TMZ Sports - Page 18

Joe Buck has been calling games for decades, but his booth partner Troy Aikman believes his handling of Damar Hamlin's medical emergency was the "finest moment" of his career ... saying the broadcasting legend managed the situation better than anyone else could have.

Buck and Aikman were calling the Bengals and Bills' "Monday Night Football" matchup when Hamlin collapsed on the field ... and the Hall of Fame quarterback says the entire crew -- including Disney head Bob Iger -- were working nonstop to figure out how to continue the broadcast as medical experts tended to the Bills safety.

"There was a lot of moving parts, that's for sure, as you can imagine," Aikman said on 'Dunham and Miller' on the Ticket in Dallas-Fort Worth. "It became a sports broadcast that turned into a news broadcast."

Aikman raves about how Buck maintained his poise ... saying despite the difficult task, he thrived in the moment.

"As you guys know, I've worked with him for 21 years and I've been with him in some of the greatest moments in sports," Aikman said.

"And I've seen him at his best and he's unbelievable, but I think this was his finest moment. I think he handled everything better than anyone could have -- any broadcaster. I don't care if it was sports, or news or whatever it might be."

Aikman added ... "I thought he was really good at what he was doing and broadcasting to America what was taking place and doing it in a way that he wasn't speculating or sensationalizing in any way. Not an easy thing to do."

"He and I were on the air for over an hour before we ever really did anything with it. So, there was a lot of time that had to be filled with a story that we were not getting any information on."

A taxidermized badger!

That's what J.J. Watt just revealed he received from a fan on Thursday ... as the future Hall of Famer prepares to play the last NFL game in his legendary career.

33-year-old Watt shared pics of the "fan mail" on social media -- showing the box the stuffed badger came in, along with the animal, resting comfortably on a chair in the Cardinal's locker room.

"I have received a lot of wild fan mail over the years," Watt tweeted, adding, "This package that arrived today is certainly being added to the list."

As you know, Watt played college ball at the University of Wisconsin ... who are, of course, the Badgers.

Watt has presumably seen an uptick in fan mail ... seeing that the defensive star announced in December -- he intends to retire after the season.

"Koa's first-ever NFL game," Watt said alongside a photo holding his baby ... "My last ever NFL home game."

He continued ... "My heart is filled with nothing but love and gratitude. It’s been an absolute honor and a pleasure."

If this is Watt's last season, #99 -- a 5x All Pro and member of the All decade 2010s team -- will go down as one of the most dominant forces to grace an NFL field.

J.J. has also done a ton off the field ... and even won the 2017 Walter Payton Award, given to the player who has the biggest impact away from football.

The Buffalo Bills say Damar Hamlin has made "remarkable improvement" over the last day, and while still "critically ill," it's clear the standout safety has made "steady progress."

The organization released a statement Thursday morning, updating fans on the condition of 24-year-old Hamlin, who has been hospitalized in the ICU since Monday night.

"Per the physicians caring for Damar Hamlin at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Damar has shown remarkable improvement over the past 24 hours," the Bills said.

"While still critically ill, he has demonstrated that he appears to be neurologically intact. His lungs continue to heal and he is making steady progress."

Hamlin's lungs were injured during the medical emergency, according to his uncle. Fortunately, doctors say they're healing.

There was also concern over the amount of time Damar's brain was without oxygen when his heart stopped ... so physicians saying he's "neurologically intact" is great news.

Of course, the whole country has been gripped by the story -- praying for Damar's recovery. President Biden even spoke about Hamlin on Wednesday.

Agency 1, Hamlin's management team, also took to social media to provide an update -- as well as thank fans for all the love.

"The outpouring of support for Damar across the nation has been amazing. Thank you for the calls, messages, and emails. Damar has made substantial improvement overnight."

"We are so thankful for all of the first responders, doctors, and hospital staff and every one who has played a role in this process. Please continue to pray for Damar and we will provide updates as they are available."

Kaiir Elam, Bills cornerback, weighed in, too, writing "Our boy is doing better, awake and showing more signs of improvement. Thank you God. Keep the prayers coming please. All love 3!"

Emily Ratajkowski loves to hit up New York Knicks games, but don't expect to see the model and author at Jets or Giants games anytime soon ... 'cause she just made her feelings toward the NFL abundantly clear.

"Sorry but ... f*** the NFL," the 31-year-old said in a tweet on Wednesday.

EmRata didn't explain her stance, nor were there any other follow-up tweets ... but it's safe to say she feels strongly about the opinion.

The declaration comes just days after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field during Monday Night Football ... which has brought the topic of player safety to the forefront.

While the NFL has dealt with CTE and head injury issues for years, Hamlin's medical emergency has been considered a freak accident ... and the league's professionals have been credited with saving the 24-year-old's life.

Ratajkowski has been spotted courtside at many Knicks games over the years ... most recently, with Pete Davidson.

Damar Hamlin's father just provided the whole Buffalo Bills team with an encouraging update on a Zoom call ... telling the squad their teammate is making progress, and "the team needed it."

Hamlin's dad, Mario, reached out to the entire Bills team on Wednesday, according to Adam Schefter ... and provided some much-needed (good) news on Hamlin's condition.

It's unclear what exactly the news was ... but word is it was positive, and it was a huge relief to the players, coaches and staff.

Of course, the Bills also provided a promising update on Wednesday saying the 24-year-old safety was showing "signs of improvement" just days after he went into cardiac arrest during the Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The game was suspended after the scary incident and Hamlin has been in intensive care at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center since.

The NFL announced they will not resume the Bills-Bengals game before Week 18 ... and there's been no decision on if/when they'll resume the Bills-Bengals game.

Hamlin -- who logged 91 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble this season -- has received a ton of support from players and fans from around the country.

Jake Paul is officially kickstarting his MMA career -- the Problem Child just signed a multi-year, multi-fight deal with the Professional Fighters League ... and he's already making his first offer to Nate Diaz.

Paul shared the news on his YouTube channel early Thursday morning ... saying not only is he going to fight for the PFL, but he will also serve as the organization's Head of Fighter Advocacy, where he will help market fighters and recruit new talent.

Paul says he wanted to be an MMA fighter before he ever ventured into boxing ... given his wrestling background growing up in Ohio.

Paul has shown off his MMA training in the past ... posting videos from Jay Glazer's Unbreakable gym. It doesn't sound like Jake is immediately ready for a fight ... but makes it clear he's serious about the new journey.

Paul says he is also teaming up with PFL honchos to launch the PFL PPV Super Fights division ... which will give fighters 50% of revenue.

In his announcement video, Paul -- who's 6-0 in the ring, with impressive wins over former UFC stars like Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva -- disclosed a two-fight offer he made to Nate Diaz ... where the two would first face off in a boxing match, and then fight in the PFL six months later.

"Nate Diaz, I'm down to fight you in your own damn sport," Paul says. It's a two-fight deal. Let's make it happen."

"I've already disrupted boxing," Paul says. "And now, it's time to disrupt MMA. I know this is such a tough sport, and it's not going to be easy. But, if I can do it in boxing, I can do it in MMA."

The New York Giants may not need to search for their next franchise QB after all ... so says Warren Moon, who told TMZ Sports that Daniel Jones has the tools and right coach to succeed!

"I think he finally has the coach now that figured out what his strengths and weaknesses are, and he's taking advantage of those," the Hall of Famer tells us about Daniel's rookie head coach, Brian Daboll.

"I think Daniel can be the guy for the future," Moon says, adding ... "And he's in the last year of his contract, so we'll wait and see what happens as he gets into the playoffs and how he plays in the playoffs."

The NFL legend told us DJ is playing with more confidence, and it's all because "they're doing the things that he does well," like using his legs and minimizing his passing attempts.

However, Moon says Jones "doesn't have that great of talent around him," adding that the team needs to get Daniel some better receivers and then "you'll see his game go to another level."

Moon said he doesn't think the 9-6-1 Giants will be in the sweepstakes for Alabama star quarterback Bryce Young -- who is projected to be selected at the top of the draft -- in part because of the emergence of Jones this season.

"The Giants wouldn't be in that territory to get him," said Moon. "They're gonna draft somewhere around 20 or something up there from where they finish, so he's probably out of the question."

Moon believes Jones -- selected with the 6th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft -- has cemented himself as a bonafide starting QB in the league, leading the Giants to the playoffs in his fourth season (and as a franchise for the first time since 2016), despite the team's limited roster.

Uhh ... we're pretty sure fingers aren't supposed to bend like that.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Rondale Moore's pinky is pretty busted right now ... and if you needed proof, just check the cringeworthy update he posted to his Instagram page on Wednesday.

It's unclear how it happened -- Moore was placed on injured reserve last month with a groin injury ... but regardless of how it happened, it appears he visited a doctor in Beverly Hills to get it fixed.

Unclear whether the digit is broken or dislocated ... but these injuries tend to happen with receivers.

Moore was in the middle of his second year in the league before going on IR ... and had 41 receptions for 414 yards and a touchdown in eight games after missing the first three contests with a hammy injury.

The 22-year-old former Purdue Boilermaker was a second-round pick in 2021 ... going 49th overall to the Cards.

Jen Shah's upcoming sentence might be stiffer thanks to a woman who informed the feds about a restraining order she once got against the reality star ... and prosecutors want the judge to take it into account.

Prosecutors in Jen's federal fraud case just filed new docs this week asking the court to consider a 2019 restraining order obtained by a woman who claims she once had some trouble with the 'Housewives of Salt Lake City' star.

The feds say the woman reached out to them via a letter and now want the judge to take a look at how she described their interaction.

With Jen's upcoming sentencing hearing on Friday, prosecutors want to make sure the judge sees what the woman had to say, because they believe it to be consistent with how JS interacted with others. In other words, they think the woman's account will back what they claim they've discovered about Jen's character throughout these proceedings -- and it seems like prosecutors are hoping it leads to a harsher sentence.

Now, as for what this mystery woman claims happened, it's quite a tale ... dating back nearly 4 years, when she alleges JS stalked and harassed her.

TMZ has obtained her restraining order docs from back then, which were filed in Nevada, and she details an alleged tryst her husband was having with Jen -- which erupted into a blowout when the woman sent screenshots of texts to Jen's own hubby.

The woman claims when Jen tried confronting her, she ignored her -- which allegedly pissed off Jen to the point of her driving across state lines to try to see the woman in person. She alleges Jen showed up unannounced on her doorstep at 2:30 AM.

She says she eventually called the cops, and in the end ... the woman got her TRO granted. Unclear what came of it after that -- but it seems prosecutors want a judge to hear about it anyway before deciding how many years Shah gets in the fraud case.

Remember, the feds are asking for at least 10 years behind bars.

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor says football was the last thing on Sean McDermott's mind after Damar Hamlin's medical emergency ... revealing the Buffalo Bills head coach told him, "I need to be at the hospital."

Taylor opened up to reporters for the first time since "Monday Night Football" on Wednesday ... breaking down what exactly happened after Hamlin left the field in an ambulance.

The fourth-year coach said he always knew McDermott to be nothing but the utmost professional ... and proved it as he handled the serious situation, and whether the game would continue.

"I won't disclose any of the private conversations Sean and I had except for this," Taylor said minutes ago. "When I got there, the first thing he said was, 'I need to be at the hospital with Damar. I shouldn't be coaching this game.'"

"That to me provides all the clarity because there was no ... unprecedented is the word that gets thrown around a lot about this situation because that's what it is," Taylor added. "But in that moment, he really showed who he was. That all his focus was just on Damar and being there for him, being there for his family at the hospital. And at that point, I think everything trended in the direction it needed to trend and the right decisions were made there."

The game -- which had playoff implications on the line -- was ultimately suspended ... and the NFL says it will not be made up this week.

It's still unclear if it will be rescheduled ... or scrapped altogether.

President Joe Biden says he spoke "at length" with the mom and dad of Damar Hamlin ... after their son went into cardiac arrest on the field during Monday Night Football.

POTUS briefly spoke to the media in Kentucky before hopping aboard Air Force One ... when he revealed he had a conversation with the Hamlin fam.

46 was also asked whether football was just too dangerous ... in the wake of the terrifying medical emergency.

“Look, the idea that you're gonna have, look you've got guys that are 6'8", 340 pounds running a 4.8 40 ... If you hit somebody with that kinda ... now that's not what happened here ... but I just think it’s, I don't know how you avoid it,” Biden said.

Biden's comments come a day after White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters ... “We hope his condition and his health improves quickly, and like the rest of the nation our thoughts and prayers are with him, his family and his teammates.”

Of course, everyone from LeBron James to Tom Brady have sent well wishes to the 24-year-old second-year pro ... in addition to millions of fans across the world.

In the wake of the incident, hundreds of thousands of people even dipped into their own wallets, donating an astounding $6 million to Damar's charity toy drive.

Hamlin is still fighting for his life in a Cincy hospital, though the team provided a positive update on Wednesday.

"Damar remains in the ICU in critical condition with signs of improvement noted yesterday and overnight."

"He is expected to remain under intensive care as his health care team continues to monitor and treat him."

Kyler Murray was all smiles after having successful surgery on his ACL ... posting a photo from his hospital bed and assuring fans he'll be back!

The Arizona Cardinals quarterback shared the snap via social media on Wednesday -- three weeks after he suffered a non-contact knee injury during Monday Night Football against the Patriots.

On Dec. 13, the tough news was confirmed -- the 2-time Pro Bowler's season was over after an MRI confirmed he tore his ACL.

Despite the way the season ended, Murray was in good spirits on Wednesday ... saying his surgery went according to plan..

"Thank you for all the love and prayers," the 25-year-old captioned his post. "I appreciate the support and positivity more than I can express, I’ll be back. 🥋"

Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury co-signed Murray's cheerfulness by telling the media his signal caller is "excited" to start rehab and return to the team.

"I think it can be kind of a reset for him," the third-year coach said on Wednesday.

"We know we had our struggles this year offensively and we feel like we can play at a much higher level. And I think he understands that he can build himself back better and attack this thing."

The 4-12 Cardinals and Murray -- who signed a 5-year contract worth over $230 million -- were eliminated from the playoffs in Week 15 ... but still have one more game against the 49ers.

Danielle Reyna -- the mother of USMNT player Gio Reyna -- is admitting she's the individual who notified U.S. Soccer about a 1991 domestic violence incident involving Gregg Berhalter.

As we previously reported, Berhalter claims someone outside the organization was attempting to get him fired by exposing an altercation from when he was an 18-year-old college freshman ... in which he kicked his now-wife, Rosalind, after an argument.

Danielle -- who's married to ex-Team USA captain Claudio Reyna -- says she told U.S. Soccer about the incident because she was unhappy with how Berhalter spoke about her son following the World Cup.

Shortly after USA was eliminated, Berhalter said he was close to sending a player home for his actions on and off the field ... and although he never named Gio, it was clear who he was talking about.

Danielle released a statement on Wednesday ... saying, "I thought it was especially unfair that Gio, who had apologized for acting immaturely about his playing time, was still being dragged through the mud when Gregg had asked for and received forgiveness for doing something so much worse at the same age."

Danielle -- who played for the USWNT in 1993 -- also claims Berhalter is making his 1991 incident out to be less serious than it actually was.

"Without going into detail, the statements from yesterday significantly minimize the abuse on the night in question," she added. "Rosalind Berhalter was my roommate, teammate and best friend, and I supported her through the trauma that followed."

Danielle wasn't the only one pissed -- Claudio also released a statement to ESPN ... saying he spoke with U.S. Soccer officials about how Berhalter was handling his son, but denies making any sort of demands.

"While in Qatar, I shared my frustrations about my son's World Cup experience with a number of close friends, Earnie [Stewart] and Brian McBride among them. However, at no time did I ever threaten anyone, nor would I ever do so," Claudio said Wednesday.

FYI -- Gio barely played during the World Cup ... despite expectations he would play a big role in America's run.

U.S. Soccer is investigating the Berhalter incident ... as well as "potential inappropriate behavior towards multiple members of our staff by individuals outside of our organization."

The mastermind and architect behind the college admissions scandal is going to end up like Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman ... by spending time behind bars.

Rick Singer was sentenced to 42 months -- 3.5 years -- in federal prison for his role in the Varsity Blues scandal.

Remember ... the feds say Singer was the architect of a massive, decades-long fraudulent scheme to get high school students into elite colleges and universities across the country ... including the daughters of celebs like Lori and Felicity.

TMZ broke the story ... prosecutors were pushing for Singer to get 6 years behind bars, arguing he profited from the scheme more than anyone and therefore deserved a much longer sentence than the parents, college coaches and others received.

Singer's lawyers, meanwhile, asked for a maximum of 6 months in the big house.

It's worth noting ... more than 50 parents, coaches and associates of Singer's received sentences ranging from 30 months in prison to just probation. Lori was sentenced to 2 months behind bars, while Felicity got 2 weeks.

Singer was initially staring down a maximum sentence of 65 years behind bars ... but he ended up cooperating with the feds and was the key to convicting the parents and coaches. Prosecutors say Singer wore a wire at the government's direction to nail the targets, and also made hundreds of recorded calls.

Damar Hamlin wasn’t only brought back to life on the field during Monday Night Football, but also as he arrived at the hospital ... this according to his uncle, who says the Bills safety's heart stopped for a second time.

Thankfully, medical personnel was again able to restart his heart.

Hamlin’s uncle, Dorrian Glenn, spoke to CNN outside the Cincinnati hospital on Tuesday ... where he provided an update on his 24-year-old nephew.

"He's still sedated right now," Glenn said. "They just want him to have a better chance of recovering better. So, they felt if he was sedated, his body can recover a lot faster than if he was awoke and possibly cause other complications."

Glenn said Hamlin is using 50% of a ventilator now ... a big improvement from earlier in his hospitalization.

Hamlin's uncle added the former Pittsburgh Panther suffered lung damage ... but remained optimistic he would be able to breathe on his own.

Glenn also talked about the sheer terror the family felt as they watched their loved one collapse before CPR was performed for about 10 minutes on the field in Cincy.

"We were all in tears," Glenn added. "I'm not a crier, but I've never cried so hard in my life. Just to know, like, my nephew basically died on the field and they brought him back to life, that's just heartbreaking. To see all those grown men crying and all the emotion, it really was a gut punch, man."

"I would have been crying no matter who it was, but for it to be my nephew, it just had that much more impact on me, man," he said. "I'm just glad he's still alive and able to fight and try and get better and recover."

Dorrian also stated doctors have positioned Damar on his stomach in an effort to relieve pressure on his lungs.

"I just want to show my gratitude for the medical staff that were on hand," Glenn added, "because if not for them, my nephew probably wouldn't even be here."

Cowboys star Micah Parsons laid into former NFL player-turned-commentator Bart Scott ... who blamed Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins for causing Bills safety Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest during "Monday Night Football."

"Yoo are we serious?!!?," Parsons tweeted. "Why do we let some people speak on tv?! This was a  freak incident but putting fault on another player is wild! They should make some of these guys go over lines or something or not even give them a seat at the table!"

Parsons wasn't done, firing off another tweet in response to Scott ... writing, "Like does not even consider how Tee Huggins feels before airing some bull shut like that! That traumatic event he just went through! I swear some of these tv guys have too much egos on these stages we give them!"

ICYMI, during an appearance on ESPN's First Take, Scott seemed to insinuate Tuesday Higgins was in part responsible for Hamlin going into cardiac arrest on the field.

“Right before the tackle, he lowers his helmet, and he kind of throws his body into his chest,” Scott said on FT. “He’s standing up because he’s thinking he got to chase Tee Higgins at an angle to make a tackle, so he didn’t expect Tee Higgins to launch his body back into him."

He continued ... “It’s one of those things, a lot of times you see it as a linebacker … a running back comes through the hole, and he knows the contact is coming, so he lowers his helmet, and you can’t get underneath him so he’s able to get into you and your chest is exposed."

"They have taken that out of the game, but they don’t really regulate it as much as possible. I expect the league will be a lot more vigilant when it comes to that and using that penalty.”

As you know by now, Hamlin was carted off the field Monday night after his heart stopped on the field, and remains hospitalized at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where the 24-year-old appears to be making signs of progress, according to the Bills.

Scott responded to Micah directly on Twitter Wednesday, saying, "It’s wasn’t concise in my explanation but this was from the third segment. The first segment I said exactly what u said, it was a freak incident. And expressed my concern for Higgins and was happy his mom was there."