TMZ Sports - Page 50

Travis Kelce is weighing in on the NFL's greatest tight end debate ... telling TMZ Sports he's not worthy of the G.O.A.T. title.

Many have thrown Kelce's name into the debate lately -- including Giants star Darren Waller and Chiefs great Christian Okoye, who both told us #87 will go down as the best to ever play the position by the end of his career ... over legends like Tony Gonzalez, Rob Gronkowski and Antonio Gates.

So ... now that he's a two-time champion, what does Kelce think about being considered the tight end G.O.A.T.??

"Nah, there's a lot of great tight ends out there," Kelce said. "I can't just say I'm the best."

The Kansas City Chiefs superstar points out his set-up with Patrick Mahomes and a Super Bowl-winning team certainly helps his success ... adding, "I know I'm taking advantage of the situation, though."

Kelce already ranks among the top tight ends in receiving yards, catches and touchdowns through 10 seasons ... and shows no signs of slowing down. If he ends up #1 in all those categories by the time he retires, it'll be hard to argue he isn't the G.O.A.T., no matter what he thinks.

Speaking of being humble, we also talked to Kelce about the rave reviews he got after hosting "Saturday Night Live" last weekend ... and he downplays the high praise -- telling us he had a lot of fun, but isn't too sure about having enough talent to make it in acting.

Stanley Wilson Jr.'s family claims the ex-NFL player didn't simply collapse and die while in police custody last month ... they believe he was actually beaten by law enforcement officials before he passed away.

The attorney representing Wilson Jr.'s family, John Carpenter, said at a news conference on Tuesday photos of Wilson Jr.'s body show the Detroit Lions cornerback was a victim of excessive force before he died suddenly at a Los Angeles County mental hospital on Feb. 1.

Carpenter said pictures of abrasions on Wilson Jr.'s head appear to show he was kicked or stomped. Images of markings on his wrist, meanwhile, seem to reveal he was cuffed at the time of the attack, Carpenter said.

Wilson Jr.'s mom, Dr. D. Pulane Lucas, said county officials had told her the former football player had collapsed and fallen out of a chair while going through the intake process at Metropolitan State Hospital before he died. But, Carpenter said the photos show a "stark contrast to what we've been hearing."

Carpenter filed three claims against L.A. County on Tuesday morning over it all -- one on behalf of Wilson Jr.'s mother, one on behalf of his father, and one on behalf of his estate -- asking for damages in excess of $45 million.

"The County has grossly misrepresented the cause and circumstances of Stanley Wilson Jr.'s death," the attorney said in the court filings.

Carpenter added during the news conference that he has yet to receive Wilson Jr.'s autopsy results.

As we reported, Wilson Jr. had been in custody following his vandalism arrest back in August ... but after he was declared incompetent to stand trial -- he was transferred from county jail to the Metropolitan State Hospital, where officials say he died.

Law enforcement sources told us at the time foul play was not suspected.

MLB star Kiké Hernandez's ass is covered in case he accidentally poops his pants again ... 'cause he was gifted more than a thousand Dude Wipes to get him through the season!!

ICYMI, the 31-year-old recently revealed in a Q&A with Justin Turner he accidentally sharted on the field during the 2020 National League Division Series ... and blamed it on antibiotics he was taking for a tooth infection at the time, which caused him to have diarrhea.

Well, the folks at Dude Wipes got wind of Kiké's misfortune ... and decided to send him a ton of butt-friendly items -- just in case disaster strikes again.

We've learned the personal care brand hooked up the World Series champ with regular and to-go wipes and some toilet spray ... and Kike was stoked!

In fact, Hernandez was so thrilled that he took a photo with a bunch of the product ... smiling from ear to ear.

It was great timing on Dude Wipes' part  ... Red Sox Opening Day is in just two weeks!

Gisele Bündchen and her jiu-jitsu instructor are reunited in familiar territory -- her home in Costa Rica, and she's giving him a peek at what her ex, Tom Brady, might be missing.

Gisele showed off her perfectly toned abs Monday as she got in some exercise with Joaquim Valente ... venturing out on a walk with a couple of super cute pups. We know GB retired from modeling years ago, but those abs still scream supermodel.

Costa Rica's fast becoming a favorite destination for Gisele and Joaquim ... we saw them down there a couple months ago, when they were riding horses together through the jungle.

Of course, Gisele and Tom used to frequent CR when they were married ... for family trips and romantic getaways -- but now it seems Joaquim is enjoying Gisele's slice of paradise. We're referring to her property down there.

The trip to Costa Rica would seem to lend more credence to the thought Gisele and Joaquim are more than just friends or jiu-jitsu buddies ... but they're still not making anything official. Or unofficial, for that matter.

Gisele's camp's been claiming Joaquim tags along on family trips to train her and her kids ... but they do a lot of things without the kiddos that, at least, look couple-y.

Costa Rica seems to be Gisele and Joaquim's territory now. But, Tom's got his cats!!!

Nelson Thomas -- a star on MTV's "The Challenge" -- just revealed he is the man NFL player K.J. Osborn and three others helped pull from a fiery car crash earlier this month ... thanking the group for saving his life.

As we previously reported, the Minnesota Vikings receiver said he was in an Uber heading home after a workout in Austin, Texas on March 5 ... when he saw a car that had crashed and caught fire.

Osborn, his driver and two others rushed to assist ... and were able to pull the man away from the fiery scene.

As it turns out, it was Thomas who the group of heroes saved ... and he is giving each of them a shout-out.

"I want to thank [K.J.] for being on the scene and filming my rescue," Thomas said in a tweet ... adding he is "forever grateful" to the three others for getting him out of the car and "risking their own lives to save mine."

Thomas also shared pictures of his injuries from the hospital bed -- which appear to be cuts and burns on his ankle and arm -- and says he is feeling well and getting stronger, but has a ways to go before he gets back to 100%.

"Words can’t explain how grateful I am to be alive," Thomas said. "God is truly great and he has you in his hands no matter who you are."

Upstart Bronx MC Connie Diiamond is currently basking in the glow of a King's cosign ... after LeBron James publicly approved of her show-stealing "Move" freestyle!!!

LBJ has been nursing a right tendon injury in his foot for weeks now ... but the NBA scoring champ's ears are just fine, and Tuesday he posted a celebration of Connie's flow and tenacity on the mic.

The Def Jam signee celebrated LBJ's validation on her IG page ... letting fans know the song -- which she recorded months ago -- is now on digital service providers.

The track samples Ludacris' stadium classic "Move Bitch" -- which was also released on Def Jam back in 2001, so the synergy is real.

Darren Waller is no longer a Raider ... and there's one guy who's crushed over the superstar tight end getting traded to the Giants -- with his now-former teammate Josh Jacobs tweeting his frustration over the move.

"S***s sad fr," the All-Pro running back said just minutes after the trade news broke ... which makes it pretty clear he did not approve of the transaction.

Waller was shipped to the Big Apple for the 100th overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft ... which means the G-Men essentially turned Kadarius Toney -- who was traded to the Chiefs last season -- into a top tight end talent and a 6th-round pick.

Jacobs isn't the only one pissed -- Raiders offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor also went to social media to give his reaction, saying, "Bro Wtf."

Waller, meanwhile, appears to be on his honeymoon with his new wife, Kelsey Plum ... so it might be a bit before we get his reaction to the move.

LeBron James just gave L.A. fans a reason to be optimistic ... the Lakers superstar is back working out on an NBA court for the first time since suffering a right foot injury.

ESPN's Dave McMenamin posted a clip of James -- who was diagnosed with a "tendon injury" earlier this month -- shooting some free throws at the team's shootaround before the Lakers face the Pelicans Tuesday night in New Orleans.

James was ruled out of action for three weeks ... and many Lakers fans feared their season was in jeopardy after LBJ was spotted in a walking boot.

James ditched the boot during the Lakers' game against the Knicks on Sunday ... which was a welcoming sight for fans who are still clinging to hopes of making the playoffs.

After the game ... James and his wife, Savannah, hit up the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party -- and as usual, the star-studded couple was dressed to impress!

In between rehabbing and blazing red carpets, the 4-time MVP supported his oldest son, Bronny, as he wrapped up his high school basketball career with Sierra Canyon.

It's unclear when LeBron will officially return ... but James seemingly hinted that day could be soon with his recent Instagram post.

The Lakers are currently 9th in the Western Conference ... and it'll be a tight race for the postseason. Needless to say, the Purple & Gold are hoping the King is out there.

The video of Michael Irvin and his sexual misconduct accuser was finally released Tuesday ... and the footage shows the ex-NFL star had a fairly lengthy conversation with the woman -- touching her twice on the elbow -- before leaving.

Irvin's attorney, Levi McCathern, shared a copy of the Marriott vid at a news conference with reporters ... after obtaining the clip following a weekslong legal battle with the hotel chain over it.

In the video, which was captured at the Phoenix, Ariz. establishment on Feb. 5, you can see Irvin and the hotel employee initially began talking right at the entrance of the bar area, shaking hands -- before moving a few feet away into the lobby.

Irvin and the woman can be seen in the footage chatting for over a minute. Twice during their interaction, Irvin touches the woman's elbow. A short time later, the two shake hands, and then the woman walks away. The entire interaction seemed unremarkable.

Irvin can then be seen in the video appearing to slap himself on the cheek three times. He then walks over to take a selfie with a man that McCathern believes is an employee of the hotel. Following the picture, Irvin walks out of the camera's view.

In court documents filed last week, Marriott claims the woman said that during the conversation with Irvin, the former football player asked her "whether she knew anything about having a 'big Black man inside of [her].'"

After the video was shown, Irvin denied making any such comment -- saying, "I don't speak like that. I've never spoken like that. I totally deny saying that."

He added that their convo was simply about football and the TV shows that he's on.

"We used to say in football, 'The eye in the sky don't tell no lie,'" he said. "It's just the truth."

McCathern, meanwhile, said he believes the video shows Irvin's accuser was "happy as a lark" during their conversation. He speculated that another employee in the area may have been upset with her for communicating with Irvin while on the job.

"There's no doubt from watching this, this woman is not offended," McCathern said. "This is not a sexual assault. This isn't sexual harassment. This isn't sexual misconduct."

McCathern refiled his $100 million lawsuit against Marriott and others involved in the allegations against Irvin in Arizona on Tuesday morning ... after he said he wanted to make sure he was suing "the right people."

We're a month removed from Valentine's Day, but Ayesha Curry is still showin' plenty of love to Steph ... penning a mushy note to the NBA superstar for his birthday on Tuesday.

Ayesha wrote the sweet message on her social media page for her hubby's big 3-5 ... while sharing a bunch of photos of the Golden State Warriors point guard enjoying his life.

"Happy Birthday to my love!!!" Ayesha wrote on IG. "35 trips around the sun! Wow!"

"I love everything about you but your soul is unmatched. I know this will be the best year yet! Happy birthday @stephencurry30 🎂🎉🎊🥳😘😘😘"

The couple, of course, is no stranger to PDA -- they've been sharing lovey notes to each other on social media regularly ever since they officially tied the knot in 2011.

In fact, just a few days ago, Steph called her "amazing" in a post recognizing International Women's Day. And, back on V-Day in February, Ayesha called him "my forever valentine."

You can bet more adorable notes will be coming too ... the couple's anniversary is just a few months away in July.

While the NFL is in a free agency frenzy, Cincinnati Bengals stars Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are steering clear of the chaos ... by enjoying a yacht party with a group of women in Miami!!

Joe Burrow's favorite targets hopped aboard a fancy boat in Florida on Monday ... and they had plenty of tequila to go around for their day in the sun.

Higgins' Clemson teammate/Arizona Cardinals linebacker Isaiah Simmons and several female companions joined the Bengals stars for the trip ... and everything seemed pretty chill as they sat around and talked.

Of course, Chase is still in the middle of his rookie deal ... so he's not sweating all the deals being made left and right as the NFL's free agency period kicks off.

Higgins, on the other hand, is entering the final year of his current contract ... and the Bengals are hoping to lock him in long-term.

Safe to say he's not worried about his status ... sitting with a bottle of what appears to be Casamigos in front of him as he enjoys some R&R.

The teammates that party on yachts together ... win together??

If the MMA awards ever add a "best son" category, just give the damn trophy to Derek Brunson ... the UFC star just bought his mom a new car!

39-year-old Brunson, the 8th ranked UFC middleweight in the world, surprised his mom with a brand-spankin' new 2023 car ... and it's pretty awesome.

"Got Mom a 2023 Nissan Sentra one of my. Best purchase so far. We’re almost even from changing my stinky diapers 😂❤️" DB wrote on social media.

Of course, Brunson's been in Dana White's organization since 2012. In his first UFC fight, Derek beat Chris Leben by unanimous decision.

Brunson's long been one of the ten best 185 lb. fighters in the promotion ... and has wins over beasts like Darren Till, Kevin Holland, Edmen Shahbazyan, and Lyota Machida, amongst many others.

Derek lost his last scrap at UFC 285 against Dricus Du Plessis ... and there's talk it could've been his last time in the Octagon.

It's actually not the first time Derek's bought mom a new whip. Back in 2020, he talked about the sacrifices his mother made for him, and explained why he made the big purchase for her.

"In 2004 my mom went into her bank account she worked super hard for and purchased my first car. 2020 I went in my bank account I worked super hard for and purchased her a car. Life is such a cycle. Take care of those who take care of you! ❤️"

Anthony Edwards is proving once again why he's a fan favorite -- the Minnesota Timberwolves star made a 15-year-old cancer survivor's dream come true Monday night ... and gifted the youngster his shoes and signed his jersey!!

Edwards and the T-Wolves were in Atlanta playing the Hawks at State Farm Arena ... and after the game, Ant got some facetime with Preston, who's always wanted to meet the All-Star guard.

Take a look -- not only did Edwards grant Preston's wish, but he came bearing gifts ... giving him a pair of his Adidas BYW Select "ANT-MAN" kicks.

AE and Preston were all smiles as they posed for pictures ... and to cap things off, Ant autographed the #1 Edwards jersey Preston had been wearing.

The moment was special ... and Preston got to witness Edwards -- an Atlanta native -- go off in the game, scoring 32 points and grabbing eight rebounds as Minnesota defeated the Hawks, 136-115.

Michael Irvin is refiling his $100 million lawsuit against Marriott ... moving the matter to Arizona after receiving new details in the case, TMZ Sports has learned.

Our sources tell us ... after Marriott turned over the names of Irvin's accuser and others involved in the allegations against the former Dallas Cowboys star, Irvin's legal team filed a notice of dismissal for the case in Texas -- with the plan of refiling it in Arizona, the state where the alleged incident happened.

We're told Irvin's attorney, Levi McCathern, is set to have a news conference regarding the developments later Tuesday.

Irvin has been accused of sexually harassing a hotel worker on Feb. 5 while in Phoenix to help cover the Chiefs vs. Eagles Super Bowl.

According to court documents filed last week, a woman claims Irvin stopped her near the hotel's bar, told her she was attractive ... and then asked her "whether she knew anything about having a 'big Black man inside of [her].'" In the docs, the woman said when others intervened after they noticed her being uncomfortable with the 57-year-old, "Irvin then stated that he would come back to find her sometime that week when she was working."

According to the documents, the woman reported the interaction to her coworkers and management the next day. The NFL was soon made aware of the allegations, and Irvin was removed from his role as an analyst for the league's network a short time later.

For his part, Irvin has adamantly denied any wrongdoing in the case ... calling the whole situation "sickening."

"This takes me back to a time where a white woman would accuse a Black man of something and they would take a bunch of guys that were above the law, run in the barn, put a rope around his foot and drag him through the mud and hang him by the tree," he said.

McCathern, meanwhile, said footage released to him by Marriott showed the encounter between Irvin and his accuser was completely innocuous.

"She never acts upset," McCathern said of the woman's apparent demeanor on the video. "She doesn't act like there's any problems at all."

Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones ain't happening (at least no time soon), but there's another megafight seemingly on the horizon ... The Predator tells us he's currently discussing a two-fight deal with former heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder!

TMZ Sports talked to 36-year-old Ngannou -- a combat sports free agent after parting ways with the UFC in January -- and now the question is who does Francis fight, in what discipline, and where does it go down.

It's looking more and more like the answer to those questions are 37-year-old Wilder, boxing, and in Africa.

"We are looking into [Deontay Wilder] because he's available. He's ready for that. He's very excited about [a fight with me]. He wants it. So, we are looking into that. That's something I'm very excited about. We even discussed a potential one fight in Africa and one fight somewhere else. Why not even the two fights in Africa?", Francis told us.

Of course, Ngannou and Wilder are arguably the hardest/biggest punchers in all of combat sports.

12 of Francis' 17 wins came by knockout ... and his KO of Alistair Overeem may be the most brutal punch in recent UFC memory.

As for the Bronze Bomber, all but one of his 43 victories came by knockout.

Both guys clearly have the power to end the fight with a single shot ... but Francis tells us it's about more than simply throwing big power punches, and hoping one connects.

"I can knock everybody out. I have to be clear about something. To hit that person you have to get a clear shot which is more about technique and experience I don't have. So, I'm very aware of that aspect," Ngannou says.

"It's not like 'hit me, I hit you, and then we see who goes down.' It's a combat sport. Everybody trying not to get hit. I'm thinking more about the technique or the boxing side of it. The beauty of it. Then at the end, if you get an opportunity to connect then good. If not, I'm still expecting to win that fight in the decision so that's how I'm preparing myself."

There's much more ... we also talked to Francis about Jon Jones calling him a "big ole p***y," the possibility of signing to Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions, and Dana White telling us he believes Ngannou would've been easily handled just like Ciryl Gane was at UFC 285.

Ja Morant won't be back on the court anytime soon -- the Memphis Grizzlies superstar just entered a counseling program and won't rejoin the team until further notice.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon reported the news on Monday ... saying Morant is seeking help in Florida and there's no set date for his return to the Grizzlies.

You'll recall ... Morant was suspended after he brandished a gun during his Instagram Live video while at a strip club in Colorado last weekend.

Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins was asked Monday if Morant would be eligible to return for Friday's game against the Spurs ... and he said there are things that have to happen before Morant suits up for the Grizzlies again.

"There are a lot of internal dialogues going on and obviously there’s still things going on at the league level that we’re in communication with," Jenkins said. "Ja’s fully engaged in this process and ready for whatever comes next after these 2 games."

As Morant continues to work his way back, the 23-year-old did get some good news last week ... when the Glendale Police Department in Colorado announced that he won't face any charges over the gun incident.