TMZ Sports - Page 7

Even the Empire State Building wants to be as lit as Taylor Swift, which is why its iconic lights were shaded to honor her -- not for her music, but for her choice in condiments.

Yes, NYC's famed skyscraper shamelessly hopped on the "ketchup and seemingly ranch" craze Wednesday night by turning its crowning lights red and white ... the culmination of a wild frenzy that started 4 days earlier in Kansas City.

Follow along, because this is kinda crazy -- Sunday at the Chiefs game Taylor takes a photo with a fan, next to a plate with a chicken tender and 2 dollops of ketchup and seemingly ranch.

Then that photo gets tweeted on a Taylor fan account, gets 32 million views and births a new meme trend so big the Empire State Building folks had to get in on the action! BTW, Heinz is capitalizing on the moment, too.

Mind you, red and white are also the colors for Taylor's BF Travis Kelce's Chiefs ... who are coming to NY this weekend to play the NY Jets -- yes, Taylor's expected to attend -- and yet the Jets' hometown Empire State Building just couldn't resist.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are clearly two people comfortable with each other ... as Taylor draped her arm around the NFL stud's neck following his big team win Sunday.

Check out the pic, obtained by TMZ, showing Taylor very casually hanging on Travis as they spoke to Kelce's friends at a private party at Prime Social in Kansas City, Missouri.

Travis appears to be looking down, while Taylor engages in some conversation standing next to him.

As you can see, they were they were very comfortable holding court with TC's inner circle.

Travis reportedly rented out the rooftop restaurant/bar -- which is one of KC's trendiest spots -- to keep the party going with close friends, family and Chiefs teammates.

As we first told you, Travis and Taylor's first rendezvous didn't come Sunday at the game ... our sources say they've actually hung out several times, just in more intimate settings.

The photo marks the first time we've seen the two together outside of Arrowhead Stadium. Remember, Travis and Taylor walked out of the locker room area together Sunday and into his waiting convertible to leave Sunday's big win for the KC Chiefs.

Taylor's yet to say anything publicly about her situation with Kelce, but Travis spilled a bit Wednesday on his podcast "New Heights" ... calling T. Swift "pretty ballsy" for showing up to the game and hanging with his mom.

Lucky for Taylor, Travis caught a touchdown during the matchup -- something he does often -- but this one felt a little more special.

Bam Margera got some fresh, new ink while on the road to recovery, and this piece pays homage to Britney Spears ... someone with whom he says he has alarming similarities.

The former "Jackass" star hit up First Hand Tattoo in Pennsylvania and got the Brit-inspired tattoo, which reads, "Britney Spears ❤️ Oops they did it to me too!"

He says the meaning behind it is all about the "Florida shuffle" -- a phrase used to describe substance abusers with good health insurance in the Sunshine State. They're constantly sent to various rehab centers which repeatedly charge their insurance.

Bam says that describes him to a T, and points to Britney's time in her conservatorship as being painfully similar to what's been going down with him -- he's dragging his interventionalist for allegedly cashing in by keeping Bam in rehab.

Bam says he's done "the Guinness book of world records of longest Florida shuffle of nearly 2 years" ... which includes 10 back-to-back rehab stays that cost a total of $660,000.00.

He adds he's sick of the "controlling c***suckers that act like they care for your well-being when it's all about money."

BTW, this isn't the first time he's compared himself to Britney -- he called himself "the Britney Spears of 'Jackass'" while working on standup material with Steve-O earlier this year.

As we reported, Bam recently celebrated being 1 month sober after going in and out of rehab this year, and sources told us he's been spending his time with his girlfriend, Dannii, on a farm outside Philadelphia.

Taylor Swift is really digging Travis Kelce ... because she's expected back at his next NFL game.

Sources confirm to TMZ … as of now, Taylor is expected to attend Sunday's game between Travis' Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

We're told Taylor's team is still working out security logistics with MetLife Stadium, where she played a huge concert earlier this summer on her "Eras" tour.

Taylor would be going back for seconds ... she went to the Chiefs game last Sunday, watching Travis score a touchdown from a private suite with his family. It was the first time she went to one of his games since they started hanging out, and the first time she met his parents.

The NFL schedule is lining up perfectly for Taylor and Travis ... his team is playing on the road against the Jets, across the river from New York City ... where Taylor owns a place.

TMZ broke the story ... Taylor and Travis got super cozy with one another after last Sunday's game, she was draping her arm around his neck while they chatted at the private party he set up.

As we first reported ... the singer and NFL stud have hung out several times before, but in more intimate settings than a football stadium.

Brittany Renner just opened up about her sex life to Shannon Sharpe in a big way ... revealing she's slept with 35 men -- a number that stunned the Pro Football Hall of Famer so much, he had to take a big swig of booze.

The "Basketball Wives" star made the remark while chatting with Sharpe on his "Club Shay Shay" podcast about Derek Jeter's dating life.

Renner said to Sharpe her roster of partners was very comparable to the Yankees legend's ... and then she told the former Denver Broncos star her body count.

Sharpe then reacted as if he had seen a ghost ... nearly spitting up his water -- before shooting some booze.

"Oh, lord!" the ex-NFLer said. "Anybody else need a shot of this?! We are in a bar, so help yourself!"

Renner took the intimate conversation even further moments later ... telling Sharpe she once caught a yeast infection after having sex with three men within 24 hours.

The deep convo didn't just stop there, though ... 'cause the two then dove into her relationship with her ex, NBA player P.J. Washington.

Renner explained she had been on birth control for a decade prior to getting with the Charlotte Hornets forward ... but she decided to go off of it to have a child with Washington because she thought he "was my guy."

"I thought I was doin' it right," she said.

Renner went on to say she's cool with Washington despite their split ... lauding his recent engagement to Alisah Chanel.

"I've sat down with his fiancée," Renner said. "We've had a four-hour conversation out for brunch."

Taylor Swift was already at the "meet the parents" stage of her relationship with Travis Kelce ... and it turns out she's getting cool with his buddies, too -- 'cause Patrick Mahomes just revealed he got to chop it up with the singer at the tight end's postgame party on Sunday.

The Kansas City Chiefs superstar was asked about Kelce's recent super VIP guest at Arrowhead Stadium after practice on Wednesday ... and while he initially said days ago he hadn't met Swift yet -- that has since changed following TK's shindig at Prime Social in K.C.

"Yeah, I met her," Mahomes told local reporters. "She's really cool, good people."

But Patrick wasn't super chatty about the subject ... echoing Kelce and saying he's going to keep it to talkin' football moving forward.

"But like Trav said, man, I'm going to let them have their privacy and just keep it moving," the two-time MVP added.

As we previously reported, Swift and Kelce -- who hung out a few times in intimate settings before Sunday's game -- were a bit closer at the postgame party ... with TS putting her arm around the four-time first-team All-Pro's neck.

Usher's upcoming Super Bowl Halftime show definitely has people feeling nostalgic already -- 'cause his music has been played like crazy in the days since the news broke.

The numbers are pretty staggering ... Billboard tells us Usher's tunes (new and old) have seen a significant spike across all streaming services since the announcement was made Sunday, and the increased plays are tipping into the millions.

Percentage-wise, we're told that boils down to about a 16% bump for Usher between Sunday and Monday ... with his most-streamed song being his new single, "Good Good," which is already on the Hot 100.

Billboard says "Good Good" was streamed 1.1 million times in this window, about a 5% gain. His classics like "Yeah!," "My Boo" and "DJ Got Us Fallin in Love" saw bumps as well -- amounting to an added 962k streams, 527k streams, and 525k streams, respectively.

When it comes to the individual streaming services, the increase is clear in their data too. Tidal, for example, tells us Usher's "Superstar" was the most popular song on their platform on the day of the announcement. They also say "You Make Me Wanna..." saw the biggest jump in streaming percentage from the day prior at 55%.

Another music streaming company that felt the Usher effect was Amazon ... they tell us "Yeah!" climbed a whopping 140% in plays compared to the day before the announcement. As a result, we're told it jumped 149 spots in their internal popular song rankings list.

Tyreek Hill won't be going balls-out in the porn industry -- not in retirement, not ever -- the Miami Dolphins superstar just admitted he was just kidding about becoming an adult film actor after he's done playing in the NFL.

Hill made the shocking revelation while streaming on Twitch with Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans ... when he said straight-up, "Nah, when I retire, bro, I really wanna be a porn star though, bro."

The 29-year-old doubled down shortly after ... claiming once again he was "dead serious."

As it turns out, Hill was just fooling around ... 'cause when he was asked about it at practice on Wednesday, he explained it was all a joke.

"A lot of my teammates are hating on me right now," Hill said minutes ago. "I was joking, I was definitely joking. That's something I just don't want to do."

Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann are about to get under each other's skin under the same roof all over again -- 'cause she's on her way back to Georgia -- after some nasty new developments in their divorce.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Kim is flying back to Atlanta Wednesday after filming for MTV's "The Surreal Life" in Colombia over the past couple weeks. We're told she's in the air now, and, within hours, is set to be back home with Kroy and their kids.

Despite this tumultuous sitch, our sources say that the plan -- for now, anyway -- is for Kim and Kroy to continue cohabiting ... as neither one of them really has anywhere else to go at this point. However, considering everything that's gone on of late in their divorce case ... you can imagine the stage is set for fireworks.

Remember, Kroy has openly acknowledged they're in dire straits financially.

As we've reported .... Kroy has been consistently appealing to a judge lately, begging for permission to sell their mansion so they can start paying off some major debts. He's also argued that the money will help them get their own pad ... and resolve a toxic environment.

We're also told that Kim and Kroy could very well bang again ... at least that's how people close to them feel. Of course, whether they actually do it again is still up in the air.

Kim, for her part, has been insisting everything's fine between her and Kroy -- she even asked for their divorce to be dismissed, noting they'd had sex recently ... and arguing that it proves their relationship is still on. Kroy's brushed that aside and plans to move forward.

12:33 PM PT -- Damian Lillard just spoke about his trade to Milwaukee ... keeping it short and sweet on X, saying he's excited to start his new chapter with the Bucks.

He also said he will address his beloved fans and the city of Portland, whom he truly loves, at a later date.

Batman officially has his Robin in Milwaukee ... Damian Lillard's joining Giannis Antetokounmpo after a blockbuster trade Wednesday.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Portland Trail Blazers are sending their best player to the Bucks as part of a three-team deal that also includes the Phoenix Suns.

While the Bucks will get only Lillard in the trade, the Blazers will land Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara and Milwaukee's 2029 unprotected first-round pick as part of the swap. The Suns, meanwhile, will acquire Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little and Keon Johnson in the deal.

33-year-old Lillard initially requested the trade on July 1 ... declaring after 11 seasons in Rip City, he was ready for a change of scenery.

At the time, the 7-time All-Star's destination was expected to be South Beach ... as Dame made it clear he wanted to join the Miami Heat.

Other teams -- including the Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets -- reportedly showed interest in landing Dame following the trade request.

The 2021 NBA champs are getting a proven superstar to team up with the Greek Freak ... as Lillard has averaged 25.2 points, 6.7 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game in his career.

Charlamagne Tha God isn't a fan of Colin Kaepernick's open letter to the New York Jets ... saying it makes it seem like the ex-NFL QB is begging for a job at this point.

CTG had heavy critiques for Colin on Wednesday's Breakfast Club broadcast ... it's been 7 years since he was ousted from the league in a clear blackball maneuver, and CTG thinks Colin has allowed the low moments to define his story and identity.

ICYMI, J. Cole posted the letter Tuesday, revealing the 35-year-old was looking for a spot on the Jets' roster in the aftermath of Aaron Rodgers' season-ending injury during Week 1.

CTG not only thinks Colin's letter should've never been published, he thinks Cole's inclusion was incredibly "wack" and thinks Colin should speak out on his own.

The comparison to racism in America vs. NFL was also made, which CTG rejected -- calling U.S. a system that indoctrinates people into racism as opposed to Colin throwing a flag on the league, leaving everyone -- even callers -- split on the issue.

Ex-New England Patriots star Dion Lewis has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charge he was hit with following his arrest last week, TMZ Sports has learned.

According to court records, Lewis' attorney submitted the plea for the former running back in his Hillsborough County, Fla. court case on Tuesday.

Lewis is now due back in court next month.

We broke the story ... Lewis was arrested on Sept. 18 after authorities alleged he had been unruly and belligerent at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa. They claimed the 33-year-old caused a disturbance -- and then refused to leave the premises, leading officers to slap him in handcuffs.

Lewis was hauled off to a Hillsborough County jail ... and later charged with misdemeanor trespassing.

Michigan State has officially kicked Mel Tucker to the curb -- the Spartans fired their head football coach with cause amid allegations of sexual harassment.

The school announced the decision on Wednesday ... saying despite Tucker's fight to keep his job, it has moved forward with the process that initially began on September 18.

Of course, Tucker's argument against the school's intent to can him was that mutual flirting and consensual phone sex does not fall under "moral turpitude" ... but it's safe to say the higher-ups didn't agree.

"Simply put, Mr. Tucker's response does not provide any information that refutes or undermines the multiple grounds for termination for cause set forth in the notice," MSU VP and athletic director Alan Haller said.

"Instead, his 25-page response, which includes a 12-page letter from his attorney and a 13-page 'expert report,' provides a litany of excuses for his inappropriate behavior while expressly admitting to the problematic conduct outlined in the notice."

As we previously reported, rape survivor and activist Brenda Tracy recently claimed Tucker made unsolicited sexual comments and masturbated during an April 2022 phone call ... which led to a formal Title IX complaint and investigation.

Tucker -- who signed a $95 million deal in 2021 -- vehemently denied any wrongdoing ... admitting he had an intimate relationship with Tracy, but claimed all his actions were welcomed with Tracy's comments.

The vibes were at an all-time high after the Philadelphia Phillies secured their spot in the playoffs ... and outfielder Brandon Marsh was the MVP of the party -- even hopping on a mechanical bull to celebrate the big moment!!

The defending National League champs clinched the top wild card spot after a walk-off win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday ... and Marsh -- who had a homer in the effort -- led the charge as the squad let loose after the game.

The Phils jumped up and down in the locker room as the champagne flew through the air ... jamming out to Robyn's "Dancing On My Own."

But the rager didn't stop there -- Marsh hit up PBR Philly at Xfinity Live! later on in the night ... where he ripped off his belt and hopped up on the infamous mechanical bull!!

Don't worry, Philly fans -- the guy appeared to avoid any potential injury throughout his ride ... staying on top as Ginuwine's "Pony" played over the speakers.

If you needed further proof it was a helluva night, Marsh even danced and sang along to "Pop That" by French Montana.

Jade Cargill isn't wasting any time ... the long-running, former AEW champ turned WWE Superstar is setting her sights squarely on the biggest, most talented, and badass women in the world!

Now, don't get it twisted, Jade's super respectful of wrestlers like Charlotte Flair, Nia Jax, Rhea Ripley, and Bianca Belair ... in an 'I recognize your accomplishments, but want to kick your ass' kind of way.

"I'm excited to work with those ladies. They're phenomenal. They've been working their butts off in the system for years. These are the best women in wrestling in the world. So for me to even share the ring with them is phenomenal in general," Jade told Mojo Muhtadi on the TMZ Sports TV show (airs weekdays on FS1).

She continued ... "I want every single one of them. Those matches are gonna put butts in seats. They're gonna sell tickets. I mean me working with Bianca Belair is gonna be a main event match on WrestleMania! I think everybody can say that. I'm just excited to be here and I'm excited to work with such stellar women!"

The wrestling world was rocked on Tuesday when WWE announced they'd signed the 31-year-old wrestler just days after Jade partied ways with AEW, nearly three years after she made her debut for the promotion (November 2020).

Cargill, a former basketball player at Jacksonville University, was champion for 508 days with AEW ... and now she's after a WWE belt or two!

Jade says the move was obviously a major step for her, but the "entire WWE Universe made [her] feel welcome" ... and now she's intent on becoming a huge star, all while inspiring kids across the world.

"A lot of people would probably be afraid to make the jump. I made the jump because I wanted to create something for myself, a legacy. A household name. I want my daughter to look at me, just not her father, but look at me and say, 'You know what, my mom did this, and I can do this.'"