TMZ Sports - Page 10

Aaron Rodgers has been seeing things before he ever dabbled in psychedelics -- the New York Jets quarterback went in depth about the time he believes he saw a UFO on "Hard Knocks" this week ... saying he felt like he was in a movie!!

The four-time MVP opened up on the 2005 experience on the season finale of the Max series Tuesday night ... when he was staying with his old college teammate, Steve Levy, in New Jersey prior to the NFL Draft and heard an alarm going off outside.

Naturally, the guys left the house to investigate ... and Rodgers couldn't believe his eyes.

"Up in the clouds, we heard this sound and we saw this tremendously large object moving through the sky," Rodgers said. "And it was like a scene out of 'Independence Day,' when the ships are coming into the atmosphere and they're creating this kind of like explosion-type fire in the sky."

"And we just saw this incredibly large object and froze, as anybody would because what the hell was going on? And eventually it went out of sight and nobody said a word."

Shortly after, the signal-caller says he heard the sound of fighter jets zooming above them ... as if aircrafts were chasing whatever they just saw.

"Again, we just stood there in just disbelief for another few minutes," Rodgers added. "Nobody said a word. Then we all looked at each other like, 'Did we just see what we think we just saw? What was that?'"

Rodgers -- who did his research on the subject after a lack of media coverage on the incident -- seemingly believes it was, in fact, a UFO ... because he heard an alarm go off at a nearby nuclear power plant, which tracks all the information he's gathered.

"And if you know anything about UFOs, there are a lot of sightings around nuclear energy, around volcanoes, around power plants," the Super Bowl winner said.

Carl Nassib -- the first openly gay player to ever log time in a regular season NFL game -- is retiring.

The 30-year-old pass rusher announced the news in a lengthy post on his Instagram page Wednesday morning ... revealing he's hanging up his cleats in order to focus on his business endeavors.

"This is a bittersweet moment for me," he said in his announcement. "Football has given me more than I ever could have imagined. I can truly hang up my helmet for the last time knowing I gave it everything I had."

Nassib entered the NFL back in 2016 ... when the Cleveland Browns took him in the third round. He piled up 5.5 sacks in two seasons, before he signed on with the Buccaneers in 2018.

Two seasons later, he joined the Raiders ... and after one year with the team, he came out as gay. In his first game following the historic announcement, he made a play that helped Las Vegas log a victory.

Nassib went on to play for the Bucs one more time last season ... before ending his career Wednesday.

"It was always my dream to play in the NFL, even as a walk-on," Nassib said, "and I really feel like the luckiest guy on the planet."

Jake Paul says Dillon Danis is doing exactly what Logan expected by spewing nonstop trash talk leading up to their boxing match ... telling TMZ Sports lines have been crossed, but at the end of the day -- it's only making his brother richer.

The Problem Child joined Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs on FS1) ... and he got into all things boxing, Betr ... and, of course, Logan's current arch nemesis.

In case you've been hiding under a rock, Danis has been unloading on Logan and his fiancée, Nina Agdal, on social media ... posting hundreds of pictures of the model with her previous boyfriends and other random men in an attempt to embarrass his opponent.

Many critics are going after Danis for bringing an innocent bystander into the prefight antics ... and while Jake agrees the former Bellator MMA fighter has sometimes gone too far, Logan is ultimately winning.

"My brother could've fought anybody, and he picks this kid who he knows is gonna make the fight massive," Jake said. "And right now, everybody wants to see the fight because of the things that are being said."

"So, all of that, all the pay-per-views are going directly into my brother's pocket, and that's why Dillon was picked. At the end of the day, Dillon's a puppet."

As for Paul's boomin' Betr business, he also talked about its new fantasy vertical, Betr Picks ... which is here just in time for NFL Week 1.

Jake explained Betr -- which also just launched in Virginia -- is way more than just a money-making opportunity for him ... as he's truly passionate about putting together the best possible user experience.

"Our goal is to make the product the best in the space, and the fans are the ones who are really gonna win here."

Amen and Ausar Thompson were the 4th and 5th picks in June's NBA Draft, but the star basketball players weren't immune to getting ripped by their coach last season ... and the intense moment was captured on camera in a new docuseries featuring the bros!

The twin brothers are starring in Prime Video's "One Shot: Overtime Elite" ... which follows Amen and Ausar's rise as two of the best players in the country at Overtime Elite in Atlanta.

Despite their immense talent, it wasn't all smooth sailing for the NBA lottery picks.

"I asked you two to give me something, didn't I?" assistant coach Corey Frazier screamed at the Thompsons during a timeout ... as their City Reapers trailed the Yng Dreamerz by double digits on January 20th.

"Don't say s*** right now, just listen! I said 'leadership.' I don't see it! I see a bunch of one-on-ones!"

Frazier was upset with the way the team was playing, and the brothers (who once graced the cover of Sports Illustrated) got the brunt of the blame as the team's best players.

The message was clearly received loud and clear ... the Reapers charged back after being down 16 at the half, ultimately winning 76-64.

Amen dropped 12 points and dished out 6 assists during the game. He also grabbed 7 rebounds. Ausar scored 10 points, and had 7 assists and 8 boards.

Eli Ellis, Amen and Ausar's teammate, was the game's high scorer. He scored 28 points ... and contributed to a dominating 4th quarter, where the Reapers outscored their opponents 36-16.

The City Reapers' winning ways continued ... and the team ultimately finished with the best record and the OTE league title.

All told, the show gives a cool behind-the-scenes look at the Thompsons as they not only hooped in the super competitive, six-team league ... but also prepared for the draft.

When summer rolled around, Amen, a shooting guard, ended up going 4th to the Houston Rockets. His brother didn't have to wait long. With the next pick, the fifth, Ausar, a shooting guard, was selected by the Detroit Pistons.

Boriša Simanić -- a 25-year-old member of Serbia's national team -- had to have his kidney removed over the weekend ... after the power forward was injured during a play in a FIBA World Cup game last week.

Simanić had been guarding South Sudan's Nuni Omot during their contest in the Philippines on Aug. 30 ... when Omot appeared to accidentally elbow the big man right in his side.

Simanić --- a member of the Utah Jazz's summer league team last year -- doubled over in pain ... and hours later, he required emergency surgery at a local hospital to fix the issues the inadvertent collision caused.

Unfortunately, Serbian coach Svetislav Pesic said Simanić suffered a setback in his recovery over the weekend ... and according to Serbian team officials, he then had to have one of his kidneys removed on Sunday.

He's expected to remain in the Philippines for the foreseeable future while he heals.

For his part, Omot released a statement Monday saying he had no intentions whatsoever of hurting Simanić.

"As a sportsman, I firsthand understand the severity of his situation and I am deeply sorry that this happened," Omot said. "No player should have to go through that. I pray for Simanić's recovery and speedy return to the court."

Deion Sanders' Colorado Buffaloes walked the walk on Saturday in a huge win over TCU ... and on Tuesday, they were rewarded for their performance -- earning a place in this week's Top 25 rankings.

The Associated Press just revealed the Buffs slid into No. 22 on the list ... after they scored a massive, 45-42 win over the Horned Frogs in Texas despite being 21-point underdogs.

Sanders' squad -- which was just 1-11 last season -- looked impressive ... especially PrimeTime's quarterback son, Shedeur, who threw for 510 yards and four touchdowns in the victory.

Coach Prime knew it was a big win after the final whistle had blown ... 'cause he gloated throughout his postgame press conference, even asking one of his biggest detractors repeatedly, "Do you believe?!"

Sanders and his team will have another opportunity to prove they're the real deal this weekend ... when they face off with Nebraska on Saturday in Boulder.

Chandler Jones' days in Las Vegas might be numbered -- the star defensive end just bashed the Raiders in a bizarre rant ... saying he no longer wants to play for them after not being allowed in the team facility.

Jones' verified Instagram profile posted a number of stories on Tuesday ... calling out head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler.

"They won't let me in the building tho, tryna provoke a n****," Jones' story said ... adding he wants the team's current defensive coordinator to take over on the sidelines.

"F*** it, I don't wanna play for the Raiders if that's my HC or GM ... I want Patrick Graham Ivy League n****."

Jones' account also shared what appeared to be a text to McDaniels ... saying he had to go to a local gym to work out "for no apparent reason."

"This is wild to me Josh and you know it you need to do what's right."

There's more ... but it's hard to make heads or tails of what exactly is going on. The team has not addressed the situation.

The timing of it all isn't ideal ... especially with the first week of the NFL season just days away.

Jones joined the Raiders last season on a three-year, $51 million contract ... after spending his first 10 seasons with the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals.

Snoop Dogg is proclaiming Shaquille O'Neal to be the best NBA player to ever release hip hop music ... this, after getting wind of The Big Aristotle's latest rap collab!!!

As we told you last week, Shaq linked up with L.A.-based group Coyote for their single "3 Lokos" ... the first of a newfound partnership.

Shaq told the artists he wanted to bring "'90s energy" to the song ... which clearly struck a chord with Snoop to the point he crowned the big man with such a big honor!!!

Shaq's place in hip hop is indeed solidified ... having his 1993 debut album "Shaq Diesel" go platinum while earning respect from many established rappers at the time.

The NBA legend also brought 3 championships to Los Angeles with the Lakers in the early '00s ... undoubtedly an extra reason to get Snoop's top pick. 😉

NBA rappers have gotten a lot more competitive since Shaq's era and Damian Lillard, will likely have something to say about Snoop's taste ... he's long touted himself to be the best NBA player to ever clutch a mic.

He just dropped his new album with co-signs from Rick Ross and Lil Wayne and even performed during the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, where he also played.

Beyoncé celebrated her birthday with another packed L.A. concert ... one that was filled to the brim with celebs, and came with a surprise performance from the legendary Diana Ross.

The Beyhive was out in full force Monday night at SoFi Stadium to celebrate the singer's 42nd birthday -- with Kim & Khloé Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Corey Gamble, 10-year-old North, and 11-year-old Penelope Disick all showing up as one happy family.

The sold-out crowd, and perhaps Beyoncé, got an exciting surprise when Diana Ross hit the stage to sing "Happy Birthday" ... along with all the fans. Bey was rightfully emotional after Diana's gift -- shouting out, "Give it up for the queen!"

Other faces in the crowd included couples like Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, and Justin and Hailey Bieber -- and Adele, Winnie Harlow, Vanessa Bryant, Tom Sandoval, Scheana Shay, Keke Palmer, Zendaya, Chris Rock, Queen Latifah, Kerry Washington and even Meghan Markle all showed up for the big gig!

Beyoncé also brought out Kendrick Lamar to perform the remix of their collab, "America Has a Problem."

As we reported, Kylie Jenner and  Timothée Chalamet were also at the concert -- goin' public with their relationship by packing on the PDA while in the VIP section.

Jorge Vilda led his team to a World Cup title just over two weeks ago, but Spain's soccer coach is out of a job today ... as fallout from the Luis Rubiales kiss incident continues.

42-year-old Vilda was fired by the Spanish soccer federation on Tuesday, days after the coach applauded Rubiales for refusing to resign ... despite mounting pressure from within the country, and around the world.

Prior to getting the ax, Vilda -- who is an ally of Rubiales -- was the lone remaining member of the staff that beat England in the World Cup final on August 20 in Australia.

All of the other coaches, 11 in total, resigned in a show of support for Jenni Hermoso, who was kissed by Spain's soccer president during the postgame celebration following the championship-clinching game.

Of course, Rubiales was suspended by FIFA for 90 days ... as officials within Spain continue to investigate the incident.

It's hard to imagine a scenario where Rubiales returns ... the entire team has vowed not to play unless he is forced out.

As for Vilda, who took over control of the women's team in 2015, his tenure at the helm wasn't without controversy.

He barely survived a player-led revolt in September 2022, when many on his team accused the coach of treating them poorly, and demanded better working conditions. Vilda kept his job, but many of the unhappy players opted not to return for the World Cup.

Both of Tom Brady's boys are now following in his footsteps ... the NFL legend just revealed his youngest son is beginning his football career this year -- albeit at a position that's a whole lot different than Dad's.

Brady said on his "Let's Go!" podcast Monday that Ben -- the 13-year-old who he shares with Gisele Bündchen -- told him recently that he's stepping onto the gridiron in 2023.

However, Tom said the kid won't be under center like he was.

"I was like, 'What do you want to play?'" Brady said. "And he's like, 'Tight end. I want to be like Gronk.'"

Brady, though, didn't seem disappointed one bit with the decision ... saying he actually texted Rob Gronkowski immediately after Ben broke the news to him.

"I'm like, 'Yo, my boy wants to be like you,'" Brady said. "And he loved it. He's like, 'That's so great.'"

Brady added on the pod that he's now preparing Ben for games ... explaining he spent a large portion of his Sunday night throwing the pigskin around with the teenager to get him accustomed to catching balls.

"He's going to be a little beast," Brady said.

Of course, Ben is now the second of Brady's offspring who will strap on the shoulder pads and helmet ... his eldest boy, Jack, has already been shining on high school fields as a quarterback.

It doesn't matter what number Ezekiel Elliott is rocking on the field, 'cause he won't have to choose between digits off it -- the New England Patriots star just copped a diamond chain that reps both his old AND new look ... and we're told it's worth a whopping $260k!!

TMZ Sports has learned, Zeke wanted a new piece in honor of his new No. 15 with the Pats ... so he hit up celeb diamond setter Gabriel French for the job.

But, Elliott -- who inked a one-year, $3 million deal with the Pats this offseason -- isn't leaving his Cowboys career in the past ... 'cause the pendant's reverse side displays "21," the number he wore during his time in Dallas.

We're told the pendant was made with 70 carats of VVS emerald and brilliant cut diamonds ... and the Cuban chain consists of 70 carats of emerald and round cut diamonds.

Gabriel has worked with a ton of big names in the NFL over the years ... including Odell Beckham, Jr., Jalen Hurts, Amari Cooper and Aaron Donald.

Antonio Brown's tenure as the owner of the National Arena League's Albany Empire was apparently much worse than previously imagined ... with two former players claiming the former NFL superstar threatened to pull a gun on them in a heated exchange.

Dwayne Hollis and Darius Prince detailed the confrontation in an interview with ESPN ... saying the whole incident was sparked by a social media tribute to former teammate Mo Ruffins, who died last year.

The post was quickly deleted from the Empire's account without explanation ... so when Hollis and Prince ran into AB at a local cigar lounge, they wanted answers.

The players allege Brown -- who was still fresh off buying his part of the team at the time -- got pissed over their approach, and told his assistant, Ryan Larkin, to go out to his car to get his weapon.

"AB looked at Ryan and was like, 'Hey, man, you still got the AR in the car? Go get it,'" Prince told the outlet. "Then I was like, I'm not going to allow this dude to walk out of here after you just threatened us."

Prince says cooler heads eventually prevailed and they were able to have a conversation ... but made it clear the threat rubbed him the wrong way.

It's no secret -- AB essentially ran the Empire into the ground in a matter of months, with former players and staffers accusing him of being a nightmare to work with ... eventually leading to the team getting booted from the league.

A US Open fan was booted from his seat early Tuesday morning ... after tennis star Alexander Zverev insisted the guy screamed "the most famous Hitler phrase there is" right in the middle of a match.

The incident happened during Zverev's grueling clash with Jannik Sinner at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York ... when just before Zverev went to serve, a fan allegedly yelled out, "Deutschland über alles" -- words associated with Hitler's Nazi regime.

Immediately after the patron had finished shouting, Zverev turned to the chair ump and told him the comment was "unacceptable."

"This is unbelievable," he added.

The US Open official then turned toward the crowd and demanded to know who yelled the remark. Several moments later, the alleged shouter was ID'ed and ejected from the venue.

"A disparaging remark was directed toward Alexander Zverev," a United States Tennis Association spokesman said in a statement following the incident. "The fan was identified and escorted from the stadium."

Zverev would go on to win the match despite the scene ... and afterward, he expressed his disappointment over the whole interaction.

Lamar Odom's keeping it in the family ... he hired his son and daughter to work for his substance abuse treatment company, and he treated them to a company getaway.

Sources close to Lamar tell TMZ ... he's focused on strengthening his bond with his kids, and that includes getting his son, LJ, and daughter, Destiny, jobs at Odom Recovery Group.

Lamar's son is a marketing consultant ... we're told he's basically been mirroring Lamar, learning the ins and outs of the company so he can be Lamar's backup when needed.

Meanwhile, Lamar's daughter is a client representative ... she's responsible for taking down patients' information and making sure they're all set up when they start their recovery journeys. We're told both kids even participated in a commercial for the company, which will air on Hulu in various locations.

In recognition of their hard work on the job, we're told Lamar took his newest employees on a little vacation in Orange County, spending a few nights at an oceanfront property in Newport Beach.

Not a bad work perk!!!

The job opportunities and company vacations are all part of Lamar's attempt to reconnect with his kids ... and we're also told they've all been living under the same roof since the end of May.

Lamar definitely needs the help at his company ... Odom Recovery Group keeps expanding, he's added 14 new rehab centers to his portfolio and it's all hands on deck at work, with his baby mama Liza also helping out on the job.

Ex-NFL star Ricky Williams says the league is moving in the right direction by loosening its stance on cannabis in recent years ... but tells TMZ Sports he's hoping Roger Goodell's organization goes one step further by allowing teams to treat players with marijuana after games.

Ricky -- who was suspended five times and missed a chunk of his career for violating the league's substance abuse policy -- believes society is going through a big transformation when it comes to accepting the benefits of cannabis and psychedelics ... and he's hoping the NFL follows suit.

FYI -- the NFL changed its marijuana policy in 2021 ... electing to only test players once a year and handing down less punishment if someone is popped for the drug.

Ricky is thrilled with the league's changed stance on cannabis but feels it would have great benefits for players if they were encouraged to use marijuana instead of pills during recovery.

"I think the next step, though, is at the end of a game, if we're on the plane ride home, the trainer is walking down the aisle and has two capsule cases -- one of Ambien, and the other one of Vicodin," Williams said. "And he's walking down the aisle and saying, 'Do you need any of this, do you need any of this?'"

"And the truth is, for football players, we do need something because it hurts, and you're all revved up and it's hard to calm down go to sleep. And I'd love to see cannabis as being one of those things that the trainer is walking down the aisle and offering to those players."

Ricky -- who legally changed his name to Errick Miron recently -- has been an advocate for the cause for decades ... and is outspoken on the positive effects cannabis had on his mental health throughout his career.

Now, Ricky's own lifestyle brand, "Highsman," is going strong ... and he said the whole experience has been nothing but positive.