Taylor Swift L.A. Shows Put Cops On High Alert ... As Many Officers on Metro as Super Bowl LVI!!!
L.A. ain't messing around with Taylor Swift in town ... cops are beefing up security for public transit, with an operation that'll be taken as seriously as football's biggest day.
The L.A. County Sheriff's Department announced Tuesday that LAPD is working with Metro to support the swarm of folks heading to and from Taylor's 6 shows at SoFi Stadium -- providing a ton of officers through the spread out Metro system.
The dept. says, "The Department is providing a similar level of visibility as the 2022 Superbowl in order to ensure the safety of the public throughout the Metro System."
In case ya forgot, tickets for her SoFi shows sold out instantly on Ticketmaster, so the only way to score tix at this point is by shelling out thousands for resale.
The merch line for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour outside of SoFi Stadium is reportedly three hours long, over a day before she is set to take the stage.
— Pop Base (@PopBase) August 2, 2023 @PopBase
pic.twitter.com/n9ClpcfLYT
Swifties in L.A. have been going nuts over her arrival -- with fans already waiting for hours just to grab some merch!!!
We covered it all on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.
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Super Bowl Champ Bruce Collie Daughter Dies In Plane Crash ... Tragic Airshow Accident
The daughter of two-time Super Bowl champion Bruce Collie, Devyn Reiley, was tragically killed during an airshow this weekend ... when the plane she was flying crashed into Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin.
According to authorities, Reiley's World War II-era T-6 Texan plummeted into the body of water at around 9 AM on Sunday ... while it was participating in the AirVenture Oshkosh 2023 event.
It's unclear what caused the accident ... though one witness told NBC 26 the aircraft began "spinning" before it splashed down in the lake.
"I thought they were doing a trick at first," the witness added.
One other passenger on the plane, a 20-year-old man, was also killed, authorities said.
The NTSB is investigating the matter.
Collie -- who won Super Bowls XXIII and XXIV with Joe Montana in the 1980s -- appeared to address the tragedy on his Facebook page on Sunday evening, writing, "I trust You my King…. ALL THINGS to work together for good…" He posted two photos of Reiley inside a cockpit as well.
Just days prior to the crash, Collie had glowed about Reiley's passion for flying ... saying in a social media post that he was "so proud" of her.
"God is so cool to give her a family that is ALL aviation…" Collie wrote. "thank you Reiley’s for being the family that she was destined for…"
Collie was picked by the 49ers in the 1985 NFL Draft -- just a couple rounds after the team selected Jerry Rice. He played for San Francisco for five seasons, starting 34 games ... before he finished his career in Philadelphia. In retirement, he had been involved in planes and other business ventures.
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TRAVIS KELCE INTENTÉ conseguir el número de SWIFT ¡Pero se negó!
Travis Kelce básicamente vive en la zona de anotación, pero no pudo anotar con Taylor Swift, porque el campeón del Super Bowl dice que no pudo dar a la superestrella del pop su número de teléfono en su reciente concierto.
El ala cerrada de los Kansas City Chiefs detalló su plan maestro para conquistarla durante la parada de la gira Eras de Taylor en el estadio Arrowhead en su podcast "New Heights" esta semana, diciendo que hizo pulseras de la amistad con su número de teléfono en ellas con la esperanza de dar una a la cantante recientemente soltera.
Kelce explicó que estaba desanimado al enterarse de Swift no se reúne con nadie antes de subir al escenario en un esfuerzo por preservar su voz, así que mala suerte para Travis.
"Me decepcionó que no hablara antes o después de sus conciertos porque tiene que guardar su voz para las 44 canciones que canta, así que me dio un poco de rabia no poder darle una de las pulseras que hice para ella", le dijo Kelce a su hermano Jason.
"Ella no se ve con nadie, o al menos no quería verme a mí así que me lo tomé como algo personal".
TAYLOR CONFIRMS IT IS THE BIRDS BABY YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST
— Holly Caitlin (@holly_caitlin) May 13, 2023 @holly_caitlin
GOLD RUSH!!!#TSTheErasTour #PhillyTSTheErasTour @taylornation13 pic.twitter.com/9NeKPGp6jw
Jason bromeó con que el rechazo tuvo que ser porque Swift es una gran fan de los Eagles y probablemente no se haya recuperado de la derrota en la Super Bowl ante los Chiefs, pero Travis —que rompió con Kayla Nicole en 2022— se lo toma todo con calma, diciendo que no obstante, fue un gran momento.
"Solo he visto Arrowhead lleno así para los partidos de los Chiefs con tanta emoción y todo el mundo estaba vestido de rosa y púrpura volviéndose loco por ella. Fue una locura. Fue un espectáculo salvaje".
Travis Kelce I Tried Shooting Shot At T-Swift ... And Got Denied!!!
Travis Kelce basically lives in the end zone, but he couldn't score with Taylor Swift ... 'cause the Super Bowl champ says he failed to give the pop superstar his phone number at her recent concert.
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end detailed his master plan to shoot his shot during Taylor's Eras tour stop at Arrowhead Stadium on his "New Heights" podcast this week ... saying he made friendship bracelets with his phone number on them in hopes of giving one to the recently single singer.
Kelce explained he was bummed to find out Swift doesn't meet with anyone prior to taking the stage in an effort to preserve her voice ... so baby, now they've got bad blood.
"I was disappointed that she doesn't talk before or after her shows because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs that she sings, so I was a little butthurt I didn't get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her," Kelce told his brother, Jason.
"She doesn't meet anybody -- or at least she didn't want to meet me, so I took it personal."
TAYLOR CONFIRMS IT IS THE BIRDS BABY YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST
— Holly Caitlin (@holly_caitlin) May 13, 2023 @holly_caitlin
GOLD RUSH!!!#TSTheErasTour #PhillyTSTheErasTour @taylornation13 pic.twitter.com/9NeKPGp6jw
Jason joked the rejection had to be because Swift is a big Eagles fan and probably not over the Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs ... but Travis -- who called things off with Kayla Nicole in 2022 -- is taking it all in stride, saying it was a great time nonetheless.
"I've only seen Arrowhead filled like that for Chiefs games with that much excitement, and everybody was dressed in pink and purple going crazy for her. It was wild. It was a wild show."
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Irina Shayk Rooted Against Tom Brady At SB LII ... 5 Years Before L.A. Fling
Five years before Irina Shayk got cozy with Tom Brady in L.A. ... she was desperate to see him lose in one of the biggest games of his career -- cheering heavily for his Eagles opponents in Super Bowl LII.
The model showed up to the Feb. 4, 2018 Big Game at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota with her then-boyfriend Bradley Cooper -- a die-hard Philadelphia sports fan -- wearing a white Birds cap.
She was spotted rubbin' elbows with fellow Eagles fans Miles Teller and Keleigh Sperry on the field in the leadup to the contest ... making it clear she was hoping Brady's Patriots would take the L.
Of course, Tom and his New England squad did just that ... falling to Nick Foles, 41-33.
It's unclear if Shayk ever crossed paths with Brady before or after the game ... but we know they eventually connected down the road -- 'cause the ex-quarterback took her to his home for a night this past weekend.
Shayk was seen appearing to stay the evening at Brady's place in L.A. on Friday ... before the two put on some big PDA inside of a car later Saturday.
No word yet on if they're officially an item or just having a fun fling ... but one thing we know -- as a retired man, there can't be too many hard feelings if the Philly fandom is still ingrained in Shayk.
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Ben McKenzie Rips Celebs For Pushing Crypto ... Leave It To Finance Pros!!!
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Ben McKenzie says celebrities should not be selling digital currencies ... instead, he says they should stick to the usual stuff, like overpriced water, so folks won't go belly up.
The former "O.C." star joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and we asked him about the huge ad blitz from celebs who were pushing crypto during the Super Bowl and beyond ... only for the market to crash.
Ben's since written a book about the rise and fall of crypto, "Easy Money," and he's got some strong opinions ... like how celebrities should never be giving financial advice.
Ben thinks all the folks featured in those Super Bowl ads for crypto ... like Tom Brady, Lindsay Lohan, and Larry David, just to name a few ... would be better served selling car insurance, soap and H2O.
For Ben, the big difference here is the unregulated status of cryptocurrency ... plus the fact celebs are not licensed financial advisors ... and he feels Hollywood contributed to what he sees as the largest Ponzi scheme in history.
Tons of folks lost money when the crypto boom went bust and lots of folks got sued ... and Ben says fraudsters used the lure of celebrities to reel in marks.
Ben's taken the issue in front of Congress and now he's written a book about it all ... so it's interesting to hear his takeaways here.
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Patrick Mahomes Claps Back At Chase W/ Epic SB Rings Pic ... 'That's Who'
Patrick Mahomes is apparently a savage both on the field AND off of it ... 'cause he just responded to some Ja'Marr Chase shade this week with a legendary clapback!!
If you aren't familiar ... Chase -- the Bengals' superstar wideout -- dogged Mahomes a bit on Tuesday when he was having a conversation with a reporter about who's the best player in the NFL.
The receiver said it was his quarterback, Joe Burrow -- but then when he was informed the Cincinnati QB believed it was actually Mahomes ... Chase threw out a big, wet blanket.
Thank you. pic.twitter.com/VMq1yXQ1xs
— Bobby Stroupe (@bobbystroupe) June 14, 2023 @bobbystroupe
"Pat who?" the 23-year-old quipped.
The response then drew a loud laugh from those in the locker room who had heard it.
Well, Mahomes certainly got wind of the barb ... and on Thursday at the Chiefs' Super Bowl ring revealing ceremony -- he tossed out a massive jab of his own back at Chase.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
On a picture of him posing with his two Super Bowl rings pressed to his face ... he wrote in the caption, "That's Who."
Chase has yet to respond to the spike ... but let's be honest, is there anything more he could say to top it?
Like he did in the AFC Championship Game against the Bengals back in January ... Mahomes rules yet again.
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Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce Stoked After Getting SB LVII Rings ... Over 609 Diamonds!!!!
Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs finally got their Super Bowl LVII rings ... and they were understandably STOKED -- it's got over 600 diamonds!!
Mahomes, his wife Brittany, Juan Thornhill, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and the rest of the squad pulled up in their best fits to receive their new bling Thursday night ... the 2nd ring ceremony in the last four seasons.
The ring is pretty insane. It holds 609 round diamonds, 16 baguettes, 4 marquises, and 35 custom-cut genuine rubies ... a total of 16.1 carats!
Not only does it have a ton of diamonds, but the top of the ring can also be removed and turned into a pendant.
Once the ring top is off, there's a miniature Arrowhead Stadium, featuring Lombardi Trophies and a quote from Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt, "Arrowhead Stadium is my favorite place on earth".
Each ring also has the player's signature, and scores from the 2022 playoffs on the interior, as well as Andy Reid's motto, "EDGE."
"The Chiefs Super Bowl LVII ring features thoughtful details and incredible craftsmanship," Chris Poitras, the GM of Jostens Professional Sports Division, said.
"This ring captures their unique championship story and commemorates the team's third Super Bowl victory."
In addition to the sweet jewelry, the Chiefs got a fancy meal, too ... eating surf and turf, with filet mignon and grilled lobster tail.
Of course, earning the ring wasn't easy. In the Super Bowl alone, the Chiefs were pushed to the brink, narrowly winning a 38-35 nail-biter in Arizona.
Mahomes won his second SB MVP after throwing three touchdown passes and hitting a clutch 26-yard run late in the 4th quarter, setting the Chiefs up for the game-winning field goal.
Lookin' good!
Terrell Davis Raves Over Sean Payton ... 'Reminds Me Of Mike Shanahan'
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Broncos fans are going to love this ...
Terrell Davis tells TMZ Sports Sean Payton has made such a huge impact since taking over the Denver reins this offseason ... it actually reminds him of the way Mike Shanahan turned around the team in the 1990s.
"It's different already," the former Broncos tailback said. "In terms of just the energy and the vibe around the building."
"This reminds me of Mike Shanahan when he first came to Denver," added Davis, who played for the legendary Denver coach from 1995 through 2001, winning two Super Bowls. "A lot of things that Mike did, it sounds like Sean Payton is the same type of coach."
One of the biggest positive changes Davis has noticed already with the team is the workman-like mentality the players have adopted.
He tells us he's not seeing nearly as much activity on social media from the guys -- and it appears everyone is far more focused on winning games than they were last year, when they piled up an abysmal 5-12 record.
"They're just working," Davis said. "He's changing the culture there. He's putting his own stamp on things behind the scenes."
Davis, though, tells us he's not necessarily expecting immediate results in Year One ... explaining he's anticipating some growing pains in Payton's first season with a new franchise.
But, he is predicting a huge jump for Russell Wilson nonetheless ... telling us "this is exactly what Russ needs."
Regular season kicks off in just three months ... get hyped, Denver!!
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President Biden Moment Of Silence For Norma Hunt ... During Chiefs' W.H. Visit
President Biden paid homage to the late Norma Hunt, mother of Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, who passed away on Sunday ... holding a moment of silence during the team's White House visit to celebrate their Super Bowl LVII win.
The Chiefs visited 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Monday with heavy hearts, grieving the loss of their matriarch, Norma, wife of late Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt, who died at 85.
The Commander-in-Chief called Norma, who attended all 57 Super Bowls, "one of the most loyal Chiefs fans there ever was," adding her presence was missed during the celebration.
POTUS sent condolences to the entire Hunt family and the Chiefs' organization on his and First Lady Jill Biden's behalf (FLOTUS was in the Middle East.)
The Prez mentioned his wife, a diehard Eagles fan, is still upset the Eagles lost ... and refuses to believe James Bradberry was called for holding Juju Smith-Schuster (even though Bradberry admitted to it). 😅
Nevertheless, #46 commended the Chiefs' dynasty for their dominance under head coach Andy Reid ... signaling out the players for their great work ethic.
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce presented the Prez with a custom Chiefs Biden #46 jersey ... and as Trav went to say a few words, Mahomes stepped in and shut it down.
The Chiefs didn't visit the White House after defeating the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV in 2020 due to COVID restrictions, so this visit meant a lot to the organization ... and that showed during the ceremony.
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Terrell Owens Titles Don't Define Careers ... 'Work Speaks For Itself'
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Terrell Owens wants the "ring culture" crowd to take a seat ... telling TMZ Sports championships shouldn't account for everything when it comes to respecting an athlete's greatness.
We caught up with Owens on the heels of 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony announcing his retirement last week ... and the former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver told us although the Syracuse legend never won an NBA ring, he's still an all-time great.
Of course, T.O. and Melo have something in common -- both were among the best in their respective sports during their playing days ... but were never able to reach the pinnacle before walking away for good.
With that being said ... we asked T.O. about the folks trying to discredit ringless résumés ... and he feels it should have zero impact when it comes to legacy.
"Not everybody gets to win a championship," Owens said at LAX. "That's not the defining thing. Obviously, as an athlete, you want to compete. You obviously want to win a championship, but sometimes that's not in everybody's cards."
T.O. defended Melo ... saying his body of work in the pros playing most notably for the Nuggets and Knicks "speaks for itself" and warrants respect.
FYI -- former NY Giants running back Tiki Barber was one of the biggest talking heads to compare Melo to T.O. given how their careers played out ... saying, "Obviously one of the all-time greats. You're not even questioning his skill. You don’t question T.O.'s skill. But, you do start to question the winning. Did he ultimately win?"
Owens didn't take the comment as a diss ... and went on to say despite not winning championships, they'll both have some bling that holds a lot of weight when it's all said and done.
"He's going to be a Hall of Famer," Owens said confidently. "And for me, a lot of people are like, 'Oh, well, you don't have a ring.' Well, essentially, he will have a ring. I do have a ring. I have a Hall of Fame ring, and not a lot of people can say that."
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Super Bowl Selfie Kid Ryan McKenna Pleads No Contest In CPK Battery Case ... No Booze for a Year
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Ryan McKenna, the Super Bowl selfie kid who snapped a viral photo years ago with Justin Timberlake, has pleaded no contest for allegedly going on a drunken rampage at a restaurant earlier this year ... and he's now on probation as he navigates adulthood.
The 19-year-old pled no contest on two charges -- resisting an officer without violence, and battery. The judge ordered the former selfie star to spend the next 12 months on probation.
Ryan's forbidden from consuming or even possessing alcohol -- he's not even allowed to enter places that primarily sell booze.
He's also been ordered to undergo substance abuse evaluation and submit to random breathalyzer and urine checks. He must also cough up $824 in court costs and fines.
We obtained body cam footage from February's incident ... which shows Ryan acting erratically before getting cuffed and taken to jail.
TMZ broke the story, cops got called to a Naples, Florida CPK on the eve of the Super Bowl after they were told Ryan was drunk and had hit his friend.
Another angle shows authorities slamming him to the ground before finally putting him in cuffs. Cops say he put his hands on an officer who was trying to calm him down.
Ryan's mom denied her son was drunk at the time ... instead claiming the kid was just joking around with friends.
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Rihanna Baby Boy Named After Wu-Tang Clan Member ... RZA Athelston Mayers
Rihanna's baby boy ain't nothing to mess with ... because she and A$AP Rocky named their first child after a famous member of the Wu-Tang Clan!!!
The child's full name is RZA Athelston Mayers ... according to the Daily Mail, after obtaining the child's birth certificate.
With a name like RZA, it's pretty safe to assume the kid's musician parents named him after the rapper and producer RZA, who just so happens to be the leader of the Wu-Tang Clan.
The birth certificate also says Rihanna's kid was born May 13 at 10:58 AM at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Looking back, it seems Rihanna telegraphed the baby's name back in April ... when she and A$AP took their baby boy out to dinner at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica, with RiRi wearing a Wu-Tang Clan top.
A$AP's got a musical connection to some of RZA's bandmates ... he collab'd with Wu-Tang's Raekwon on the 2015 song "Fly International Luxurious Art."
Rihanna is pregnant with another child -- first revealing her pregnancy in February at the Super Bowl halftime show -- maybe they'll stick with the trend, GZA is still available.
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Antonio Gates Chargers Are SB Contenders!!! ... Don't Know About Rodgers' Jets, Though
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Antonio Gates LOVES his former team's Super Bowl chances -- telling TMZ Sports he thinks the Chargers have a real shot to take home the Lombardi Trophy this year!!!
But, when it comes to Aaron Rodgers' Jets ... the future Hall of Famer says he ain't feeling it quite as much.
The ex-Bolts tight end talked ball with us for several minutes at LAX this week ... and he made it clear, he loves the way Los Angeles maneuvered around the draft last month.
In fact, he said he believes the Chargers' pickups -- which included TCU star receiver Quentin Johnston, USC edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu and Washington State linebacker Daiyan Henley -- set them up nicely for a potential championship run this year.
"When you think about a Super Bowl-contending team, you think about your stars at the quarterback position. And we've got one of the best in the league," Gates said of Justin Herbert. "And then you talk about upgrading that defense ... to me, those are recipes to winning a Super Bowl, man."
As for one of the teams the Chargers would have to get through in the AFC to make it to the Big Game, Gates doesn't seem to be buying the hype in New York -- despite the Jets' recent acquisition of Rodgers.
The 42-year-old told us they have a talented roster ... but he'd be concerned if he were a Jets fan about chemistry and continuity.
"You can have the right players -- from a talent standpoint, you can have the best talent in the league," Gates said. "But if you ain't got the continuity or the chemistry, man, it don't make a difference."
There's more ... Gates also talked with us about the tight end G.O.A.T. debate -- and check out the clip, he had some big praise for Travis Kelce.
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NFL Star Travis Kelce Hits The Stage With MGK, Rick Ross
Two-time NFL Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce threw a huge festival in Kansas City on Friday night, and he got some big names in music to entertain the raucous crowd.
The Kansas City Chiefs star tight end hit the stage for the debut of his "Kelce Jam" music and food festival with the likes of Machine Gun Kelly and Rick Ross.
Kelce kicked things off in a big way, strutting out in front of 19,000-plus fans and giving them a warm welcome as he spiked his 2023 Vince Lombardi Super Bowl trophy.
Then Kelce got into "Beastie Boys" mode and, with the help of MGK, cranked out the band's 1986 hit song, "Fight For Your Right." Kelce and MGK didn't miss a beat together, jumping around on stage while getting the crowd all riled up.
At one point, Kelce gave a massive hug to MGK and lifted his feet off the ground. They also did an encore performance but played the same song, which went on for nine head-banging minutes.
There were some tender moments as well. MGK invited a couple of 7-year-old girls on stage to help him sing his tune, "my ex's best friend." The musician also autographed their T-shirts as Kelce led the crowd in chanting "MGK."
After that, it was Rick Ross' turn to make a splash. The famous record exec turned "Wingstop" franchise owner hosted an onstage chicken wing-eating challenge between two Chiefs fans. A man named Hayden Gillum took home the winning statue after scarfing down 19 wings in 90 seconds.
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Jalen Hurts Signs Huge Extension W/ Eagles Highest-Paid Player In NFL!
Jalen Hurts just GOT PAID ... the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback just became the highest-paid NFL player ever (yearly) after signing a 5-year extension worth over a quarter of a billion dollars!
The blockbuster deal was announced Monday morning, per Adam Schefter ... which will pay Hurts $255M through the 2028 season, with $179.3 million guaranteed.
That means Hurts gets $51 million average annually, making him the highest-paid player ever!
That's more than Patrick Mahomes, who averages $45M annually.
Of course, none of these figures factor in endorsements, etc.
Highest-paid QBs in the NFL in new money average per year:
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) April 17, 2023 @FieldYates
1. Jalen Hurts: $51M
2. Aaron Rodgers: $49M
3. Kyler Murray: $46.1M
4. Deshaun Watson: $46M
5. Patrick Mahomes: $45M
6. Josh Allen: $43M
T-7. Daniel Jones: $40M
T-7. Matthew Stafford: $40M
T-7. Dak Prescott: $40M
Hurts also has a no-trade clause in the deal, the first in Eagles' history ... and the organization confirmed the deal by tweeting, "QB1 is here to stay."
Hurts had an interesting journey to the NFL. He had an amazing career at Alabama before he was benched for Tua Tagovailoa in the 2018 CFP National Championship game.
Jalen ultimately transferred to Oklahoma for his senior year and was selected by the Eagles in the 2nd round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
From them, he's earned the fat contract.
He almost instantly became a star upon being named the starter ... logging 6,845 passing yards, and 38 passing touchdowns the last two seasons. But, he's not just a threat to throw the ball ... he also ran for 1,544 rushing yards and 23 rushing touchdowns.
.@JalenHurts talking about what motivates him hits different after the Super Bowl 👏 pic.twitter.com/nIbNNFrQIy
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 14, 2023 @SportsCenter
Hurts led the Eagles to their first Super Bowl since 2018 -- and became the youngest QB to ever make it to the big game.
He also made history with the most rushing yards and rushing TDs by a QB in the SB.
Congrats!! 💰💰💰
For more, tune into the TMZ Sports Podcast available on all podcast platforms!