Odell Beckham Jr. Believed To Have Suffered Torn ACL In Super Bowl ... 2022 Season In Jeopardy
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A Super Bowl ring appears to have come with a big cost for Odell Beckham Jr. ... the wide receiver is believed to have torn his ACL during the game -- and his 2022 season is now in jeopardy.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport just reported the news ... saying testing on the Rams star's left knee appears to show he shredded his ACL during L.A.'s win over Cincinnati.
Worry for left knee ACL retear on @obj. Hope I am wrong but left foot sticks in turf and knee shifts non contact.🙏 pic.twitter.com/qyEYeavY7M
— David J. Chao - ProFootballDoc (@ProFootballDoc) February 14, 2022 @ProFootballDoc
If it ultimately is confirmed ... it'll sadly be the second time Beckham has torn the ligament in his career -- you'll recall, he busted up the same knee when he was with the Cleveland Browns in 2020.
The injury could mean Beckham will have to sit out the entire 2022 season, as ACL injuries are known to take around 12 months to fully recover from.
It's a huge bummer for Odell -- who's a free agent this offseason -- as he had revived his career with the Rams -- hooking up for a bunch of TDs with Matthew Stafford, including one in Sunday's game.
I am no Rams fan, but I am extremely happy for Odell Beckham Jr. dude’s making me wanna cry!!😭 😭
— ♡PG™♡💋🏈🇺🇸 ❌NO DMs❌ (@PatriotsGirlUSA) February 14, 2022 @PatriotsGirlUSA
pic.twitter.com/APe7lfvQGp
Beckham, though, still was able to celebrate the win despite the bleak injury ... he was seen crying tears of joy on the field after the game and was also spotted dancing in the locker room after the win.
Get well soon, OBJ.
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Rams Safety Taylor Rapp Proposes To Girlfriend On Field ... After Winning S.B.
The Rams weren't the only ones getting rings on Sunday ... 'cause safety Taylor Rapp proposed to his GF, Dani Johnson, right after L.A.'s huge win!!
The moment happened right on the field ... with the 24-year-old getting down on one knee and asking "Will you marry me?" before presenting Johnson with an engagement ring.
It was incredibly special ... and a few Rams players and supporters of the couple cheered the entire time as the proposal happened.
Johnson -- who was overwhelmed with emotion -- shook her head in acceptance ... and the two hugged and embraced as the picture-perfect ending to the night unfolded.
Rapp and Johnson have been attached at the hip for years now ... and they even attended the prom together in 2015.
The proposal couldn't have been more perfect ... and just in time for Valentine's Day, too!!
Congrats to the couple!!
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L.A. Rams S.B. Victory Rager With Gunna ... 'Whose House!?!'
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The Rams' Super Bowl win was P* -- the champions had a rager for the ages after beating the Bengals on Sunday ... with special guest Gunna!!
TMZ Sports has learned ... the Rams took their celebration from SoFi Stadium to Advanced Air in Hawthorne shortly after the game ... and brought out the "Pushin P" MC to provide the entertainment.
We're told there were 5 open bars for the special event ... as well as tacos, chicken, burgers and hot dogs on a stick.
Rams owner Stan Kroenke and head coach Sean McVay also took to the stage to hype up the crowd ... showing off the Vince Lombardi trophy as the friends and family in attendance cheered on.
The party was decked out in Rams décor as well ... and light sticks and pom-poms were handed out to everyone to show love for the champs.
It was a quick turnaround for Gunna, who was with Kodak Black shortly before the terrifying shooting outside the Justin Bieber after-party on Friday.
We're told there were no issues with this bash, however ... and the good vibes were flowing until 4 AM.
Congrats to the champs!!!
*P is a new term coined by Gunna, which means "Player" or other positive notions.
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NFL Star Calais Campbell Sorry, Cooper Kupp ... Aaron Donald Should've Been SB MVP!!!
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Super Bowl LVI MVP voters got it wrong -- Aaron Donald should've gotten the honor, not Cooper Kupp ... so says Calais Campbell.
The NFL star was adamant about it while leaving SoFi Stadium on Sunday night ... telling TMZ Sports he truly believed Donald deserved the award more than Kupp.
"Cooper Kupp did a great job, he's worthy," Campbell said. "Aaron Donald played an amazing game. He should've been Super Bowl MVP."
Add Super Bowl MVP to the accolades.
— NFL (@NFL) February 14, 2022 @NFL
What a season for @CooperKupp. 🏆@RamsNFL | #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/PC0lKBBKBa
Kupp did score the game-winning touchdown -- and he finished the night with 92 receiving yards on eight catches -- but Donald had two sacks and helped force an incompletion on Joe Burrow's final pass of the night.
Campbell clearly believed that was enough to overtake Kupp for the award ... telling us, "He went and earned it today."
AARON. DONALD.
— ESPN (@espn) February 14, 2022 @espn
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/brcqv0hXVC
In fact, Donald had such a good game ... Campbell said the night put him "in the conversation" for best defensive player ever.
As for the possibility that Donald could retire following the game, Campbell told us he's hoping that doesn't happen ... saying he's not done seeing the Rams superstar yet.
"Play some more!" Campbell said. "Come on. Keep playing!"
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Larry Fitzgerald To Aaron Donald ... Please Don't Retire!!!
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Larry Fitzgerald and Rams fans are all in the same boat following the Super Bowl ... as in, they're all now praying Aaron Donald doesn't walk away from the game after the big win.
The legendary wide receiver told TMZ Sports following L.A.'s victory that he's hoping like hell Donald doesn't now retire ... saying, "That would be a big blow to the league."
Of course, nobody even dreamed it could be a possibility before Sunday ... but Rodney Harrison reported on the broadcast in the leadup to the game that it could definitely happen.
Rodney Harrison just said on NBC's pregame show that Aaron Donald told him there's a strong possibility he could retire if the #Rams win the Super Bowl. Video is below: pic.twitter.com/tIhAzQCwWv
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 13, 2022 @MySportsUpdate
"He also told me this," Harrison said of a conversation with Donald before the Super Bowl, "if he wins a Super Bowl, there's a strong possibility that he could walk away from the game and retire."
Donald sidestepped questions about his future after the win -- appearing to reveal he is, in fact, considering the option -- but Fitzgerald is clearly pleading for it to not go down.
AARON. DONALD.
— ESPN (@espn) February 14, 2022 @espn
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/brcqv0hXVC
"I hope that's not the case, man," he told us.
Donald is just 30 years old and he's only played eight seasons in the league ... but Fitzgerald told us if the L.A. superstar continues playing, he could go down as the greatest defender in NFL history.
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Eminem at Super Bowl LVI Takes Knee During Halftime Show
Eminem paid tribute to Colin Kaepernick on the biggest of stages at the Super Bowl ... spurring discussion (and some confusion) as to whether the NFL was kosher with the move.
The rapper ended his portion of his set Sunday at SoFi Stadium by dropping down to his knee with his head low, and holding the position for a good while as things transitioned over to Dr. Dre again.
Eventually, he got up and took his place among the other performers -- but what only amounted to about 30 seconds or so ended speaking volumes in the NFL’s backyard.
Eminem took a knee during the #SuperBowl halftime show
— Jennifer X. Williams (@JenXperience) February 14, 2022 @JenXperience
📽️: @SNFonNBC pic.twitter.com/dKowy7lpei
Of course, the question is ... was it sanctioned or not??? Well, depends on who you ask ... and how you interpret the NFL's official response. There are reports saying the move was forbidden by higher-ups, but a rep for the league went on record Sunday ... saying they’d seen Em take a knee during rehearsals, and were well aware it was included.
Whether they ever asked him not to is a different story -- and not necessarily addressed in the guy's statement here. But, it’s irrelevant now -- the dude did it, and by doing so ... definitely invoked the memory of Kap.
As you know, the ex-QB spent his final year or so in the league doing just this before each game, all in the name of social justice.
Eminem has voiced support for the cause, and it seems he wanted to make a point about it during the most important moment of the broadcast.
Author and activist Michael Eric Dyson saw it live at SoFi, and gave Em major props for the gesture.
Ironically, not a single player from either team followed suit during the Anthem or anything. Also, not a peep from CK himself on this -- he didn’t publicly address the Super Bowl at all this weekend.
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Super Bowl Celebs Jam Into SoFi Kanye, Drake, The Rock, J Lo, Bey, etc.
There was only one game in town for celebs Sunday night in L.A. ... yeah, you guessed it.
So, let's go through a partial list .... Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck, Kanye, Olivia Rodrigo, Charlize Theron, Kevin Hart, The Rock, Matt Damon, the Biebers and Kendall Jenner were front and center.
But wait, there's more ... Ellen DeGeneres, Devin Booker, Floyd Mayweather, Keke Palmer, Drake, Adam Devine, Sophie Turner, Joe Jonas, Martha Stewart, The Weeknd, Prince Harry, Tyga, YG, Antonio Brown, Will Farrell, Ryan Reynolds, Sean Penn, Chris Tucker, Tracy Morgan, Chip and Joanna Gaines, Mark Wahlberg, Nelly, 2 Chainz, Steph Curry, Michael Strahan and Shawn Mendes. Oh yea, Jay Z and Beyonce also showed.
And, that doesn't even include the Halftime performers.
Check out the gallery ... good luck L.A. Health Dept, which requires masks indoors ... because there wasn't a mask in sight.
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Rams WR Van Jefferson's Wife Stretchered Out Of SB LVI ... I'm Having Our Baby!!!
Rams wide receiver Van Jefferson's wife wasn't quite able to catch her hubby's thrilling Super Bowl win on Sunday ... 'cause she had to leave the game early on a stretcher to have the couple's baby!
Samaria Jefferson was rushed out of SoFi Stadium just minutes before L.A. beat the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-20, to win Super Bowl LVI ... according to multiple reporters on the scene.
Thankfully, though, Samaria was able to make it to a medical facility without any issue -- and after Van and the Rams pulled off their comeback, he joined her to welcome their new baby.
Van posted a pic with the newborn just minutes after winning his ring, smiling with glee and writing, "X2!!!!!"
Samaria had spoken about the possibility of the situation just days before the Big Game, telling The Athletic that she was "praying" her water didn't break during the middle of the contest.
In fact, in the hours leading up to the game, she posted on her Instagram page that she was "still praying."
Cameras actually caught Van sprinting out of the stadium following the win ... showing him leaving in a hurry.
Van Jefferson rushing to see his wife after she left the game to give birth ❤️
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 14, 2022 @BleacherReport
(via @NFLGameDay)pic.twitter.com/d5LcrY2QL0
The baby is the couple's second child -- they had their first daughter together five years ago.
Congrats!!
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Odell Beckham Jr. Rockin' $200K Diamond Cleats ... For SB LVI Pregame
Win or lose ... Odell Beckham Jr. is hitting the field in style today -- the Rams star will be rocking a custom pair of $200K cleats featuring diamonds in them for the Super Bowl LVI pregame.
TMZ Sports has learned ... OBJ teamed up with Dominic Ciambrone, aka "The Shoe Surgeon" in L.A., and Jason of Beverly Hills to create "the most expensive cleat ever" for Beckham to wear on Super Sunday.
We spoke with Dominic -- who has over 1 million followers on his social media page -- and he told us Odell's 1-of-1 cleats feature yellow gold (symbolic of the Rams' colors) and 1,494 round brilliant white diamonds on the Nike swoosh sign.
Dominic tells us the connection between him and OBJ formed after he collaborated with one of Odell's teammates, Jalen Ramsey, to make some cleats for the Rams star cornerback.
"I was making cleats for Jalen and a few other guys," Dominic said. "But this year Jalen hit me ... game one of the playoffs and then Odell hit me."
"We just knew we were going to work together. And it just happened to be on the biggest stage for the sport."
FYI, the turnaround time for a project like this is typically 3-to-5 months, but Dominic told us his team spent over 100 man-hours working on the project to ensure the cleats were ready for game day.
Speaking of the game ... we asked Dominic for a prediction, and, well, he couldn't pick against his friends.
"You already know that answer, man," he said. "The Rams are gonna win."
"I'm not into sports like that, but if my friends win, it's a win for me."
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Michael Irvin OBJ Was Never Going To Work In Cleveland ... Sorry, Browns Fans
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Browns fans are not going to like this ... but Michael Irvin believes the Odell Beckham Jr. experiment in Cleveland was never truly going to work out ... because the city wasn't the right stage for him.
The Hall of Famer spoke with TMZ Sports outside of Shannon Sharpe's Super Bowl party this week ... and he told us why OBJ's departure from the Browns was inevitable.
"Odell Beckham is a bad boy on the football field," Irvin said. "Period."
"He just needed the stage and the right atmosphere to show everybody."
He continued ... "And, Cleveland just wasn't it, I'm sorry. I love Cleveland, but it just wasn't it. This right here, L.A., Hollywood, Super Bowl, and all the energy and the bright lights it brings, that's Odell Beckham."
OBJ's mostly-disappointing tenure in the Land came to a bittersweet (but mostly bitter) end when the Browns released Beckham ... after his father posted a video on social media trashing Baker Mayfield.
And, from the sound of it, Irvin feels that signing to the Rams was best for OBJ ... explaining that Odell being in L.A. is a perfect fit.
Beckham found instant success with QB Matthew Stafford since pulling up to SoFi Stadium ... and #88 is glad he's once again showcasing his talent on the field.
"Sorry Cleveland, he couldn't do it there, but he’' doing it here [L.A.]."
Super Bowl Prop Bets Mary J. Cleavage & Eminem's Hairdo ... Will It Be Blonde Again?!
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Wanna bet Eminem rocks the Slim Shady platinum blonde hairdo during the Super Bowl halftime show?!
Or that Mary J. Blige might show some cleavage?!
Well, if you have money to put up, there are a whole bunch of fun prop bets waiting to be made on BetOnline.ag on everything from the coin toss to National Anthem too ... boobies!!
Eminem's hair color?
- Brown/black -300 (risk $300 to win $100)
- White/blonde +200 (risk $100 to win $200)
Will any of the Halftime headliners be smoking?
- Yes +200 (risk $100 to win $200)
- No -300 (risk $300 to win $100)
FWIW, we talked to 2 Chainz this week in L.A. and he said Snoop has to smoke!!
Mary J Blige's earrings?
- Hoop/huggie -125
- Chandelier/Cluster +175
- Teardrop +275
- Stud +750
Mary J. Blige shows cleavage?
- Yes -300 (risk $300 to win $100)
- No +200 (risk $100 to win $200)
The "Queen of Hip Hop Soul" ain't the only one you can place a bet on to show a little somethin' ... you can also wager on whether country singer Mickey Guyton will show cleavage during the anthem.
You can also bet on Joe Burrow ... not in regards to the game (well, you can bet on the game, too), but as to whether he'll be compared to his "look-alike" Macaulay Culkin.
There's more ... you can also bet on the commercials. Or, which Hollywood landmark will be shown first on the broadcast.
What will be shown first?
- Hollywood sign -300 (risk $300 to win $100)
- Hollywood walk of fame +200 (risk $100 to win $200)
If you're into betting ... go make some money, and enjoy the game!!
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Shaq, Kevin Hart, J Balvin and More Party It Up Before The Super Bowl!!! Power Brunch in Bev Hills
Celebs are officially out and about to kickoff Super Bowl weekend, flooding the streets of Beverly Hills to get hyped up before the big game ... and scarf down some breakfast, too.
Spago was the spot for Michael Rubin's power brunch Friday ... with a guest list that included Shaq, Meek Mill, Kevin Hart, A-Rod, Lil Baby, Steve Aoki and J Balvin!
Certainly an impressive group of A-listers, but should be expected for one of the biggest weekends of the year in such a celeb-heavy city.
Of course, the big showdown will happen Sunday when the hometown Rams take on the Cincinnati Bengals, but with the hype surrounding the game, there's no question the parties with this celeb caliber -- or bigger -- will be bumpin' all weekend long.
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Drake Betting Over $1 Mil On Rams, Odell ... In Super Bowl LVI
Move over Bengals and Rams fans ... Drake now might be the most nervous person on the continent watching the Super Bowl this weekend -- 'cause he revealed he's betting more than $1 MILLION on the Big Game.
The "Hotline Bling" singer disclosed his bets on his social media page Thursday evening ... showing he's laying down serious cash on the Rams and Odell Beckham Jr.
In screenshots of his wagers -- which appear to be placed in Bitcoin -- Drake showed he's got nearly $500K on the Rams to beat Cincy outright.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
Drake also revealed he's betting nearly $800K on Odell catching a touchdown and logging more than 62.5 receiving yards.
In total, if Drake hits all three bets, he stands to make over $2 MILLION.
Of course, the bets aren't too surprising -- Drake's rich after all, but he's also good buds with Beckham. In fact, along with his betting slips, Drake showed a photo of what appeared to be gloves given to him by OBJ.
Kickoff for the Super Bowl is set at 3:30 PM PT on Sunday ... if you see Drake overly sweating while watching, now you know why!
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Dr. Dre Eminem Won't Whip His Penis Out ... During SB Halftime Show
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Everyone can breathe a sigh of relief knowing the Super Bowl halftime show will be penis-free ... 'cause Dr. Dre says he convinced Eminem and Snoop Dogg to NOT whip out their junk during the performance.
Yes, he really said that!! 😂
The legendary rapper made the revelation while speaking at a press conference on Thursday ... and it's safe to say you can cross "dong exposure" off your list of prop bets for the show.
Dre says there WILL be a few surprises ... but no sort of wardrobe malfunctions will be happening on his watch.
"I had to talk Snoop and Eminem out of pulling their penises out," Dre said. "It's just actually Eminem."
Snoop -- who will be performing alongside Em, Dre, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige -- says he might still show a lil' somethin' somethin' ... but calm down, he's only talking about taking his shirt off.
Of course, SB halftime shows have had their history of racy moments ... from Janet Jackson's wardrobe mishap in 2004 to J Lo and Shakira's dancing routine that ramped up 1,300 FCC complaints in 2020.
Shoutout to Dre for clearing the air and letting everyone know it'll be a family-friendly affair.
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Torry Holt Matt Stafford Is Great ... But He Isn't A Hall of Famer Yet
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Torry Holt needs to see more from Matthew Stafford -- possibly even more than a Super Bowl win this weekend -- to say the QB is a future Hall of Famer ... telling TMZ Sports the Rams star isn't quite on that level for him yet.
Holt -- who is expected to be named to the 2022 Pro Football Hall of Fame class later Thursday evening -- kept it real with us at LAX Thursday morning ... saying Stafford's career resume, in his opinion, isn't Hall-worthy right now.
"I'm not ready to give that up right yet," the former Rams superstar said while at the airport welcoming fans who flew American Airlines to get to the Super Bowl in L.A.
45,109 Yards
— NFL (@NFL) October 23, 2021 @NFL
282 Touchdowns
62.6 CMP%
Matt Stafford’s run as @Lions QB was special 👏
📺: #DETvsLAR — Sunday 4:05pm ET on FOX
📱: NFL App pic.twitter.com/LRAKwC8TTj
"But, he is a heck of a football player. Definitely on the trajectory of that next level."
Stafford's career numbers suggest he's a potential first-ballot kind of guy if he secures the SB win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
He's thrown for 49,995 yards and 323 TDs in 182 career games ... though he has made only one Pro Bowl in his 13-year career.
For Holt, he says it's all just too soon to talk about Stafford and the HOF for him.
"For me," Holt said, "it is."
As for his own candidacy, Holt tells us he's nervous as hell about potentially getting the HOF call on Thursday ... saying he's been on an "emotional rollercoaster" all day.
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Warren Sapp Predicts Rough Super Bowl For Joe Burrow ... Rams 'Will Be All Over Him'
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It's going to be a long afternoon in Los Angeles for Joe Burrow on Sunday ... so says Warren Sapp, who tells TMZ Sports he thinks the QB is going to have a rough Super Bowl.
The Hall of Fame defensive lineman made the prediction to us outside of a S.B. party at Academy in Hollywood on Wednesday night ... saying he believes the Bengals will not be able to block up the Rams' pass rush during the Big Game.
"I'll tell you what," Sapp said. "I love that kid Joe Burrow, but if he can stand up from this rush of Von Miller and Aaron Donald, he'd be the greatest quarterback ever in the history of the league."
"But, I don't see it. I don't see it," Sapp added. "They'll be all over him all game long."
Most pundits believe Burrow is good enough to withstand the numerous sacks that are no doubt coming on Sunday -- because, after all, he won a playoff game against the Titans last month despite being taken down NINE times.
All 9 of the Titans sacks on Joe Burrow. Still can’t believe Tennessee lost after that lol pic.twitter.com/9GhYVHgVGY
— ThatsGoodSports (@BrandonPerna) January 23, 2022 @BrandonPerna
But, Sapp made it clear, he doesn't foresee the same outcome this weekend.
Sapp also talked to us about Aaron Donald, and while he isn't ready to say the Rams star is a better player than he was -- watch the clip, he did have some REALLY high praise for the defensive lineman.