New England Patriots

TMZ Sports has learned the Foxborough Police Department is now looking into the crash claims made by Patriots linebacker Darius Fleming ... and as one law enforcement source put it, "It's starting to look like Manti Te'o."

Here's what we know ... the Foxborough PD has no knowledge of a Thursday night crash similar to one described by Fleming -- in which he claims he pulled a woman out of a smoking car after smashing a window.

We're told the FPD has been calling other agencies around the area -- and so far, no one has heard of anything resembling Fleming's tale.

As one law enforcement source put it -- "What he described is not a minor accident. It's definitely something we would have heard about."

The source adds, "Nobody knows what's going on."

We're told cops are looking to speak with Fleming ASAP.

Tom Brady put family before football Sunday night ... heading out to watch his son Benny play in a youth hockey game with Gisele at the same time as the AFC divisional playoff game.

New England Patriots star Chandler Jones was shirtless and acting very strange outside a police station in Foxborough on Sunday ... and cops say they smelled weed at his home in the moments following the incident ... this according to the police report.

Here's how it all went down ... cops say they first noticed Chandler scurrying toward the cops-only back entrance of their station around 7:40 AM in a pair of blue sweatpants with no shirt.

Then suddenly, without warning, cops say Jones dropped to his knees, interlocked his fingers behind his head and began to move slowly toward the ground.

"Honestly, it appeared as if he was actively praying or worshipping," one officer reported.

When cops sprinted toward Jones, he laid down on his stomach with his arms wide out -- and told cops, "I'm Chandler Jones" ... and that he had "been told" to come to the station.

Cops say Jones was unable to provide them with an explanation about why he was there.

Cops ultimately determined he had not broken any laws -- and called paramedics to attend to him.

One of the officers was sent to Chandler's home to grab his keys -- and while there, reported the smell of burnt marijuana in the home.

Robert Kraft used the Patriots' 1st round bye to prove he hasn't said bye to hot GF Ricki Noel Lander ... 'cause the two were spotted at a Golden Globes party together Sunday night ... and all signs point to relationship.

The sighting comes months after reports that 74-year-old Kraft pressed pause on his romance with the 30-something-year-old ... after nearly 4 years together.

But last night, Kraft and Lander looked very much like a couple ... posing for pictures at the HBO after-party at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Our sources connected to the couple tell us the two may never have "officially" broken up -- but there was definitely a lull where they weren't seeing each other as much.

Rabid Patriots fan Mark Wahlberg has a tip for his QB and friend, Tom Brady ... do NOT run for public office -- a lesson he might end up learning from Donald Trump.

Mark was leaving The Palm restaurant in Bev Hills when we asked if he thought Brady's backing of Trump might actually sway New England voters.

Check it out ... fair to say, Wahlberg is NOT confident in Brady's ability to close. In politics, anyway.

Ever wonder what Rob Gronkowski's like at 35,000 feet?

The people at JetBlue let Gronk board one of their planes after they became the official airline of the New England Patriots and let him screw around in the cabin.

What ensues is pretty hilarious.

No deflated footballs this time ... but the Pittsburgh Steelers are strongly insinuating the New England Patriots executed a diabolic illegal plan Thursday night to screw Steelers coaches ... involving headsets.

The Steelers coaches claim their headsets were not properly functioning for the 1st quarter of last night's game ... and they're pointing the finger squarely at the Pats.

Here's an article that was posted to the Steelers' official website:

"This is the kind of stuff that happens to the visiting team in Gillette Stadium all the time. From the start of the game through the opening 14 minutes of the first quarter, the Steelers’ coaches’ headsets were receiving the Patriots Radio Network broadcast of the game."

"The broadcast was so loud that the Steelers coaches were unable to communicate, and the NFL rule is that if one team’s headsets are not working the other team is supposed to be forced to take their headsets off."

"It’s what the NFL calls the Equity Rule. Strangely enough, whenever an NFL representative proceeded to the New England sideline to shut down their headsets, the Steelers headsets cleared. Then as the representative walked away from the New England sideline, the Steelers’ headsets again started to receive the Patriots game broadcast."

Here's a bad joke based in truth ... cops are PUMPING UP security at Gillette Stadium for tonight's Patriots game ... over concerns stemming from Deflategate.

Sorry.

But seriously, the Massachusetts State Police Office of Media Relations tells TMZ Sports ... there WILL be an increase in personnel -- explaining, "With everything that's gone on in the off-season, we anticipate the fans will be more enthusiastic, more pumped up than usual ... a little feistier."

We're told the cops will employ the "playoff package" -- which is essentially an additional level of security.

Tom Brady has some big support coming his way after beating Roger Goodell and the NFL in court on Thursday ... but David Ortiz may be the biggest supporter of them all.

As our friends at BSO pointed out ... Papi posted a tweet after hearing the news of Brady's 4-game suspension being lifted ... showing some Boston love after the New England QB was set free.

Shouldn't be surprised by the support ... both Beantown sports legends are no strangers to championships and controversy ... so they definitely have stuff to bond over.

The Patriots cheerleaders' cleavage looks way more impressive today -- the women got draped in serious Super Bowl ice last night ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Patriots sources tell us the cheer squad had a private ceremony Sunday at Gillette Stadium ... where they were presented with massive diamond-encrusted pendants, featuring 4 Lombardi trophies and the team logo.

The back of the pendant is engraved with the very inclusive message, "We are all Patriots."

This is Tom Brady sitting in a Manhattan Federal Court ... trying to get his 4 game NFL imposed suspension overturned.

Tom Brady walked into a NYC courtroom dressed for success in his effort to have his 4 game suspension overturned -- we'll see if it works.

The Patriots QB arrived for the appeal ... tanned like a Greek god, in a sharp blue suit (probably picked out by Gisele Bundchen) with a white pocket square. Meanwhile ... his opposition, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell also looked good ... no pocket square though.

Ya can't say Matt Damon ain't ride or die ... Boston to the heart ... and blindly passionate for all things Patriots, but that love might finally crush him -- in fantasy football.

No shocker ... Damon's stuck with his Pats and Tom Brady through the whole Deflategate mess -- but when we got him in downtown L.A. Monday night ... we wondered if he'd waiver when it comes to drafting a fantasy QB this year.

Keep in mind, TB's most likely serving a 4-game suspension before he sees any playing time.

Check out Matt's response. Billy Joel is ringing in our heads for some reason.

Leave it to the NY Jets fans to throw salt in the Patriots wounds -- trolling the team by flying a "CHEATERS" banner over the New England practice today.

The sign, created by Jets Fan Media, read ... "Cheaters Look Up."

Don't worry, Pats Nation is already firing back on the Jets Fan Media twitter page -- one guy wrote back, "The only banner Jets fans will see for a long time."

Count Mike Epps among the people piling on to Tom Brady and Bill Belichick's terrible week ... 'cause the movie star tells TMZ Sports the NFL will be far LESS SHADY now that the Pats have been punished.

Epps was out in NYC promoting his (and LeBron's) new show "Survivor's Remorse" when we asked the die hard Colts fan how he felt about the NFL upholding Tom Brady's suspension.

FYI -- the Colts got SMASHED in the AFC title game last year ... the contest that sparked Deflategate.

Check out the clip -- Epps is locked and loaded with his jabs ... coming up with a brand new nickname for Brady while hitting Belichick with an old standard.

Tom Brady took a shot at Samsung while defending himself in the Deflategate scandal -- claiming he didn't randomly destroy his cell phone ... but junked it because it was broken .. in exchange for an iPhone!

After the NFL issued a statement claiming Brady was more than suspicious when he 86'd his phone on the same day he was supposed to meet with investigators, TB finally fired back.

"I also disagree with yesterdays narrative surrounding my cellphone. I replaced my broken Samsung phone with a new iPhone 6 AFTER my attorneys made it clear to the NFL that my actual phone device would not be subjected to investigation under ANY circumstances."

"To try and reconcile the record and fully cooperate with the investigation after I was disciplined in May, we turned over detailed pages of cell phone records and all of the emails that Mr. Wells requested."

"We even contacted the phone company to see if there was any possible way we could retrieve any/all of the actual text messages from my old phone. In short, we exhausted every possibility to give the NFL everything we could and offered to go thru the identity for every text and phone call during the relevant time."

"Regardless, the NFL knows that Mr. Wells already had ALL relevant communications with Patriots personnel that either Mr. Wells saw or that I was questioned about in my appeal hearing. There is no 'smoking gun' and this controversy is manufactured to distract from the fact they have zero evidence of wrongdoing."