TMZ Sports - Page 50

Heads up, Matt Ryan ... Warren Moon tells TMZ Sports he believes the Falcons are a legit threat to land superstar quarterback Deshaun Watson in a trade this month.

"Atlanta is his hometown," the Houston Oilers legend said. "He's well-liked in that area, great organization and they could use a younger quarterback with fresh legs and everything."

Watson is on the verge of being shipped out of Houston -- and Atlanta has recently thrown its hat into the mix to try to score him in a trade.

Moon tells us he believes it's not just a ploy by the Falcons to drive up the price for the rival Saints and Panthers -- saying he thinks Watson has ties to ATL that shouldn't be ignored.

Notably, Moon says Warrick Dunn -- one of the Falcons' minority owners -- has a relationship with the former Clemson standout that could sway things.

"He put Deshaun in one of his houses [through his charity] many, many years ago," Moon said of Dunn. "So, there's a connection, a tie there with the Atlanta Falcons."

The Texans are also reportedly considering trading Watson to the Browns, in addition to the Falcons, Saints and Panthers.

Of course, a deal is imminent after Deshaun and the Texans had a messy breakup following allegations that he was sexually inappropriate with multiple female massage therapists.

Last week, however, a grand jury decided Watson will not face criminal charges over the claims in Harris County, Texas ... which paved the way for the MVP-caliber quarterback to return to the gridiron.

Moon -- who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006 -- tells us he doesn't think Watson will have any rust when he eventually suits up for his next team ... adding that he's happy the signal-caller will get to continue his career.

"I met him a number of years ago, he's a really first-class young man," Moon said. "Hopefully he gets back on the field sooner than later."

Forget body slams and full nelsons -- WWE's Indi Hartwell and Dexter Lumis fought Persia Pirotta and Duke Hudson by trying to out-makeout each other ... and coincidentally, wrestling interest is through the roof.

The wild moment went down on WWE NXT on Tuesday ... as Indi and Persia were duking it out in a singles match, and Hudson showed up to cheer on his lady.

Of course, Dexter couldn't miss the big match either ... popping up to cheer on his lady.

Hartwell ended up winning the match over Pirotta ... but the real competition came when both couples decided to brawl each other in a wild bloodbath for the ages.

Just kidding -- the two couples decided to see who could suck face the best.

The scene is bonkers -- the couples try to one-up each other with the PDA ... and Indi even rips Dexter's shirt off to make it pretty PG-13.

Eventually, both couples are laying on the canvas and playing tonsil hockey ... with Dexter even giving a thumb's up to the crowd as it happens.

While the whole interaction was shocking, Indi teased going even further in the ring with Dexter on Twitter after the match ... hinting at wanting to recreate Edge's famous "Live Sex" celebration with Lita from Monday Night Raw in 2006.

The Washington Commanders have cut Deshazor Everett ... three months after his alleged role in a fatal December car crash.

The team announced the roster move on Wednesday -- though it's unclear if his legal case had anything to do with the decision.

As we reported, authorities say Everett was going over 90 mph in a 45 mph zone just before he crashed his Nissan GT-R in Virginia on Dec. 23.

The accident was so bad, it ultimately killed his passenger, Olivia Peters. In 911 audio, obtained by TMZ Sports, a witness at the scene said the wrecked car was "trapped in the trees."

Following weeks of investigating, authorities hit Everett with a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter in February -- and records show he's due in court for a hearing on the matter in June.

Everett had been a key player for the Commanders, he was a team captain who played in 89 games for Washington in seven seasons.

Andrew Whitworth knew he was retiring the moment the confetti fell on Super Bowl LVI -- 'cause the Rams star told his kids he was hanging up his helmet while celebrating the championship on the SoFi Stadium field.

The heartfelt moment was captured by NFL Films on Feb. 13 ... but wasn't released until the 40-year-old left tackle announced his retirement on Tuesday.

In the clip, you can see Whitworth sitting on the turf with his four kids, surrounded by confetti.

"Hey, listen to me," Whitworth says, "That is daddy's last football game."

"That's it. No more. I'm gonna be home with you guys, okay?"

The kids reaction was adorable ... they're clearly very excited daddy's gonna be home.

Whitworth spent 16 seasons in the league. The former second-round pick in 2006 out of LSU played 11 years with the Bengals ... and his last 5 in Los Angeles.

Andrew had a hell of a career ... he made four Pro Bowls, two First-Team All-Pro, won the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2021), the 2022 Super Bowl champ and oh, he also made over $107 million.

Now, Whitworth has time to spend with his wife, Melissa, and kids, Sarah, Drew, Michael and Katherine.

"Promise, I'm gonna be a better dad, I'm gonna be around more. I'm gonna coach the crap outta you boys."

"We're gonna have some fun. I love yall!"

The newest 'Bachelorette' star is trading her pom-poms for roses ... 'cause Gabby Windey is a former Denver Broncos cheerleader!!

The 31-year-old current ICU nurse was announced as one of the costars for the next season of the ABC dating show ... after getting her heart broken by ex-NFL hopeful Clayton Echard in the final week.

Windey -- who handled the dumpster-fire ending of her relationship with Clayton like a champ -- spent several seasons on the Broncos sidelines ... joining the squad in 2015 before leaving in 2021.

On top of being a pro cheerleader, Gabby also worked on the frontlines as a nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of course, Gabby is sharing the title of 'Bachelorette' with Rachel Recchia, who was also crushed by Clayton's lack of transparency at the end of his season.

As it turns out, Rachel also has a cheerleading background -- she was a member of the squad during her time at Ohio University.

In case you weren't following the season, Clayton was "intimate" with both Gabby and Rachel during fantasy suites ... which led the third finalist, Susie Evans, to break things off with him and go home.

Clayton then admitted to Gabby and Rachel he was in love with all three finalists and fought to keep them on board ... before eventually admitting his heart was ultimately with Susie and breaking up with the other two women at the SAME TIME (yeah, bad).

As it turns out, Susie eventually reached back out to Clayton after the show ended ... and now they're happily together.

Rachel and Gabby, on the other hand, will now try their luck with the show again ... this time, being on the other side of things.

The season airs later this year ... we'll be "cheering" for love.

U.S. congressman Colin Allred tells TMZ Sports Brittney Griner is "OK" in Russia ... though he added he can't say much more, hoping relative silence keeps the WNBA star from becoming a political pawn.

Griner has been detained in Russia since mid-February ... after she allegedly tried to go through airport security with hash oil in her suitcase.

Details surrounding her detainment have been fuzzy and few and far between ever since -- and Allred hinted to us out on Capitol Hill on Tuesday that has been by design.

The U.S. rep. -- who played football at Baylor just a few years before Griner starred on the basketball court there -- says they're hoping keeping things quiet about her status here in the States allows her to get a fair shake out in Russia.

"Right now, we want to see her treated normally," Allred said. "As anyone else would be and come home as soon as possible."

He added, "We have to make sure that she's treated as anyone else would be and she's not a symbol or a hostage or anything like that."

In one of the few public comments since her detainment, Griner's wife said earlier this month that she hasn't been able to communicate much with the basketball player and that it's all been devastating.

NFL running back Duke Johnson waited THREE YEARS to get revenge on Baker Mayfield ... and he finally got it by roasting the QB amid his uncertain future with the Browns.

26-year-old Baker released a lengthy, heartfelt message to the Dawg Pound on Tuesday ... breaking his silence as the Browns reportedly pursue 3-time Pro Bowler Deshaun Watson.

The post almost certainly seemed like a goodbye to the city that welcomed Mayfield in 2018 ... with lines like, "I have given this franchise everything I have," and mentioning how he'll work hard "wherever I take my next snap."

Johnson -- who played one year with Baker on the Browns before requesting a trade in 2019 -- wasn't feeling the mushy post, though ... and made his reaction known by referencing an old quote the Heisman Trophy winner made during their time together.

Of course, the trainwreck tweet is a shot at comments Baker made about Duke's trade request ... when the QB said, "You're either on this train or you're not."

Johnson chose the latter ... as he was eventually traded to the Houston Texans, where he played for 2 seasons.

A college basketball cheerleader allegedly flipped off an opposing team and then stormed off the court ... after she says one of the players called her a "bitch" and told her to "shut the f*** up."

The bizarre scene all went down last Friday during St. Bonaventure's men's college basketball game against Saint Louis ... when Bonnies cheerleader Hannah Koning says Billikens starting guard Jordan Nesbitt talked trash to her.

Koning claimed in a tweet that Nesbitt "looked me dead in the eyes" and "told me to 'shut the f*** up b****.'"

In video filmed by the outlet Mid-Major Madness shortly after the alleged incident, Koning can be seen furiously walking away from the court while a woman, who appears to be Koning's coach, looked angry on the hardwood as well.

In the caption on the footage, the outlet claimed the cheerleader had thrown her middle fingers up to the Billikens bench just before the camera started rolling.

The outlet added, "Nesbitt had been chirping the Bonaventure cheerleaders all games, calling them disgusting names ... He came up at the end and said some more."

We've reached out to St. Louis for comment on the situation, but so far no word back yet.

Seahawks defensive lineman Rasheem Green tells TMZ Sports he'd have no issues at all if his team signed Colin Kaepernick ... saying the quarterback would work well in Seattle.

"That's not really up to me," Green told us outside of JLT Performance Gym on Tuesday, "But I feel like he would be a good fit there."

Kaepernick-to-Seattle rumors have heated up this week ... after the former 49ers star threw a bunch of passes to Seahawks star receiver Tyler Lockett in a workout on Monday afternoon.

The two seemed to have a ton of chemistry -- and complimented each other's games on Twitter afterward. And, with head coach Pete Carroll previously having interest in Kaep several years ago, it seems the signal-caller could land in the Pacific Northwest if he were to get another shot in the league.

Green told us he'd welcome that signing ... explaining, "He's a great guy. Like what he stands for."

"But," Green added, "it's not my position to put him on the team."

Kaepernick has said over and over again he's still ready to lead a franchise -- despite the fact that he hasn't played since the 2016 season.

A Buccaneers fan is selling off a Tom Brady touchdown ball ... hoping it brings him enough cash to start a foundation in his late mother's honor.

TMZ Sports has learned ... Andrew Rice received the ball from Mike Evans after the Tampa Bay star caught the touchdown pass from Brady on Nov. 14, 2021, against the Washington Football Team.

Rice was ecstatic to receive the pigskin -- photographers at the stadium caught him grinning ear-to-ear while Evans handed it over -- but now, Rice is ready to part with it, for a good cause.

Officials at Gotta Have Rock and Roll tell us Rice is auctioning off the ball -- and a bunch of Brady rookie cards that he's amassed over the years -- in an effort to get money to kick-start a charity that honors his mother, who recently died of cancer.

The officials say even with Brady's retirement, they expect the ball and the cards to fetch over $100K.

As for why ... the ball is a historic one even if Brady throws a few more TDs next season after unretiring on Sunday. In addition to being Brady's 608th all-time TD pass -- it was also Evans' 71st TD catch, which tied Tampa Bay's all-time receiving TD record.

Karl-Anthony Towns reached new heights during Monday's 60-point performance ... and the NBA star dedicated the special moment to his late mother.

The Timberwolves center went off against the San Antonio Spurs ... dropping 32 points in just in the 3rd quarter alone, while adding 17 rebounds in the 149-139 victory.

It was an emotional moment for KAT ... not just because of the accomplishment, but Monday also marked the 2-year anniversary of when his parents ended up in the hospital with COVID-19.

His mother, Jacqueline, died a month later (April 13, 2020) due to complications from the virus.

KAT reflected on the moment on Twitter ... saying, "Two years later, I walked into AT&T Center with the greatest guardian angel that I could ever ask for and dropped 60 against the winningest coach of all time."

FYI, Towns' 60 points is the most scored by a player in a single game this season ... and it's an all-time high for the Timberwolves franchise.

KAT continued ... "I say this to say, no matter what life throws at you, you can come out of it stronger. Tough times don't last, tough people do."

"Miss you Momma. This game ... my life ... is for you ♥🕊"

Towns' mom has been honored in many ways -- KAT has Jacqueline's name engraved in the headrests of his Maybach and commissioned special jewelry pieces ... and Kean University's basketball court is named after her.

NFL running back Gus Edwards says his diamond chain and fancy watch were taken at gunpoint outside of an L.A. strip club back in December -- and now, he's suing the place and its valet service, claiming the heist was all their fault.

The 26-year-old Baltimore Ravens player spelled out the allegations in a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, saying he and his friend, Loomis Zayzay, were at Crazy Girls on Dec. 11, 2021 when the robbery went down.

Edwards says he and Zayzay drove their vehicle to the club's valet and paid the $60 fee to leave their ride there. Edwards says the two then entered the venue, and paid another $800 to sit in a private area guarded by security.

But, Edwards says after about an hour, Crazy Girls employees began fighting -- so the two men left. When they went to pick up their car at the valet outside the club, Edwards says five masked men -- each holding a firearm -- got out of a car, confronted them, and demanded their jewelry.

Edwards says he and Zayzay attempted to fend off the robbers -- but, in the suit, the football player says the men eventually ended up taking his $50,000 custom necklace and $25,000 watch. Edwards says Zayzay's $60,000 Audemars Piguet watch was also stolen in the altercation.

Edwards says they obtained video of the incident that showed Crazy Girls security guards made no attempt to intervene in the robbery. Edwards also says the club's head of security told them to call 911.

In the docs, Edwards says cops showed up and took a report, and everyone went home.

But, roughly a week later, Edwards says a person with the username "Johnny Blaze" sent him a message on Instagram, and told him he had been "set up by the valet." Edwards also says "Blaze" told him the jewelry had been taken to a local jewelry business. Edwards claims in his suit the jeweler there "confirmed that someone did try to sell him" Edwards and Zayzay's jewelry, though he declined to purchase it all.

Edwards and Zayzay are now suing the club and the valet service, asking for more than $800,000 in damages.

We reached out to Edwards' attorney, Jason J. Chong, for a statement ... but he declined to comment. We also reached out to Crazy Girls for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

Russell Wilson and Ciara are wasting no time giving back to their new community -- the power couple visited patients at a Denver children's hospital ... just one week after Russ was traded to the Broncos.

The star quarterback and his famous wife were spotted at the medical facility early Tuesday afternoon ... talking with kids and taking photos at The Ryan Seacrest Foundation Studios.

Denver-based sports reporter Taylor Brooks shared the news on Tuesday ... saying someone who was getting a checkup at the hospital spotted Russ and Ciara making rounds, so they decided to take a snap of their visit.

In the pic, you can see Ciara is already supporting her man's new team -- wearing a blue and orange crewneck sweater with the word "Broncos" on it.

Wilson and Ciara are no strangers to philanthropy -- not only do they make regular appearances in the community, but they also have the "Why Not You" foundation, which is dedicated to fighting poverty through education and empowering youth to lead.

Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett -- two rising stars in the UFC -- threw punches and bottles in a wild hotel lobby altercation  ... and it was all over an offensive tweet.

The skirmish went down just days before UFC Fight Night in London ... where Topuria is slated to fight Jai Herbert, and Pimblett is set to face off against Rodrigo Vargas.

But it was Topuria vs. Pimblett on Tuesday ... as the 11-0 Georgian fighter confronted him for crossing the line in a Twitter exchange last year.

The video is pretty nuts -- Topuria walks right up to 17-3 Pimblett and appears to either throw an object or swipe at him. In response, Paddy throws a bottle.

The two then throw punches ... but nothing seems to connect before Ilia is pulled away by his team.

FYI -- "The Baddy" was called out for tweeting "Lad how stupid are these Georgians man ... no wonder the Russians terrorize their lives" in April of last year.

Paddy later deleted the tweet and apologized ... but it's clear Topuria hasn't forgotten about it, nor has he forgiven the 27-year-old.

Topuria, 25, posted the quick altercation on Instagram just minutes ago ... saying, "I warned you! This is what happens when you disrespect me and my country!"

"You saw me and wanted to greet me because you s*** your pants ... and you should thank my team because if it wasn’t for them separating me, I would have taken your head off."

Just nine months after Christian Eriksen literally died on the soccer pitch during a game, the Danish star is returning to play for Denmark's national club -- completing an incredible comeback.

When speaking of Eriksen, Denmark's coach, Kasper Hjulmand said, "Christian is in a pretty good physical condition."

"I saw him against Burnley last Saturday where he was the best player on the pitch. He is a player who thinks faster than most people do."

Eriksen -- a midfielder for Denmark's squad -- will play friendly matches against the Netherlands on March 26 and Serbia on March 29 ... as the team ramps up competition for the World Cup, set to take place in Qatar in November.

Of course, the sight of 30-year-old Eriksen back on the field is an encouraging one -- last June, Eriksen collapsed during a game, going into cardiac arrest, and requiring CPR to save his life, before being rushed to a hospital on a stretcher.

It was a terrifying moment that had players and fans concerned for Eriksen ... who collapsed while jogging, despite being hit by no one.

As a result of the medical emergency, Christian received an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator -- a specific type of pacemaker that's supposed to prevent Eriksen from having similar episodes in the future.

In an interview with the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, the footballer said he doesn't remember anything from when his heart stopped.

"I remember nothing from when I was gone," Eriksen said. "I just felt distant."

Christian says he's not afraid of collapsing again because he's done everything possible to take care of himself.

Eriksen's contract with Inter Milan was terminated after the cardiac device was implanted.

"I've been trying to find good people for so long. I'm tired, bro."

That's former NBA hoops star Michael Beasley, the #2 overall pick in 2008 (behind D. Rose), opening up about how failed relationships in his life have made him insular and distrusting of people -- and it's had a negative impact on his mental health.

Beasley joined former NFL players Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder, and Fred Taylor on "The Pivot Podcast" for a candid conversation where he fought through tears and dished on everything from his mother stealing from him to living an isolated life where he only plays basketball and sits home alone.

"I don't know no one that ain't stole from me," Beasley said. "Everybody except for my kids stole from me."

"Every step of the way, I asked for help."

The conversation took a turn ... in ways going from an interview to an intervention. Clark, Chowder and Taylor pleaded with Beasley, telling him isolating himself from the world because he's been mistreated in the past isn't the solution.

The men even offered help ... with Crowder, who lives near MB, telling the hooper he'd love to hang and chill while their kids play together.

"You have kids. I have kids. Come to my house. We can get bounce houses for the kids, we can sit back on the porch, drink a couple beers, drink some wine, hang out," Crowder pleaded.

You'll recall ... Beasley was heavily touted coming out of Kansas State, where he averaged over 26 points a game during his one and only season. The 6-foot-9 forward was selected right after Derrick Rose in the NBA Draft ... with the number 2 overall pick.

Beasley was often compared to Kevin Durant -- as both guys could basically get a bucket at will. But, their pro careers have gone in different directions. KD's one of the greatest hoopers ever ... meanwhile, Beasley's become an NBA journeyman.

He played 11 seasons in the NBA ... spending time with the Timberwolves, Knicks, Bucks, Rockets, Suns and Lakers.

But, he never really established himself as a premier superstar in the NBA, something many thought was a certainty.

This interview sheds light on some of the awful things Michael's lived through ... and gives a peek at the person, not just the player.