NY Giants

Nothing would make Tiki Barber happier than to see Saquon Barkley break his NY rushing record this season ... 'CAUSE IT WOULD MEAN HIS GIANTS WOULDN'T SUCK ANYMORE!!

"If he breaks my records, then that means good things," the NY legend tells TMZ Sports.

Tiki holds a grip of Giants records ... but it's his 1,860-yard, single-season rushing total that many have said could be within reach for Barkley by season's end.

And, if you think Barber is secretly hoping the star rookie falls short of that ... you'd be wrong.

"That means good things for the New York Giants," Tiki says.

Barber's ex-teammate, Amani Toomer, seems to think it's certainly possible the record falls this year ... 'cause the ex-receiver tells us Saquon was undoubtedly the most impressive NFL rookie of Week 1!!

Just when you thought Odell Beckham Jr.'s 2018 could not get ANY better ... super hot Instagram model Lindsey Pelas has invited OBJ to one of the most wondrous, mystical places in the world ... her DMs.

Little backstory ... Lindsey is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana and went to LSU at the same time Odell did ... even though she says they never met while they were on campus (what were you thinking Beckham?!).

We got Pelas in L.A. and asked if she's looking for a reunion with her fellow Tiger now that he has the richest NFL WR contract of all time ($95 million) ... and she said all DMs are OPEN ... but she won't send one first.

"I think ... I should be on the receiving end ... I might catch it."

Odell, we know you're not a QB ... but might be time to throw, bro.

Victor Cruz doesn't seem to be bored in his new life after football -- the recently retired NFL star spent his Wednesday night having a fancy dinner with Drake!

Cruz hung up his cleats after 6 seasons with the NY Giants -- in which he racked up 4,549 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns. Not a bad stint.

Cruz reportedly made close to $30 million in contract money during his career.

After he made his retirement official last week, Cruz signed a deal with ESPN to be an NFL analyst.

Fast forward to Wednesday night ... and Cruz was leaving Nobu in New York with the 6 God.

Life is good!

By the way, when he's not hanging with world-famous rap stars, Cruz is dating Karrueche Tran.

Forget helping kids in poor countries ... Michael Blackson says Odell Beckham needs to spend that new NFL jack on something even more important -- "I'll be your personal comedian!"

Blackson -- whose nephew, Eli Apple, is a starter for the NY Giants -- says he's super happy that Odell managed to secure the bag, but now he needs to spread some of that bread around.

"All I want for you to do is spend that money on some good causes," Blackson said ... "Help the children in China, Argentina, Guatemala. You know what, f**k the kids. Help me out, man!"

"Get me a job, I'll be your personal comedian! I'll follow you around, I'll make you laugh without tickling you!"

Blackson says he'll cheer Odell up on bad days -- and since he plays for the Giants, he's gonna have a lot of bad days!

And, Michael says he's so serious about working for Odell, he'll even bleach his hair blonde to fit in.

Odell Beckham, you're about to sign the largest contract extension for a WR in the history of the NFL -- what are you gonna do next??

Forget Disneyland, Odell just had a locker room dance party with Sterling Shepard while bumping "For The Love Of Money" by The O'Jays.

... and it's awesome!!!

Odell is reportedly about to finalize his new deal with the New York Giants -- a 5-year deal worth up to $95 MILLION with $65 guaranteed, according to ESPN and NFL Network.

For perspective ... the largest WR contracts are currently held by guys like Antonio Brown (4-years, $68 mil) and Mike Evans (5-years worth up to $82.5 million).

Think Odell's happy about it? Judging by the video, he's over the moon -- dude is dancing like he just won the lottery ... and he kinda just did!

Did you know Ja Rule is a huge NY Giants fan?? Neither did we ... but it's true -- and he's guaranteeing his favorite squad will run through the NFC this season!!

"G-Men going all the way this year," he tells TMZ Sports. "We're going to the Bowl! I said it first!"

The rapper was leaving Palace Hotel in NYC when he made the bold prediction ... and his thoughts on the Giants didn't end there.

The lucky NY Giants fan who got Baker Mayfield's 1st-ever touchdown pass Thursday night -- THREW IT BACK ON THE FIELD ... and the whole thing is on video.

Baker hit Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku for a 10-yard strike in the 2nd quarter -- and Njoku tried to gift the ball to a fan in the end zone.

But, the fan wasn't a Browns supporter -- or a fan of money -- because he took the valuable pigskin and fired it right back onto the field in disgust ... screaming and yelling the entire time.

The fan then started pointing to his Giants hat while the crowd at MetLife Stadium in NJ cheered him on.

Ultimately, Big Blue lost the game -- and the fan lost an opportunity to turn that collector's item into a serious profit.

NY Giants co-owner Steve Tisch -- who's also a huge movie producer -- says he's down to put Odell Beckham Jr. in one of his flicks ... BUT, there's a catch.

"After a long career," Tisch tells TMZ Sports.

Still ... Tisch has produced movies like "The Equalizer," "Southpaw" and "Forrest Gump" (he won an Oscar) -- and can you fathom OBJ in any of those down the road?!

As for if Tisch envisions the receiver spending that long football career in New York ... he didn't exactly specify -- but his tone seems to suggest the Giants DO want to pay him long-term.

The man suing Odell Beckham for an alleged brutal beatdown at the NFL star's home is escalating the war -- now claiming he has proof Odell tried to illegally pay a woman for sex.

But, Odell's team claims it's all BS.

It's all in new court docs filed in California ... in which Ishmael Temple claims he was at Beckham's Beverly Hills home back in January, when the NFL star turned on him and allegedly ordered his employees to beat him up.

Temple claims he suffered major injuries, including broken teeth. He initially sued for $15 mil.

Odell's camp vehemently denied the allegations -- claimed Beckham had no involvement in any violence -- and claimed Beckham was being extorted by a man who filed a frivolous lawsuit.

But, Temple's lawyers have filed new docs -- including an alleged email exchange with Beckham's attorneys -- and it's loaded with new bombshell allegations.

Among them, Temple's attorney claims, "We have evidence of your client offering $1k to sleep with a girl from Arizona visiting L.A. known to my client."

Temple's lawyer also says they have "evidence of drugs of the most prohibited types readily available and consumed at his parties."

In the docs, Temple's lawyer claims he initially offered to drop his case against Beckham for a $225,000 settlement -- but later rescinded that offer. Unclear why.

We reached out to Odell's camp for comment and were told -- "Odell Beckham Jr., through his attorney, denies all of the allegations."

One thing's for sure ... this case is as nasty as it gets, and it doesn't look like it's going away any time soon.

Baker Mayfield's ex-Oklahoma teammate is going to bat for the Browns QB ... with Sterling Shepard telling TMZ Sports his boy is really NOT fat -- despite a very unflattering photo on social media.

The Cleveland Browns rookie has been getting criticized over a pic he took Tuesday night with gaming legend Ninja -- in which he appears to be a little thick around the midsection.

So, when we got Shep out in NYC on Thursday -- the Giants receiver told us the camera angle must've been distorted ... not Mayfield's waistline.

"He lookin' good, man, I've been training with him," Sterling says.

"He's been grinding. I already know my man's going to be ready. Ain't worried about that."

A healthy Odell Beckham ... a new left tackle ... a couple high draft picks -- Saquon Barkley says it'll all turn Eli Manning's career back around!!

... Maybe.

We got the NY Giants' star rookie leaving Delilah and had to ask ... will all the team's new additions be enough to make Eli a good QB again??

"Hopefully!" he told TMZ Sports. "Hopefully. I think Eli looked great in camp."

Saquon knows all about what it takes to carry something heavy (did you see his uphill farmer's carry?!) ... but we gotta say, lifting Manning out of his end-of-career funk seems like a helluva task.

Saquon Barkley is gonna put his big, round, sweaty, naked ... THIGHS ... on his wall -- 'cause the NY Giants star tells TMZ Sports he's framing his ESPN Body Issue pics!!

And ... can ya blame him??

The 6-foot, 233-pound running back showed off his oily, clothesless body for the mag's annual nude edition ... and we gotta say -- he killed it.

As for how he got that jacked body ... Barkley told us at CC Sabathia's charity softball game at Yankee Stadium ... it's sometimes fueled by spicy chicken sandwiches, french fries and strawberry milkshakes.

Dude says he doesn't even consider that a "cheat meal" too!!

The brother of NY Giants star Janoris Jenkins has been charged with aggravated manslaughter in the death of a man found in the basement of JJ's New Jersey home ... officials say.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... William Jenkins was taken into custody early Tuesday morning on an unrelated parole warrant violation.

But now, officials clearly believe that, before they arrested Jenkins, he killed Roosevelt Rene ... the man discovered at Janoris' home.

Rene's body was not found until roughly 9 hours after William was arrested. But, once they started investigating ... they believe they found enough evidence to connect William to the killing.

The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office says the investigation is ongoing and notes that the charges are "merely accusations. Defendant presumed innocent."

Christmas came WAY early for Saquon Barkley's parents -- the NY Giants rookie just dropped more than $400,000 on a brand new crib in Pennsylvania for Mom and Dad!!!

"Something I promised my parents, ever since I was a young kid," the former Penn State running back posted on social media.

The house is pretty nice ... it's got 3,355 square feet, 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.

It's right in the area where Barkley grew up -- and about 90 miles from his new office, MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The pad was last listed at $424,500 -- unclear what the final price was.

5:21 PM PT -- Officials have identified the victim as 25-year-old Roosevelt Rene -- a friend of Janoris.

Rene was a music producer who had been living at the home.

1:52 PM PT --The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office tells TMZ Sports ... the dead body is a man, but he's NOT the owner of the house.

Officials will not release the identity until next of kin have been notified.

"The investigation is ongoing, and additional information will be provided when it is available and appropriate for release."

A dead body was found at the New Jersey home of NY Giants star Janoris Jenkins on Tuesday and now the Major Crimes Unit is investigating ... TMZ Sports has learned.

First off, we're told Janoris was out of the state when the body was discovered early Tuesday morning -- but sources connected to the NFL player tell us his camp is aware of the situation.

We don't know if cops have identified a suspect or even have a working theory on how the person died.

Sources tell us the body was discovered in the basement by a worker at the house. Law enforcement officers in Bergen County raced to the scene. We're told the coroner showed up a short time later.

The identity of the victim is unclear -- we know investigators are actively working the case.

One source connected to Jenkins says the NFL player has been in Florida and was not at the home when cops arrived.

We've reached out to JJ's reps for comment -- but, so far, no word back.

The guy who got mistaken for Odell Beckham in a Tennessee airport last week says he loves to mess with people who mistake him for the real OBJ -- but there's one line he won't cross ... the vagina.

Meet Jamal Carter ... aka NOdell Beckham, aka FauxBJ ... who tells TMZ Sports he gets mixed up for the NYG wide out ALL THE TIME (especially by drunk people).

In real life, Carter is a recent college grad and current HS hoops coach from Tennessee -- but people mistake him for Beckham so often, he leans into it sometimes.

The perks? Sometimes he gets free drinks and people ask for his picture.

We asked if he ever pretends to be Odell to nail cleat chasers who don't realize he's not the NFL player ... and that's when Carter got serious and told us he absolutely has not and will not go there.

"I'm not gonna take advantage of anybody like that."

Carter does have a GREAT story about the time he tried to score a free meal while pretending to be Odell ... but it backfired spectacularly.