TMZ Sports - Page 50

Bad news for Tom Brady haters ... the quarterback says if he wanted to, he could play in the NFL TEN more years!!!

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers star made the revelation before beating the Eagles on "Thursday Night Football" ... saying he could "literally" play until he's 55 years old.

"I really think I can play as long as I want," the 44-year-old said to Andrea Kremer and Hannah Storm. "I really do."

Brady has always maintained that his goal is to be under center until he's 45 years old ... but, lately, he's talked more and more about getting into his 50s.

The reason? TB12 says his body is just holding up that well.

"My physical body won't be the problem," Brady said.

Of course, NFL legend Joe Montana said the same thing earlier this month ... claiming because Brady is so physically fit and takes hits so infrequently, he could see him playing into his 60s.

As for if Brady will actually do it, he said probably not ... explaining, "I don't think I will, obviously."

"I think it'll just be, I'm just missing too much of life with my family."

ESPN analyst Jay Williams says people are wishing for his death after defending Kyrie Irving's COVID-19 vaccine stance ... going on an emotional rant slamming the hateful messages he's gotten this week.

Of course, J Will got in a heated debate with Stephen A. Smith on "First Take" this week ... saying while he doesn't personally agree with the decision, he believes Kyrie has every right to do what he wants with his body.

Williams says the hate has been flooding in following his appearance ... noting people have been spewing terrible things at him for not denouncing KI's position ... and mentioning his tragic motorcycle accident in 2003.

"Thank God I almost passed away when I was 21 years old," Jay said. "You know some of the crazy s*** that people say to me on the internet when they disagree with my opinion? Go hit a pole, go die again, aww Duke education."

"Thank God I went through that experience, 'cause I don't need other people to justify how I think about myself."

Williams then speaks on the Irving drama ... saying this is a real life situation -- not some over-the-top TV segment -- so people need to stop associating his character.

"Kyrie Irving doesn't owe you anything. He doesn't owe you a response on your timeline. He doesn't owe you answers that you feel like you need."

Diana Taurasi's wallet is now $2,500 lighter -- the Phoenix Mercury star was just fined for shoving a referee during Game 2 of the WNBA Finals on Wednesday.

The incident happened in the 2nd quarter ... when Taurasi's teammate, Sophie Cunningham, missed a layup and went for the loose ball.

Cunningham ended up on the ground trying to corral the basketball ... and that's when Chicago Sky's Kahleah Copper went to tie her up, piling on top of her on the floor.

The two got a little heated -- so referee Tiara Cruse ran in to hold Copper back.

That's when Taurasi jumped into the fracas ... and put her hands on the official TWICE to try to get to Cunningham, who was still on the ground.

The only foul called on the play was on Copper -- and the Mercury went on win in overtime, 91 to 86 ... tying the series at 1-1.

The shove by Taurasi caused a commotion on social media ... with many believing the three-time champ should have at least got a tech or a one-game suspension due to the league's rule book.

Max Scherzer won the NLDS for the Dodgers ... and then he lost his shirt partying -- and the whole scene was EPIC!!

The Dodgers' ace came into L.A.'s win-or-go-home game in the 9th inning against the Giants on Thursday night ... and closed the door on San Francisco, securing the 2-1 win to move his team on to the NLCS.

And, just a few minutes after the stellar performance, Scherzer ditched his shirt and partied hard on the field!!

With a beer in hand, sandals on his feet and goggles on his forehead, Mad Max fired up Dodgers fans who had stayed in the crowd -- yelling and pacing down the first base line.

Apparently the drinking and festivities only went on harder from there ... 'cause Scherzer told media members "we can party hard tonight" -- and video from the team's locker room showed they did just that.

The dudes poured champagne and beer all over each other, and we're sure they drank a lot of it too.

If you're wondering, Game 1 against the Braves ain't 'til Saturday ... so plenty of time to sleep off any hangover.

Becky Lynch has some heartfelt advice for Ronda Rousey -- IF the WWE Superstar wants to return to the wrestling ring after giving birth to a beautiful baby girl ... DON'T!!

Of course, The Man and Rowdy Ronda have major beef ... but they also have something in common -- they are new moms.

Lynch -- who relinquished her title when she went on maternity leave -- gave birth to a baby girl in December with hubby Seth Rollins. She recently returned to the ring ... and is already SmackDown champ.

TMZ Sports talked to Becky and we asked her if she had any advice for Rousey, who also gave birth to a baby girl with husband Travis Browne in late September ... and she did, sorta.

"Don't [come back], cause I'm still on top, Ronda, you won't like it. That's my advice."

We also asked Lynch -- who has a huge match scheduled against Sasha Banks Friday night on a special 2.5 hour SmackDown on FS1 -- about her return to the squared circle ... following the baby.

"It's been crazy, Mike. It went from zero to 100 real quick. Coming back, and coming back on top after not wrestling for a year and a half. It's been wild, but it's been amazing. And, my baby comes along everywhere with me."

Daniel Cormier is speaking out on his nemesis Jon Jones' recent arrest ... telling the UFC superstar to look deep within himself and straight-up "get your s*** right."

DC shared his thoughts on Jones' September domestic violence arrest in a YouTube video on Thursday ... saying this is an important moment for him to figure out how to move forward in a positive way.

"It makes me sad that his daughter said, 'Call the police,'" DC said. "That’s the thing that saddens you."

"All those little things you’ve got to think that it doesn’t matter who you are, what type of person you are, those things have to really make you look within yourself and make a decision."

"Because no one’s perfect, but at a point, you’ve got to make a decision for not only you – for your daughters, for your fiancée, for your family, for everything. I think right now is that time."

The message comes on the heels of Jones' longtime coach, Mike Winkeljohn, banning him from the Jackson Wink MMA gym ... a decision DC applauds.

"Coach Winkeljohn’s decision shows what type of man he is, willing to step away from the money in order to stand on the grounds of what he believes," Cormier says.

He added ... "You would think that for a young man like this, that would be a wake-up call. Those are your allies, your greatest allies. Even your greatest allies start to turn their back."

DC notes his heated rivalry with Jones ... but says this isn't about fighting, it's about caring for a human being.

"When a man's down, you don't kick him. You wait until he's back on his feet. Right now, he's the furthest thing from his feet. This is a bad place for Jon Jones, especially as the allies start to drop off."

As for Jones' recent tweets denying fault in the incident, DC says he needs to think twice before he hits the "send" button.

Agnes Tirop, an elite Kenyan long-distance runner who finished 4th at the Tokyo Olympics, was tragically found stabbed to death in her home, according to a Kenyan athletic commission.

She was only 25 years old.

According to reports, police are actively looking for Agnes' husband who hasn't been seen since her death.

The BBC is reporting Agnes' father called police Tuesday night, worried he could not reach his daughter.

Sadly, when police arrived at her home in Iten, Kenya, they found Tirop laying in bed, surrounded by a pool of blood, according to the UK outlet.

Police say the runner had what looked like a stab wound to her neck ... and that's what they believe caused her death. She also reportedly had a stab wound to her stomach.

Agnes' husband was not at the home when they arrived ... and has not been heard from since authorities arrived on the scene.

Tirop was one of the best long-distance runners in the world. In fact, just last month she set a women's world record at a 10-kilometer race in Germany. Agnes also took home bronze medals at the World Athletic Championships in 2017 and 2019.

"Athletics Kenya are distraught to learn about the untimely death of World 10,000m bronze medallist Agnes Tirop," the country's athletics body said in a statement.

Everyone from Adidas to Kenya's president weighed in on the tragic loss.

"It is unsettling, utterly unfortunate and very sad that we've lost a young and promising athlete who, at a young age of 25 years, had brought our country so much glory," Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya's president said in a statement.

"The Adidas family is deeply saddened by the tragic news about Agnes Jebet Tirop. Agnes was an incredible person, a record-breaking athlete and a beloved member of our family. She will be greatly missed by us all and her legacy will forever live on in our memory," the sportswear giant tweeted.

Rest in peace.

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has turned his pizza obsession into a money-making machine ... revealing his One Bite frozen pies are flying off the shelves -- with nearly a quarter-million sold in just weeks!!

Of course, Portnoy became an extreme pizza savant about 5 years ago ... after a debate with a coworker over what food they could eat every day for the rest of their lives.

To prove his side of the argument, Portnoy started consuming pizza daily ... which led to making popular videos ranking 'za joints all over the country.

"El Pres" joined Harvey and Charles on "TMZ Live" to discuss his decision to join the pizza industry himself ... saying Stoolies have been asking him to start his own brand for years.

"When you're doing it organically for 5 years, you start to build trust," Portnoy said Thursday. "I don't want to say it was a logical step, but a lot of people were like, 'Hey, you should do your own frozen pizza.'"

"So, it was a while in the works. We finally got it out, and I don't want to say anything surprises me, but I think last call about a week and a half ago we sold close to a quarter-million of these things throughout Walmart. They're flying."

"Conor McGregor, a guy who can't even beat guys in the UFC, went 10 rounds with Floyd Mayweather. You have to tell me Kamaru cannot go 12 rounds with Canelo and beat him?"

That's Ali Abdelaziz, Kamaru Usman's manager, telling TMZ Sports he wants to answer the question, who's really the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world, by boxing Canelo Alvarez, the best pugilist in the world.

And, he believes his guy can, and will, win.

The 34-year-old welterweight champ is rematching Colby Covington at UFC 268 in November, but after that fight, Ali has his sights set on 31-year-old Alvarez.

"Let's get the pound-for-pound king in boxing vs. the pound-for-pound king in MMA. We're not into this fake fight, gimme fight," Abdelaziz says.

"If you think you're the pound-for-pound king, Kamaru is the pound-for-pound king. Let's have 2 kings fight each other. No takedowns allowed."

FYI, Canelo-- the super middleweight champ -- hasn't lost in 8 years ... since his fight with Floyd Mayweather in 2013.

But, beating Alvarez isn't all Ali has planned ... he says he then wants his fighter to go to 185 lbs. (from 170 lbs.) and fight Israel Adesanya.

"After [Canelo,] I've always said it, I want Kamaru to go up a weight class and fight for Middleweight title. I believe that today Kamaru can go up and be 2 division champion."

It's a tricky fight to make ... Usman and Adesanya have been resistant to even talking about a fight against each other because of their shared connection to Africa. Both men were born in Nigeria.

Deontay Wilder is finally showing respect to Tyson Fury -- the Bronze Bomber is breaking his silence after the incredible heavyweight matchup on Saturday ... thanking and congratulating the Gypsy King on his win.

Of course, Wilder sang a different tune right after the fight ... telling Tyson, "I don't respect you," and refusing to shake hands moments after the KO.

Now, Wilder has had a few days to reflect ... speaking out on Instagram and taking a humble approach to the loss.

"I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t disappointed in the outcome but after reflecting on my journey, I now see that what God wanted me to experience is far greater than what I expected to happen," Wilder said Thursday.

"We didn’t get the win but a wise man once said the victories are within the lessons. I’ve learned that sometimes you have to lose to win."

Wilder added he hopes to be a role model for his fans ... proving no matter what happens, you can get back up and fight again.

Wilder then moved on to Fury, shouting him out for the 11th round TKO.

"Last but not least I would like to congratulate @gypsyking101 for his victory and thank you for the great historical memories that will last forever."

The late Sean Taylor and his family will be honored with a special tribute before the Washington Football Team's game this weekend ... with the organization retiring his number and renaming the road leading to FedEx Field after him.

Taylor -- the #5 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft -- was shot and killed during a home invasion in 2007. He was just 24 years old.

Taylor emerged as one of the greatest players in the game during his 4 years in the NFL ... and was posthumously named 2nd team All-Pro in 2007.

The jersey retirement is the highest form of recognition within the WFT -- only 2 other players (Sammy Baugh and Bobby Mitchell) have received the honor.

No Washington Football Team player has worn #21 since Sean Taylor's death ... and on Sunday, the organization will make the move official.

The players will wear helmet decals and coaches will don #21 lapel pins against the K.C. Chiefs as well.

Taylor's family will be in attendance for the tribute ... and will be on the field for a special pregame ceremony. The family will also be able to visit Taylor's locker, which has been preserved from his last game.

The team will also acknowledge the renaming of the road leading to FedEx Field ... which was announced last year.

Washington Football Team President Jason Wright spoke about the weekend's ceremony ... saying, "I came into the NFL the same year as Sean Taylor and immediately his athletic ability, resilience, grit, and relentless work ethic set him apart."

"I and many others looked to him as a role model."

"The fact that he was tragically taken so early hurt our player community, but also our fans, coaches and staff. We will continue to remember him and hold him up as an example of professionalism and excellence, and we will all strive to mirror his excellence in our own ways."

#RIP

Tristan Thompson and Khloe Kardashian aren't back together, but that hasn't stopped the NBA player from admiring his ex's bod ... 'cause he gushed over the latest pic of her physique Wednesday.

Khloe posted a sizzling photo of her on the cover of Health mag on her social media page ... and just minutes later, Thompson hopped in the comment section with a sweet compliment.

"Wow!!" Thompson wrote. "You are so motivational Koko! So proud of your hard work and dedication to your healthcare and fitness. Abs of steel!! BRB I need to do some sit ups."

Thompson added two heart emojis at the end of his sentence.

The two officially split back in June -- and while we're told they haven't rekindled a romantic relationship since, they have been spotted together an awful lot in the past few months.

You'll recall, the two were seen at LeBron James' wife's birthday party in late August ... and also photographed taking baby True out for activities several times in the weeks prior.

A UFC champ is no match for Halle Berry -- at least that's how it looks in the trailer for the actress' new UFC flick, where she goes head-to-head against Valentina Shevchenko ... and beats her face in!!

The Academy Award winner has been working on her Netflix project, "Bruised," for years -- teaming up with big fighters like Brian Ortega and training at Cris Cyborg's gym in Huntington Beach to prepare for the role.

Now, the first glimpse of the movie has been released -- and it's pretty badass.

FYI -- Berry plays a fighter aiming to make a comeback in the sport while battling her own demons ... all while raising her young son.

Shevchenko plays Berry's rival fighter in the movie ... and the trailer shows their characters facing off in the Octagon for a bout.

Berry looks like the real deal in the clip ... and remember, she claimed she broke several bones after taking shots from "Bullet" while filming the flick.

"She had to throw some real kicks and I had to really take them and that really broke some bones," Berry said on "The Tonight Show."

"She’s a beast but I couldn’t have asked for a better teacher, a better scene mate, a better fight partner."

JuJu Smith-Schuster says the news of his season-ending injury was a heartbreaker -- with the Steelers WR breaking down in tears while discussing it at his charity event.

JuJu got hurt during Sunday's game against the Broncos -- severely injuring his right shoulder ... which required season-ending surgery.

It didn't stop the 24-year-old from hosting his luau charity event for the JuJu Foundation on Monday ... and with his right arm in a sling, he opened up about when the doctors delivered the horrible news.

"Last night was the hardest night for me because football has done so much for me in my life more than you guys will ever know," Smith-Schuster said, fighting back tears.

"When I got the call from the doctors and you know shoulder injury I thought, you know, you put it back in and you be fine in two weeks."

"They said it was season-ending injury and I sat there and I cried. I cried all night. I cried because I love this game so much more than anyone you will know."

Things are looking up for JuJu, though -- the Pro Bowler had successful surgery on Wednesday ... posting a photo on IG in his hospital bed with a thumbs up.

"I’ll do everything in my power to recover," Smith-Schuster says, "and I’ll put in another full offseason of work next year to perform to the best of my abilities next season."

"Thank you to the doctors and hospital staff for taking care of me, and to the Steelers organization for supporting me during this tough time!"

The guy taking over for Jon Gruden was in his feels while speaking with reporters on Wednesday ... 'cause interim head coach Rich Bisaccia nearly broke down in tears over his new job with the Las Vegas Raiders.

61-year-old Bisaccia -- LV's special teams coach -- has been coaching since 1983 ... and is finally getting his first opportunity to lead the charge with the Raiders this weekend.

When asked about getting to this point in his career, Bisaccia -- who was part of Gruden's staff with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- got pretty emotional as he reflected on his parents, siblings, children and grandchildren who helped him along the way.

"To have an opportunity to be the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders ... wow, right?" he said. "I guess really that's the only thing I'm gonna get choked up about. Holy s***."

Bisaccia hilariously regretted the expletive slip -- saying, "Can't say that, can't say that."

Coach also addressed Gruden's exit ... saying, "No one person is bigger than the Raiders shield."

Ex-MLB catcher Ray Fosse -- famous for the wild play at home plate with Pete Rose in the 1970 All-Star Game -- died at 74 years old on Wednesday.

The Oakland A's announced the sad news ... saying they were "heartbroken" over the passing.

"Few people epitomize what it means to be an Athletic more than Ray," Oakland officials said in a statement. "He was the type of franchise icon who always made sure every player, coach, colleague, and fan knew that they were part of the Oakland A's family."

Fosse -- who worked as an analyst breaking down A's games following a 12-year MLB career -- said in August he had been fighting cancer for over a decade.

Sadly, after battling the disease for years, he passed away this week.

"We send our deepest condolences to Carol, Nikki and Lindsey, his family and friends during this difficult time," the A's added. "We'll miss you, Ray.”

Fosse was a two-time All-Star, a two-time World Series champ, and a two-time Gold Glover ... but he was perhaps best known for a collision with Rose in the 1970 Mid-Summer Classic.

In the game, Rose trucked through Fosse to score the winning run ... and it ultimately altered Fosse's career and life.

The catcher suffered major injuries during the play -- ones that affected the rest of his playing days -- though he still was able to play effectively for several more years.

Fosse ultimately finished his career with 61 home runs, a .256 batting average and 324 RBI.

"My deepest condolences to the Fosse family," said Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley, who not only played with Fosse but worked with him as an A's analyst as well.

"Ray was a dear friend. I cherished our long history and will miss him dearly. Oakland Coliseum will never be the same without Ray."