Oakland Raiders

The 2017 Oakland Raiders coach has some advice for the 2018 Oakland Raiders -- PAY KHALIL MACK ALREADY!!!

Jack Del Rio -- who was fired after the '17 season and replaced by Jon Gruden -- decided to weigh in on the Khalil Mack holdout ... the biggest roster news in Raiders camp right now.

"Gotta pay the man!" Del Rio said ... "[Mack] is the total package. Great player and an even better person!"

Del Rio coached Mack for 3 seasons ('15, '16, '17) and clearly thinks the 2017 NFL Defensive Player of the Year is worth splurging for.

The mother of Martavis Bryant's 5-year-old daughter says the NFLer has been dodging child support payments for months ... and claims he owes her nearly $80k.

Bryant's baby mama -- Jasmin Keesley -- tells TMZ Sports the Oakland Raiders WR has only made court-ordered payments 6 times since a paternity test determined he was the father in 2015. She says she's begged Bryant to help for years ... and he's refused.

Jasmin claims Bryant -- currently in a 4-year, $2.6 mil contract -- has been successfully dodging payments because he keeps moving without reporting his new address to court officials.

"They literally have to find him, and it takes about 4 months each time," Jasmin says. She also claims the department of social services has sent two wage withholding forms to the Raiders with no success.

Ex-Oakland Raiders star CB Sean Smith is slated to be released from jail next month -- after serving less than half of his year-long sentence in his street fight case ... TMZ Sports has learned.

As we previously reported ... Sean got 1 year in jail and 5 years probation after pleading guilty to felony assault in a July 2017 incident where he beat the hell out of his sister's boyfriend in Old Town Pasadena. The victim suffered several major injuries in the attack.

But now, officials have set his release date as Sept. 5 -- about half a year earlier than sentenced -- citing good behavior and overcrowding.

Of course, Smith could screw it all up if he doesn't keep his nose clean -- but we're told if all goes smoothly, Smith will be a free man ... 1 day before the NFL season kicks off.

The timing is a huge deal for Sean -- who signed a $40 million contract with the Raiders in 2016 but was cut later after the attack -- because it may give him a chance to make a squad this year.

We've reached out to the NFL to find out if Smith will have to serve a suspension (he most likely will) ... or if he'll be eligible at all to play in the 2018 season.

Oakland Raiders cornerback Gareon Conley is out for revenge against the woman who accused him of rape ... saying the "false" allegation caused him to fall in the NFL Draft, costing him a fortune.

Conley -- a star player at Ohio State -- was investigated for rape after Brooke Puscian told police he sexually assaulted her in a Cleveland hotel room a few weeks before the 2017 NFL Draft.

The case went before a grand jury -- which ultimately decided NOT to indict Conley.

But Conley is still pissed -- and has now filed legal docs of his own claiming the "false" allegations seriously damaged his reputation, hurt his draft stock and cost him multiple endorsement deals "including a contract with Nike."

Conley also lays out his side of the incident ... saying Puscian had aggressively tried to have sex with him during the night in question, but he turned her down and she was embarrassed.

Conley says she lied to officials out of spite for rejecting her advances.

Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis was sitting right up on the glass at the Vegas Golden Knights game Wednesday night ... and even though the team lost, it's probably another big win for him.

The Raiders have been on a PR push to win over Vegas fans before the Silver and Black move into town -- they've taken out newspaper ads and put up billboards.

But, having Davis with his face pressed against the glass (sitting next to Jim Gray) is another good look for the Raiders ... especially since he's been to a TON of Knights' regular season games.

He's also supported other Vegas teams -- attending the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces game on Sunday night. That's commitment!

Don't worry Bay Area teams ... Mark's been courtside cheerin' on the Warriors this season -- he just likes Vegas better now.

Oakland Raiders star lineman Donald Penn will NOT be charged with a crime stemming from an alleged domestic violence incident ... TMZ Sports has learned.

We broke the story ... Penn was named a suspect in an April 29 incident when cops were called to his L.A. home to respond to a call about an altercation with his wife.

Cops were told Penn got handsy and, at one point, he allegedly poured a drink on her head.

Later, both Penn and his wife denied the altercation ever turned physical.

The case was kicked over to the L.A. City Attorney's Office which ultimately decided to NOT move forward with charges against Penn.

"The office rejected this case because of lack of corroboration and on the ground that there is no reasonable likelihood of conviction on the domestic violence matter," a spokesperson says.

"Bottom line, lack of sufficient evidence."

The woman who claims Gareon Conley raped her at a Cleveland hotel last year has filed a lawsuit against the Raiders player ... claiming she was mentally and physically hurt during the alleged incident.

FYI, Conley -- 22 years old -- was never arrested or charged with a crime ... and adamantly denies any wrongdoing.

In the lawsuit -- filed earlier this month in Cuyahoga County Court in Ohio -- the accuser alleges Conley "physically touched and engaged in the sexual contact" and "sexually assaulted, battered and raped" her after meeting and partying at a nearby bar.

As a result, the suit alleges the woman "sustained serious physical, psychological, emotional and mental injuries."

In addition to Conley, his management group and the hotel have also been named as defendants in the lawsuit.

2:20 PM PT -- Aldon Smith was released from jail after posting $30K bail.

1:55 PM PT -- San Francisco PD has released Aldon Smith's mug shot.

Aldon Smith has been taken into custody in connection to his domestic violence case ... TMZ Sports has learned.

We've confirmed the ex-Oakland Raiders player surrendered himself to police Tuesday and is currently being held at San Francisco County Jail. Bail has been set at $30K.

As we previously reported, officials had issued a warrant for Smith's arrest for domestic violence, assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, false imprisonment and vandalism.

Smith allegedly attacked his fiancee during an altercation at a residence on Saturday night.

He later contacted the victim's father who helped Smith check in to a rehab facility where he was treated for alcohol abuse.

Smith -- who's currently suspended by the NFL stemming from a DUI arrest -- was cut by the Raiders on Monday after they learned about the domestic violence incident.

Aldon Smith's alcohol problem got so bad, he was drinking every single day ... and people close to the embattled NFL star are concerned he'll drink himself to death if he continues down this road.

"I'm worried for him. I'm worried for his safety," one source close to Smith tells TMZ Sports.

"He's an alcoholic. It's not about football anymore. We're hoping this is rock bottom for him."

We broke the story ... Aldon checked into a rehab facility on Sunday after a domestic violence incident with his fiancee ... the latest in a string of alcohol-related incidents that includes two DUI arrests.

Smith's fiancee previously told us Aldon contacted her father after the domestic violence incident (he's a doctor) and asked for help. They felt the best move was to go to rehab.

Smith's former Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio believes Aldon's NFL suspension stemming from a DUI hasn't helped -- the isolation from his team has only made his situation worse.

"Never liked 'league rules' that eliminate the ability of teams to offer Aldon and others in his situation the structure they so desperately need."

Raiders lineman Donald Penn made the same points back in March when he told us Smith would benefit from being around teammates who care about him.

Hall of Famer Tim Brown had also suggested the team hold intervention-type meetings with the struggling star after another drunken run in with police.

Aldon Smith has a warrant out for his arrest following an alleged domestic violence incident this weekend.

Law enforcement sources at the San Francisco Police Department tell us their Special Victims Unit has obtained a warrant for Smith's arrest on charges stemming from a DV incident he allegedly fled from this weekend. The alleged victim is his fiancee.

Cops tell us the charges listed on the warrant include willful infliction of corporal injury (aka DV), assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, false imprisonment and vandalism -- all of which are misdemeanors. We're also told police are working with his legal counsel to arrange a day and time for him to turn himself in and be processed.

As we reported ... Smith checked himself into rehab with the help of his fiancee's parents. She told us she was worried about him and was only focused on getting him well again.

Aldon Smith was allegedly involved in a domestic violence incident this weekend, and now cops want to talk to him ... TMZ has confirmed.

According to law enforcement sources .. Smith fled the scene of a San Francisco residence Saturday night before cops arrived in response to a reported DV incident. The alleged victim is said to have suffered non-life threatening injuries, but what might've happened is unclear for now.

Good news for Aldon Smith ... the Oakland Raiders star is officially engaged -- and it all went down right in front of Joe Montana!

The embattled NFL star took his girlfriend, Shawna McKnight, out to Restaurant Gary Danko in San Francisco -- one of the fanciest spots in town -- for a Valentine's Day dinner ... and they happened to be sitting right next to the 49ers legend.

During the meal, Smith dropped to his knee and busted out a fat ass diamond -- and popped the question right in the middle of the restaurant!

FYI, she said, "Yes!"

McKnight -- who's a personal trainer -- tells TMZ Sports she's only been dating Smith for about 4 months but they fell madly in love quickly and they're excited to get married.

As for a wedding date, McKnight says they haven't picked one yet -- their priority is to make sure Smith (who's currently suspended from the league) gets reinstated as soon as possible.

Congrats!

Jon Gruden's first order of business in Oakland should be to cut Marshawn Lynch and upgrade the running back position ... so says Cris Carter.

"Marshawn is not the Marshawn Lynch he was 3 or 4 years ago," Cris said on FS1's "First Things First."

Beast Mode is a huge fan favorite in Oakland -- in fact, Marshawn came out of retirement last year specifically to play for his hometown team.

L.A. Rams head coach Sean McVay says he's flattered by comparisons to Jon Gruden -- saying Chucky is a "mentor of mine" ... but he ain't lookin' forward to playing against him next season!

McVay was at Poppy in West Hollywood on Tuesday -- hours after Gruden was officially announced as the new head coach of the Oakland Raiders. So, we had to ask about Jared Goff previously referring to McVay as "Mini-Gruden."

"That's a compliment, man," McVay said ... "I respect him. He's a mentor of mine, so I'll take that as a compliment."

Fun Fact: McVay started his NFL coaching career as a staffer under Gruden on the Tampa Bay Bucs back in 2008.

All we know about a Rams vs. Raiders matchup is it's on the 2018 schedule ... but no date has been announced.

Jaleel White's take on the Michael Crabtree vs. Aqib Talib chain-snatching fight might be the best take:

"If I had a chain on and you snatched it, I would f*ck you up terribly."

White continued, "I would have to do that on GP (general principle). I wouldn't even want to but because I knew my daughter would see the footage, I would have to do it."

Of course, Crabtree subscribes to the same set of principles ... he got violent with Talib during the Raiders vs. Broncos game on Sunday after getting his chain snatched IN JANUARY, too.

Still, worst chain snatching ever might still be that Steve Francis incident. Brutal.

Marcus Allen says he usually avoids politics ... but when it comes to Marshawn Lynch -- the NFL Hall of Famer says he has respect and admiration for the Raiders running back.

"I respect people that do what they believe with conviction," Allen said when asked about Lynch's national anthem demonstration in Mexico.

"You may not necessarily agree with it, but you gotta admire a person that stands up for what he believes in."