Tyreek Hill Surprises Young Fan That Went Viral ... For Insane Runs, Catch

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WELCOMING COMMITTEE
Instagram /@big_franco5 , Miami Dolphins

Going viral has its perks ... the little kid who sent the internet into a frenzy with his playground highlight reel -- all while wearing a Tyreek Hill jersey -- just got some face time with Cheetah ... after the NFL superstar made a surprise visit!

And, it was awesome and adorable!

The boy's name is Franco ... and he was first discovered after video of him playing football with friends went viral. Franco's fast ... very fast. So, he earned the nickname "Mini Cheetah."

But, Franco isn't a one-trick cat, he also has hands ... another video showed him hauling in a Hail Mary. It was impressive.

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PUTTING ON A CLINIC
Instagram/@big_franco5

Hill must've seen the video 'cause he surprised the young fan and his friends at school on Wednesday ... and even brought Franco a signed jersey.

Franco and his friends' reactions were priceless as they mobbed the 7x Pro Bowler with hugs ... and even challenged him to a race.

That wasn't the only surprise -- Franco also helped the Miami Dolphins organization announce Hill won Nickelodeon's Week 1 NVP ... and slimed him right on camera!

The 29-year-old definitely earned the slime award ....Hill had 11 catches for 215 yards and two touchdowns against the L.A. Chargers on Sunday.

A good week for both Cheetah and Mini Cheetah!

Ricky Williams I Could've Been An MLB All-Star ... But There Was One Issue

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TOO MUCH COMMITTMENT
TMZSports.com

Ricky Williams was one of the best running backs of his era ... but he says he had the potential to dominate in a completely different sport -- the former Miami Dolphins standout tells TMZ Sports he could have been an All-Star if he pursued a career on the baseball diamond!!

Before he made his way to the NFL gridiron, Ricky -- whose legal name is now Errick Miron -- played several seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies' farm system while juggling his time with the Texas Longhorns football team.

Ricky -- an 8th-round pick to the Phils in the '95 MLB Amateur Draft -- was an outfielder for the organization's rookie league and Single-A teams for four years ... and footage of one of his early games actually exists!!

So when we caught up with Ricky last week, we asked if he's ever wondered how things would've panned out had he switched his focus to baseball ... and he believes he had the skills to hang with the big leaguers.

"I wouldn't say I was great, I had a lot of potential," Ricky told us. "I love to get better at things. If I would have devoted my full time to baseball, I would have been an All-Star baseball player."

So, what led him to football instead of baseball?? A pretty understandable reason.

"It's a fantasy, but the reality is I'm kind of the person where 162 games -- that's too much for me.

"Football is intense, but you got a nice offseason. That's more my speed."

Safe to say it all worked out -- Ricky won the Heisman Trophy in 1998 ... and went on to rush for more than 10,000 yards in his career.

Ricky -- who is a marijuana advocate and has his own "Highsman" lifestyle brand -- also told us his dream NFL legend blunt rotation ... and discussed the current state of running backs in the league.

Ricky Williams Dice que pudo haber sido una estella pero que solo hubo un problema...

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demasiado compromiso
TMZSports.com

Ricky Williams fue uno de los mejores corredores de su época, pero dice que tenía el potencial para dominar en un deporte completamente diferente. El ex jugador de los Miami Dolphins le comentó a TMZ Sports que podría haber sido una estrella si hubiera comenzado una carrera en el béisbol.

Antes de forjar su camino en la NFL, Ricky —cuyo nombre legal es ahora Errick Miron— jugó varias temporadas con los Filis de Filadelfia, mientras hacía malabares con su tiempo con el equipo de fútbol de Texas Longhorns.

Ricky, elegido en la octava ronda del Draft de Aficionados de la MLB de 1995, fue jardinero de los equipos de la liga de novatos y de la liga Single-A durante cuatro años... ¡¡y existen imágenes de uno de sus primeros partidos!

Así que cuando nos pusimos al día con Ricky la semana pasada, le preguntamos si alguna vez se había preguntado cómo habrían ido las cosas si hubiera cambiado su enfoque al béisbol ... y él cree que tenía las habilidades para estar con los grandes jugadores de liga.

"No diría que era genial, pero tenía mucho potencial", nos dijo Ricky. "Me encanta mejorar. Si me hubiera dedicado a tiempo completo al béisbol, habría sido un jugador de béisbol All-Star".

Entonces, ¿qué le llevó al fútbol en lugar del béisbol? Una razón bastante comprensible.

"Es una fantasía, pero la realidad es que soy una persona en la que 162 partidos... eso es demasiado para mí.

"El fútbol es intenso, pero tienes una buena temporada baja. Ese es más mi ritmo".

Ricky ganó el Trofeo Heisman en 1998 y llegó a correr más de 10.000 yardas en su carrera.

Ricky - que es un defensor de la marihuana y tiene su propia marca de estilo de vida "Highsman" - también nos dijo que su sueño NFL leyenda contundente rotación ... y discutió el estado actual de los corredores en la liga.

Ricky Williams Treat Players With Cannabis!!! ... 'Next Step' For NFL

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FOR YOUR HEALTH
TMZSports.com

Ex-NFL star Ricky Williams says the league is moving in the right direction by loosening its stance on cannabis in recent years ... but tells TMZ Sports he's hoping Roger Goodell's organization goes one step further by allowing teams to treat players with marijuana after games.

Ricky -- who was suspended five times and missed a chunk of his career for violating the league's substance abuse policy -- believes society is going through a big transformation when it comes to accepting the benefits of cannabis and psychedelics ... and he's hoping the NFL follows suit.

FYI -- the NFL changed its marijuana policy in 2021 ... electing to only test players once a year and handing down less punishment if someone is popped for the drug.

Ricky is thrilled with the league's changed stance on cannabis but feels it would have great benefits for players if they were encouraged to use marijuana instead of pills during recovery.

"I think the next step, though, is at the end of a game, if we're on the plane ride home, the trainer is walking down the aisle and has two capsule cases -- one of Ambien, and the other one of Vicodin," Williams said. "And he's walking down the aisle and saying, 'Do you need any of this, do you need any of this?'"

"And the truth is, for football players, we do need something because it hurts, and you're all revved up and it's hard to calm down go to sleep. And I'd love to see cannabis as being one of those things that the trainer is walking down the aisle and offering to those players."

Ricky -- who legally changed his name to Errick Miron recently -- has been an advocate for the cause for decades ... and is outspoken on the positive effects cannabis had on his mental health throughout his career.

Now, Ricky's own lifestyle brand, "Highsman," is going strong ... and he said the whole experience has been nothing but positive.

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CHANGIN' THE NARRATIVE
TMZSports.com

"We have an authentic message, and people are growing some really amazing flower that can really help people feel better," Ricky added. "If we can be a person that can make that connection on the cannabis side, that feels great to us."

Joe Montana Sorry, Tom Brady ... Dan Marino's The Best Of All-Time!!!

Apparently, seven Super Bowl rings and 89,214 passing yards ain't enough to earn the label of "Best of All-Time" from Joe Montana ... 'cause the 49ers legend says Dan Marino, NOT Tom Brady, gets that title from him.

The Hall of Famer made the bold statement during a recent interview with Men's Health, explaining if Marino were playing in today's era of football -- he very well could have done what Brady did ... and maybe better.

"Put Marino into today’s game where he gets free release ... and his receivers, holy cow, weren't very big," Montana said.

"Now these guys are 6'4, 6'5. I think [Marino] is probably one of the most unsung heroes of the game. People don't talk enough about him or realize the numbers that he put up during the times that he put them up."

Montana also gushed about Marino's tangibles while naming him the B.O.A.T. ... adding, "He had a quick release. I had to step into a lot of things to get enough [force] on the ball."

"He had the perfect torque of his upper body and strength to deliver the ball quickly at a fast release with accuracy."

Now, don't get it twisted ... Montana did note there is a delineation between Greatest of All-Time and Best of All-Time -- though it sure did seem he still believes he holds that crown over Brady as well.

As for who could capture it going forward ... Montana dubbed Patrick Mahomes as the man with the most potential there.

"The things he does and is able to do are so different than what any other quarterback does who's out there."

Jalen Ramsey Honors Faith With New Tattoos ... Huge Torso Piece

Jalen Ramsey might be down after suffering a serious knee injury this offseason, but his faith clearly hasn't waned ... 'cause the Dolphins star just got a huge, new torso tattoo to honor his belief in his religion.

Andres Ortega and his Onder Ink team -- Abrianna, Allan, Sarahi and Gerardo -- flew down to Miami this week to put the tats on the cornerback ... while he continues to recover from meniscus surgery.

The new ink features several religious components -- including a bible with a sword, fruit, and a lamb.

There's also a lion, a warrior and a toy soldier -- items Ortega says Ramsey wanted to represent his role as a protector.

In total, the artwork took about eight hours to complete ... and Ortega tells TMZ Sports the football player ended up super happy with the finished product.

In fact, Ortega says Ramsey's looking for him to come back soon to tattoo a couple other things on the final bit of open space on his stomach.

As for the 28-year-old's injured knee -- Ortega tells us Ramsey seems to be recovering just fine ... and he was in great spirits throughout the process.

Xavien Howard Slams Sex Video Accuser ... You Attempted To Shake Me Down!!!

Xavien Howard says the woman who accused him of filming sex acts with her without her consent attempted to shake him down for a ton of cash before going public with her allegations.

The Miami Dolphins star made the claim in a motion to dismiss his accuser's lawsuit on Monday ... alleging the woman -- ID'ed only as Jane Doe -- sought "presumably millions of dollars" from him prior to filing her suit in Florida in the spring.

In the court filing, Howard also said the woman's suit should be thrown out immediately for a multitude of reasons -- including Doe's insistence on remaining anonymous.

As we previously reported, the woman filed the suit against Howard in May ... alleging he had not only videotaped sex with her without her knowing -- but he then distributed the footage to at least one other person.

In her suit, she said she found out about it all because a woman had sent her the clips after claiming Howard had messaged them in an effort "to make her mad because she didn't want to have sex with him."

The woman sued Howard for invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress -- and asked for damages.

In his motion Monday, however, Howard also argued that Doe didn't meet Florida legal standards for either of her claims.

"Her anonymous lawsuit is not compliant with the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, wildly at odds with due process, and further creates the practical problem of one-sidedly prejudicing the public and potential jury pool," Howard's attorney, Brad Sohn, wrote in the docs.

Howard -- a Pro Bowler last season -- is currently in training camp with the Dolphins ... and is expected to have another huge role on Miami's defense this season.

Xavien Howard Sued Allegedly Filmed, Shared Sex Videos ... NFL Star Vows To Fight Claims

Xavien Howard has been sued by a woman who claims the NFL star filmed "hard core" sex acts with her without her consent ... and then shared them with at least one other person -- though the Miami Dolphins player is adamant he'll fight the case.

The woman, ID'ed only as Jane Doe, made the claims in a lawsuit filed in Florida back in May.

In the suit, she alleges she first made contact with the cornerback in 2016 over social media direct messaging ... before the two began dating in 2022.

A short time later, however, she claims a woman reached out to her via Instagram, concerned she might have been sent a video by Howard that showed Doe having sex with the football player.

The woman allegedly told Doe that Howard had shared the footage with her in an attempt "to make her mad because she didn't want to have sex with him." Doe claims after viewing the video, she was easily identifiable in it.

According to the lawsuit, Doe texted Howard about the situation in late September 2022 ... telling him she had not consented to being filmed. She said in the docs in October, she sent him a cease and desist letter.

Yet Doe says months later, in April 2023, another woman contacted her via cell phone and said Howard had sent her photos and videos of nude women because "she would not have sex with him" -- and she said she believed Doe was in one of the pictures.

Doe "was in one of the photos and it was both taken and disseminated without her knowledge or consent after [she] had sent the cease and desist letter," the lawsuit states.

Doe is now suing Howard for invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She's asking for damages in excess of $50,000 ... as well as injunctive relief that would preclude Howard from further disseminating the images.

But, Howard's attorney, Brad Sohn, said in a statement to TMZ Sports that his client intends to vehemently defend himself in the case.

"Anyone can file a lawsuit," Sohn said. "That does not remotely mean that this lawsuit ... actually has merit. This will be fought against aggressively."

This is not the first time Howard has been accused of wrongdoing in a lawsuit ... a Jane Doe sued him back in 2022, alleging he had negligently given her genital herpes. That case was dismissed earlier this year.

Tyreek Hill Video Shows NFL Star Swatting At Man ... During Boat Altercation

Video from Tyreek Hill's June run-in with a fishing boat employee has finally surfaced ... and it shows the NFL star did take a swipe at the man during their altercation.

The surveillance footage, obtained Wednesday by Andy Slater, was captured in a Miami marina at around 6:45 p.m. on June 18 ... and you can see Hill is clearly upset with the boat company worker.

The Miami Dolphins wideout -- wearing a light grey shirt, shorts, and white shoes -- is being held back from the man ... when he swats at the guy's head/neck area. The man then recoils as if he'd been hit -- before Hill is ushered away from the scene.

But, the video shows Hill then seemingly attempting to go after the guy again ... however, thankfully, some of the football player's friends hold him back.

Police did investigate it all ... but prosecutors said on Wednesday no charges would be filed -- saying in a statement to TMZ Sports, "The individual who would have been termed a victim if there had been a filed case, came into the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, met with Assistant State Attorney Robert Fiallo and signed a notarized Non-Prosecution Form indicating that he did not wish to press criminal charges."

"On the form, he also indicated that no threats, promises, or coercion played a part in his decision."

As for any civil matters, reps for Hill and the alleged victim told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday they'd reached a settlement.

For Hill's part, he spoke briefly about the situation with media members on Wednesday ... saying, "I just can't make bonehead mistakes like that."

The NFL, meanwhile, has not yet announced if it will punish Hill.

Alix Earle Hard Launch With Braxton Berrios Amid Sophia Culpo Drama

Alix Earle and Braxton Berrios took their romance to the red carpet on Wednesday ... hitting up the ESPYs together amid the NFL player's nasty breakup with Sophia Culpo.

The TikTok star and Miami Dolphins receiver eliminated any doubt about whether they're actually a couple at the sports award show ... with their appearance being considered a "hard launch" for their relationship.

The two initially sparked dating rumors following BB's split from Olivia Culpo's younger sister earlier this year ... which resulted in numerous cheating allegations from Sophia.

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Braxton has adamantly denied being unfaithful at any point in the relationship ... and Earle insisted she is not "dating" the footballer, despite including a short snippet of them hugging in a TikTok posted to her page on June 25.

But let's be real -- they certainly looked like BF and GF as they dressed up in sharp outfits for the event ... posing for pics together before entering the Dolby Theater.

Sophia has seemingly decided to chill on posting any drama-related content surrounding Berrios and Earle's appearance ... but that could always change.

As for Earle, she shared a vid of her prep for the big night ... and revealed the couple had a 6 AM flight they'd most likely miss Thursday morning.

Hope you made it!!

Jalen Ramsey Dunk Show In Miami!!! ... Dolphins Star Goes Off In Pickup Game

Jalen Ramsey is reminding folks he's got skills both on the gridiron AND the hardwood ... putting on an absolute dunk show during a pickup game in Miami this week.

The new Dolphins cornerback was caught on video throwin' down a bunch of impressive rim-rattlers inside of the Florida International University gym -- including one that he needed just one hand for.

Ramsey -- who was traded from L.A. to Miami back in March -- also displayed some ball-handling skills ... and even showcased a sweet jump shot too!

Of course, the athleticism shouldn't surprise anybody ... Ramsey was a two-sport star back in high school, albeit it was in football and track.

The 28-year-old did, however, always have basketball game ... and at one point last month, he compared himself to Russell Westbrook.

"Lotta energy, getting the rebounds, the triple-doubles, all of that," the Super Bowl LVI champ said.

"If I get a chance to get in an NBA game, they give me 30 minutes, I'm gonna be the worst teammate you ever had. I'm shooting every time! I'm getting my 10 for sure!"

Of course, Ramsey ain't the only Dolphins player who's shown off an insane vertical on the basketball court ... Tyreek Hill has proved repeatedly he can throw it down as well.

Begs the question ... dunk contest at 'Fins practice soon?!?

Sophia Culpo Braxton Berrios Is Lying About Split ... I Got Texts To Prove It!!!

Sophia Culpo says Braxton Berrios is lying through his teeth about how their relationship ended ... sharing what she claims are receipts to back her side of the messy breakup.

Olivia's younger sister posted multiple alleged text exchanges and pictures with the Miami Dolphins wide receiver from as recent as February ... which would debunk the NFLer's timeline that the two decided to call it quits a month prior.

In the convos posted to the model/influencer's TikTok, SC and BB appear to be on the rocks ... with the two seemingly discussing the public speculation surrounding their relationship. Berrios' responses make it seem as if he's willing to work through their differences ... reassuring Culpo he will "do everything in my power" to make sure the situation doesn't blow up any further.

The most explosive allegation came in Sophia's caption of the post ... where she says the couple broke up following the Drake concert during Super Bowl weekend when Braxton was "seen making out with another girl."

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SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

As we previously reported, Braxton went to Instagram to defend himself earlier this week ... saying cheating was not a factor in the split -- despite rumors he was seeing TikTok star Alix Earle while he was still dating Sophia.

Culpo seems ready to put the drama to bed ... saying, "Not bitter, in fact I know this situation has been one of my biggest blessings."

"I wish everyone in this situation all the best, including myself which is why I'm here to share the truth so I can officially be done with all of this. All love."

Braxton Berrios Addresses Sophia Culpo Breakup ... I Didn't Cheat!!!

Braxton Berrios is finally opening up on his messy split from Sophia Culpo ... and he's claiming all rumors he cheated on her with TikTok star Alix Earle are 100% false.

The Miami Dolphins receiver has been the center of some spicy allegations recently ... with Olivia Culpo's little sister telling her followers he was spotted out in public with Earle shortly before their breakup, leading many to believe he was being unfaithful.

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SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

Sophia has been shading the hell outta her ex and his new girl ever since ... and it's gotten to the point where BB took to Instagram to share his side of the story.

"I don't want to start anything, I don't want to fuel anything," Berrios said in a video. "I genuinely want all this to be over and everybody to move on and do whatever makes them happy."

The former Miami Hurricanes star said his relationship with Sophia was good and healthy ... but at the end, they both realized it simply wasn't working out.

"It had nothing to do with anything else," Berrios said of the January breakup. "It had nothing to do with anybody else for that matter. And we just didn't work out, and that's okay."

"I've been quiet because it's totally out of character for me to talk about my private life publicly, but I feel like it needed to be touched on now."

Culpo has since deleted at least one of her fiery posts ... blaming people on the internet for making a big deal out of the whole situation and making it clear she's doing just fine.

Drew Rosenhaus Slammed By PETA Over Shark Vid ... 'Wannabe Macho Man'

PETA didn't find Drew Rosenhaus' wrestling match with a shark this week impressive, amusing or entertaining ... telling TMZ Sports it wishes the NFL super agent would have just left the creature alone.

The animal rights org sounded off on the 56-year-old just days after he was seen on video yanking a dusky shark by its tail in the middle of the ocean near Miami ... straight-up calling the guy a "wannabe macho man."

"Spending so much time around top athletes must have Drew Rosenhaus feeling like he has something to prove," PETA said in a statement.

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SHARK WRASTLIN'

"Aquatic animals already suffer at the hands of anglers who impale them, yank them out of the water, and gut them or leave them to suffocate, so they don't need some wannabe macho man yanking on their tails for a few Twitter 'likes.'"

Rosenhaus, though, hasn't appeared to be remorseful for his actions ... in fact, just a couple hours after he posted the first video of him with the sea beast, he threw up another one showing him putting his hands on the animal again.

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STRIKE A POSE
Twitter / @DrewJRosenhaus

He also seemed to gloat about it all in one of the vid's captions ... writing, "Went fishing with [Tyreek Hill] ⁩today and decided to get up close to this Dusky Shark."

Rosenhaus has yet to publicly comment on the backlash he's received for it all.

Tyreek Hill Slapped Man On Neck During Boat Altercation ... Cops Say

Police are finally revealing more about their criminal investigation into Tyreek Hill ... saying in an incident report, obtained by TMZ Sports, that they launched their probe into the NFL star after he was accused of slapping a man during an altercation on a boat.

According to the Miami-Dade Police Department docs, the incident happened at around 6:45 PM on June 18 in a Miami marina ... after Hill and some of his apparent acquaintances had boarded a fishing charter vessel without the owner's permission.

Cops say when employees of the ship found Hill's group -- they tried to kick them off ... but a verbal argument broke out instead.

During the tiff, it's alleged Hill reached out and slapped one of the employees "on the back of the neck with an open hand" as members of the 29-year-old's group tried to usher him away from the area.

Cops say Hill then "charged towards" the employee -- but he was "restrained by several people within his group."

The Dolphins receiver then left the area, cops say.

According to the docs, Hill and his group had inquired about renting the boat earlier in the day prior to the confrontation with employees -- but did not go through with the purchase "due to the high" cost.

So far, no arrests have been made ... and no charges have been filed.

Neither Hill nor his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, have yet to publicly comment on the allegations.

For the Dolphins' part, they said in a statement Tuesday they were "aware of the situation and have been in contact with Tyreek, his representatives and the NFL. We will reserve further comment at this time."

Tyreek Hill Under Police Investigation ... Over Alleged Assault/Battery In Miami

Tyreek Hill is under police investigation, TMZ Sports has confirmed ... after the NFL star was accused of getting physical with somebody in Miami on Sunday.

Cops confirmed the probe to us on Tuesday ... though they did not disclose further details of the case, only saying they were investigating an alleged assault/battery involving the Dolphins player.

According to Local 10 News, however, the alleged incident happened at Haulover Marina after Hill got into a dispute with an employee of a charter company at the popular South Florida boating spot.

The outlet reported Tuesday the 29-year-old receiver was accused of putting his hands on the employee at some point during the altercation.

Hill has been seen on social media on boats multiple times this week ... on Father's Day, he shared a snap of him while out on the water on his IG story -- and on Tuesday, his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, showed the two were at sea fishing near a shark.

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SHARK WRASTLIN'

But, neither Hill nor Rosenhaus have publicly commented on the police probe.

Hill has been the subject of police investigations before -- most notably, back in 2019, he was named in a child abuse report ... though he was never charged with a crime in that case.

Hill has become arguably the best wideout in the NFL ... last season -- his first with Miami -- he tallied 1,710 receiving yards and seven receiving TDs.

Story developing ...