TMZ Sports - Page 11

LeSean McCoy believes Eric Bieniemy's race is "absolutely not" the reason the NFL offensive coordinator is being passed over repeatedly for head coaching jobs ... explaining Monday he thinks, simply, the guy just isn't good enough for the gigs.

The former star running back -- who played under Bieniemy for one season in Kansas City in 2019 -- laid out his argument on FS1's "Speak" ... saying during his time with the coach, he didn't see much that would suggest he could be a successful head man.

Shady said while he was in K.C., Andy Reid ran the offense in almost every single way. He then claimed Bieniemy had "nothing to do with the pass game at all."

"What's his value?" McCoy asked of Bieniemy. "What makes him a good coordinator?"

Of course, many have believed the exact opposite of Shady -- saying Bieniemy did more than enough in his five years as Patrick Mahomes' offensive coordinator to prove he deserves an HC role. Some have insisted he's only been passed over because he's Black.

But, Shady shot that notion down after his co-host Emmanuel Acho asked about it on the show.

"People want to win," McCoy said. "The color thing, I get it. There should be more Black coaches. I definitely believe that ... They want to win. It has nothing to do with the color barrier at all."

It didn't take long for former Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles to rush in to defend Bieniemy, saying on Twitter he vehemently disagreed with McCoy.

"I learned so many thing for EB and I still keep in contact with him," Charlies said in a tweet, "a great husband and father. He deserves to be a head coach."

Even though McCoy was critical of Bieniemy, who just left Kansas City this month for a new role as the Commanders' offensive coordinator, he did say he's still rooting for his former coach.

Forget cards and fruit baskets ... Jake Paul just thanked a mogul in Dubai for letting him use his gym this month with a way better gift -- a Man City jersey personally signed by superstar Erling Haaland!!

The YouTuber-turned-boxer brought the "thank you" present out to Umar Kamani at The Kamani Club this week ... after the PrettyLittleThing founder opened up his gym's doors to allow the 6-0 boxer to train for this weekend's Tommy Fury fight.

TMZ Sports has learned ... Paul got the No. 9, blue jersey signed by Haaland himself -- before framing it and handing it over to Kamani.

Of course, the gift was super meaningful -- as Kamani is known to be a huge Man City fan.

The 34-year-old appreciated the gift ... thanking Paul and wishing him good luck against Fury in a social media post.

"A great camp from #TeamPaul at @thekamaniclub over the last few weeks," the post read, "wishing you the best of luck in your upcoming fight."

Rihanna is hot off her Super Bowl performance, and she's officially hit the big 3-5 ... and what better way to celebrate than with a private bash with some of her closest peeps?!

Naturallly, RiRi hit up her fave spot, Giorgio Baldi, in Santa Monica Monday night, and the place was decked out to the max with balloons -- all for their favorite customer.

Her boo A$AP Rocky guided her into the celebration, and they were joined by Rihanna's BFF Melissa Forde and her brother Rorrey Fenty.

The location couldn't have been a surprise for Rihanna or any of her loved ones -- Giorgio Baldi's damn near the only spot she hits when she goes out for eats.

As you know, the singer's been on quite a roll recently, after performing at the halftime show last week -- revealing to the world she's pregnant once again with baby number 2.

UNLV defensive lineman Ryan Keeler has tragically died ... the school announced the redshirt freshman football player passed away on Monday.

He was just 20 years old.

Keeler died in Las Vegas, according to the university ... but no other details surrounding his death have been revealed.

School officials mourned his passing late Monday night, with the team's new head coach, Barry Odom, saying they're all "devastated to have lost a member of our Rebel family."

"While I had the honor of knowing Ryan for only a couple of months," said Odom, who was hired in December, "he already stood out to our coaching staff as an incredible person, student and teammate."

"Our condolences and prayers go out to Ryan's family as we grieve along with them over this tremendous loss."

Keeler, a highly touted, 6-foot-5 high school recruit out of Illinois, initially began his college football career with Rutgers ... but transferred to UNLV following his freshman season in 2022.

In his first year with the Rebels this past season, he played in two games ... recording a sack and eight total tackles.

One of Keeler's teammates last season, Adam Plant Jr., said he was "lost for words" after learning of the tragedy.

"Long Live Ryan Keeler gone way too soon," the former Rebels D-lineman said. "Love you forever brother."

Keeler was a pre-business major who had earned Academic All-Mountain West honors ... after recording a 3.80 GPA.

Rest in peace.

Ex-Mets pitching coach Phil Regan has filed a lawsuit against the team ... claiming the only reason he was booted from his gig in NY nearly four years ago was because he's old.

The 85-year-old baseball lifer spelled out his allegations in a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, alleging the age discrimination happened after he took over the interim pitching coach role in the middle of the 2019 season.

Regan, in the suit, says after he filled in for the fired Dave Eiland, the team saw immediate results. He claimed the staff's aces -- Jacob deGrom, Zack Wheeler and Noah Syndergaard -- all got better under his watch ... and he added that the team's ERA lowered significantly too.

But, he said he was not retained following the season ... claiming he was not brought back solely because he was 82 years old at the time.

In the suit, filed by high-profile employment attorney Matthew Blit, Regan said the team's GM at the time, Brodie Van Wagenen, even admitted to him that he wasn't coming back because he was "too old."

Regan also said in the lawsuit that Van Wagenen told him, "If we don't find the young pitching coach we are looking for, we will hire you back."

The Mets ended up hiring 33-year-old former MLB pitcher Jeremy Hefner to replace Regan in the offseason.

Regan -- who both played and coached in the MLB for six decades -- did not coach again following the '19 season. He's suing for unspecified damages.

"Phil is the first to crack jokes about his age," Blit said in a statement to TMZ Sports, "however there is nothing funny about a person being told that they are being passed over because their employer wants someone younger. That's discrimination, plain and simple."

Blit added, "Suing for discrimination in professional sports is extremely rare. In fact, Phil debated doing this for many years. But the hurt from the conversation that he had with Mr. Van Wagenen continues to haunt him to this day. He can hear the exact words playing in his head over and over. Phil knew this had to be done."

Jon Jones hasn't yet gotten his feet wet in the UFC's heavyweight division, but he's already eyeing the weight class top dogs ... telling TMZ Sports he wants Stipe Miocic after he fights Ciryl Gane next month.

Jones told us he feels a tilt with the former champ could help "solidify my legacy" ... adding that if he wants to be known as one of the fight game's G.O.A.T.s -- he's got to beat the best to do it.

"People consider him the greatest heavyweight of all time," Jones said of Miocic. "The opportunity to compete against such a man, I'd be honored."

"The opportunity to beat such a guy would be truly something special."

Of course, 35-year-old Jones has to get through Gane first in order to get that opportunity -- and he tells us it won't be an easy task.

The 26-1 fighter called Gane "one of the best talents the UFC has ever seen."

"I got a huge, huge order ahead of me," Jones said.

If Jones does get through Gane at UFC 285 on March 4, though ... Miocic sure seems down to get in the Octagon with him.

The 40-year-old tweeted right after the Gane vs. Jones matchup was initially revealed last month "I got winner in July."

Meyers Leonard is back ... the NBA center is signing a contract with the Milwaukee Bucks -- almost two years after he said an antisemitic slur during a video game live stream.

The 7-foot big man will be joining Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks on a 10-day deal, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Monday -- marking the first time Leonard will be on a roster since 2021.

Remember, the former Miami Heat player was suspended indefinitely after he made the offensive comment while playing "Call of Duty: Warzone" on Twitch in March 2021.

The NBA launched an investigation ... which ultimately led to a $50k fine and an additional suspension.

The Heat traded the 30-year-old to the Oklahoma City Thunder a few days after the incident -- but he was later released. He was also banned from the Twitch platform.

Leonard -- the 11th overall pick out of the 2012 NBA draft -- worked with several Jewish organizations to fight antisemitism while away from the NBA hardwood -- and told us back in Oct. 2021 that he had learned a ton, and was remorseful for his actions.

2 Chainz is returning from NBA All-Star weekend with a sweet-and-sweaty souvenir -- Ja Morant's game-worn jersey -- and it should score him some big points at home.

The Atlanta-bred trap star had a courtside view of Ja's insane double-pump reverse dunk (and his baseline blooper), and revealed he was able to successfully barter for the collector's item after the game -- and he's planning to gift it to his oldest son, Halo.

2 Chainz is a pretty cool dad parting ways with the jersey ... it totally matched his orange Louis Vuitton sneakers, but young Halo's closet is becoming quite the shrine for NBA collectibles -- he already has a signed Luka Doncic jersey he got last year!!!

Both Ja and Luka put their superstar skills on display Sunday night, but it was Jayson Tatum who took the ASG crown ... scoring a record 55 points and grabbing 10 rebounds to earn the game's MVP trophy.

If Dad manages to snag JT's jersey too, Halo's college tuition could possibly be paid in full!!!

Jordan Clarkson made sure his family was with him at all times at the 2023 NBA All-Star festivities ... coppin' a massive, custom gold chain with their names on it that he hardly ever took off.

TMZ Sports has learned the Utah Jazz guard commissioned Lake Side Diamond in Minnesota for the piece in the leadup to the big weekend ... and after putting in serious hours to create the bling -- the jewelers got it done just in time for All-Star weekend.

According to Lake Side Diamond officials, the chain took 350 man-hours to make ... and five guys almost pulled all-nighters to get it done before the party kicked off last Friday.

Polishing it alone, the jewelers said, "took a full workday."

But, all of the effort ended up being worth it, as Clarkson wore it both on and off the court -- proudly displaying it whenever he was in front of a camera.

The chain is white gold and features the names of five of Clarkson's close relatives. It also has a "no-flip design that's made so any name can be worn in front," the jewelers said.

NY Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu just accomplished something no women's basketball player ever has ... her rookie card just became the most expensive WNBA card EVER after selling at auction!!!

TMZ Sports has learned Ionescu's 2020 Panini Prizm WNBA Black Gold rookie card made history on Sunday night when it sold for $10,800.

Reps for PWCC, which brokered the sale, tell us it's the first time a WNBA card has netted five figures on the block.

As for why it was so coveted ... it's one of the rarest Ionescu pieces ever made -- with only five copies in existence.

The card -- graded a Gem Mint 10 -- is super cool ... it features the 25-year-old superstar handling the rock on the front, and on the back, it has a blurb about her college career.

Of course, the price of the card is eyebrow-raising ... considering she's only been in the WNBA since 2020 -- but according to PWCC officials, demand for her memorabilia has skyrocketed after NY added some huge free agents, including Breanna Stewart, this offseason.

"The table is set for one of the most exciting WNBA seasons to date and Ionescu is right at the forefront," PWCC exec Jesse Craig said. "Collectors are anticipating that energy and excitement and looking to buy premier Ionescu cards. We're entering an interesting phase here where supply for these high-end cards won't be able to match the demand."

Lil Wayne channeled his inner-Tony Hawk over the weekend by pullin' off some dope skateboard tricks ... and they were all caught on video!

You can see in the footage posted to his social media page Saturday, the "Mrs. Officer" rapper flexed all of his best moves -- starting off with a kick turn on a vert ramp at a skatepark.

He then flew through the track while doing more tricks, including a front side 180 and a pop shuvit. And, we gotta admit, he looks goooood on four wheels!!

FYI, the pro board Lil Wayne is riding in the video was a gift from pro skater, Torey Pudwill and his Thank You Skateboards company. It features the New Orleans rapper's face and some of his best lyrics.

Of course, the 40-year-old's passion for skateboarding is well known -- as he's been into the sport for years. In fact, the award-winning artist was caught watching highlight videos during a Grammy party earlier this month.

He also released a song called "Skate It Off" in 2016 ... and the music video was shot in a skatepark.

Positive news ... Jay Briscoe's two young daughters have been released from the hospital -- one month after they were badly injured in a car crash that took the wrestler's life.

Briscoe's wife, Ashley Pugh, shared the encouraging update on her Facebook page on Saturday ... showing a photo of the two girls in wheelchairs with smiles on their faces -- as they sat next to their brother.

"Got all my babies back together," Pugh wrote.

The two girls suffered serious injuries back on Jan. 17 in Delaware ... when according to Delaware State Police, a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 veered into Briscoe's lane and slammed head-on into his 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500.

Briscoe -- real name Jamin Pugh -- was pronounced dead at the scene. His 9-year-old and 12-year-old, according to cops, were raced to the hospital in critical condition.

Ashley at the time asked for prayers ... saying, "We have a long long road ahead of us!"

A GiveSendGo page set up for Briscoe's family in the wake of the crash raised nearly $350,000.

New Mexico State football head coach Jerry Kill made good on a promise to his players Sunday -- getting a tattoo after they helped him win a bowl game ... and it's MASSIVE.

Coach Kill made the agreement with his squad back in December ... telling his team if it defeated Bowling Green in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit, MI, he would get the ink on his arm.

And, after his players got the 24-19 dub -- he kept his word ... hitting a tattoo shop in Las Cruces, N.M. this weekend.

Kill and NMSU showed off the artwork in a series of photos on their social media pages, and you can see the piece is huge -- featuring two intersecting pistols, the year of the bowl victory (2022) and the words "Bowl Champs."

"It's honoring a group of young men that did some things that probably nobody, including their head coach, didn't know if they could do it," Kill told KTSM after getting the tat.

"It is a good way to honor them and a good way to remember them. Believe me, I would not have made the bet if I didn't think it was special."

The ink was the first Kill's ever gotten.

Former UFC star Nate Marquardt is in the crosshairs of the LGBTQ community ... after he tweeted an anti-gay response to a commercial that showed two men kissing.

The 43-year-old, who famously knocked out Tyron Woodley in a 2012 fight, fired off the offensive comments after he said he saw the ad while watching ESPN+.

In his tweet, he said the commercial was "disgusting" and that he had to tell his kids "look away so they don't see two men kissing."

The former fighter, a devout Christian, added a throwing up emoji.

Immediately, the ex-Strikeforce Welterweight Champion was panned by fans for the remarks ... but he doubled down on his stance in further tweets.

As of Monday afternoon, the posts were still up on his social media page.

It certainly looks like things are gettin' serious between Pete Davidson and Chase Sui Wonders -- 'cause the two had a sweet PDA moment on their date at the Daytona 500 ... and TMZ Sports has the pics of it!!!

The comedian and his "Bodies Bodies Bodies" costar enjoyed their Sunday at NASCAR's Super Bowl in Daytona Beach, Florida -- and they were inseparable throughout the action while mobbin' around the famous racing event.

The couple toured the Daytona International Speedway track, and then, at one point, they got up into a box -- where they just couldn't keep their hands off each other.

They strapped on red earmuffs, wrapped their arms around one another, and locked lips -- all while cars whizzed by on the track just feet away.

Of course, this ain't the first time we've seen the two kissing ... just last month, they gave each other a big smooch during a date at Universal Studios Hollywood.

So as you can see, the relationship appears to be getting pretty serious.

Outside of the two lovebirds, a bunch of other celebs showed up for the race ... Tiffany Haddish, WWE's Charlotte Flair, NFL's Ian Thomas, and country singer Dierks Bentley were all there too.

Michael Jordan, who launched the 23XI Racing team in 2020 with NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin, was also in attendance ... taking advantage of the NBA All-Star break.

Chicago White Sox prospect Anderson Comás revealed this weekend he's gay ... saying he's hoping coming out now will help inspire others to "fight for your dreams."

The 23-year-old became just the second active MLB minor leaguer to reveal he's gay ... and in an emotional Instagram post on Sunday, he wrote, "I'm doing this cause I wanna be an inspiration for those like me out there fighting for their dreams."

"Please don’t listen to those stupid things that people say about us," he added, "fight for your dreams, believe in yourself and go for it."

Comás signed with the Sox in 2016 out of the Dominican Republic ... and began his career as an outfielder. In 2022, though, he switched to pitching -- and logged 11.1 innings on the mound for the White Sox's rookie league team last season.

After his announcement Sunday, the White Sox applauded him -- saying on Twitter they were "proud" of the prospect.

Team assistant general manager Chris Getz later said in a statement Comas came out to the team last year.

"I was very pleased that he was comfortable sharing with us in player development," Getz said.