TMZ Sports - Page 12

Travis Kelce's looks over the years are (field) GOALS!

Here is a 24-year-old version of the Kansas City Chiefs' stud, sportin' some scruff and lookin' tough (pre-Taylor Swift days), while warming up to take on the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium back in 2014 (left).

And, nearly a decade later the tight end star recently appeared somber after losing to the Detroit Lions at Arrowhead Stadium (right), however he sure is winning in the dating department 😜!

Now that this pretty boy is in his T-Swift era ... fans all over are waiting to see if there's trouble when Taylor walks into tonight's game.

So, we mustache you one important question ...

Grizzlies legend Zach Randolph is confident Ja Morant will bounce back from his off-court issues ... telling TMZ Sports he's been sharing advice with the young NBA star following his 25-game suspension.

Memphis will be without its face of the franchise for the first chunk of the upcoming season as a result of his second gun-related social media post that surfaced back in May ... but Z-Bo says it's just a bump in the road for the two-time All-Star -- revealing what he's been telling Morant in their conversations.

"Man, I just tell him, Ja, you're lil bro," Randolph said at LAX. "We all been through some stuff. If it was social media like it was when I was playing, I'd be in some stuff, too."

"You gon' be all right," he added. "You just go through growing pains, and you be resilient and you bounce back."

"That's what he is. He'll bounce back."

24-year-old Ja initially faced criticism for flashing a gun at a strip club back in March ... resulting in an 8-game ban.

Despite his claims -- and alleged video proof -- that the weapon shown in the second video was actually a lighter, the league elected to hand down his current lengthy punishment.

Amanda Serrano isn't only seeking a win next month, she's also looking to prove women absolutely can box 12 three-minute rounds, telling TMZ Sports the ladies can do it just like the men!

You may not even know ... female boxers don't go three-minute rounds, but rather fight for two minutes.

But, that's about to change when Serrano steps in the ring with Danila Ramos (12-2, 1 KO) on October 27 ... 'cause they're going the full three-minute rounds in Orlando ... the first female fighters to do so in 16 years!

"It's definitely been a long time since it happened," Serrano told us this week. "I'm excited."

"I have an amazing team backing me up that's pushing this fight and it about time we showcase now that I have this platform, now that I have this exposure to showcase that women can and will and capable of going 12, three-minute rounds."

Now, the reason behind WBC's rule is supposedly for the safety of the women, who are said to be at greater risk for head injuries. The Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine once said "female athletes appear to sustain more severe concussions than male athletes, due in part to a lower biomechanical threshold tolerance for head impacts.”

Whether or not it's medically accurate, Serrano (45-2-1, 30 KOs) wants to fight three-minute rounds ... and hopes to show that's how it should always be going forward.

"It's two women going at it but you know I'm hoping to prove come October 27 that we can do it and we're gonna come out well and healthy," Serrano said.

The bottom line ... Amanda says she's going to put on a helluva show in Orlando.

"It's gonna be an amazing night of nonstop action," the 34-year-old said. "You're gonna see me for three minutes, go out there and throw all my punches like I usually do!"

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce seemed primed to run their Kansas City date back for round 2 -- 'cause they're in the same area ahead of a big game ... which she's supposed to attend.

The pop star and NFL'er surfaced separately on the East Coast Saturday -- with TS popping up in the Big Apple alongside Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds ... with the trio walking through the streets of NYC looking stylish.

Just over the bridge ... Travis and some other Chiefs players, including Patrick Mahomes, were checking into their hotel in New Jersey -- which is where they'll play Sunday's game.

As we reported ... Taylor is expected to show up to MetLife Stadium to once again watch TK's big match against the Jets -- a game that'll be televised on NBC during Sunday Night Football, and which will undoubtedly garner more eyeballs than last week did.

Considering she's in town ... it's all but guaranteed we'll be watching her root from the sidelines. The question now is -- will Taylor's in-game visits become a regular thing???

We know she and Trav hit the town in KC last week ... and their gallivanting caused quite a stir in the city. In this neck of the woods, though -- that'll be amplified by at least 10 ... with tons of paparazzi crawling all over the place, not to mention adoring fans left and right.

If this does, in fact, become a tradition as these 2 explore their relationship ... you also gotta wonder if we'll see added PDA as time goes on. We already saw them cozying up during an after-party -- and now that the cat's outta the bag, perhaps more is on the horizon.

There's been some speculation this all might be a PR stunt -- but now ... it feels real.

Remember, we were told Taylor's team is still working out security logistics for MetLife ... meaning, she won't be able to just slip in all casual-like the way she did last week.

With all this in mind, it probably goes without saying -- if we happen see Taylor and Travis out and about at all this weekend ... it'll undoubtedly be another frenzy and then some.

Ex-WWE Superstar Matt Riddle seemingly had a few too many drinks during a plane delay earlier this month ... grabbing a microphone and shouting at fellow passengers -- and TMZ Sports has the video.

The incident went down at JFK Airport on September 9 ... the same day the two-time Raw Tag Team Champion accused a Port Authority police officer of sexual assault, which led to an investigation.

Our video shows what went down prior to the allegations.

A witness tells us their flight to Orlando was postponed multiple times, so Riddle and his friend waited it out by enjoying drinks at a nearby restaurant.

The witness says Riddle was becoming "incredibly obnoxious" throughout the delay ... being "extremely loud and rude."

Once it was almost time to board, the witness noticed Riddle walking around, yelling and asking when the plane would take off -- before going up to the gate's front desk and grabbing the mic.

In the video, Riddle -- who's holding a drink -- is heard asking fellow passengers if they're capable of flying the plane. It's all in a playful manner, but staffers were quick to put an end to it.

The passengers eventually got on the plane ... except Riddle, who was denied entry due to his state.

Our witness tells us he grew upset, asking "So are you telling me I'm not going home today?"

As we previously reported, cops responded to a "disorderly person" -- AKA Riddle -- but when they met with him at the terminal, he apologized for his behavior. Cops did not file a police report ... and Riddle was free to go.

Of course, Riddle then went to Instagram to accuse an officer of sexual assault and harassment ... but the post was later deleted. The investigation into his claims remains ongoing.

Brittany Renner's sexual partner tally of 35 people is of little consequence to Maino -- he says the slut-shaming needs to stop, and while defending Brittany decided ... why not shoot his shot.

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with the "Way Up With Angela Yee" correspondent amid NYC's torrential downpour, and got his thoughts on the "Basketball Wives" star's recent confession.

Brittany's 35 trysts were too much for Shannon Sharpe to swallow, but Maino didn't flinch ... telling us he's down for the long haul with BR. He says he'd be happy to fill her next few slots.

Neither the rain, nor his faulty umbrella, stopped Maino's defense of Brittany ... as he told us the men criticizing Brittany are insecure about their sexuality, and added marriage and sexual relations fall under different categories ... in his book, anyway.

We're not sure people wearing wedding rings will agree, but he's adamant.

Isaiah Thomas is hell-bent on continuing his career in the NBA ... telling TMZ Sports his No. 1 -- and only -- plan right now is getting back into the Association.

"My only option is the league," Thomas said while out at LAX this month. "For sure."

The former Boston Celtics star, though, said right now there hasn't been much movement on his quest to land on a team. But, he told us he is staying patient.

"Just waiting it out," said the 34-year-old, who last played for the Charlotte Hornets in the 2021-22 season. "Staying ready to be on an NBA roster."

Of course, there are other pro leagues outside the NBA that Thomas could thrive in -- including the EuroLeague, the Australian National Basketball League and the Chinese Basketball Association ... but the two-time All-Star made it clear he wants to see NBA hardwoods only.

We also talked to Thomas about his former teammate, LeBron James, recruiting players for the 2024 Olympics following the country's loss in this year's FIBA World Cup semifinals ... and he told us if LBJ gets the guys he wants, it should be an easy win for Team USA.

"If LeBron wanted to fight with me, it wouldn't be close!"

That's UFC fighter Bobby Green aka "King" saying he'd wash Bron in a purely hypothetical fight for the royal nickname.

See, TMZ Sports was talking to the 37-year-old lightweight before his Fight Night main event scrap against 29-year-old Grant Dawson, the 10th ranked 155 pounder.

Dawson's nickname is "KGD" ... said to stand for "King Grant Dawson"

When we asked Green if he had a message for Grant, he told us ... "There can only be one King. I just found out that Grant Dawson's fight name is KGD. There can only be one king. Let's go find out. The other one's gonna get his head cut off!"

Okay, okay. Obviously, the most famous "King" going right now this side of Charles is LeBron ... and given the age-old debate about skill vs. size, we asked BG if he could beat the 6'8" hoops legend.

"It wouldn't be close!" Bobby said.

We mentioned the size discrepancy ... Bobby's 5'10" and fights at 155 lbs. (we'll assume he walks around in the neighborhood of 185). James is 10 inches taller, and weighs 250 lbs., according to the Lakers website.

Irrelevant, according to Bobby.

"He's a big dude but he doesn't have the skills I'm sorry. Skills pay the bills, sir."

But, would Green actually fight King James?

"In a drop of a dime. In a heartbeat, without even thinking about it. Hell yeah. I'll wax his ass!"

Damian Lillard's trade to the Milwaukee Bucks is bittersweet for Giannis Antetokounmpo -- the Greek Freak finally opened up about the deal that sent his "brother" Jrue Holiday to the Trail Blazers ... saying he's both excited and crushed.

"Jrue is my f***ing brother for life," Antetokounmpo told Bleacher Report. "I love his family. I love him. I appreciate him. I wish him nothing but the best."

Giannis' reaction comes days after the Blazers-Bucks-Sun blockbuster trade, where the Bucks gave Portland their 2029 unprotected first-round pick and several players -- including Holiday -- for Lillard.

It's understandable why Antetokounmpo is sad -- he's been teammates with Holiday since 2020, and they won the NBA Finals a year later.

"He blessed me with a f***ing championship," Antetokounmpo said.

"He’s the one who made that huge steal in Game 5 of the Finals. I went to battle with him multiple times. F*** basketball. F*** the media s***."

On the flip side, Giannis said he's stoked to play with Lillard ... explaining the 7-time All-Star gives them a legit shot at another NBA title.

"I’m excited to play with the caliber of player that he is," Antetokounmpo said. "He can score the ball in his sleep and shoot the lights out."

Lillard -- who requested the trade out of Portland in July -- is hyped to play with Giannis and the Bucks as well ... but admits he will miss his teammates, fans, and Portland dearly.

"I do believe a day will come where I put a Blazers uniform on again," the 33-year-old said in a farewell letter on Thursday.

"Hopefully by then, I'll be forgiven for breaking your hearts along with my own."

A.J. Brown is annoyed at the NFL for making him take off his custom cleats during the Eagles' game on Monday night ... saying the league's policy regarding footwear "sucks."

The Philadelphia star didn't hold back when talking about his beef with the NFL's uniform rules with a gaggle of reporters at his locker on Friday ... saying he thinks it's BS that he couldn't wear his highlighter-green kicks during the Birds' "Monday Night Football" game against Tampa Bay.

Brown says he tried to wear the shoes so his daughter could see him more easily on TV ... but when officials told him they'd pull him from the game if he didn't remove the spikes -- he switched to black ones.

"You know," he said, "I'm trying to stay on the field."

Brown said because he complied with the rules, he avoided a $7,000 fine from the league ... but now, he wants players throughout the NFL to revolt against the policy so guys can wear whatever they want on gamedays going forward.

"I think all players should just wear whatever they want to wear," the wideout said. "They're not going to be able to fine everybody in the league. So I think we should start that movement as players."

9/30 -- 1:16 PM PT -- Jones' days as a Las Vegas Raider are over -- the team is set to release the defensive end as a result of his arrest, according to reports.

11:16 AM PT -- The Raiders just released a statement on the arrest ... saying the team is "hopeful Chandler Jones receives the care that he needs. He, his family, and all those involved are in our thoughts"

The NFL also addressed the Jones news ... adding, "We have been closely monitoring the matter and have been in constant communication with the Raiders."

Chandler Jones was arrested early Thursday morning in Las Vegas, TMZ Sports has learned ... just hours after the Raiders star broke down in tears on social media.

The 33-year-old All-Pro was booked into Clark County Detention Center in Nevada around midnight ... where Jones still remains behind bars.

The exact details surrounding the arrest are currently unclear, but our sources tell us Chandler violated a protective order, so cops responded and arrested him.

Our law enforcement sources tell us the Super Bowl champion was cooperative while being taken into custody.

Jones has been away from the Raiders since September 5 after an alleged dispute over access to the team's facility. He has not played in any of their three games this season. The team's 1-2.

Chandler's behavior has caused some concern of late ... earlier this week Jones claimed he was forced into a mental health hospital against his will, and pumped with medicine he didn't want to take.

On Thursday, CJ went live on social media and made serious (and unfounded) allegations about Josh McDaniels and Aaron Hernandez's death, causing Jones to break down crying.

Chandler's behavior has worried the football community ... but he's been adamant that he's okay, and even wants to resume his career with the Raiders.

Rick Ross and Meek Mill are solidifying their union as a dynamic duo with a joint album that'll be here right around the time you're handing out candy to costumed kids.

The Maybach Music rappers dropped their new track "Shaq & Kobe" on Friday, the first sounds from their upcoming project entitled, "Too Good to Be True. " A source close to the album's production tells TMZ Hip Hop it'll drop at the end of October.

On the lead track, Meek sets up the alley-oop to Rozay as they flex jewelry and cars inside an airplane hangar near the Boss' private jet -- the references to winning big like the Lakers legends make perfect sense here.

The album will drop on the MMG imprint and the duo's chemistry in the clip surprised many fans who thought they were beefing after Rozay was absent from Meek's last album.

Our source tells us contrary to public opinion, Rozay and Meek have always remained cool ... Meek's rants in the past year were directed at outside parties as the two never had a dispute over money.

They'll have the opportunity to make even more when the project drops.

The Swifties are crossing the line when it comes to being a passionate fanbase ... so says Travis Kelce's ex-girlfriend, who claims she's been getting death threats from Taylor Swift supporters after speaking out about her past relationship with the Chiefs superstar.

Maya Benberry -- who won the "Catching Kelce" reality show back in 2016 -- has been sharing her dating experience with the All-Pro tight end following Swift's appearance at the Chiefs game on Sunday ... accusing TK of infidelity during their time together.

Benberry's comments apparently set the Swifties off ... 'cause she alleges she has been the target of serious hate, according to Inside Edition.

"Swifties are aggressive," Benberry said. "Very negative, very hypocritical. It's really crazy to me that someone that I think is positive and really nice has such a negative and angry fanbase."

As for Swift, Benberry -- who referred to Kelce as a "narcissist" -- says she has no issue with the "Anti-Hero" singer ... insisting she doesn't care one bit if she ends up dating her ex -- but pointing out, "I had him first."

Benberry also addressed those close to Kelce claiming she's looking for her "15 minutes of fame" ... adamantly denying she's clout chasing.

"It's nothing about Taylor. It's more about, you led me to believe that we had a future. And now, five years later, you're laughing and I feel like you're mocking me."

"I'm not jealous or bitter about Taylor. She's beautiful, she's successful. We're in two different lanes. My issue is more with Travis in the sense of, now you're trying to turn me into, I don't know -- a bitter person, a liar, like I'm delusional, and I'm the furthest thing from that."

Michael Oher's conservatorship is officially over.

A Shelby County Probate Court judge just ordered that the conservatorship that's been in place since Oher was 18 will come to an end, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

The ruling breaks up a legal arrangement that the former NFL star put in place with Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy back when he was living with the couple before he went to college.

As we reported, Oher had requested its termination in August ... after essentially alleging the Touhys tricked him into getting into it. In a court filing, he said he initially believed the legal docs were a way for the Touhys to formally adopt him.

He claimed in his filing, however, that he later found out it allowed the Touhys to control contract negotiations on his behalf -- potentially screwing him out of a ton of cash ... especially in the deal that led to the creation of the blockbuster movie based on his life, "The Blind Side."

The Touhys, meanwhile, have called BS on Oher's allegations ... with their attorney, Marty Singer, saying in a statement that the conservatorship was simply "established to assist with Mr. Oher's needs, ranging from getting him health insurance and obtaining a driver's license to helping with college admissions."

The Touhys were adamant they'd have no objection to dissolving it.

The NBA has suspended former San Antonio Spurs guard Joshua Primo for four games ... after it says it found he exposed his private parts to multiple women.

The league announced the ban on Friday morning ... saying an investigation into the free agent revealed he had "engaged in inappropriate and offensive behavior."

NBA officials called his actions "conduct detrimental to the league." They did, however, note that they "did not find evidence that he engaged in any sexual or other misconduct apart from these brief exposures."

"Primo maintains that his conduct was not intentional," the league said.

Dr. Hillary Cauthen, Primo's former therapist, was the first to bring the allegations against Primo to light after she claimed last fall that he exposed himself to her on nine separate occasions.

Dr. Cauthen's attorney, Tony Buzbee, alleged the Spurs were aware of Primo's actions, but didn't take action.

Cauthen went on to file a lawsuit against Primo and the Spurs ... though Primo's attorney at the time was adamant that the allegations were "a complete fabrication, a gross embellishment or utter fantasy."

Colorado State DB Henry Blackburn is opening up about the death threats he received after his late hit on Travis Hunter ... saying his number one concern was the safety of his little sisters.

Blackburn discussed the threats during a sit-down with Hunter, himself ... after the star CB/WR invited his former foe for a sit-down chat (in one of the most awesome shows of sportsmanship and positivity by Trav) on his YouTube channel.

Henry opened up, saying, "All that stuff that went down after the game, like, I can take it. I'm not trippin' about me," before adding ... "It's just like I got two little sisters at the house still, in elementary school. That's what was mainly [what] I was worried about. Their safety and everything."

Thankfully, Blackburn says things have calmed down after Hunter -- who suffered a lacerated liver on the tackle -- came to the defense of the CSU safety, and Henry's grateful.

"You can't do that, like, sending death threats," Hunter said, "Even just like trying to bash a person. That's not what I'm about. I can't even do that."

"Y'all stop bashing people! It's not good for the community. If we was all nice to each other, the world would be 10 times better," Travis implored.

In fact, Hunter and Blackburn believe the tackle was a blessing in disguise as they were brought together to "show people the other side of football."

To prove their point, both of 'em went bowling ... and the guys even found a way to do good while having fun. Travis and Henry both agreed to put up $1,000 ... for a total of $2k, which would go to a charity picked by the person with the high score at the lanes.

Hunter ended up victorious but he let Blackburn pick the charity ... and he selected Realities For Children which aims to help abused, neglected, abandoned, or at-risk kids in Colorado.