TMZ Sports - Page 12

MLB out ... NFL back in?!

That's now the plan for Tim Tebow ... who's gunning to make a football comeback as a tight end after retiring from baseball!!!

Tebow made the decision recently ... according to NFL reporters Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter -- and has already gotten a tryout of sorts with the Jaguars.

Schefter says the 33-year-old worked out for Jacksonville's tight ends coach ... and a future signing could be on the horizon.

Of course, Tebow has huge ties to the Jags -- their new head man, Urban Meyer, coached Tebow at Florida for years and the two have remained VERY good pals ever since.

Tebow had been attempting to make it to the New York Mets' big league roster the past few years ... but retired from the diamond in February, saying, "at this time I feel called in other directions."

No baby mama drama for Tom Brady -- the NFL superstar is on such great terms with his ex-GF Bridget Moynahan, he sent her a public birthday message!

"Happy birthday Bridget Moynahan," Brady posted Wednesday on his IG along with a 2018 photo of the actress with their son, Jack ... "We hope you have a great day."

Remember, Moynahan gave birth to Jack after they broke up back in 2006 -- a few months after Brady began dating Gisele.

Everybody involved has publicly acknowledged the situation was challenging at first -- but over the years, they've essentially become one big happy family.

Tom has since had 2 more kids with Gisele. Bridget married Andrew Frankel in 2015.

Jack made headlines earlier this year when he shared an unbelievably sweet moment with Tom after the QB's Bucs team won the NFC championship game back in January.

Tom and Jack hugged it out and swapped "I love you's" in a video that went viral within minutes!

Most people would be grossed out at the thought of getting a used, blood-stained skateboard -- but what if the board was stained with the blood of the greatest skater who ever lived?!

Now, it seems pretty rad, right?!

That's what happened with Tony Hawk this week -- when the skate god offered up one of his old boards as a prize in a social media "leave a comment" contest.

Here's the backstory ... the board had struck Hawk in the shin at one point, causing Tony to drop blood onto the grip tape, staining it forever.

Most collectors will tell you ... a bloodstain on an authentic, used item is actually GREAT for collectibility -- and fans joined the contest like crazy looking to win the piece.

Hawk eventually picked a winner -- the commenter had used lyrics from a The Cure song, which Hawk apparently loved -- and it doesn't seem the fan had any issue with Tony's DNA being on the set of wheels.

Kyle Pitts and Mac Jones will have personal spots to chill while they wait to hear their names called at the NFL Draft on Thursday ... with the league hooking up all the prospects and their families with their very own backstage pods!!

... and it's all in the name of COVID-19 awareness!!

Of course, the 2021 draft in Cleveland is going to look a LOT different this year ... with players, families and fans returning to the event after COVID-19 forced the 2020 draft to go totally virtual.

There are some strict protocols in place -- attendees in the stands will have to be FULLY vaccinated ... and any other fans enjoying the festivities will be required to wear masks at all times (except for drinking and eating).

Folks will also have to remain 6 feet apart, which will be no problem for the 12 prospects in town for the big night ... thanks to the backstage pods.

The NFL shared a glimpse of what they look like Thursday morning ... showing off Jones' pod, which includes a widescreen TV, tables and multiple couches.

Remember, the draft usually features all the big names and their families lined up at tables throughout the venue ... but the pandemic is forcing everyone to be as separated as possible.

It looks like a great spot to kick back and relax ... but we're sure there won't be too much partying until AFTER the fellas hear commish Roger Goodell say their names.

FYI, Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields will NOT get to have their own dope pods -- they decided to enjoy their big moment elsewhere.

"F***ing s***. Motherf***er. Every goddamn time. What the f***."

That's how Tyler Glasnow reacted when his teammate made an insane catch Wednesday ... and after TV cameras captured the whole thing, his mom was NOT HAPPY at all about it!!

The Rays pitcher's profane rant all went down in the 7th inning of Tampa's game against the A's ... when Kevin Kiermaier incredibly hauled in a fly ball DEEP in center field.

Glasnow was so PUMPED for the catch ... he spewed every swear word in the book -- and then tipped his cap to his outfielder.

The problem? Glasnow's words were so naughty AND so clear on the television broadcast, Tampa's ace said afterward his mom told him he needs to cut it out going forward!!

"My mom texted me like, 'You got to stop cussing on TV,'" Glasnow said. "'Like, cover your mouth or something!'"

Tyler, though, said he just couldn't help it!

"That’s my only reaction I can give him," Glasnow said. "It’s just unbelievable."

Don't worry ... Glasnow -- who by the way is becoming arguably the best pitcher in baseball -- said he will work on it, telling reporters after the game he's going to try to make Mom happy.

"There's some swear words going on when everything kind of goes well or someone does well," Glasnow said. "So, I should work on covering my mouth like my mom said."

Tommy Tuberville tells TMZ Sports ... Thursday's NFL draft picks should avoid speaking publicly about politics, saying the rookies should straight-up "talk about what you know about."

The Alabama Senator -- who coached future NFL draft picks for YEARS during his tenure as a college headman -- tells us he wants to see less political chatter from athletes, and more playing.

"Nobody's looking for an outspoken person," Tuberville said on Capitol Hill this week of the advice he'd give to his players if they were heading into Thursday's draft. "We're too divided as it is."

Tuberville clearly believes the sports landscape would be better off if players -- particularly younger ones who are just arriving in their respective leagues -- avoided polarizing subjects altogether.

"Everybody wants to make an opinion and that's fine," Tuberville tells us. "But, I think, especially for young people to get involved in something that maybe they might not understand as much, I think they need to let people that, whatever they do for a living, justify it."

Tuberville added, "I'd just like to see our country be more settled down in terms of people getting into politics or in sports and vice versa."

What's interesting ... the draft's projected top overall pick, former Clemson star Trevor Lawrence, has made it clear he's already comfortable commenting on hot-button topics outside of the gridiron.

Wanna see a pro golfer hit bombs into a speeding BMW ... while revealing an epic dad bod in the process?!?

Good news ... Marcus Armitage did just that this month -- and the video of it all is pretty awesome!!!

Here's the deal ... Armitage and pro driver Paul O'Neill set out on April 8 to break the Guinness World Record for longest drive hit into a moving car.

The guys went out to an open track, set up a driving range mat and dozens of cameras -- and then Armitage went to work striping golf balls.

The dudes thought they had broken the record in one of their 1st attempts -- Armitage hit a baby fade that landed in the Beamer perfectly, and he celebrated by stripping off his shirt!!

The problem? The ball only traveled 268 yards -- JUST short of the previous 273-yard world record.

So, Armitage put his shirt back on ... and went back to work.

The 33-year-old -- who plays on The European Tour -- hit drive after drive after drive ... even cracking the car's windshield at one point in a failed attempt.

But, finally, after double-digit attempts, a 303-yard drive landed perfectly in the ride ... and the guys celebrated by spinning donuts!!

Bryce Harper is lucky to have avoided complete disaster Wednesday ... the MLB star was drilled in the nose by a 97 MPH pitch, but thankfully, he says he's somehow "all good."

The Phillies outfielder was up to bat in the 6th inning of Philadelphia's tilt with the St. Louis Cardinals ... when Génesis Cabrera's pitch got away from him and smashed BH right in the face.

The clip is horrifying ... the fastball appeared to catch Harper right between the eyes -- and Bryce immediately left the game for the training room.

Of course, with players like Giancarlo Stanton having suffered SEVERE damage from being hit with pitches in the face in the past ... many feared the worst for Harper.

But, fortunately, Harper said in a video after the game he passed all tests and expects to recover in no time.

"Everything feels good," Bryce said, showing off nothing more than minor swelling on his nose. "Everything came back good -- CT [scan], all that kind of stuff."

"So, face is still there. So, we're all good. See you guys soon!"

As for Cabrera -- who also hit Didi Gregorious in the back in the at-bat following Harper's -- he felt so badly about the night, he apologized after the game.

"I really wish him the best," Cabrera said of Harper. "I hope he has a speedy recovery, in whatever it is that happened, and that he'll be able to return to baseball activities."

"The game got away from me at that point. I'm really sorry for everything that happened today. None of it was intentional. And again, I'm sorry for everything."

GOOD NEWS! Chris Weidman's "bone through the skin" injury is healing up nicely ... and he's got video of the injury site to prove it!

The UFC star finally removed the bandages from his right leg on Wednesday -- just days after that catastrophic injury at UFC 261 ... and you can clearly see the spot where the bone ripped through the back of his calf.

"I undressed my injury," Weidman said in a Wednesday update ... "The cut on the back of the calf is from when I stepped down in octagon, and bone went through calf muscle and skin."

Weidman was discharged from the hospital in Jacksonville earlier this week and is continuing his recovery at home in South Carolina, where remains in good spirits.

"I know there are many worried about me, including family friends and fans. I will be good. I love you all."

As we previously reported, 36-year-old Weidman suffered the injury while throwing a routine leg kick in the opening seconds of his Saturday night match against Uriah Hall.

Surgeons used a metal rod to stabilize the leg -- and Chris posted photos of the X-rays.

NBA player Sterling Brown was COMPLETELY covered in blood when cops found him after he was attacked at a Miami strip club ... new police video obtained by TMZ Sports shows.

In the footage from the scene, which was captured on an officer's body cam in the early morning hours of April 19, you can see Brown was constantly pressing his shirt hard against a gnarly wound on his head to try to stop the bleeding.

Video shows Brown -- who just minutes prior had been reportedly hit in the head with a liquor bottle -- was clearly annoyed with the situation ... consistently being short with cops and brushing off officers who tried to ask him questions about the incident.

Brown repeatedly asked first responders for an ambulance ... and when he got close to one of the officer's cameras, you can see blood was oozing so heavily from his head, it gushed all the way down to the bottom of his stomach.

Eventually, medical personnel arrived ... but things clearly didn't go smoothly as they tried to tend to the Houston Rockets guard.

Brown's teammate, Kevin Porter Jr., had made his way to the scene ... and for some reason, he became argumentative with cops in the area.

Police redacted the audio -- they said in a document it's currently being reviewed as part of an open internal investigation -- but it's obvious the two NBA players were very upset.

You can see in the clip, Porter Jr. was animated ... waving his arms and making gestures toward one of the officers.

Eventually, things calmed down enough for medical personnel to bandage up Brown ... and he was ultimately stitched up at a local hospital.

The NBA said Wednesday it's completed its investigation into the incident ... and hit Porter Jr. with a $50,000 fine for violating the league's Health and Safety Protocols, which prohibits players from attending "indoor social gatherings of 15 or more people or entering bars, lounges, clubs or similar establishments."

What's interesting -- despite visiting the club with KPJ, Brown is NOT expected to receive a fine, according to Marc Stein.

The report adds the league's investigation into the incident is officially closed unless further information surfaces that would require the probe to be re-opened.

Rich Eisen WANTS ALL THE SMOKE!!!!

The NFL Network star touched down in Cleveland on Tuesday night for the upcoming NFL Draft -- where he was immediately challenged to a footrace by an L.A. Rams fan.

Fortunately for Rich, he'd been training for his "Run Rich Run" event (which raises money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital) and was ready to go ... despite the fact he just got off a plane!!

Watch the video ... 51-year-old Rich had some JUICE off the line -- and then he kicked in the afterburners!

Okay, he's no Ja'Marr Chase ... but at least Rich got the "W" without pulling a hammy!

And, if you're a fan of watching Rich run, his "Run Rich Run" special -- featuring stars like Jerry Rice and Ray Lewis -- airs on NFL Network on May 1.

Bombshell revelation from Canelo Alvarez ... the boxing superstar says his brother was kidnapped in Mexico in 2018 -- and he was the one who was forced to negotiate with the scumbags for 3 DAYS to bring him home.

The 30-year-old broke it all down on "In Depth with Graham Bensinger" during an interview that will air in its entirety this weekend ... explaining just days before his '18 fight against Rocky Fielding, he got some terrifying news.

Canelo says shortly after he landed in New York for the fight, he was told one of his older brothers had been abducted.

And, in the days and hours leading up to the tilt with Fielding, Canelo says he had to make the deals to ensure his bro's safe return.

"Over the phone, I negotiated all the -- I negotiated everything for his release," Canelo told Bensinger in Spanish.

"For three days, I negotiated with those a**holes so they would let him go. Three days!"

Fortunately, Canelo says his brother was returned safely ... and Alvarez was still able to go out and dominate Fielding, scoring a 3rd round TKO.

Canelo did not reveal the terms of the deal they made with his brother's captures.

But, there's more ... Canelo believes crooked cops in Mexico may have played a role in the kidnapping -- and says the entire thing has him concerned about his and his family's safety in his home country.

In fact, Alvarez was very critical of Mexican leaders when talking with Bensinger ... saying the government and law enforcement are doing a "very bad" job.

He added, "This is why I'm not here in Mexico much anymore, because it's not safe."

Canelo says he wishes his home country would create more strict laws and punishments to help make the place safer for all.

Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka just launched her very own signature swimwear line ... and who better than Naomi Osaka to model the bikinis!!

The 23-year-old announced her collaboration with Frankies Bikinis on Wednesday ... adding to her long list of partnerships in the fashion industry.

The line is called the Frankies Bikinis x Naomi Osaka collection ... and features a number of one-piece and bikinis in fun colors ranging from $80 to $190.

FB founder Francesca Aiello spoke about the decision to work with the young star ... saying it was an easy choice.

"To state the obvious, Naomi is extremely creative and has an amazing sense of style that she has made her own," she told Nylon.

"Beyond her style, I also really respect her as a person. I admire the way she uses her platform to inspire, educate, and spread awareness about social happenings."

Aiello added ... "She represents a strong female who is living out her dream and inspiring others to follow theirs, and she is genuinely just an amazing person all around."

Aiello said Osaka was heavily involved in the design process ... and wanted to incorporate her own "sporty yet feminine style" on and off the court.

On top of the bikini line, Osaka has worked with big-name companies like Nike, ADEAM, Louis Vuitton and Levi's.

Naomi's friends have shown love following the big announcement ... including Venus Williams, who said, "Did it on em! ❤🔥"

Osaka's boyfriend, rapper Cordae, added "🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥"

THIS VIDEO IS AWESOME!!

UFC heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou has returned to his native Cameroon for the first time since winning the belt -- and EVERYONE came out to celebrate!!!

Check out Ngannou being paraded through the streets with a military escort while the locals cheer him on like the conquering hero he is.

Ngannou defeated Stipe Miocic at UFC 260 in March -- and after the fight, he talked about how proud he was to win for the people of Cameroon.

And when he returned home, the people flooded the streets to show love to the champ!

"This moment is something I have been waiting for," Ngannou posted on Twitter.

"It is hard to put this feeling into words. The belt is back home where it belongs."

The 34-year-old knockout artist was born and raised in the village of Batie -- where he worked in a sand quarry when he was 10-years-old.

He later got into combat sports -- realized he had legit talent -- and moved to France at the age of 26 to focus on training full time.

Ngannou began his pro MMA career in 2013 and clearly, it's working out well for him!

Francis is currently on a 5-fight win streak with victories over stars like Junior Dos Santos, Cain Velasquez, Curtis Blaydes and of course, Stipe.

Cleveland Cavaliers star Kevin Love just poured his heart out about his bizarre inbound play on Monday night ... admitting he knows he "f***ed up" and apologizing for his outburst.

32-year-old Love went viral for swatting away an inbound pass late in the 3rd quarter against the Toronto Raptors ... easily turning the ball over to the Raptors for a wide-open 3-pointer.

It appeared as if Love -- who's posting career-low numbers this season for the 21-40 Cavs -- had become fed up with the losing and just snapped.

But, the 2016 champ says that's simply not the case.

Love started off his media availability Wednesday morning with an emotional, 15-minute speech ... saying, "My intent wasn't to disrespect the game. My intent wasn't even for the damn ball to go inbounds. It was a moment that I got caught up in."

"I didn't even understand what really happened as the possession even played out. I think I was a little bit dumbfounded."

He added ... "I didn't realize how bad it looked, really, until after the game. I truly didn't ... After that, I just completely shut down. I never want that to be who I am. I don't want to have to be here and defend my character."

Love says he has apologized to his teammates for the outburst ... calling it a "moment of sheer frustration."

So, what caused the disastrous turnover?? Love says it stemmed from blown calls throughout the 112 to 96 loss.

"Not to say too much that could get me fined, but it was the officiating," Love told USA Today.

It's gotta be tough for Love -- he's averaging 11.7 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists in 18 games this season -- and the glory days of the LeBron James-era are long gone.

Love says the moment was blown way out of proportion by the media ... and he really only cares about the opinions of his teammates.

"I take this one on the chin, naturally. I'll do that as a man, I'll do that as a teammate and continue to get better. That's really all I can do."

As for his relationship status with Cleveland?? Love makes it clear he's still their guy.

Scary moment on the MLB diamond Tuesday night ... umpire Kerwin Danley was hit in the face by a foul ball -- and appeared to be knocked out cold behind home plate.

The tense moments all went down in the 6th inning of the Giants vs. Rockies game in San Francisco ... when Sam Hilliard foul-tipped a pitch right into Danley's facemask.

You can see in footage from the broadcast of the game, Danley immediately fell backward and laid motionless for several seconds.

Really scary moment.

Trainers rushed to tend to the 59-year-old ... and, fortunately, he was able to get up minutes later and leave the field under his own power.

The Giants said after the game that Danley was "doing well" ... though he was experiencing a "slight headache."

This is not the first time Danley -- who's had a history of concussions -- has had a scare behind home plate ... back in 2008, he was hit in the jaw by a fastball, and a year later, he was hit in the head by a broken bat.