TMZ Sports - Page 50

It might be Monday morning, raining and nearly freezing in Kansas City ... but Chiefs fans are still pouring out in droves to support their team before their huge matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles.

According to reporters at Arrowhead Stadium, Patrick Mahomes fanatics showed up to the site of arguably the biggest game of the NFL's regular season some 12 hours before it began ... this despite it being a workday with some pretty crappy weather.

You can see in images taken by KCTV5's Nathan Brennan, a line of cars filled with Chiefs fans stretched all the way into the street outside the stadium -- even though it's about 40 degrees out.

Plenty more are expected to be on their way soon, too.

Of course, it's hard to blame them for the excitement ... after all, the "Monday Night Football" matchup features two of the best teams in the league -- and it's also a rematch of Super Bowl LVII.

The Chiefs are currently 2.5-point favorites ... though many believe the Eagles -- who are 8-1 this season -- are the better squad.

Travis Kelce's love for Taylor Swift is much deeper than her looks and musical talent ... the NFL superstar says he's fascinated by her brain and learning new things from her every day.

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end opened up on his relationship with the pop icon in an interview with the Wall Street Journal this week ... where he detailed how he's personally growing from their one-on-one time together.

"I've never been a man of words," Kelce said. "Being around her, seeing how smart Taylor is, has been f***ing mind-blowing. I'm learning every day."

Kelce also praised Swift's ability to turn her own experiences into words ... specifically pointing out his love for a line in her hit song, "Blank Space" -- when she sings, "I could make a bad guy good for the weekend."

Kelce -- who referred to Swift as "hilarious" and a "genius" -- added the two are on the same page with their views ... especially when it comes to family.

"Everybody knows I'm a family guy. Her team is her family. Her family does a lot of stuff in terms of the tour, the marketing, being around, so I think she has a lot of those values as well, which is right up my alley."

As for how they first linked up, the two-time Super Bowl champion said someone in Taylor's circle played Cupid after he publicly shot his shot on his podcast ... and eventually, Taylor reached out directly.

Another interesting point -- Travis claims his mother, Donna, is upset with herself to this day about how she downplayed meeting Taylor for the first time during her appearance on the "Today" show ... when she famously said it was just "okay."

Kelce says his mom was just trying to play it cool ... but he reassured her she handled the question perfectly.

AEW's Full Gear went down at The Forum in L.A. on Saturday, but the match was better suited for the Staples Center ... after "Hangman" Adam Page busted out a Swingline and drove a staple into Swerve Strickland's face, before drinking his blood!

It was as nasty as it sounds ... and the thousands in the building loved it!

If you're a wrestling fan, you know the history ... Page and Strickland HATE each other, and the Texas Deathmatch format (and lack of rules) was the perfect setting for the match.

Ultimately, Swerve pinned Hangman, defeating him ... after some help from Prince Nana and Brian Cage. But, it's what happened before the pin that has fans talking.

Hangman, holding a heavy-duty staple gun, stapled a drawing done by his son to Swerve's face, instantly drawing blood. Page then grabbed the drawing and ripped it, staple and all, out of Strickland's face.

As Swerve writhed in pain, Adam dove to the ground, grabbed Strickland's head, and actually began drinking his blood.

The entire match was brutal ... and Hangman wasn't alone in resorting to the use of weapons. In fact, Swerve used a barbed-wire-wrapped chair to hit Page. Hangman also slammed Strickland through a barbed wire-wrapped table.

The men did everything short of killing each other in the squared circle.

An L.A. Lakers fan not only lost out on $55,000 during a shooting contest at Sunday's game ... he also might have seriously injured his leg in the process.

The wild scene happened during a break in the action at Crytpo.com Arena ... when Lakers officials set up a game where a fan named Anthony could've scored a ton of cash if he hit a half-court shot.

Anthony initially seemed super confident he'd get the job done ... telling an in-arena host, "This is what I do."

A short time later, however, everyone in the building quickly learned this is not what Anthony does.

Check out footage from the contest ... as Anthony released the ball, he somehow hurt his left leg -- and he was hurting so much, he ultimately crumpled to the floor.

While the in-arena host attempted to get him to come back to make another attempt at earning money ... Anthony was in simply too much pain to continue.

"Let's put our hands together for the attempt," the host said as officials walked Anthony off the court.

Browns cornerback Mike Ford ditched the Dude Wipes for something much different after Cleveland's big win over Pittsburgh on Sunday ... taking a Steelers fan's Terrible Towel and rubbing it all over his rump!!

Vibes were high as the Orange and Brown improved to 7-3 on the season after holding off their division rival in the 13-10 victory ... and to add insult to injury, Ford decided to have a one-on-one interaction with a Steelers backer who was standing in the front of the stands.

In a clip of the exchange, Ford ran right up to the guy in a Hines Ward jersey and threw the Terrible Towel on the ground ... before handing him a Browns rag.

But what had Steelers fans most irked is when he took the yellow cloth and pretended to wipe his ass with it as he ran toward the locker room.

The taunting might worry Browns fans ... as some believe in the Curse of the Terrible Towel, which leads to a bunch of losing for anyone who disrespects the team's signature cloth.

It was an emotional day for the Dawg Pound for several reasons ... but the most touching moment came when Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski gave a game ball to longtime Cleveland play-by-play announcer Jim Donovan, who returned to the booth for the first time since receiving leukemia treatment earlier this season.

Bronny James got to warm up with his USC teammates for the first time this season before their game on Sunday night ... and LeBron James said afterward his son is "almost" ready for a full return to the court.

The younger James got in some jump shots and dribbling work as fans filled the Galen Center just prior to the Trojans' tilt with Brown ... his first legitimate pregame action with his team since he suffered cardiac arrest during a workout in July.

The 19-year-old looked great ... showing no signs of issues -- this despite needing surgery to fix a congenital heart defect just a few months ago.

Following the USC game, Bronny headed over to Crypto.com Arena to watch LeBron play against the Rockets ... and after Dad took care of business vs. Houston -- he gushed about all the progress Bronny has made since his medical emergency.

"Today's game was the first game he got an opportunity to warm up with his team," LeBron said with a smile. "He's almost there."

LeBron added that seeing Bronny courtside gave him a little extra juice in the Lakers' 105-104 win over the Rockets.

Trojans head coach Andy Enfield, meanwhile, said Sunday night it was "great" seeing Bronny warm up ... though there's still no set timetable for a return to action.

Kim Zolciak has been sued yet again for not paying her bills ... this time by Bank of America, which claims she's delinquent on more than $50,000.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Kim had a $50,000 line of credit over at B of A, and then racked up a bill that reached the limit. B of A claims it sent periodic notices, demanding payment, but got zippo.

With interest and penalties, the balance is now $56,224.07 and growing. So B of A is now the latest in a long line of creditors who have resorted to the legal system to get Kim and Kroy to fork over cash.

BMW just won a case against Kroy over non-payment of a Rolls-Royce. A judge ordered this month that he return the $400,100 SUV to the car company.

Kim and Kroy have also been ordered to pay Simmons Bank approximately $230,000 for defaulting on a home equity line of credit.

Kim was sued back in August by SAKS/CAPITAL ONE for $156,080 ... again, failing to pay her credit card bill.

And Kim was also sued by Target for $2,400 for failing to make good on her credit card bill.

Kroy was sued by Sky Warrior over a gambling debt -- $52,500 -- over a bad run at a casino in the Bahamas.

They've also teetered on the edge of foreclosure.

It appeared Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann's marriage still had some signs of life ... but there's new evidence things still might be trending in the wrong direction.

Kim and Kroy were spotted out in Georgia separately over the weekend -- Kim hit a convenience store while Kroy was out with one of their kids to grab some grub. However, neither Kim nor Kroy were wearing their wedding rings.

It's kind of surprising given the recent state of things between Kim and Kroy -- including the fact they celebrated their wedding anniversary together just a week ago. Kim also recently added Biermann back to her name on Instagram.

Of course, at times, things between the two have gotten super nasty in their divorce -- he's accused her of a serious gambling issue and both have filed for sole custody of their 4 young kids -- not to mention the more than $1 million they owe to the IRS.

TMZ broke the story, Kim and Kroy recently put their GA mansion on the market for $6 million ... and have apparently kept it out of foreclosure auction.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are looking to get into the Christmas spirit as a couple ... we're told they're moving forward with plans to be together for the holidays.

Sources close to the couple tell TMZ ... Taylor and Travis are trying to work out their schedules to make sure they set aside as much time together as possible.

We're told Thanksgiving with the 2 families could go down in Kansas City ... Travis and his fam will already be in town Monday for his game against the Eagles. Here's the thing everyone knows ... Thanksgiving with 2 fams is a BIG step.

As we reported, Travis picked up a sweet $6 million K.C. home ... which is a lot more secluded than his old place ... so he could easily host everyone with room to spare.

It's unclear where they'll spend Christmas, but they've already told folks close to them they've been chatting about it. Our sources say the couple REALLY wants to be together this holiday season.

It's not going to be easy for T&T to continue what we're told is a serious relationship ... she's going to be all over the world next year and, of course, he's got his own obligations. But, our sources say as of now, they're both committing to making it work.

Clipper Darrell says the punch that sent him crashing to the ground following a game in L.A. last year is still causing him issues ... and they're so bad, he tells TMZ Sports they're currently preventing him from going to see his beloved team in person this year.

The Clippers superfan -- real name Darrell Bailey -- suffered the initial injury back on Dec. 12, 2022 ... after a security guard tagged him on the chin following a dispute in the bowels of Crypto.com Arena.

Darrell says despite having 11 months to recover ... he's still not doing so hot, telling us, "I'm still in therapy."

CD says frequent headaches and dizziness are commonplace for him still ... adding that he'll never "tease another player in life" over concussions due to the horrible experience he's having with the one he sustained.

"The headaches and the dizziness is still there," he said.

Nick Hogan's fresh DUI arrest is opening some old wounds for the family of the man who was severely injured in the guy's 2007 crash -- and they think Nick hasn't learned his lesson.

TMZ talked to John Graziano's mother, Debra ... who says she isn't surprised over Nick's latest bust -- telling us he appears to have been as careless now as he was almost 20 years ago when he got into another car wreck as a teen -- which changed her son's life forever.

While it remains to be seen if Nick will be formally charged in this new case ... Debra says she believes his past incident with John -- who suffered severe brain damage in '07, riding passenger alongside Nick at the time -- should be factored into whatever happens here.

To Debra, the fact Nick got popped again all these years later shows a "total lack of respect for what (he) did to another person’s life and you’re still driving reckless."

She adds, "I can only pray that at some point in his life, while he still has the chance, that he turns his life around. Until then I hope no one else gets hurt." Debra goes on to say that the '07 accident and the saga that followed continues to take its toll on her/her loved ones.

Debra says, "I grieve the virtual loss of my son on a daily basis. I thank God daily that at least I have John here with us at home." She says while John has lost most of his ability to function normally, she's grateful he's alive and surrounded by people who care about him.

Serena Williams and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, are getting into the holiday spirit with a little local theater -- showing face in a ballet play ... one that their daughter is in too.

TMZ has obtained photos of the couple onstage Sunday during a production of "The Nutcracker" -- which was being put on by a ballet school near Palm Beach Gardens, FL ... where this play was going down at a local venue, with the little ones taking the lead.

Eyewitnesses tell us some adults made appearances as well ... including Serena and Alexis, whom we're told played guests at a party during one scene. They were definitely in character.

You can see Mama and Papa Bear dressed in full costumes as they acted out their parts -- this while the other kid actors/performers stood around and welcomed them onstage. It looks like a fancy pretend get-together, 'cause SW did a sweet little curtsy next to her hubby.

This Sunday matinee wasn't the only performance they did BTW -- we're told they did their thing for Saturday's show as well. Super cute obviously, and it just goes to show ... Serena and Alexis are very involved in their children's lives.

As you know ... Serena and Alexis got hitched in 2017 a couple months after they had their first daughter -- who's about 6 years old or so right now, and who was in this play.

Turns out Rihanna, A$AP Rocky and a ton of other celebs love cars that go real fast ... especially if they're speeding down the famed Strip for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The much anticipated glitzy event -- which got off to a very rocky start -- turned into a massive success ... based on the actual racing action, and the A-list talent who showed up for Saturday night's race.

RiRi and her man sat in with Team Ferrari, putting on headphones to hear the drivers during the race ... while the likes of David Beckham, Heidi Klum, Shaquille O'Neal, Paris Hilton, Cara Delevingne, Axl Rose and Patrick Dempsey roamed the track right before the race.

Arguably, Justin Bieber nabbed the best seat in the house for the race ... as he got to wave the checkered flag as Team Red Bull's Max Verstappen crossed the finish line for his 18th victory of the season.

Ferrari's Charles LeClerc, who started in pole position, finished 2nd and Red Bull's Sergio Perez was third.

The race was Formula 1's first in Las Vegas since 1982's Caesars Palace Grand Prix, and it was easily the most talked about race on the schedule this year.

But, it almost turned into a major flop -- locals were pissed about the monthslong construction and traffic delays, spectators railed about sky-high ticket and hotel prices ... and then, during the first practice session, a drain hole cover flew up and damaged a car driven by Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz.

However, in the end, the race itself turned out to be pretty exciting ... making sure normie spectators, and celebs alike, got their money's worth.

Ashlyn Harris has a lot to say to internet trolls about what was happening behind the scenes when she and Ali Krieger broke up, and she started dating Sophia Bush -- and she says there was absolutely no cheating.

The former soccer star says she's tried to remain silent about the details, but Saturday -- due to the rumors of infidelity, she decided to share it all. She says, "Let me be clear: I did not step out on my marriage. I was always faithful in my marriage, if not always totally happy. Like in many partnerships, there was work and therapy and processing done."

In her Instagram post, Ashlyn added the split was well planned out -- "We spent the entire summer working to tackle the separation and divorce steps outlined for us by our therapists, lawyers, and our shared agency."

Ashlyn says they were betrayed by someone who leaked their breakup news before they intended to go public at the end of Ali's soccer season.

As we previously reported, Ashlyn started dating Sophia less than a month after filing for divorce from Ali in September. Krieger and Harris married in late 2019 in Miami.

Ali seemed to fuel the rumor about infidelity being the reason for their split when she wrote on Instagram, "Preparing for playoffs while in my Beyoncé Lemonade era" -- and, of course, the "Lemonade" album chronicles Bey and Jay-Z's relationship issues after she discovered he cheated on her.

While video showed Ashlyn and Sophia seemingly getting flirty during a June event in Cannes -- Ashlyn's new revelation makes it seem like she and Ali were done at that point ... just not publicly.

She says she and Ali are now focused on co-parenting their 2 young children.

WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick is raising hell, calling out prosecutors involved in Kevin Porter Jr.'s assault case ... saying the District Attorney continues to push a "false narrative" despite the fact she's repeatedly denied her ex-boyfriend attacked her.

TMZ Sports spoke with Gondrezick this week ... and she claims the Manhattan D.A.'s office's handling of the September incident has "compounded my trauma even more than the actual experience."

The 26-year-old tells us she gave officials a statement one week after Porter was arrested and explained the original criminal complaint was nowhere near what happened. Now, she wants the D.A. to publicly acknowledge her side of the story ... that she fell and hit her head after KPJ abruptly woke her up after a night out. She's adamant he never struck her.

As we previously reported, KPJ was accused of hitting Gondrezick multiple times and putting his hands around her neck -- resulting in a fractured neck vertebra and a laceration above her eye.

It was later revealed the neck ailment was NOT Porter's doing, as it was a pre-existing injury.

As for the laceration, Gondrezick says it was the result of the fall, and a makeup smear on the hotel room wall backs up her story.

KPJ was arrested for assault and strangulation ... but one charge was dropped due to "insufficient evidence."

Gondrezick says she is opening up to protect herself -- not KPJ -- as she does not want authorities to silence her. She's also calling on officials responsible for pushing the current narrative to be held accountable.

Gondrezick's attorney, Bobby Altchiler, also weighed in ... and he claims his client has been receiving death threats due to the mishandling of the case -- calling it unethical and immoral to not correct the information that is already out.

Bottom line -- Altchiler reiterated exactly what Gondrezick wants.

"Just be honest, for God's sake."

KPJ is due in court later this month.

Cleveland Browns legend Josh Cribbs is a bit uneasy with his former team's current quarterback situation after Deshaun Watson went down for the season ... telling TMZ Sports he doesn't have confidence in backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson until he proves he can handle the gig.

Of course, the 6-3 Browns are without their $230 million man for the rest of the 2023-24 campaign due to a shoulder injury ... which means they'll try to keep their hopes alive with DTR under center.

The former UCLA signal-caller saw the field in Week 4 against the Ravens ... and it wasn't great -- he threw for only 121 yards, tossed three interceptions and was sacked four times.

With that being said, Cribbs is somewhat cautious going into Sunday's game against the Steelers ... saying he may not be too high on DTR yet, but he has faith in the team as a whole.

"I rely on action, on stats -- as of now I don't have confidence into DTR until he goes out there and proves it," Cribbs says. "He has a great opportunity to redeem himself in the eyes of his fanbase and the eyes of his teammates."

"His teammates are charged to believe in him wholeheartedly and go out there and win, but the fans are not," he adds. "So, I have faith in the Browns team that they can get the job done."

"So, if we can put it all off of DTR's hands, to say I don't just believe in DTR. I believe in the team because it's gonna take more than DTR. Even if he just simply hands the ball off every single play, it's gonna be up to the team to dictate how this game goes, as well as Coach Kevin Stefanski."

Cribbs commends the Browns and Stefanski for coming up with new ways to get the job done despite dealing with numerous injuries this season -- including Nick Chubb and Jack Conklin to name a few -- and he's not ready to draw the curtains on their Super Bowl chances ... even making a Jurassic Park reference to get his point across.

As for the players, Cribbs tells us he's got a good pulse on how the vibes are in the locker room ... saying he spoke with cornerback Greg Newsome II recently, and he explained how the guys are able to stay level-headed no matter what happens on the field.

There's more -- Cribbs also spoke highly of Watson ... praising the former Pro Bowler for putting his "heart and soul" into the team before the injury.