New England Patriots

Tom Brady hopes he won't have to play without Rob Gronkowski next week ... despite the superstar tight end's controversial late hit on a defenseless Bills player on Sunday.

TB12 spoke with 'Kirk and Callahan' on WEEI Monday morning and addressed the hit on Tre'Davious White -- resulting in a concussion -- saying Gronk lashed out after growing frustrated with unfair calls earlier in the game.

"It's an emotional game and these are like spur of the moment things, they just happen," Brady says.

"You always love to keep your cool all the time but you're in a sport where you're trying to run and block and hit and tackle and be physical and aggressive. That's why people tune in."

"I think if it was a pillow fight, people wouldn't tune in to watch."

When he was asked whether Gronk deserves to be suspended, Brady defended his teammate ... saying, "I certainly hope not."

Tom Brady says Colin Kaepernick is a "damn good quarterback" who's proven he can play at a high level -- but the Pats superstar says he "has no idea" if Kaep's actually being blackballed.

Brady appeared on WEEI's "Kirk and Callahan" Monday morning where he was asked straight-up if NFGL owners are colluding to keep Kaepernick out of the NFL.

Brady took a long pause and then delivered his answer ...

"You know, I don't ... I have no idea if he's being blackballed."

"I think he was a ... I competed against him. I thought he was a damn good quarterback. And he's played at a high level, brought his team to Super Bowls."

"You know ... that's how I feel about him."

If you thought $1,000 for a Tom Brady autographed football was expensive ... hold on to your avocado toast -- because the price JUST WENT UP!

Earlier this year, TMZ Sports reported that Tom was hosting a private signing session back in March -- where fans could pick an item for Tom to sign ... for a hefty price.

Now, Tom's holding another autograph session later this month ... and the price per auto on some of the items has gone up $50 EACH. Here's a list ...

Want Tom to sign a FOOTBALL for you? It's $1,049 (March: $1,000)

Autographed Photo? That'll be $899 (March: $850)

Pats mini-helmet? $949 (March: $900)

Tom Brady "game day" style jersey? $1,249 (March: $1,200)

Rob Gronkowski tried spitting bars (again) -- this time in rap battle form -- and got absolutely WRECKED by "Jane the Virgin" star Gina Rodriguez.

On "Drop the Mic" ... Gronk took the stage in a tank n' chain, bragged about his Super Bowl rings and dropped some cringy sex jokes on Gina.

"You're a Virgin, I'm not -- I score all the time."

Gina responded with a series of shots at Gronk's intelligence ... leaving the Patriots superstar looking legitimately hurt.

"I spit fire -- you look like the caveman that discovered it."

"Gronk's his nickname and we know what that means -- it's the only sound he made until he was 16."

And the KO blow -- "This is not a revelation, I'm sure you've heard it all. But check your manhood, 'cause I just deflated your balls."

Update: Gronk's ego has officially been placed on the IR.

Donald Trump is no master of subtlety ... 'cause it DEFINITELY looks like he just gave New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft the finger on national television.

A reporter asked Trump Sunday what he made of his friend, Kraft, releasing a statement that was -- in no shortage of words -- clearly anti-Trump, at least in this case. Trump said he thinks Kraft's ideas are disrespectful to the country ... then wiped his brow with his middle finger.

Kraft released a statement Sunday saying he was "deeply disappointed" by the tone of Trump's comments earlier this week -- ya know, how owners should fire the "sons of bitches" who kneel in protest, and that fans should boycott the NFL if players keep doing it.

Trump also said he hadn't been tuning in to the actual games Sunday ... even though he was tweeting about NFL-National Anthem related matters all day.

Tom Brady seems to be on the fence about showing respect for his country but also being united with his teammates against Trump -- so he's doing both ... and the Prez is down.

Tom was seen locking arms with a teammate Sunday during the National Anthem before his game against the Texans ... but he also had his right hand over his heart.

The dynamic is interesting -- lots of NFL teams reacted during their Sunday games to Trump's comments about players kneeling and how owners and coaches should fire anyone doing it ... some knelt, some dodged, others linked up in solidarity. Tom chose the latter.

Here's the kicker ... Trump just commented on the arm locking, and he seems to prefer it as opposed to kneeling. The question -- did he do it just because Tom got involved?

The Patriots' fans, on the other hand, didn't take too kindly to the perceived protest of the National Anthem.

Dr. Bennet Omalu -- the man who discovered CTE -- tells TMZ Sports, "There is no question in my mind that CTE drove Aaron Hernandez to suicide and other criminal and violent behavior."

FYI, Dr. Omalu is the real-life doctor who inspired the Will Smith movie, "Concussion."

We reached out to Omalu after Hernandez's fiancee filed her lawsuit against the NFL and the New England Patriots -- claiming the league failed to share information connecting CTE and suicidal tendencies.

Omalu believes she absolutely has a case -- and hopes Aaron's story will inspire parents to pull their kids out of contact sports.

"If you read my book 'Truth Doesn’t Have a Side' you will encounter the Chapter titled 'I bet my license OJ Simpson Has CTE,' therefore, it should not be surprising that Aaron Hernandez eventually committed suicide."

"I am yet to examine the brain of professional football player who does not have CTE or other forms of brain damage. And we have always known for centuries that if you suffer forceful and/or repetitive blows to your head in whatever human activity, you will suffer brain damage."

"If a child plays football, there is a 100% risk exposure to brain damage. No child under the age of 18 in today’s America should be playing any of the high-impact, high-contact sports, and the big six are football, ice hockey, mixed martial arts, rugby, boxing and wrestling."

"Let us keep our children healthy and make them play only non-contact sports."

Aaron Hernandez's fiancee, Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez, says Aaron killed himself as a result of severe CTE he suffered during his NFL career -- and she's suing the the Patriots and the league for keeping him in the dark about the brain disease.

Shayanna filed the lawsuit in Mass. on behalf of the daughter she had with Aaron.

In the suit Shayanna says, "Aaron had stage 3 CTE usually seen in players with a median age of death of 67 years."

Shayanna claims the NFL and the Patriots were aware of the link between suicidal impulses and CTE and failed to share that info with Hernandez.

She claims the NFL and the Patriots "were fully aware of the damage that could be inflicted from repetitive impact injuries and failed to disclose, treat or protect him from the dangers of such damage."

In her suit, Shayanna says she and her daughter are seeking "redress for the loss of parental consortium she has experienced based on the negligent conduct of Defendants that deprived her of the companionship and society of her father, Aaron Hernandez."

Hernandez infamously killed himself in his prison cell on April 19 -- after he was found not guilty in a double homicide. Hernandez was already serving a life sentence for the murder of Odin Lloyd at the time of his death.

Shayanna says in her suit, "On April 19, 2017, Aaron succumbed to the symptoms of CTE and committed suicide."

Story developing ...

Pras from The Fugees says he's incredibly grateful to Tom Brady -- because the QB has helped him win roughly $250,000 in NFL bets!

Yeah, he's dead serious.

Pras is a huge New England Patriots fan -- and tells TMZ Sports he's used some of his hip hop fortune to fund some massive sports betting over the years ... including a $100k bet on Super Bowl LI.

"In the Super Bowl this year, at the end of the 3rd quarter, my friend called me and bet me $100,000 'cause he thought it was over ... and I took him on, and I won $100,000."

The only catch -- Pras says his boy still owes him $30K ... and he's callin' him out to pay up!

If you think it's time for Tom Brady to retire ... PUT DOWN THE CRACK PIPE, so says Brady's old teammate ... who believes anyone saying he's washed up has gotta be on drugs.

TMZ Sports spoke with Jermaine Wiggins -- who won Super Bowl XXXVI with the Pats -- about New England's week 1 loss to the Chiefs ... and he says TB12 naysayers don't know football.

"The people that say he's finished, those generally are the people that have no clue what they're talking about," Wiggins says. "They don't know their ass from their elbow."

Tom Brady says he doesn't have any sort of relationship with Colin Kaepernick -- explaining, "I've never really had a conversation with him."

The New England Patriots QB called in to WEEI radio on Monday and was asked if he's been paying attention to the Kaepernick saga -- and the ongoing national anthem demonstrations around the league.

Brady says he doesn't give Kaepernick much thought because his attention "goes a lot of places" at this time of the year ... and he's too busy to think about Colin.

Tom was also pressed on if he was proud that his teammates don't sit or take a knee during the anthem -- to which he explained, "I don't really pay attention to that."

As far as Tom's non-relationship with Colin -- Kaepernick went to bat for Tom back in 2015 during the Deflategate scandal ... saying, "No football in the world is going to help you win by 38! Let it go and let Tom be great!"

Remember that kid who singlehandedly sniffed out the SCUMBAG who stole Tom Brady's Super Bowl jersey??

Well, Robert Kraft definitely does ... and he just hooked that dude up with FRONT ROW TICKETS!!

Remember, 19-year-old Dylan Wagner was the guy who figured out it was Mauricio Ortega who jacked Tom's uniform and passed the tip to police ... which led to that raid in Mexico.

Well, Thursday morning Wagner got a personal visit from Pats owner Bob Kraft -- who came bearing some serious thank-you gifts.

Among the goods, Kraft presented Wagner with tix to NE's home opener against the Chiefs (seat #12, seriously) and an autographed (not stolen) Tom Brady Jersey.

He also got a pair of Robert Kraft Air Force 1s (which were released Thursday) -- which run $140 a pair.

As for Ortega ... anyone ever hear from that guy??

Tom Brady turns 40 today -- and the fans in Boston let him know it with a screaming rendition of "Happy Birthday."

As Tom took the field at New England Patriots training camp Thursday morning, dozens of fans decked out in Pats gear -- some holding "Happy Birthday" signs -- belted out the song.

Tom smiled and waved.

The team also brought out a bunch of goats for the G.O.A.T. -- they're really blowing this thing out.

His wife, Gisele, also posted a HBD message for him -- saying he makes 40 look like 20. She's right.

Macklemore is using Marshawn Lynch to fire shots at Tom Brady -- with ball deflating jokes and a jersey theft ... and it's all in his new music video.

M & M know each other from Seattle -- and hooked up for Macklemore's new track with Lil Yachty called "Marmalade." The main theme seems to be messing with Brady and the Patriots.

Of course, the Patriots beat the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX after that insane decision to throw the ball from the 2 yard line instead of giving it to Beast Mode.

Clearly, both guys remember.

Marshawn makes a funny cameo in the video -- masterminding a Tom Brady jersey theft ... obviously inspired by Mauricio Ortega, the guy who jacked Brady's real uniform after Super Bowl 51.

Funny to us. Wonder if Tom's laughing?

Robert Kraft's got a new homie, Meek Mill -- and he likes the rapper so much, he let him wear his brand new Super Bowl ring!

The New England Patriots owner ran into Meek in Miami -- and the two hit it off. Shouldn't be too big of a surprise considering Kraft is tight with Meek's MMG label owner, Rick Ross.

Remember, Kraft once let Vladimir Putin try on a Super Bowl ring and the Russian leader straight JACKED it.

But Meek's no Putin -- he gave the ring back (good thing, since he's still technically on probation).

Here's proof Bill Belichick is secretly a happy, smilin', ooey-gooey romantic ... courtesy of a lovey-dovey photo shoot with his girlfriend!!

The New England Patriots coach showed off his MUCH softer side with his longtime GF, Linda Holliday, for N Magazine ... strolling through meadows, holding hands, and other mushy stuff.

B.B.'s only wearing one of his Super Bowl rings, though (he went with S.B. 49) ... and even lets Holliday wear it on THAT finger for a couple pics.

The shoot almost comes off as a wedding photo shoot.

Soooooo ... Bill gettin' another ring this year???