news for the 32-year-old signal-caller, Schefter also reported Garoppolo is likely to be cut by the Las Vegas Raiders next month following the league's ban.

If it is ultimately the end of the road for Jimmy G in Sin City -- it wasn't exactly the prettiest journey. He signed a big deal in free agency with the team in March -- but he only went on to play in seven games.

And, in those contests, he wasn't exactly effective ... throwing for just 1,205 yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions.

The Raiders took time to thank the men and women keeping Vegas safe this Super Bowl week, swinging by LVMPD HQ to chill, and they even hooked up a volunteer worker with tix to the big game!

LB Divine Deablo and DT Matthew Butler pulled up to the Las Vegas Metro Police Department station, along with team president Sandra Douglass Morgan, a gang of cheerleaders, and even the Raiders mascot ... to take photos and speak to the staff. They also brought some grub!

TMZ Sports is told everyone had an awesome time ... but none better than a volunteer named Renee Sorensen, who has given up thousands of hours of her time without pay, simply to help her community.

The Raiders contingency wanted to say thank you, so they hooked Renee up with SB 58 tix, one of the hottest tix in the world.

Of course, tix to the Super Bowl are going for thousands of dollars each ... but Sorensen won't have to pay a dime.

It was a nice break for police officers ... who are now in the midst of one of the busiest times of the year, as hundreds of thousands of fans descend on Sin City for the game and all the festivities.

Raiders pass rusher Janarius Robinson was arrested in Las Vegas on Tuesday morning -- right in the middle of the NFL's Super Bowl week.

Cops said in a statement the 25-year-old was booked on a charge of driving under the influence after he was stopped on The Strip at around 5:59 AM.

Further details surrounding the matter were not made immediately available.

Robinson initially began his career with the Vikings in 2021 after they selected him with a fourth-round pick ... but he was placed on injured reserve just before his rookie season began.

He spent time on Minnesota's and Philadelphia's practice squads in 2022 ... but he didn't see any regular-season action.

In 2023, he signed onto the Raiders' practice squad ... and in December, he was finally promoted to the active roster -- and he was able to flash some big potential in his limited snaps.

In six games -- two of which he started -- Robinson logged eight combined tackles and one sack ... leading many in Vegas' org to believe he could be a key player for the team next season.

One of the most famous casino resorts in Las Vegas is closing, and one of its longtime headliners says it spells trouble for Sin City entertainers.

The Tropicana announced this week it's shuttering in April, and will ultimately be demolished to make way for a new baseball stadium being built for the Las Vegas Athletics, the MLB team relocating from Oakland.

Murray The Magician, who has a residency at the Tropicana, tells TMZ ... the impending closure could create major problems for performers who've been doing their thing at the property.

As the 'AGT' alum explains, the Las Vegas Strip is hypercompetitive for entertainers -- there are more than 70 shows a night on the 2.5-mile stretch, with only so much wealth to go around ... and the Tropicana closing eliminates 2 venues.

So, some acts are going to be left out in the cold.

There's a historical layer to this too ... the Tropicana's been a launching pad for so many Vegas performers, and Murray says the property changed the way folks are entertained in Sin City.

Siegfried and Roy got their start at the Tropicana, and Murray says without them there would be no Cirque du Soleil. The Tropicana also hosted the Folies Bergere for nearly half a century, and it's where Gladys Knight and Wayne Newton once had residencies.

Murray does his show at the Laugh Factory at the Tropicana, and the property also hosts tribute shows for Michael Jackson and Prince.

For what it's worth, there are reports the "MJ Live" and "Purple Reign" tribute shows are relocating to new spots in Vegas -- and, likewise, Murray says he's sticking with the Laugh Factory, which is finishing a deal to move on the Strip.

Chandler Jones' jewelry cabinet just got a whole lot icier ... TMZ Sports has learned the NFL star recently copped multiple Jesus pieces loaded with diamonds!!

We're told the four-time Pro Bowler hit up Rafaello and Co.'s Gabriel Jacobs to get the new bling made ... and the celeb jeweler didn't disappoint.

Jacobs -- who's done pieces in the past for Damar Hamlin and Lil Yachty -- made three separate iterations of the ice for Jones ... all in different-colored diamonds.

The first one came in all black ... and featured 55 carats of AAA black quality diamonds -- plus a chain that held 80 carats of black diamond pearls.

The second one was rose gold ... and it had 40 carats of diamonds in it. The final one came in canary -- featuring 55 carats of all-natural yellow diamonds.

The price for each is top secret ... but the former Las Vegas Raider made over $131 million in his 12-year NFL career -- so, needless to say, he can certainly afford it!

The Las Vegas Raiders didn't have to look far to fill their head coaching position -- the team is expected to take the "interim" off Antonio Pierce's title ... and make him their next head coach.

According to multiple reports, the Raiders are currently finalizing a deal with the former Washington and Giants linebacker ... this after going 5-4 as the leader of the sidelines in the 2023-24 campaign.

A ton of players on the roster made it clear they wanted Pierce in charge next season ... and it sounds like they'll get their wish Friday afternoon.

Of course, Pierce took over after Josh McDaniels was fired on Halloween night ... helping the team get back on track following a 3-5 start.

It's one less job opening in the NFL ... as the Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Washington Commanders, Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks continue their search for their next head coaches.

Chandler Jones is adding to his body ink collection -- this time, the current NFL free agent decided to have the word "Messiah" forever etched across the top of his head.

33-year-old Jones shared footage of his most recent tattoo session at a shop in Arizona on Wednesday ... showing an artist putting the needle to his dome as he calmly sat through the process.

After the job was finished, Jones said he heard his late mother, Camille, tell him to stop getting tattoos.

Jones has seemingly hit a rough patch since the Las Vegas Raiders cut him back in September ... including numerous run-ins with law enforcement and bizarre Instagram posts.

It's unclear what exactly is going on with the Super Bowl champion ... but his followers have expressed concern and support in the comment section of his uploads.

TMZ Sports is told Chandler has been staying with his brother, Arthur, recently ... and being around family has done a lot of good for his situation.