TMZ Sports - Page 7

Russell Westbrook nearly brought a fan to tears this week after the Clippers preseason win over the Jazz ... but it's not what you think!

The 34-year-old NBA star spotted what appeared to be a teen fan -- already wearing a blue Clips Westbrook jersey -- sitting a few rows above the court at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on Tuesday night.

And Russ, knowing the only thing better than one jersey, is two ... blessed the young man with the authentic, game-worn threads!

“I don’t take any people that support me for granted,” Russ told the media after the game.

The 8x All-Star went on to say ... “I just felt like he should have another jersey, so I gave him mine," Westbrook said, smiling.

It's cool to see Russ interact with his supporters ... especially as hard as some fans have been on him the last few years.

College football player Ronnie Caldwell -- a junior safety at Northwestern State University -- was shot and killed on Thursday morning in Louisiana, police said.

He was just 21 years old.

According to the Natchitoches Police Department, the tragic incident happened near NSU's campus -- which is about three hours away from New Orleans -- at around 1:08 a.m.

Police say they were dispatched to a street near the university after 911 callers reported gunshots in the area. When officers arrived, they say they found Caldwell suffering from gunshot wounds ... and he was later pronounced deceased.

Cops say an investigation into the shooting is still ongoing.

The Northwestern State football team, meanwhile, canceled its Saturday game against Nicholls State after learning of the heartbreaking news.

"Ronnie Caldwell was a young man who had a bright future ahead of him on or off the football field," Demons head coach Brad Laird said on Thursday. "He was our voice in the locker room."

"Our hearts are broken and ache for Ronnie's family and friends. His loss will be felt here at Northwestern State, in Natchitoches and in his home."

Caldwell -- who transferred from Tyler Junior College after the 2021 season -- appeared in 11 games last season and finished seventh on the team in tackles. He did not play yet this season due to an injury he suffered in the preseason.

The Texas native was also a business administration major who helped coach a local youth baseball team over the summer.

A Dolphins fan who got into an embarrassing mixup with Tyreek Hill's mom at a game over the weekend was just rewarded for his troubles with a bunch of gifts ... courtesy of the Miami star himself!!

Hill's mom initially had big beef with the man on Sunday during the Dolphins' blowout win over the Giants at Hard Rock Stadium ... when her son tried to give her a ball after scoring a touchdown.

As the wideout passed it into the stands, a man just in front of Momma Hill intercepted it ... before he appeared to begrudgingly hand it over to her.

Initially, it seemed the guy was just being a jerk ... but Hill later learned the man had no idea his mom was the intended target for the ball -- so he found him and showered him with presents this week.

In a video Hill posted to his social media pages Thursday, you can see Tyreek surprise the guy at a restaurant with a ball of his own ... and more.

The fan was floored by Hill's generous act -- and quickly gave the football player a big hug.

If you're tuning into the Chiefs game tonight for Taylor Swift, you might come away a bit disappointed ... 'cause Al Michaels says he's planning to keep the coverage of the pop star to a minimum.

The man who will be broadcasting the Kansas City vs. Denver game at Arrowhead Stadium revealed the plans during a chat with Sports Illustrated's Jimmy Traina earlier Thursday morning.

He said while he and his Amazon Prime Video team clearly want to show that Swift is in attendance watching Travis Kelce and his Kansas City squad play for the third time in the last four weeks ... he vowed to not "make a sideshow the show."

"What we’re gonna do tonight, everything in moderation," the 78-year-old play-by-play man said. "The vast majority of the audience are tuning in to watch a football game. There are people, I don’t know how many, it could be a sizable number, but it’s certainly not a majority, that if you trained the camera on her all night long, they’d be satisfied with that."

"This is not what we’re going to do."

Michaels' words will likely be music to a large portion of NFL fans' ears ... as there was a ton of backlash from football supporters following NBC's coverage of Swift's attendance at the Chiefs vs. Jets game last month.

In fact, it actually led to Kelce himself bashing the NFL for "overdoing it" all.

Michaels, though, did at least leave the door somewhat open for lengthy camera time for Swift ... saying, "If Kelce scores six touchdowns, who the hell knows what we’re going to do."

1:09 PM PT -- Logan Paul was, indeed, bloodied during Thursday's skirmish with Dillon Danis ... with a new angle of the scrap showing blood pouring out of the WWE Superstar's eye area almost immediately after he was hit by the microphone.

But, he says despite the wound, Saturday's fight will go on as planned.

"Dillon can’t escape me," Paul said on X. "The fight is very much happening, the stakes just got higher."

Paul also shared a selfie on his Instagram page just minutes ago ... showing that while the side of his face seems to be somewhat swollen, he's in good spirits.

"Can't see the haterz," he captioned the pic.

10:23 AM PT -- Dillon Danis just posted a photo of blood spatter on the ground near Thursday's altercation ... insinuating he made Logan Paul bleed with the microphone throw.

"Play with fire get burnt p****," Danis captioned the photo.

Dillon Danis and Logan Paul just got into a wild altercation at their prefight press conference Thursday ... one in which Danis actually hurled a microphone full speed at Paul's face.

The fracas happened just minutes ago as the two were on a stage trying to promote their Saturday boxing match ... when Paul chucked a bottle at his bitter rival as they were set to walk toward each other for a ceremonial staredown.

In response to being hit in the gut by the object ... Danis went nuclear -- and hurled a heavy microphone directly at his opponent.

It appeared to catch the WWE superstar in the face -- and then everyone jumped in to try to separate the two.

Several people were seen throwing more objects as Paul and Danis were whisked off stage ... though it's unclear if anyone -- including Paul or Danis -- was hurt in the melee.

The tilt was hardly the only notable moment from the contentious presser -- as just minutes before chaos erupted, Paul brought out Chris Hansen to mock Danis ... someone whom he's repeatedly called a "predator" over the last few weeks.

Danis and Paul are slated to box each other in just about 48 hours ... that is, of course, assuming no one sustained any fight-altering ailments during the onstage battle.

Boosie Badazz is feeling like Coach Prime these days ... or at least he'd love to slip on a pair of his shine-blockas to protect him from all the haters coming after him lately.

That's the theme Boosie's operating with for his new video "Deion Shades," which he released on Thursday ... taken from the deluxe edition of his latest album, "Goin' Thru Some Things."

On the track, Boosie calls out rats and snakes with a barrage of sports references ... "I want my son around the best/This that Brady talk/My mind in everyone mouth ... I need Deion's shades!!!"

The shades are indeed a hot commodity ... Deion recently gifted all his Colorado players their own pair ahead of a big game that went on to be etched in history.

The Louisiana rapper also pays homage to Ja Morant ahead of his NBA comeback ... posting up next to the signed #12 jersey the maligned All-Star sent him a couple of months ago.

If you thought the Bills trip to London couldn't get any worse ... legendary wide receiver Andre Reed's room was burglarized, and his Hall of Fame ring and other valuable items stolen while he was at an appearance.

"Someone in the UK came in our room while I was at an appearance," Reed wrote on Instagram, adding, "& stole my hall of fame ring, jewelry, shoes, purses, clothing, passports."

Reed, a 16-year NFL vet who spent all but one season in Buffalo, was in the country for the Bills vs. Jaguars game on Sunday in London.

Andre says he's been in contact with police ... who are investigating, but he's clearly upset at what happened on what was supposed to be a joyous trip.

"UK Police are on it but it's a sad world. Emergency passports were acquired. Feeling unsafe & violated"

Reed earned his HOF ring in 2014, when the 7x Pro Bowler was inducted in Canton. AR finished his excellent career with 951 receptions for 13,198 yards and 88 touchdowns.

Police are looking to charge three men who they say played a role in an altercation at a Patriots game last month that ended in the death of one fan.

The Foxborough Police Department tells TMZ Sports ... it has submitted criminal complaints to prosecutors seeking assault and battery and disorderly conduct charges against a trio of Rhode Island men.

While cops did not reveal the names of the men nor any further details of the evidence ... they did say they believe the men were somehow involved in the altercation that resulted in Dale Mooney's death at the Pats vs. Dolphins game at Gillette Stadium.

According to the FPD, officers came to the conclusion after interviewing witnesses at the game as well as reviewing videos of the incident.

As we reported, Mooney was involved in the scuffle at some point during the Sept. 16 contest ... and he collapsed and later died. Officials did say, however, that they believe a medical issue -- not a traumatic injury -- led to the death.

A medical examiner's investigation into the final cause and manner of death remains ongoing.

Donations towards Mary Lou Retton's medical expenses now top $360k and the Olympic star's daughter, Shayla, says she's blown away by the "unbelievable love" her mom is receiving from her fans.

"My sisters and I are overwhelmed," Shayla said via Instagram on Wednesday, "We didn't even realize that there's so many people out there that love her just as much as we do."

"It's been a really hard time for our family."

Since news broke that the Olympic gold medalist was battling a rare case of pneumonia, fans have flooded the SpotFund account launched by her other daughter, McKenna.

As of Thursday morning, the fund sits at $363k (after starting with a goal of just $50k!) with over 6,000 donors! And it's going up by the hour.

"Just seeing that people love her like that and showing her that support has just meant the world to us and to her," Shayla said.

"Thank you for your unbelievable love & support for our mom. Please continue to pray for her full recovery."

Dick Butkus' loved ones are speaking out following his tragic death ... thanking his supporters for reaching out and sharing their fondest memories of the Chicago Bears legend over the past week.

"Dick lived an extraordinary life representing the heart and soul of Chicago, both on and off the field," Butkus' son, Matt, and his family members said in a statement.

"We want to thank you all for the outpouring of support. All the messages, notes and memories you shared during this difficult time. Each has meant the world to us."

One of the greatest to ever step foot on the gridiron, Dick was honored with a moment of silence prior to the Bears' Thursday Night Football matchup against the Washington Commanders last week ... and received tributes from notable figures throughout the country -- including President Barack Obama.

"In Chicago, Dick Butkus was football," Obama said following the Hall of Famer's death. "Thinking of his family today, and all the Bears fans who loved watching one of the best to ever play the game."

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick also shared kind words ... saying Butkus was "the prototype middle linebacker."

"From his playing style, to the look, to his ads. He was a Chicago Bear if there ever was one."

Justin Verlander delivered a speech for the ages following the Astros' American League Division Series win Wednesday night ... dropping F-bombs everywhere -- before dousing his teammates with booze!!!

The epic moment -- which somehow went uncensored on television -- happened in Houston's locker room following its 3-2 Game 4 victory over the Twins in Minnesota.

Manager Dusty Baker didn't want to address his team in-depth following the victory -- he said he was waiting for the World Series to do that -- so Verlander stepped in ... and it's safe to say he got the guys riled up.

Verlander said the F-word six times ... while mixing in an S-word as well.

To cap it all off, he told his teammates to "pop these motherf***ers" -- referring to bottles of champagne -- on the count of seven ... and when he hit a beat after six, the party was on.

Bubbly flew everywhere -- and the locker room festivities then raged on for the next few minutes.

Taylor Swift is gearing up to go back into cheerleader mode for Travis Kelce, with plans to attend Thursday night's game in K.C. ... though Kelce's status for the matchup still remains questionable.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ Taylor plans to travel to Missouri to watch Travis and the Kansas City Chiefs take on Russell Wilson and The Denver Broncos.

If she makes it, the game will mark Taylor's third appearance at one of Travis' games in the last 4 weeks ... the team has gone undefeated ever since Taylor first popped up at a game next to Travis' mom, Donna, back on September 24.

As we reported, Taylor hit the Chiefs vs. Jets game the following week, but was MIA when Travis and crew took on the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis last Sunday.

One major factor in Taylor's appearance Thursday though ... Travis is battling through an ankle injury, and the team announced Wednesday his status was "questionable" to play.

If she does make it as planned, the timing is interesting. The Chiefs will have a couple days off -- because they won't play the usual Sunday game -- so it's possible she spends additional time with him at home.

To say she's having a busy week would be an understatement ... shutting down The Grove in Los Angeles Wednesday for the premiere of her "Eras Tour" movie and making a surprise appearance.

Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson have reunited with Reebok ... the NBA icons just got new jobs with the athletic brand -- as President and Vice President of basketball!

Reebok CEO Todd Krinsky revealed the new roles were created for the former hoop stars this week and he's thrilled to have them back, in Shaq's case, 3 decades after first signing in 1992.

"As an athlete, he made an incredible imprint on not only our brand, but the entire sport and culture of basketball,” Krinsky said.

“With the combination of his deep-rooted history with Reebok and reigning influence he’s made on the game, there is no one better than this guy."

It's the real deal ... O'Neal even got an employee ID. Now that he can get in the building, Shaq will focus on helping the brand partner with athletes and organizations.

Iverson, who signed with Reebok in 1996, is the Vice President and will have duties similar to Shaq. He'll also work on community-based initiatives and athletic activations.

Reebok, for their part, is thrilled to be back with Iverson ... one of the "most influential players of all time" on and off the court as his "legacy continues to grow and impact future generations."

O'Neal says he's excited to start the new venture and plans to look for players, male or female, who can bring Reebok to the next level ... and working alongside Iverson helps.

LeBron James is throwing his support behind Israel as war rages on in the region ... saying he's heartbroken over what's happening -- while denouncing Hamas attacks as "terrorism."

The NBA superstar released a joint statement with his longtime business partner, Maverick Carter, on the matter on his X page on Wednesday night ... saying, "The devastation in Israel is tragic and unacceptable."

"The murder and violence against innocent people by Hamas is terrorism," he said. "The SpringHill Company family sends our deepest condolences to Israel and the Jewish community."

James added in his statement that he's now praying for peace.

"We all must work to ensure this tragedy does not spread even more hate, racism, and antisemitism," he said.

LeBron is hardly the first celebrity to speak publicly on the conflict -- Kim Kardashian released a statement of her own on Wednesday as well ... writing, "How can anyone not be devastated by these horrific images that we will never be able to unsee?"

Mattress Mack is hoping his family's generous contribution toward Mary Lou Retton's medical expenses leads to more donations for the Olympics legend ... telling TMZ Sports it's the least they could do.

Mack -- real name Jim McIngvale -- and his wife, Linda, wrote a check for $50,000 to assist with the gold medalist's hospital bills as she remains in the ICU with a rare form of pneumonia.

We spoke with Mack -- who owns Gallery Furniture in Texas -- about his family's decision to step up in such a big way ... and he said they have been fans since before she became a household name at the 1984 Olympic Games.

"We followed Mary Lou since her career in Houston," Mack said. "My wife and I have always been a huge support of Béla and Márta Károlyi's gymnastics team. My son worked out with them on the team for years, my daughter did as well."

"Mary Lou was always a shining point of light, as George Bush would say, and we pray for Mary Lou's recovery and the $50,000 is the least we could do to help an American icon get better."

In fact, Mack said Linda went through a similar health scare when she suffered a severe lung infection from pneumonia a year ago ... and now that she's doing much better, he hopes the same happens for Mary Lou.

"My parents taught me, and I try to teach my children, and Linda certainly lives that life, that the essence of living is giving," Mack added. "People get in a hard spot, let's help 'em out because one of these days, all of us will be in a hard spot. We're thrilled to help our Mary Lou, we pray for her speedy recovery and, again, I've lived my life by that motto -- 'the essence of living is giving.'"

Browns tight end David Njoku just revealed what his face looked like in the aftermath of the serious fire pit accident at his home a little more than a week ago, and it's gruesome.

Of course, the 27-year-old appeared on the Browns injury report before their week 4 game against the Ravens ... which stated he suffered injuries to his arm and face.

Njoku somehow played through the pain of the burns and actually caught 6 passes for 46 yards in a loss to Baltimore.

Prior to the game, Njoku wore a mask that fully covered his face as he walked into the stadium, meaning no one got an up-close look at the former first-round draft pick.

That changed on Wednesday when Njoku posted a selfie from his car, presumably sometime shortly after the burn.

He also shared an updated look at his face ... which appears to have substantially healed.

Njoku's turning the accident into a positive. He launched a clothing line and is donating a portion of the money from sales to the American Burn Association.

“I want to use my platform to help bring awareness to an all too common issue,” Njoku said.