Robert Kraft Emotional Over TB12 Leaving Pats ... 'Greatest Cycle In History of NFL is Ending'
Robert Kraft poured his heart out while reflecting on the end of Tom Brady's career in New England ... admitting he knew the quarterback's departure would pull the plug on "the greatest cycle in the history of the NFL."
The Patriots owner opened up on TB12's 20-year run with his franchise in the latest episode of the Apple TV+ doc, "The Dynasty: New England Patriots" ... reminiscing on his first memory with the future 7-time Super Bowl champion.
Kraft said upon his arrival in Foxborough, Brady approached him and said it was "the best decision the organization has ever made in drafting him #199 in the sixth round" ... and it's safe to say the guy backed his words.
Over the next two decades, Brady led the franchise to six Super Bowl victories ... and Kraft acknowledged how special it was to watch him develop into the leader he became.
But, of course, all good things come to an end ... and when it came time for Brady to leave his first NFL home for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020, Kraft knew the impact it would have on the organization.
"'I thought, 'Wow, the greatest cycle in the history of the NFL is ending,'" Kraft said.
Brady previously opened up on his decision to switch teams for the final three years of his career ... saying he was ready to split off from Bill Belichick over how things transpired in recent years.
The Bucs won it all the next season ... and the Patriots have struggled to find the same success in the post-Brady era.
The final two episodes of the show drop on Friday.
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Bill Belichick Head Coaching Career Looks Over ... Ex-NFL Exec Says
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Bill Belichick won't be a head coach in the NFL this year ... and it wouldn't surprise former NFL exec Marc Ross if he's NEVER one again.
"As far as a head coach," Ross tells TMZ Sports, "yeah, I think this might be the end of the road for him."
It's a pretty shocking reality to think about ... considering arguably no one has ever found more success on an NFL sideline than Belichick.
In his 24 years as Patriots head man, he won 266 regular season games and six total Super Bowls. He earned Coach of the Year honors three times -- and if you include his five seasons as the coach of the Cleveland Browns, he left New England just 26 wins away from Don Shula's all-time mark of 328.
But, when we spoke about the 71-year-old's future this week to Ross -- an NFL Network analyst who previously spent 11 seasons working for the New York Giants ... he wasn't sure if The Hoodie would ever get the chance to be the big boss again.
"I think, unfortunately," Ross told us, "the head coaching career could be over for Belichick."
As for why ... Ross made it clear the hard-nosed way Belichick operated in New England might cause NFL owners to look elsewhere.
Ross, though, did say he could see Belichick as a coordinator down the road ... but only "if he wants to do that."
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JuJu Smith-Schuster Mac Jones Should Be Patriots' QB1 ... He's 'Still Got It'
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Forget Russell Wilson, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye ... JuJu Smith-Schuster says he wants Mac Jones to return as the Patriots' starter in 2024.
"Honestly, man," the New England wideout told TMZ Sports out at LAX this week, "my boy Mac, that's my guy."
"I know at the end of the day," he continued, it's "whatever the coaches decide to do. But I think Mac's still got it."
Of course, there are plenty in Foxborough who vehemently disagree with JuJu ... as Jones was only 2-9 in the 11 games he started last season.
In those contests, he threw for just 2,120 yards, 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His quarterback rating dipped all the way to 77.0 too.
To make matters worse for the former first-round pick, it was the second straight year he appeared to regress ... leading plenty in Patriots Nation to urge the team to move on to a draft pick or a veteran like Wilson. In fact, NFL Network inside Ian Rapoport reported Friday the team itself is exploring trading the 25-year-old.
But, Smith-Schuster made it clear to us he's hoping the ex-Alabama star -- and his backup, Bailey Zappe -- get another chance in '24.
"I'm riding with Mac," said the receiver, who signed a three-year deal with the Patriots last offseason. "I'm riding with my boy Zappe. Those are my boys. I came in throwing with those dudes."
"But, whatever happens, happens."
Smith-Schuster also spoke with us about what life has been like since the Pats moved on from Bill Belichick to Jerod Mayo ... and, check out the clip, it's not hard to see he's fired up for the transition so far.
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Tom Brady Bawled To Team Over Deflategate ... Darrelle Revis Says
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Tom Brady was an emotional wreck over the infamous Deflategate scandal ... with former Patriots players revealing just how hard the quarterback took the allegations following the AFC Championship Game in 2014.
Hall of Famer Darrelle Revis -- who played for the Pats for one season -- says a visibly upset Brady spoke with his teammates at some point prior to Super Bowl XLIX ... and he burst into tears as he denied any wrongdoing.
"When Deflategate happened and Tom was the headliner of the whole situation, he addressed us as a team," Revis said in the "The Dynasty: New England Patriots" documentary on Apple TV+. "You could tell he was distraught."
"He was actually bawling his eyes out in front of us."
According to Revis, Brady explained he would not ruin the season for his teammates ... and all the claims were false.
Pats owner Robert Kraft also weighed in on the challenging time for the face of the franchise ... saying the two weeks between the AFC title game and Super Bowl were "very difficult on Tommy."
Brady was accused of asking team managers to release pressure in the game balls below the league requirement for the Pats' win over the Indianapolis Colts ... which eventually led to a four-game suspension.
Danny Amendola added the whole scandal took a toll on Brady ... especially because his kids dealt with hecklers at school over it all.
The next two episodes of the popular doc air on Friday.
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Bill Belichick Attends Cheerleading Competition In D.C. ... Forgoes NFL Combine
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As the NFL world gathered in Indianapolis this past weekend to rub elbows with the newest crop of top rookie prospects ... Bill Belichick was roughly 600 miles away -- watching cheerleading.
TMZ Sports has learned ... the former New England Patriots head coach opted to forgo the NFL Combine on Saturday in favor of attending the 2024 Coastal At The Capitol cheerleading event in National Harbor, Md.
Witnesses tell us the 71-year-old had a seat in the back row of the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center to catch at least one of the competing teams' routines ... before he left.
We're told Belichick declined to take pictures while there -- although he was polite and cordial to fans throughout his time at the venue.
It's unclear exactly why the future Hall of Famer was in the building ... we've reached out to a rep for the coach for comment, but so far, no word back yet.
Of course, Belichick is usually buried inside Lucas Oil Stadium around this time of year ... scouting potential draft picks.
But, after he didn't latch on with another team following his departure from New England ... he now doesn't have to be in Indy -- opening up some free March time to pursue his other interests, which apparently include handsprings and tumbling.
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Rob Gronkowski Pats Scolded Me For Draft Celebration ... 'Enough Is Enough!!!'
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You gotta fight for your right to party ... and apparently, Rob Gronkowski didn't earn that privilege after getting drafted back in 2010 -- revealing the Patriots were SUPER pissed at him for celebrating on stage during his big night.
The future Hall of Famer detailed the hilarious interaction with his new team just minutes after they took him with the 42nd overall pick ... saying they called him amid his family's passionate huddle and told him to cut it out.
"They said, 'Hey, Rob. You can get off the stage now,'" Gronk said in a clip from the upcoming episode of "The Dynasty: New England Patriots" on Apple TV+. "'Enough is enough.'"
"And I'm sitting there like, 'Wow, I'm already in trouble! It's been five minutes since I've been on the Patriots and I'm already in trouble!'"
Everything ended up working out in the end ... as Gronk and Tom Brady became one of the most successful duos in NFL history -- winning four Super Bowls together (three with the Pats).
Speaking of Brady, he also unsurprisingly gets some airtime in the latest episodes ... revealing he wanted to continue playing after suffering a season-ending ACL injury in September 2008.
Of course, that didn't happen ... and the Matt Cassel era began, leading New England to an 11-5 record in Brady's absence.
Episodes 5 and 6 of the popular show hit Apple TV+ on Friday.
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Chanel Iman & Davon Godchaux We're Married!!! ... We Tied The Yacht 🚢
Chanel Iman and Davon Godchaux just got married in one of the most romantic ways ever ... exchanging vows on a yacht in the Caribbean Sea!
The New England Patriots defensive tackle and Victoria's Secret model said their "I dos" on a Parillion yacht on February 24, after making things legal at a civil ceremony the month before.
Everything was picturesque ... from Chanel's beautiful white Natalie De-Banco gown to Godchaux's black and white tuxedo, to the scenery off the coast of Anguilla.
Iman's two daughters, whom she had with ex-hubby, retired NY Giants receiver Sterling Shepard, were also there ... as was the newborn baby she had with DG. The kids wore adorable Mona Lisa flower girl dresses, as shown in images by photographer Corbin Gurkin.
"This was our ideal, dream day," Iman told VOGUE. "A handful of people attended the wedding ... and we chartered a yacht to sail from island to island in the Caribbean Sea."
Iman, 33, and Godchaux, 29, set sail to several surrounding islands following the wedding, including St. Barths ... and plan to return to Anguilla for their honeymoon at Cap Juluca.
"We celebrated for three days on our charter, island hopping and making stops at beach clubs, where it all started," Iman said.
The couple first revealed they were together after Shepard filed for divorce from Iman in 2021. Chanel got pregnant in May 2023 ... and Godchaux proposed shortly after.
They welcomed their baby girl, Capri Summer, last September.
Congrats!!!
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Robert Kraft T. Swift Should've Dated Gronk ... 'Better Looking' Than Kelce! 😅
Ear muffs, Camille Kostek 🙉 ... Robert Kraft believes Taylor Swift chose the wrong superstar tight end, JOKING the international pop star should've picked Rob Gronkowski over Travis Kelce!!
Why?! Well, Gronk's hotter! 🔥
The New England Patriots owner joined Fanatics Collectibles to celebrate National Trading Card Day with collectors at World Champion Sports Cards in West Palm Beach, FL ... when the billionaire was asked about his relationship with Swift, which goes back more than a decade.
“Her first stadium concert was on my birthday in 2010, June 5. We convinced her and her family that she could sell out a stadium," Kraft said of his decade-plus old convo with T.S. and her fam.
Kraft continued ... "So when she came to view the Chiefs play the Patriots this year at Gillette, I gave her a framed ticket from that concert, June 5, 2010. Think about it, she was like 18-19 and she’s done pretty well since then."
And, that's when Robert made a funny.
"Except maybe she should have been dating Gronk -- he’s better looking!”
Of course, Taylor and Travis are happier than a pig in you know what ... and Rob and Camille have dated for nearly a decade.
In other words ... everyone's happy!
When he wasn't breaking up couples (WE KID!), Kraft was hanging out with scores of fans who came out to celebrate Topps Hobby Rip Night (the trading card company celebrated at 400 shops across the country). One young fan even left with a signed Tom Brady jersey.
Kraft was just one of many huge stars who showed up to hang out with fans and collectors ... including Kevin Durant, Odell Beckham Jr., Joe Burrow, Ronald Acuna Jr., Steve Aoki, Meek Mill, Johnny Manziel, and TB12.
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Randy Moss I Learned Of Pats Trade At A Club ... Celebrated With Beer!!!
Randy Moss didn't learn of his trade to the Patriots on a football field, weight room or at an NFL facility ... no, he says it all actually went down at a nightclub!!
The Hall of Famer made the revelation on the newest episode of "The Dynasty: New England Patriots" -- explaining that he was outside of a hot spot getting ready to party when Bill Belichick hit his line about acquiring him from Oakland.
Moss said initially, he thought it was a prankster, so he hung up.
"I was like, 'Well, maybe he doesn't want to come to New England,'" Belichick said of the 2007 call. "So, then I called him again."
Moss said he again thought it was someone yanking his chain ... but then The Hoodie got serious.
"He cut straight to the chase," Moss said of Belichick. "He said, 'Look, man, if you're not up here by 10 o'clock tomorrow morning, no trade.'"
Moss then went inside and celebrated his face off ... with none other than a grip of beer!!!
"I held one of my Coronas," he said. "And said, 'I'm going to be a Patriot!'"
A Brady bomb to Randy Moss just hits different 💥@Patriots | #FootballWeekNBCSN pic.twitter.com/62DGqnLYyA
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) April 3, 2020 @SNFonNBC
Of course, Moss went on to make history in Foxborough ... in the three seasons after Belichick traded for a 4th-round pick for him, he logged 3,904 receiving yards and a staggering 50 TDs -- including a record 23 in 2007. He also helped lead the Pats to an undefeated regular season that year -- although they ultimately lost the Super Bowl to the New York Giants.
The full Moss episode is slated to premiere Friday on Apple TV+.
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Rob Gronkowski Belichick Will Be Back W/ A Vengeance ... Next NFL Season!
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Bill Belichick will be back on an NFL sideline -- after he gets some much-deserved R&R -- according to one of the best players to ever suit up for the legendary Patriots coach, Rob Gronkowski!
TMZ Sports caught up with the future Hall of Fame tight end at his epic Gronk Beach Super Bowl party at Encore Beach Club at the Wynn in Las Vegas, and we asked Rob about BB's future.
"I think it's great he's going to take a year off," Rob told us, adding, "He needs it. he deserves it. And I think he's going to come back next year with some vengeance!"
Of course, after winning 6 SBs in New England, Bill mutually parted ways with the Pats this off-season, and while many around the league expected he'd get a job straight away, it didn't happen.
It's clear Gronk believes his former coach ain't done yet -- he will be back -- and he may be reunited with the superstar TE ... err, WR?
"I'm gonna play for him. I'm gonna be a wide receiver," Gronk JOKED ... "I don't know who he's gonna coach for, but I'm gonna play wideout."
That part's a pipe dream ... Bill coaching a team isn't.
Adding to the likelihood of a return, Belichick's only 15 wins away from becoming the all-time NFL total wins leader as a coach ... which counts regular season and playoff games.
There's much more with Gronk ... who alongside TMZ Sports' own Mojo Muhtadi went absolutely WILD at the party Saturday afternoon.
Don't believe us?! Watch the footage!
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Tom Brady Game-Used SB Balls Hit Auction ... Could Fetch $1 Million!!!
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Two balls that Tom Brady used to throw touchdown passes in one of his Super Bowl victories can now be all yours ... that is, of course, if your bank account has a whole lot of zeros in it!
TMZ Sports has learned ... two pigskins from the Patriots vs. Seahawks matchup in Super Bowl XLIX are going up for sale at the Gotta Have Rock and Roll auction house -- and they both have some significant ties to Brady.
One of the balls was hurled by TB12 and caught by Rob Gronkowski for a score in the first half of the big game. The second was also tossed by Brady to Danny Amendola for six late in the contest. Brady and the Pats went on to win, 28-24.
The Gronk ball actually tied Brady with Joe Montana for the most touchdown passes in Super Bowl history with 11. The one to Amendola ended up breaking that record.
Amendola and Brady ultimately signed their TD ball together ... with Danny writing on the piece, "Super Bowl XLIX Game Used TD Ball." He also wrote a personalized letter that will accompany the ball ensuring its authenticity.
Gotta Have Rock and Roll experts tell us they expect both to fetch $1 MILLION by the time the final gavel comes down.
Auction officially ends Feb. 23 ... good luck, bidders!!
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Tom Brady 'TB12,' 'Brady Brand' Merge With NoBull ... To Create 'Complete Wellness Company'
Tom Brady has a new team -- the seven-time Super Bowl champ's "TB12" and "Brady Brand" businesses are merging with sportswear company NoBull.
46-year-old Brady announced the big move on Tuesday ... which makes him the second-largest NoBull shareholder behind friend and BodyArmor founder Mike Repole, who joined the company in 2023.
The plan is to make NoBull -- a popular brand in the CrossFit community -- a one-stop shop for all things fitness ... from shoes to clothes and nutrition.
According to reports, the company will keep the NoBull branding, but Brady's name and image will be used in some capacity.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
Brady spoke about the news on Instagram ... saying, "I’m proud to announce that today, @tb12sports and @bradybrand are merging with @nobull, forming one complete wellness company that at its core, will help people become the best version of themselves."
"We’re going to push harder than ever to help EVERYONE find the path to success on their own journey," he added. "The goal for us is massive growth that will change the game in training and nutrition for the world. There’s no limit on how many people we can impact and that’s what I’m most excited about."
Brady also gave a shoutout to his staff at TB12 and 'Brady' ... saying their hard-working mentality will roll over into the new venture.
If the business move is anything like Brady's Hall of Fame career ... it's gonna result in some big bucks for NoBull.
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Atlanta Falcons Pass On Belichick For HC Role ... Set To Hire Raheem Morris Instead
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Barring something unforeseen in the next few days, Bill Belichick will NOT be the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons ... the NFL org. is reportedly set to hire Raheem Morris instead.
The former New England Patriots head man had been considered the favorite for the open gig throughout the early parts of January ... this after interviewing for the job twice in a matter of days earlier this month.
However, something changed in the last week ... and now, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Falcons will hire Morris -- the LA Rams' defensive coordinator -- instead.
The Falcons were believed to be the only team without a head coach who interviewed Belichick this offseason.
Only two franchises remain without a head coach at this point, but both -- the Commanders and the Seahawks -- do not appear to have interest in Belichick.
Of course, The Hoodie could always be a defensive coordinator somewhere this season ... though it appears more likely the 71-year-old takes the year off, before trying to resume his pursuit of the NFL's all-time wins record in 2025.
Belichick needs just 26 more victories to catch Don Shula's mark of 328 ... but, by the looks of things, that'll all be on pause for a while.
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Ezekiel Elliott presente en una pelea en un bar de Texas La policía investiga la implicación de sus amigos
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Ezekiel Elliott estaba en un bar de Texas el fin de semana cuando una violenta pelea estalló y ahora, los policías le dicen TMZ Sports que están investigando si los miembros de la tripulación de la estrella de la NFL estuvieron involucrados.
De acuerdo con documentos del Departamento de Policía de Frisco que obtuvimos, el disturbio ocurrió alrededor de la 1 AM en Concrete Cowboy, un club nocturno situado a pocos metros de las instalaciones de práctica de los Dallas Cowboys en Frisco.
El video grabado por un cliente del establecimiento muestra como Elliott estaba hablando con una mujer mientras varias personas se vieron envueltas en una pelea a pocos metros.
Se puede ver en las imágenes a un hombre que parece lanzar un puñetazo que aterriza de lleno en la espalda de otro hombre.
Los oficiales escribieron en un informe que el incidente que "un hombre y una mujer fueron agredidos físicamente por un gran grupo de hombres" en la pelea. Un portavoz del FPD añadió en un comunicado que los testigos alegaron que "miembros del grupo de Elliott pueden haber estado involucrados".
La Policía, sin embargo, dijo que una investigación sobre las denuncias sigue en curso y los detectives están "todavía trabajando para confirmar los detalles del incidente".
Elliott está, por supuesto, muy familiarizado con el área de Frisco. Jugó para los Cowboys durante las primeras siete temporadas de su carrera, antes de unirse a los New England Patriots en 2023.
El tailback de 28 años tuvo éxito en su primera temporada con el uniforme de otro equipo, acumulando 955 yardas totales desde el scrimmage y cinco TD totales.
Ezekiel Elliott Present At Texas Bar Fight ... Cops Investigating Friends' Involvement
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Ezekiel Elliott was at a Texas bar over the weekend when a violent fight broke out ... and now, cops tell TMZ Sports they're investigating if members of the NFL star's crew were involved.
According to Frisco Police Dept. documents we obtained, the disturbance happened at around 1 AM at Concrete Cowboy -- a nightclub located a few yards from the Dallas Cowboys' practice facility in Frisco.
Video shot by a patron at the establishment shows as Elliott was talking with a woman, several people got into a brawl just feet away.
You can see in the footage, at one point during the squabble, a man appears to throw a punch that lands squarely on another man's back.
Officers wrote in an incident report that "a male and a female were physically assaulted by a large group of males" in the fracas. An FPD spokesperson added in a statement that witnesses alleged "members of Elliott's group may have been involved."
Cops, however, said a probe into the allegations is still ongoing ... and detectives are "still working to confirm the details of the incident."
Elliott is, of course, very familiar with the Frisco area ... he played for the Cowboys for the first seven seasons of his career, before he joined the New England Patriots in 2023.
The 28-year-old tailback found success in his first season in another team's uniform, piling up 955 total yards from scrimmage and five total TDs.
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Rob Gronkowski Belichick Is Still A 'Powerhouse' ... 'No Doubt About That'
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Rob Gronkowski says there's plenty of heat left on Bill Belichick's fastball ... telling TMZ Sports his former head coach is still every bit the "powerhouse" he used to be.
"I think, 100 percent, he's still the great Bill Belichick," the Patriots legend said. "No doubt about that."
Of course, it's all come into question recently ... after Belichick struggled to find success in New England following Tom Brady's departure.
In his four seasons without the GOAT under center, Belichick recorded just a 29-38 record ... and only made one playoff appearance.
Now that he's officially out of Foxborough, though, Gronk says he believes Belichick can prove once more he's still the best ever to put on a headset ... telling us if he gets a hold of a roster with stars on it, watch out.
"If he goes to a team with great players with great talent, he will be successful," Rob said, "because he's still the powerhouse coach that we all have seen throughout the years."
For now, Belichick seems more likely than not to end up in Atlanta ... he already interviewed for the Falcons' vacant job earlier this month -- and, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, he'll have a second meeting with the team's brass this weekend.
As for The Hoodie's replacement in New England ... Gronkowski had nothing but good things to say about Jerod Mayo -- telling us all he's heard so far about his former teammate is that he's become a helluva a leader on the sidelines.
There's much more with Gronk ... we also talked to the NFL legend about his upcoming Super Bowl party, Gronk Beach, at Encore Beach Club on Saturday, February 10.
The 5,000-person strong pool party/music festival will have all kinds of entertainment, including Afrojack and DJ Irie, in addition to other surprise musical guests.
In past years, Rob's brought some of his famous to the party ... like Travis Kelce, Julian Edelman, Guy Fieri, Deebo Samuel, Johnny Damon, Camille Kostek and even Bill Belichick!
Here's your chance to party with Gronk ... don't drop the ball!