TMZ Sports - Page 50

The fan who gave up Tom Brady's 600th TD ball might not have the $500K pigskin, but his Coinbase account is surging in value, 'cause Rob Gronkowski and Mojo Muhtadi are hooking up the dude with over $30K in tokens!!

Gronk and Mojo (along with Steve Aoki) partnered with a new crypto company called Beyond Protocol earlier this year, Muhtadi tells TMZ Sports. BP says they specialize in tech that allows internet-connected devices to communicate safely.

Anyways, back to the Bucs fan, Byron Kennedy.

As we previously reported, TB12 joined Eli and Peyton Manning on MNF and announced he was giving the fan 1 Bitcoin -- currently worth about $60K -- for giving up the extremely valuable ball.

Cool, but still not worth half a milli (at least not yet).

Enter Mojo and Gronk ... Muhtadi tells us he spoke to the company, and they've decided to hook the fan up with 690 coins (if you know Mojo, you get this) worth about $44 each.

Do the math ... that's nearly $31K in value.

And, in addition to the BTC, Brady and the Bucs are hooking the fan up with a bunch of cool memorabilia ... including signed jerseys, a helmet, cleats, AND 2 season tickets for the rest of this season and next season.

Mark Few refused officers' orders repeatedly and appeared very annoyed and frustrated with cops during his DUI arrest in September, new police video obtained by TMZ Sports shows.

The Gonzaga men's basketball head coach was pulled over in Idaho at around 8 PM on Sept. 6 ... after authorities said he was swerving in his car and driving erratically.

And, in footage of the stop, you can see Few wasn't happy about any of it.

Few -- who told cops he was on his way home to Spokane from his vacation house -- initially refused to get out of his car when cops ordered him to ... and he then continuously stuffed his hands in his pockets despite officers telling him to keep them away from his shorts.

Later during the stop, Few refused to do any field sobriety tests -- claiming they were "totally subjective," and adding that previous injuries wouldn't allow him to do the tests properly.

Throughout questioning, Few grabbed his phone multiple times and attempted to call his attorney -- only to have cops tell him to put the device away.

Few told officers he had been swerving because he was trying to control the dogs in his car -- and he said emphatically that he believed he was okay to drive.

Video shows, though, the 58-year-old did admit to drinking beer earlier in the day.

After refusing to do the field sobriety tests, cops placed him in cuffs and put him in the back of a squad car.

Few later agreed to blow into a breathalyzer ... and cops say he blew a .119 and a .120 -- well above the legal limit of .08.

Few was eventually taken to a nearby medical facility to have his blood drawn ... and afterward, he was issued a citation and was allowed to be picked up by a friend.

Few was ultimately charged over the incident ... and pled guilty to misdemeanor DUI earlier this month. He was ordered to, among other things, perform community service and was placed on unsupervised probation for one year.

Former Patriots star Patrick Chung -- who won 3 Super Bowls with Tom Brady -- has been arrested for alleged domestic violence and vandalism, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

According to court documents, Chung was arrested by the Milton Police Department in Massachusetts on Monday.

Details surrounding the alleged incident are unclear ... but docs show prosecutors hit Chung with two charges on Tuesday -- vandalizing property and assault and battery on a family/household member.

The 34-year-old former New England defensive back is due in court later Tuesday for an arraignment hearing.

This is not Chung's first brush with the law -- as we previously reported, he was arrested back in 2019 after cops say they found him in possession of cocaine.

Chung was hit with a criminal charge over the allegations ... but he ultimately cut a plea deal with prosecutors to avoid jail time.

No word yet on if his arrest Monday violated any conditions of the agreement.

Chung just retired in March after an 11-year career in the NFL.

"Platinum" Mike Perry is taking his talents to the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship -- the MMA fighter has inked a new deal after 5 years with the UFC ... and he's promising to wipe the floor with his competition.

30-year-old Perry -- who has wins over guys like Paul Felder, Mickey Gall and Alex Oliveira  -- did not have his contract with Dana White's org. renewed ... which made him free to follow Paige VanZant's lead to the BKFC.

Perry addressed the move on Tuesday, saying, "Let’s skip all the formalities! This sport is evolving and I am here to strike fear into the hearts of my competitors!"

"I plan to intimidate the world when I show what a truly skilled combat specialist is capable of with his bare hands."

The 14-8 fighter added ... "I will dismantle the opposition and reach the glory I have longed for my entire life. I will be crowned King of the streets and King of combat sports! They will make me a Platinum Crown and carry me on the bloody backs of my defeated rivals!"

"I am here to go straight to the top and make anyone think twice about entering my world! BKFC is my world!

Perry -- who last fought in April -- made headlines after a violent altercation in a Texas restaurant back in 2020 ... and sought treatment for alcohol abuse shortly after.

Before that, Perry was accused of getting physical with his ex-wife during a February incident ... but he adamantly denied ever touching her.

Things are getting tenser than a lethal game of Red Light, Green Light -- "Squid Game" creator Hwang Dong-hyuk heard LeBron James bashing the show's ending loud and clear ... and fired back by clowning his panned 'Space Jam' movie!!

James was heavily critical of the Netflix series' final scene ... discussing his dissatisfaction with Anthony Davis in front of reporters after a preseason game earlier this month (don't worry, we won't spoil it here ... but seriously, why haven't you watched yet?!?)

Hwang was asked about James' review in a recent interview with The Guardian ... and his response is clearly dissing the King's recent "Space Jam: A New Legacy" flick, which currently has a 26% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

"Have you seen Space Jam 2?" Hwang asked in response to James' comments.

"LeBron James is cool and can say what he wants. I respect that. I'm very thankful he watched the whole series."

So, will Hwang roll out an alternate ending to appease James' critique??? Don't hold your breath.

"But I wouldn't change my ending," he added. "That's my ending. If he has his own ending that would satisfy him, maybe he could make his own sequel. I'll check it out and maybe send him a message saying, 'I liked your whole show, except the ending.'"

Bobby Valentine's been known as the unofficial Mayor of Stamford, CT for years, but now the former NY Mets skipper is looking to make it official ... running for the top seat in his hometown.

“I have passion for this city. I have a skill set that meets the requirements of leadership, management, of team building,” Valentine said in a recent interview.

Stamford is one of the wealthiest cities in Connecticut ... and it's the place 71-year-old Bobby V was born and raised.

Bobby says people are tired of the partisan BS in politics ... so he's not running affiliated with Republicans or Democrats.

"My main takeaway of the last five-plus months of campaigning is that for the most part people are really tired of the partisan divide that the two-party system has created here in the city and in the nation," Valentine said.

He might not be affiliated with either party, but that doesn't mean Valentine doesn't have powerful friends who have endorsed him. In fact, former president (and MLB team owner) George W. Bush has thrown his support behind Bobby V.

We're told Valentine hasn't been sitting at home, hoping his celebrity will carry him to a win at the polls ... he's been rubbing shoulders with people around town, even recently going to a Little League baseball game to shake hands and campaign.

Valentine last managed in 2012 ... when he was fired by the Boston Red Sox.

While his time in Beantown was marred by failures on the field ... Bobby V was a heckuva, albeit controversial, manager.

He managed the Mets from 1996 to 2002 ... leading the Mets to the World Series in 2000. The NYM lost that series to the NY Yankees.

One of the most notorious Bobby V stories went down in 1999. After getting ejected, Valentine returned to the dug an inning later wearing a bad disguise -- glasses and a mustache made out of eye black.

Chargers star Joey Bosa is finally spending some of the cash he got after signing his mega, $135 million contract last year ... copping an insane waterfront mansion in Florida this month.

TMZ Sports has confirmed ... the L.A. superstar just bought the crib in Fort Lauderdale -- his childhood hometown -- and the pad is amazing.

Pictures of the place, which was listed by realtor Tim Elmes, show it's right on the water, with an open floor plan and a ton of windows to soak in the view.

The house also comes with a dock, a wet bar, a pool and a fire table ... and it even features an elevator inside!!

Unclear what the final cost of the place was -- but it was last listed at $6,995,000.

Of course, Bosa just inked a huge, new contract with the Chargers back in 2020 ... so making the payments ain't going to be too much of a problem.

Josh Allen's grandmother is being remembered in an incredible way ... a local Buffalo hospital has named an entire wing in her honor after Bills fans made more than $1 million in donations.

Remember, the John R. Oishei Children's Hospital was flooded with over 27,000 donations from fans after the Buffalo Bills QB's grandmother, Patricia Allen, passed away last November.

The contributions -- which totaled around $1.1 million -- were used to open up the Patricia Allen Pediatric Recovery Wing.

The 25-year-old Pro Bowler was in person for the awesome launch on Monday ... and took a tour of the 10th floor's brand new recovery center.

"It's such a surreal moment," Allen said, "I'm so grateful to have this honor, to have my grandmother immortalize like this."

The new wing also has a "Bills Fans Fun Zone" -- a playroom dedicated to the 27,000 fans who donated.

"I'm so indebted to this great community and the city of Buffalo," Allen added. "We can't thank you guys enough for allowing us to be a part of this."

Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins says a Dallas Stars fan crossed the line before Monday night's game ... claiming he was taunted over the death of his teammate Matiss Kivlenieks -- and now the team is investigating.

Merzlikins -- who was friends with Kivlenieks before his tragic passing in July -- says he was walking out of the tunnel before taking the ice in Columbus when a fan in a Stars sweater started heckling him.

The 27-year-old addressed the incident with reporters after the 4-1 win, saying he truly believes the nasty remark resulted in karma on the ice.

"I was expecting a shutout because I believe in karma," Merzlikins said. "There are some stupid people in this world. It was really bad what happened in the tunnel when I was walking out. There was a fan from Dallas who (provoked) me about Matiss."

"After the first period, the three posts that I got, I really believed in karma. I saw that he was really there."

Merzlikins says he did not respond to the fan or get upset over the comment ... adding, "stupid people don't really come in my head."

Iman Shumpert not only wowed the judges on "Dancing With The Stars" on Monday, he also impressed his good friend LeBron James ... who went crazy after his ex-teammate got a perfect score!!

Shump and partner Daniella Karagach had an incredible routine based on the Jordan Peele flick "Us" for the 'DWTS' horror-themed show ... dancing to the eerie "I Got 5 On It" remix.

Iman used his athleticism throughout the dance ... and even had DK standing on his shoulders -- mind you, he's 6'5"!!

The dynamic duo got 10s across the board -- and Derek Hough even wanted to give them an 11 score, saying, "That was something people are going to watch over and over and over."

King James made sure to check out Iman's performance ... and needless to say, the dude was ecstatic over the perfect score.

"Man my G Iman Shumpert in his f'n bag!!!!!!" James said on social media.

"LFG. Don't even try to front, just respect the conglomerate!"

Dwyane Wade also caught the act, saying, "Stop playing with this man Iman Shumpert."

It seems to come natural for Iman --  remember, his wife Teyana Taylor told us last month he'd always be at her rehearsals ... so he's clearly learned a thing or two along the way.

The guy who gave back Tom Brady's 600th TD pass ball might have cost himself a small fortune ... 'cause one memorabilia expert says the pigskin was worth at least $500K!!

Here's the deal ... after catching the record-setting touchdown pass from Brady in the 1st quarter of the Bucs' win over the Bears, Mike Evans ran over to a Tampa Bay fan and gave away the ball.

Evans didn't think much of it at the time -- he does the nice gesture after most of his TDs -- but when he got back to the sideline, he realized his blunder.

Cameras at Raymond James Stadium caught Mike full of regret over handing away the valuable item (no player in NFL history has ever thrown for 600 in their careers) ... and eventually, Bucs staffers got to work on getting it back.

Somehow, during the middle of the game, the team convinced the guy to return the ball ... a move auction expert Ken Goldin says could have cost him HALF A MILLION DOLLARS -- and maybe even more than that.

"Given how historic this ball is as the first 600th TD in NFL history," Goldin said, "I'd estimate this ball to be worth a minimum of $500,000 (and possibly much more)."

The fan said during an interview mid-game that he gave back the ball simply because he was told Brady really wanted it.

"The trainer came over and asked for it," the fan said. "What am I going to do? Say no to Tom Brady?"

The fan added that he was promised some swag and maybe a handshake from Brady in return for it all.

As for Brady's side of it all, he was pleased with the guy's good gesture -- telling reporters after the game, "He’s going to get something nice in return."

"We'll get him a helmet or a couple of jerseys or some other stuff. It was really cool of him to do that."

Peyton Manning found himself apologizing yet again on Monday night -- this time, it's all 'cause Marshawn Lynch hilariously dropped an f-bomb live on his show!!

Just a month after Manning was forced to say sorry for his little bro, Eli, flipping off cameras during the brothers' "Monday Night Football" Manningcast ... Peyton found himself in a similar situation with Lynch.

Late in the first quarter of the Seahawks' tilt with the Saints ... Lynch was watching a play when Seattle snapped the ball unexpectedly.

"Oh," Marshawn said. "What the f***?!"

The 35-year-old former running back knew right away he had messed up, covering his mouth and adding, "I mean!"

Lynch dropped a few other expletives during the show too ... and it all caused Peyton to issue a mea culpa later in the night.

"I want to thank Marshawn Lynch,'' he said. "Not as wild about the language. I want to apologize for some of the language. It's not what we're trying to do on this show.''

He then joked about Eli's September double-barrel salute, saying, "I had to remind Eli that this show is live. So Eli's learned his lesson. Marshawn, I probably should have talked to him."

Ja'Marr Chase's early NFL success is no fluke ... so says Michael Irvin, who tells TMZ Sports he believes the new Bengals star is a "more talented" wideout than The Playmaker ever was.

"Ja'Marr Chase is off the chain, man," Irvin said of the Cincinnati rookie.

Michael told us out in NYC on Monday that he's been particularly impressed by Chase's ability to respond from a terrible preseason, one in which he dropped so many passes that people wondered if he'd be a 2021 bust.

"To make the switch to playing like one of the best receivers in the NFL right now, it's incredible," Irvin said.

The Cowboys legend added that Chase, who put up 201 receiving yards and a touchdown on 8 catches in a win over the Ravens on Sunday, is "way more talented than I ever will be."

"Now," Irvin continued, "let's see if he can get more rings than I ever had."

As for Michael's former team ... we asked Irvin about what Dallas should do in the offseason if offensive coordinator, Kellen Moore, gets a head coaching offer from another team.

Sad news in the NFL ... replay official Carl Madsen died on Sunday shortly after working the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tennessee Titans game in Tennessee.

He was 71 years old.

The NFL announced the tragic passing on Monday -- with league reporter Tom Pelissero saying Madsen died "while en route home" from the Week 7 matchup at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.

No other information surrounding his death has been given.

Madsen -- a veteran of the U.S. Air Force -- was an on-field official for the NFL from 1997 to 2008 ... before he became a replay official for the league in '09.

"Carl Madsen was an NFL officiating fixture for more than two decades, first as a highly respected on-field official before transitioning to a replay role beginning in 2009," NFL senior VP of officiating training and development Walt Anderson said.

"A terrific friend and colleague, Carl's love of football and dedication to officiating was ever-present, as he generously shared his time to mentor young officials at clinics across the country. A veteran of the Air Force, Carl had a tremendous spirit and will be greatly missed."

#RIP

Floyd Mayweather REJECTED a male teenage fan's request for a selfie at the Clippers game over the weekend ... and it's all 'cause his nails were painted.

TMZ Sports has learned a young fan was hoping to get a snap with Floyd after the Clippers vs. Grizzlies game at Staples Center on Saturday ... so he hopped on the court to approach him, but was shut down immediately after Mayweather got a glimpse of his nails.

"You got painted nails, I don't take pictures with guys with no painted nails," Floyd is heard saying in the video as his bodyguard gets the fan to back up.

The fan was clearly upset by the interaction ... saying, "Floyd doesn't want to take a picture with me because my nails are painted. Bruh, really?!"

The fan sent us a pic of his nails ... showing the black paint job that had Floyd pissed off.

Witnesses tell us Floyd had zero issues taking pics with other people after the game ... posing and smiling on the court with another fan.

It seems Floyd is way behind on the times -- TONS of guys regardless of sexuality paint their nails ... just ask MGK, Lil Yachty, A$AP Rocky, Post Malone, Yungblud, Brad Pitt and Harry Styles.

It's not the first time Floyd fans have asked for pics and gotten shut down -- thankfully it didn't turn physical this time. As we previously reported, one of Floyd's guards allegedly beat the crap out of a fan at a Las Vegas mall in November 2019 after a request gone wrong.

It turns out Jedrick Wills can't compliment a guy without sparking a QB battle ... 'cause the Cleveland Browns left tackle is clearing the air after praising Case Keenum, saying he was NOT taking a shot at Baker Mayfield.

Wills was speaking with reporters on Monday following the Browns' 17-14 win over the Denver Broncos ... when he said he didn't feel like there was a drop-off with Keenum filling in for the injured Mayfield.

While Wills was very clearly trying to speak highly of the team taking care of business in Baker's absence, some fans tried to start drama by twisting it into a diss at Baker -- and he ain't having it.

"Bro y’all are weird 😂😂😂," Wills said Monday. "Case played a good game, not s***ing on Bake at all. Relax"

Of course, Baker's still dealing with a shoulder injury ... but Keenum stepped up for nearly 200 yards and 1 touchdown to get Cleveland back in the win column.