NFL

Donald Trump took a beat from bashing his opponent Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential election to turn his ire elsewhere ... blasting the NFL over a newly instituted rule change.

Here's the deal ... this season, kick-offs have dramatically changed to allow for fair catches and to designate when players on defense can go after the ball carrier ... the point being to reduce the possibility of severe injury on the high-risk play.

It seems DT is among those who think the change sucks ... bitching about it on Truth Social as the 2024 season gets underway this weekend.

Travis Kelce didn't get the game ball after the Kansas City Chiefs won their season opener, he got something better ... a kiss from Taylor Swift.

In new photos from the postgame celebration Thursday night in K.C., Taylor is smooching Travis on the cheek.

Taylor and Travis are cheesing for the camera next to another Chiefs couple ... wide receiver Mecole Hardman and his fiancée, Chariah Gordon.

The Chiefs sure looked like the best team in the AFC once again on Thursday night -- but Shawne Merriman tells TMZ Sports anyone who thinks the Chargers can't knock them off is simply delusional.

The Bolts legend didn't mince words when we caught up with him on Friday -- just hours after Kansas City knocked off Baltimore in a thrilling season-opener -- saying straight up, "If you're looking over the Chargers in this division, you're crazy."

Of course, Merriman's a bit biased -- he's remained a huge Chargers supporter even in retirement -- but he's adamant the feeling around this year's Los Angeles team under Jim Harbaugh is just different.

Taylor Swift may not have had her BFF Brittany Mahomes by her side on Thursday night, but that didn't stop her from letting loose at the Chiefs game ... check out new video TMZ Sports has obtained from her evening in her suite seats -- she was going nuts!!

Swift -- who eschewed one of her normal chairs at Arrowhead Stadium next to Patrick Mahomes' wife for a spot adjacent to Travis Kelce's parents -- was seen throughout Kansas City's opener rooting on her man and his teammates vs. Baltimore very enthusiastically.

Before the start of the game, she could be seen pressing her hands against the luxury box's glass to get pumped up.

Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes may be on the outs ... because they sat in different suites at the Kansas City Chiefs home opener -- and politics could be to blame.

The pop superstar watched boyfriend/tight end Travis Kelce lead the Chiefs to a 27-20 victory against the Baltimore Ravens from inside a crowded suite at Arrowhead Stadium.

Brittany, on the other hand, took in the game with her little daughter Sterling Skye from a different suite, keeping an eye on her hubby -- Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Patrick Mahomes ain't just the best player on the Chiefs, he might be the top teammate too ... 'cause he went to epic lengths to make sure star rookie Xavier Worthy didn't lose his first-ever NFL touchdown ball.

Check out the quarterback's actions following Worthy's 21-yard scamper to the endzone in the first quarter of Kansas City's season-opening win over Baltimore ... No. 15 barely celebrated the six points -- and instead, raced toward an official.

Mahomes had apparently realized the 21-year-old dropped the pigskin in the big moment ... and he went to retrieve it for the 2024 first-round pick before it was lost.

Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely absolutely unloaded on a heckling fan after narrowly losing to the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday ... firing back by screaming out, "f*** you, bitch" -- and it was all caught on camera.

The wild moment went down minutes after the Ravens' 27-20 loss ... a game that ended with Likely's toe landing out of bounds in the back of the end zone when Baltimore tried to tie things up in the final seconds.

24-year-old Likely -- who had a stellar night with nine receptions, 111 yards and a touchdown -- was fuming over the failed comeback ... 'cause when a presumed Chiefs fan yelled out "you stink" as he made his way through the Arrowhead Stadium tunnel, he lost his cool.

The Windy City can now let out a big exhale ... Simone Biles has just ensured TMZ Sports she has so much Chicago swag in her closet now, there should be no more Packers attire on her at Soldier Field going forward.

Biles, of course, ruffled plenty of Bears supporters' feathers with her wardrobe earlier this summer ... when she was seen at her hubby Jonathan Owens' Aug. 17 preseason game wearing a grip of Green Bay logos on her jacket.

It obviously wasn't meant to be any shade -- the piece was just a tribute to Owens, who had played for the Bears' biggest rival for the entirety of 2023, before signing on with Chicago this offseason.

Travis Kelce's embracing his relationship role ... saying he understands he's arm candy for Taylor Swift -- and, that suits him just fine.

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end opened up about his relationship during an interview on "CBS Mornings" in anticipation of his Pepsi commercial with Megan Thee Stallion ... based on the iconic 2004 ad starring Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Pink and Enrique Iglesias.

TK's cracking up in the clip, still dressed in his Roman gladiator garb for the commercial ... saying it seems he's chosen the arm candy role -- which he says is basically a tradeoff for all the cool, fun activities and sponsorships he takes part in.

Megan Thee Stallion has officially centered herself into the 2024-25 NFL season with the kick-off anthem that reimagines arguably the biggest stadium rocker of all time ... Queen's "We Will Rock You"!!!

Ahead of the defending champs Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens opening game on Thursday, the superstar rapper showcased her royal raps for Pepsi's "Roman Empire" ad -- inspired by the upcoming blockbuster hopeful "Gladiator II."

Actors Lamorne Morris and Jake Lacy also star in the clip, as do Travis Kelce and fellow NFL stars Josh Allen, Derrick Henry and Justin Jefferson.

NFLers wringing their hands over Friday night's game in Brazil need to relax ... 'cause Gilbert Burns -- a UFC superstar who's from Rio De Janeiro -- tells TMZ Sports the athletes are going to be just fine in his native land.

The issue has become quite the talking point ever since the NFL announced the Eagles would take on the Packers in a São Paulo season-opening showdown -- especially after Philadelphia corner Darius Slay blasted league officials this week for planning the contest in a place with a reported high crime rate.

But, when we spoke to Burns about what the guys can expect when they finally touch down in South America -- he said it straight up will NOT be "that crazy."

Donald Trump is thanking Patrick Mahomes' wife, Jenn Tran is getting dumped, and Flau'jae Johnson is recruiting Adele ... all this on today's TMZ TV Hot Takes.

First up on "TMZ Live," Harvey and Babcock break down the love fest between Trump and Brittany Mahomes.

3:31 PM PT -- The 17-year-old accused of shooting Ricky Pearsall over the weekend said through his attorney on Wednesday he was "very sorry" for his actions.

Deputy Public Defender Bob Dunlap told reporters following a court hearing for the boy that his client feels "genuine, genuine remorse" about what happened. He added the suspected gunman's family, too, is apologetic.

According to the Associated Press, at the hearing, the teen looked right at the judge -- and never turned toward his parents, who were also in the courtroom.

He remained in custody following the proceedings, as prosecutors continue to decide whether or not to try him as an adult.

9/5 9:01 AM -- Rael Enteen's remarks just cost him his job ... as the Commanders decided to fire him after a brief investigation.

The Commanders have suspended vice president of content Rael Enteen ... this after the employee made wild accusations about Washington players and fans, the NFL and some of the most important figures in the league.

Enteen's comments were captured on a hidden camera during a presumed date with an undercover O'Keefe Media Group journalist ... when he was asked his opinion on numerous topics regarding his gig.

Enteen claimed the majority of Commanders players were "very low-income African-Americans" who have homophobic beliefs ... and most fans of the sport are "high school-educated alcoholics," even referring to them as "mouth breathers."

Former NFL star Adrian Wilson has struck a deal with officials to close out his domestic violence case -- ensuring if he completes a series of conditions ... the whole thing will be behind him in a matter of months.

Scottsdale, Ariz. court records show the five-time Pro Bowler cut the pact with prosecutors on Tuesday -- agreeing to enter into a pretrial diversion program to eventually rid himself of the disorderly conduct charge he had been facing.

As part of the agreement, officials dropped the other two counts against him -- domestic violence assault and domestic violence damage to property.

Philadelphia Eagles star Darius Slay is issuing an apology -- but not to any one person -- rather to an entire nation ... saying he's sorry to Brazil for comments he made about the country ahead of his team's upcoming game in São Paulo.

The 33-year-old cornerback took to his X account to make the mea culpa on Tuesday night -- just days after he said he did not want to travel to Brazil for the Eagles' season-opener against the Packers at all.

Slay said on his "Big Play Slay" podcast he was concerned about the country's crime rate -- before he asked straight up, "NFL, why do y'all wanna send us somewhere where the crime rate is this high?"