TMZ Sports - Page 12

Iggy Azalea took a lot of heat for what some called a lackluster halftime performance for the Las Vegas Raiders ... an unfair criticism if you ask Tory Lanez.

We caught Tory at LAX on Tuesday and got an update on his and Iggy's developing collab ... which he announced earlier this month.

Many fans speculated the two were dating, but Tory tells us they actually were locked in the studio for the past two and a half months ... taking a short break in order for Iggy to go on tour -- they'll resume operations in November.

Tory points out Iggy's past success ... her song "Fancy" isn't quite diamond, but at 8x platinum, there's a good chance it'll hit the mark.

Iggy was recently an honorary Raider when she performed at halftime ... going viral after a back-and-forth with a local sports reporter who predicted she'd blow it.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could save their season ... if Rob Gronkowski unretired?!

Warren Moon fully believes that -- with the Hall of Famer telling TMZ Sports he thinks the 3-4 Bucs could turn everything around if Gronk came back this year.

Moon tells us he got the opinion based on everything he's seen out of Tom Brady on the field through seven games. He says he's witnessed the GOAT struggling in the pocket ... and missing an old reliable on important downs.

"He's been a security blanket for [Brady] for so long," Moon said of Gronkowski. "Whenever there's a key play that needs to be made, especially down in the redzone or whatever -- and they had a tough time scoring in the redzone last week -- that's the guy he would usually go to, Rob Gronkowski."

Brady's numbers haven't been horrible so far in 2022 -- he's got 8 passing TDs to just 1 interception -- but something does appear to be off. He only has one multi-TD game this year, and just two performances of over 300 passing yards.

Moon clearly believes Gronkowski could change all of that, and even help out the locker room with his "infectious personality" ... but there's just one problem -- he's not sure if the tight end is even considering coming out of retirement.

Gronk has said repeatedly over the last few months he's done, although his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has claimed it wouldn't surprise him to see a comeback.

Antonio Brown is standing firm in his support for Kanye West ... releasing a lengthy statement explaining his decision to remain as president of Donda Sports -- citing his "dedication to freedom of speech, thought, and opinion."

The NFL receiver -- who joined the Donda staff earlier this year -- addressed the massive controversy surrounding Kanye following several antisemitic statements ... saying, "the world's reactionary and selective outrage at comments in the media made by my brother, Ye, have inflamed and sparked rampant conversation and reflection."

As companies like Adidas and Balenciaga cut ties with West, AB says the timing is not a coincidence.

"The people and brands that have relentlessly profited from Black ideas and Black culture chose to distance themselves at a very specific time: a time that demonstrated their prioritization of certain groups over others."

He added ... "None of us in this world are free of judgment, yet we live in a time where scrutiny and pessimism have driven our dialogues on cultural issues toward diatribes."

"Sensationalism and groupthink have forced people to not speak their minds and act out in fear rather than love. For these reasons, I stand by my dedication to freedom of speech, thought, and opinion."

Brown says he decided to speak out because he is against discrimination of any kind ... but makes it clear he's standing by Kanye's side.

"I remain true to the mission of Donda and our amazing staff and community," he says ... adding he believes Kanye's comments were taken "out of proportion" by the media.

"I remain committed to bringing new ideas, experiences, and designs to our world I remain in support of the humanity that is Ye."

The statement comes on the heels of sports superstars Aaron Donald and Jaylen Brown voicing their issues with Ye's comments ... which led them to leave Donda Sports.

Aaron Donald and Jaylen Brown are no longer Donda Sports athletes -- the two superstars just released statements saying they have cut ties with Kanye West over his antisemitic comments.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Donald signed with Ye's Donda Sports in late May. At the time, he said it was the company's "whole family atmosphere" that convinced him to sign with West.

Brown followed right after ... signing with DS later that month.

Donda Sports started off hot with two huge names in their respective sports. Now, the organization has zero clients on its athletic roster.

Donald released a statement on Tuesday ... saying, "The recent comments and displays of hate and antisemitism are the exact opposite of how we choose to live our lives and raise our children. We find them to be irresponsible and go against everything we believe in as a family."

He added ... "As parents and members of society, we felt a responsibility to send a clear message that hateful words and actions have consequences and that we must do better as human beings. We do not feel our beliefs, voices and actions belong anywhere near a space that misrepresents and oppresses people of any background, ethnicity or race."

Brown -- who denounced Kanye's statements on Monday, but said he would remain with Donda -- also addressed his change of heart ... saying, "In the past 24 hours, I've been able to reflect and better understand how my previous statements lack clarity in expressing my stance against recent insensitive public remarks and actions. For that, I apologize."

"And in this, I seek to be as clear as possible. I have always, and will always, continue to stand strongly against antisemitism, hate speech, misrepresentation, and oppressive rhetoric of any kind."

Sylvester Stallone and Jennifer Flavin are doing a 180 after their recent divorce flap ... because now they look like a happy, funny reality TV family ... based on their most recent shopping trip.

Sly and Jennifer were back to doing couple things Tuesday, hitting up a Rite Aid in Beverly Hills and leaving the drugstore with a Just For Men hair coloring kit.

Sly's wife was openly carrying the $10.99 men's hair product in her hands as they strolled out into the parking lot ... it's definitely not what most would expect from a couple worth nine figures.

Sylvester's looking a little gray these days ... and it seems he's a DIY guy. Who needs Bev Hills docs when Rite Aid is around?!?

Kansas City Chiefs star Frank Clark was hit with a 2-game suspension on Tuesday ... as a result of two gun arrests in 2021.

As we previously reported ... Clark was busted two separate times within a three-month period for having illegal firearms in his car.

In March 2021, the 29-year-old was booked for illegal possession of a firearm after he and another man were initially pulled over in a 93 Toyota Supra for failing to display a front license plate.

During the traffic stop, cops say they saw the muzzle of a handgun sticking out of a bag in the back seat ... and after searching the vehicle, they discovered 2 loaded firearms -- a rifle and the handgun.

At the time of the arrest, Clark claimed the guns were not his ... and belonged to his security.

Clark was also pulled over for a routine traffic violation in June 2021 ... when cops say they noticed an uzi sticking out of a duffle bag in his Lambo SUV.

He was arrested and booked for illegal possession of a firearm.

In September, Clark pled no contest to two gun charges to close out the cases ... and was sentenced to community service and one year of probation.

The fire that completely destroyed NBA commentator Mike Breen's home last month was caused by a "careless disposal of staining material," officials tell TMZ Sports.

We broke the story ... the play-by-play man's Long Island house was engulfed by heavy flames at around 4 AM on Sept 25 -- and it was deemed a complete loss after the inferno was extinguished. Thankfully, no one was hurt or at the residence at the time of the fire.

After a thorough investigation, Nassau County Chief Fire Marshall Michael Uttaro tells us the blaze originated in the garage ... due to materials that had been improperly stacked in the space.

"The house was under construction," Uttaro said ... adding, "When all those materials are stored in a pile, they can combust causing a rapid fire."

Uttaro says fires like these have sadly become commonplace ... telling us "it happens often" -- but he said he's happy Breen and his family are safe.

Breen -- who's been an NBA announcer for 30 seasons and has become known for his "Bang!" call -- thanked everyone for their support during the Knicks' preseason game days after the incident.

The show REALLY must go on -- and Daniel Cormier proved that on Tuesday ... staying calm, cool and collected when an earthquake hit while he was shooting a TV segment!!

DC had been filming his "DC & RC" ESPN show with Ryan Clark -- when he suddenly and abruptly stopped his train of thought to tell Clark he was experiencing an earthquake!

"Oh, my God, Ryan, there's an earthquake," the UFC legend said. "There's an actual earthquake going on right now. My whole office is shaking right now."

"Shut the hell up," Clark responded in disbelief. "Are you good," the ex-NFL defensive back asked 43-year-old Cormier.

Of course, what Cormier felt was an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.1 that hit the Bay Area late Tuesday morning, according to the U.S. geological survey.

Cormier informed Clark he was okay ... saying, "I'm good, I'm good. It's not a big one. It's just like a little one. Every now and then, you kind of get the rockies."

Although RC and DC weren't together, the two Louisiana natives shared a connection at that moment since they were both not used to experiencing earthquakes.

"It's so weird for someone from Louisiana where the Earth never shakes," said Cormier.

After it was all said and done, Clark commended Cormier for not panicking during the quake ... writing, "Broooooooo….@dc_mma really had a 5.1 earthquake while filming, and my dog didn’t budge."

Russell Wilson turned into William Wordsworth for Ciara's birthday -- gushing over his wife in an emotional post on Tuesday ... and praising her as the perfect mother, businesswoman and partner.

"God blessed the world on this day with you," the Denver Broncos quarterback said on Instagram. "I love you so much. You inspire the world!"

"Every morning your mission is to make the world a better place and you have a perfect score."

Seriously ... dude poured his heart out for Ciara's 37th birthday, sharing some special moments of them together as well.

He continued ... "But most importantly, you are God's beautiful child and HE is wildly obsessed with you. Keep Shining my Love. Thank you everyday for loving me, encouraging me, and joining forces with me everyday to do what God called us to do! That’s to LOVE & SERVE."

"May this year bless you with all of your heart's desires! Happy Birthday my Queen."

While it was a really touching post, some trolls decided to take to the comments to rip the QB for his rough 2-5 start to the 2022 season ... telling him to focus on throwing touchdowns.

The NFL has completed its investigation into whether two referees asked Mike Evans for an autograph ... and after speaking to both officials, it was determined the postgame interaction did NOT involve getting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers star's Hancock.

Video appeared to show Jeff Lamberth and Tripp Sutter running up to Evans with a piece of paper and a pen after the Bucs' 21-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers ... with many assuming they were taking advantage of an opportunity to get his signature.

The league just released a statement on the matter ... and said despite what it looks like, the refs weren't hunting for a signature.

"After speaking with the individuals involved, we have confirmed that the postgame interaction between Jeff Lamberth, Tripp Sutter, and Mike Evans did not involve a request by the game officials for an autograph," the NFL said.

"Both Lamberth and Sutter have been reminded of the importance of avoiding even the appearance of impropriety when interacting with players, coaches, and club staff on gameday -- including during pregame and postgame time periods."

So ... consider Autographgate over??

Ever seen two grown-ass men completely lose it in a haunted house?

Baltimore Ravens rookies Damarion "Pepe" Williams and Kyle Hamilton did exactly that when they bravely inched their way through a scary maze recently ... and it's all on video!!

The defensive backs decided to face their fears at the Bennett's Curse Haunted House out in B-More ... which has been voted one of the scariest in the world.

You can see Pepe and Hamilton try to "make it out alive" while wearing 3D glasses ... and it only took a first few steps in before the two were screaming for dear life.

Keep in mind, these two are NFL players ... but being some of the toughest dudes on the planet couldn't save them in the haunted house.

"Bro, I gotta take these glasses off," 24-year-old Williams hilariously said. "Why the walls coming out at me bro?!"

It became too much for Hamilton as monsters started jumping out of nowhere ... so, he decided to close his eyes and hold on to Pepe.

But, the best part had to be when the two were chased into a corner by a fearsome psychopath in a straight jacket during the asylum-themed portion of the maze.

"Watch out! Watch out!" Pepe yelled, "Get out my face! Don't look at him!"

Luckily, the two made it out safe and sound, but they were clearly stressed out from the whole ordeal.

"It was too dark in there for me," Pepe said. "Never thought I'd see the sunshine again, man."

"It was good, but it was bad," Hamilton added.

Antonio Brown's bank account is about to take a serious hit ... TMZ Sports has learned the former NFL star has been ordered to pay a moving truck driver $1.2 MILLION after he allegedly attacked the guy nearly three years ago.

A Broward County jury awarded the damages to Anton Tumanov earlier this month, according to court records ... after Brown failed to respond or show up to hearings in the case.

Per court docs, the jury found Brown liable for $407,000 for Tumanov's past and future medical expenses ... as well as $793,000 for past and future pain and suffering.

Tumanov initially sued the ex-Buccaneers receiver back in May 2021, after he said Brown beat him up while he was trying to make a delivery to the football player's Broward County, Fla. home on Feb. 11, 2020.

In his suit, Tumanov -- who was represented by Jeffrey R. Davis of Jeffrey R. Davis P.A. and Michael Lotto of the Ward Law Group in the case -- claimed Brown snapped on him when the two got into a dispute over payment for the services.

Tumanov said the 34-year-old damaged his vehicle and hit him multiple times. In the suit, he said it all caused him "severe bodily injuries."

Tumanov also went to police over it all ... and Brown was eventually hit with three criminal charges.

On the heels of Adidas dropping Kanye West for making antisemitic remarks, Jewish former NFL star Julian Edelman is addressing the rapper's use of hurtful language ... saying mental health is important but doesn't justify speaking hatefully.

"Mental health is a serious issue and needs to be at the forefront of the American dialogue," Edelman wrote on social media.

"It's also not an excuse for hate. Hate is a disease just like every other, except that words can spread it. Speak up, not down."

Edelman is arguably the highest-profile Jewish American athlete to speak out.

Of course, Ye has repeatedly used antisemitic and bigoted language at seemingly every turn over the last few weeks. He said he was going “death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE” on Twitter. He also perpetuated offensive tropes, produced "White Lives Matter" shirts and made inflammatory comments about George Floyd.

People of all races and religions have been offended by Kanye's comments ... including basketball Hall of Famer, Ray Allen.

"I see all the Kanye BS, like, he's an idiot," the NBA legend said on social media before issuing a warning about what we consume.

"I try my best to just kind of push positivity and encouragement to people in the world so we just have to be careful. Every time we pick up our phones, a lot of times we wanna feel good, laugh and joke but a lot of times, we're seeing negative stories in our media. So, we gotta be careful who we're letting into our atmosphere because it can become depressing with everything that's going on around the world."

Even his ex, Kim Kardashian, has condemned Kanye's antisemitism, writing earlier this week ... "Hate speech is never OK or excusable. I stand together with the Jewish community and call on the terrible violence and hateful rhetoric towards them to come to an immediate end."

But, not everyone is distancing themselves from Ye.

As we reported, Celtics star Jaylen Brown announced Monday he was sticking with Ye's marketing group, Donda Sports ... however, he did seemingly condemn West's remarks, saying, "I don’t condone any hurt, harm, or danger toward any group of people or individuals whatsoever."

Kanye West is no longer a member of the ten-digit club -- he's lost a fortune as a result of Adidas pulling the plug ... not to mention the other partnerships that have dissolved.

Forbes made it official Tuesday ... saying Ye had lost his billionaire status in the wake of Adidas ending their partnership with the guy. While Adidas on its own might not have technically torpedoed his billions -- they say it's a combination of several deals, including Gap, falling apart of late -- Forbes does note it was a HUGE part of his wealth, and the final nail in the coffin.

Now -- after all this fallout -- Forbes claims KW is worth somewhere in the ballpark of $400 million. This is a huge dip from where he was a couple years ago, when his net worth was valued at around $1.3 billion with a majority of his public assets in consideration.

The majority of Kanye's riches are now coming from a select few sources, Forbes says, including real estate, liquid cash, his music catalog and a less than 5% stake in Kim Kardashian's Skims brand.

Unclear how much of his money was wiped out by just Adidas, but ya gotta imagine it was a pretty penny's worth ... considering the company says they're losing nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in net profits by cutting him/his shoes off, just in this fourth quarter alone.

The boxing judge who Jake Paul said helped fix two recent, huge fights is now firing back at the former YouTube star ... suing the 25-year-old for defamation.

Glenn Feldman filed the suit in New York on Monday, TMZ Sports has learned ... claiming Paul "made outrageously false and baseless accusations" against him during an interview last month.

Paul made the comments -- which also implicated famed boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, who has already sued Paul -- during a talk with IFL TV on Sept. 20.

Paul accused Feldman during the interview of taking money from Hearn and his Matchroom Boxing promotion company to influence the outcomes of the fights between Oleksandr Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua and Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano.

Paul said: "Glenn Feldman shows up in Saudi and scores Anthony Joshua to win the fight when everyone who watched the fight said it was not a split decision ... Clearly, this guy is getting paid money by Matchroom Boxing."

Feldman said in his suit the words "crossed the line from banter and clearly amount to defamation." He added Paul's statements were "made with malicious intent and have caused financial and reputational harm."

Feldman has filed a motion to join Hearn's initial lawsuit, which was filed on Sept. 23. In that case, Hearn's attorney, Frank Salzano, said Hearn was seeking more than $100 million in damages.

No word so far on what dollar figure Feldman is seeking.

"My client has an unblemished record and impeccable reputation which he built over 30 years and Mr. Paul’s defamatory remarks have directly impacted and damaged my client’s reputation," Feldman's attorney, John Laudati, said in a statement TMZ Sports. "As such, Mr. Feldman is seeking legal redress as a result."

Karl-Anthony Towns wants to help Anthony Edwards make some serious improvements in his life ... and it starts with ditching his love for fried chicken.

Following Minnesota's 115-106 loss to the Spurs Monday night, reporters asked KAT if there was any merit to Edwards blaming himself for the team's lackluster performance.

Towns revealed the reason he believes the Wolves were sluggish on the court ... and vowed to fix the situation.

"Maybe I can do a better job teaching him how to take care of his body," Towns said. "Diet and everything. That'll be on me."

Despite playing back-to-back nights, the Wolves were heavy favorites against the Spurs, but they looked fatigued -- and Edwards finished with 9 points.

KAT thinks it's time to change what Ant's putting in his body ... which he admits has made him upset.

"I know y’all think it’s funny up here when he talks about Popeyes and all that s***," Towns said. "That doesn't make me happy to hear."

After seeing the COVID-19 illness affect him and his family, KAT has adopted a more health-conscious mentality, which he hopes spreads to 21-year-old Edwards.

Towns -- in his eighth season in Minnesota -- said that as high-level athletes, there's a responsibility on him to make sure his teammates are taking care of their bodies.