TMZ Sports - Page 50

There appears to be a new woman in Josh Allen's life ... the NFL star grabbed dinner with Hailee Steinfeld over the weekend -- and they sure looked like a couple at the restaurant.

The Buffalo Bills quarterback and the actress hit Sushi By Bou in New York City ... and in a photo they posed for at the dinner table, you can see they were awfully cuddly.

In the pic, Allen's arm is draped over Steinfeld's shoulder ... and his hand is firmly entangled in the "Starving" singer's too.

Neither has confirmed a romantic relationship publicly -- but it's not the first time the two have been seen out together ... just last week, they were spotted walking on NYC streets as well.

27-year-old Allen had been in a long-term relationship with Brittany Williams ... though the two appeared to split right around the time the Bills' season came to an end in the winter.

As for Steinfeld, the 26-year-old previously dated Niall Horan ... but they split in 2018.

Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks made his return to an MLB mound on Monday night -- nearly five months after he was diagnosed with cancer -- and the scene was emotional.

The 34-year-old came into Chicago's game against the Angels in the top of the eighth inning ... and for a full minute, fans at Guaranteed Rate Field gave him a standing ovation. In fact, a stadium-wide "LI-AM" chant broke out, too.

Hendriks soaked it all in as Angels catcher Matt Thaiss purposely took his time getting into the batter's box ... and then he fired a perfect strike once play resumed.

While the pitcher didn't go on to have his best outing -- he gave up three hits, a walk, and two earned runs -- he said afterward he was super grateful to be back.

"It was definitely emotional," Hendriks told reporters. "It was humbling going out there and walking out there and seeing the amount of people wearing my shirts and the amount of people having signs or flags or anything like that."

"It was a very humbling and sobering moment for me," he added.

Hendriks was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in January ... and spent the ensuing months undergoing treatment. In April, docs declared him cancer-free -- and for the past few weeks, he's pitched in the minor leagues to gear up for his White Sox return.

While Day One back on the bump resulted in a loss, Hendriks told media members he'd be available once again on Tuesday if Chicago needed him to throw again.

Megan Thee Stallion just might have a new bae -- she's sparking dating rumors with Inter Milan star, Romelu Lukaku, as they were spotted getting nice and cozy at a wedding together!!!

The pair sat next to one another during Romelu's teammate Lautaro Martinez and model Agustina Gandolfo's lavish ceremony ... and there are plenty of signs the pairing wasn't a seating arrangement coincidence.

Both stars are signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation management imprint ... and Megan was recently spotted at an Inter match several weeks ago.

They also spent some QT together outside of the wedding party. Italy has no shortage of sightseeing, that's for sure!!!

Megan was attached to rapper/songwriter Pardison Fontaine for more than 2 years before the fallout from the Tory Lanez trial seemingly led to their split -- they unfollowed each other on social media in February.

Romelu reportedly broke up with his longtime girlfriend of 5 years, and it was also revealed he quietly fathered his 2nd child -- a one-year-old son named Jordan.

Jimmy Butler had one more opponent to go up against after beating the Boston Celtics on Monday -- the Miami Heat star came face-to-face with a bumblebee during his postgame press conference ... and his reaction is hilarious!!

It all went down shortly after the Heat finished off the Cs in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals to avoid becoming the first team in NBA history to blow a 3-0 lead ... but before he could put his focus on Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, Jimmy had a much bigger problem on his hands.

As the series MVP was answering a question about his upcoming matchup in the NBA Finals, he abruptly paused his response to address an intruder.

"Oh my God, y'all saw that?!" a shocked Butler asked as he put his hands up in defense. "Goddamn bumblebee."

To Butler's credit, he quickly regained his composure to finish his answer ... but understandably, that was the end of his media availability.

It wasn't the only viral moment of Butler's night -- he was also spotted rejecting the Eastern Conference Finals Championship trophy from his teammate, Bam Adebayo ... appearing to say "I'll hold the next one" during the postgame ceremony.

Now under center for the Las Vegas Raiders ... Tom Brady?!?

Troy Aikman tells TMZ Sports he could imagine a scenario in 2023 where that situation is a very real thing ... saying he wouldn't put it past Brady to suit up for the team he's about to be a part owner of.

"I don't want speak for Tom," the Dallas Cowboys legend told Babcock, but "I wouldn't rule anything out."

Aikman's reasoning is simple ... he says because of the way Brady keeps himself in shape -- and his great relationship with head coach Josh McDaniels -- he could see it all happening.

Plus, Brady owning a piece of the team wouldn't hurt the chances, either.

"I would bet that just nothing is off the table," Aikman said, "as far as what may occur during the season or what Tom's role may be."

Of course, the Raiders already have Jimmy Garoppolo signed to a big contract ... and Aikman said he strongly believes Brady is "done playing."

"But," the Hall of Famer added, "you just never know."

Aikman also spoke with us about Aaron Rodgers' move to New York ... and he said he thinks the change of scenery from Green Bay could really impact the quarterback positively.

He also said he's stoked to be able to broadcast Rodgers' first-ever game as a Jet when NY takes on Buffalo during the NFL's season-opening "Monday Night Football" matchup in September.

Hulk Hogan heaped a ton of praise on Roman Reigns ... saying the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, whose title reign rivals some of WWE's all-time greats, has not only revitalized professional wrestling but has reminded him of his glory days.

"He's kept the art form alive," Hogan told Babcock on the TMZ Sports TV show (airs weekdays on FS1). "He has stepped up and got away from this choreographed looking, jumping, two guys doing the same thing and diving through the hoops."

Hogan credits Roman, who became the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion after defeating Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 38 last year, for taking the profession "back to where it should be."

"Big man. Big moves. Main event moves," Hogan added.

Hogan -- who once held the WWE Championship for 1,474 days -- also shared a story of how he held Roman at one of his family's events when he was a toddler ... and praised Reigns for embodying the wrestling style that propelled him to superstardom in the 1980s and 90s.

Reigns, AKA "The Tribal Chief," has gone toe-to-toe with the best superstars on WWE's roster, including Lesnar, John Cena, Drew McIntyre, Braun Stroman, and Cody Rhodes, en route to becoming one of the longest-reigning champions in WWE history.

Tevin Coleman will have his twins with him wherever he goes now ... the NFL running back just got an amazing, double-sided diamond pendant featuring his two beautiful kids!!

TMZ Sports is told the 30-year-old went to the famous Icebox jewelry spot in Atlanta to get some custom work done ... and his 6-year-old children, Nazaneen and Nezerah, are the clear inspiration behind the piece.

One side of the pendant reads "1125" to represent the birthdate of his twins ... and the reverse shows a portrait of them smiling.

The multiple layers of the pendant are filled with 14k yellow gold and white gold ... and feature more than 12 carats of VS diamonds.

On top of that, the piece has a 9mm, 22-inch Miami Cuban chain that weighs 122 grams!!

We're told this pendant is also a tribute to his daughter's sickle cell anemia, which Tevin was also diagnosed with during his college years in Indiana.

Coleman and his wife, Akilah, have been very open about the battle ... in hopes of bringing awareness to the disease.

In fact, Coleman -- who played on the 49ers in 2022 -- also used #MyCauseMyCleats week to pay homage to Nazaneen and the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America group.

Coleman was a third-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft and has played for the Falcons, Jets, and 49ers.

Ryan McKenna, the Super Bowl selfie kid who snapped a viral photo years ago with Justin Timberlake, has pleaded no contest for allegedly going on a drunken rampage at a restaurant earlier this year ... and he's now on probation as he navigates adulthood.

The 19-year-old pled no contest on two charges -- resisting an officer without violence, and battery. The judge ordered the former selfie star to spend the next 12 months on probation.

Ryan's forbidden from consuming or even possessing alcohol -- he's not even allowed to enter places that primarily sell booze.

He's also been ordered to undergo substance abuse evaluation and submit to random breathalyzer and urine checks. He must also cough up $824 in court costs and fines.

We obtained body cam footage from February's incident ... which shows Ryan acting erratically before getting cuffed and taken to jail.

TMZ broke the story, cops got called to a Naples, Florida CPK on the eve of the Super Bowl after they were told Ryan was drunk and had hit his friend.

Another angle shows authorities slamming him to the ground before finally putting him in cuffs. Cops say he put his hands on an officer who was trying to calm him down.

Jewel sang the National Anthem at the Indy 500 this weekend, but there's no consensus for it online ... folks either thought it was the greatest thing ever or straight dog poo.

The singer was tapped as the talent to lead everyone while crooning the "Star Spangled Banner," which she did to kick off the festivities in Indianapolis ... except, she had a very unique take on the classic tune -- and it doesn't sound like everyone enjoyed it.

Check it out for yourself ... Jewel was strumming the guitar and pretty much rearranged the entire song, belting out a slower, more soulful take that had some country twang embedded.

Like we said, it was very ... different. You could argue it was in the same vein as Fergie -- or, on the flip side, maybe Marvin Gaye. Depending on how you interpret it will probably decide which camp you fall in -- as the reactions to Jewel's rendition were very love/hate.

One wrote, "Jewel butchered the national anthem at the Indy 500. People were trying to sing along but couldn't because of the way she sang it. What a shame." Another shared a similar sentiment ... "jewel’s national anthem for indy 500 might be the worst anthem rendition to date." There are tons of other responses like this ... likening it to Roseanne.

Of course, there were just as many who liked it ... with one person praising it mightily, writing ... "Jewel just did the best national anthem I’ve ever heard in my life I’m not exaggerating."

The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. Jewel's iteration definitely didn't follow the traditional structure of the Nat'l Anthem, but that's kinda what you want from these ... right? Anybody can come out and belt put the "SSB" right on cue, but that's been done a ton.

Bottom line ... Jewel took a risk and tried something new, and considering how much chatter it's spurred -- you could argue she succeeded. IndyCar Series wants eyeballs on their product, and it sounds like they achieved that with Jewel.

LeBron James has tons of free time now that he's out of the playoffs, including family time -- which he soaked up this weekend with yet another graduation drop-in.

The Lakers superstar attended Chaminade High School's ceremony Saturday in West Hills, CA -- where his "nephew," Auston Mims, was all set to walk across the stage in a cap and gown as part of the Class of 2023. Mims played football there, and LBJ is close with the kid ... having attended games of his in the past. Although it's unclear if they're actually related.

Auston appears to be the son of LeBron's longtime friend and business partner Randy Mims. In any case, Bron was front and center to watch Auston receive his high school diploma.

Check out these videos, obtained by TMZ, where you can see the King is trying to lay low as the names are called, checking out his phone and keeping his head down. In these clips, he seems to be alone ... but eyewitnesses tell us he was actually there with family and friends.

Of course, he totally stands out -- at about 6'9", no less -- so, eventually, he parked it and had a seat. That didn't stop people from approaching him and fanning out a bit, though.

At one point, a young guy walking by spotted him ... and tapped him on the shoulder for a little handshake -- which Bron obliged and reciprocated. There was even an adult who came over to say hello ... but it kinda seems like LBJ just wanted to keep to himself here.

Anyway, this is the second graduation (that we know of) that LeBron's gone to in recent weeks. Remember, he was just at his own son's Thursday ... and was one proud papa.

The backdrop of all this is the question of whether he's going to hang it up on the court and retire from basketball. He suggested he might in his Game 4 loss presser ... noting he had a lot to think about in the offseason. Stuff like this might be at the forefront of his thoughts.

Fact is, if he was still playing ... it's possible he might have missed these types of moments. Certainly possible, but if a game was scheduled to be played on a Saturday ... it'd probably be tough to do both. Lucky for him, he was able to catch all the big days this year.

Boston Celtics fans were partying like they won the championship Saturday night ... celebrating in the streets of Beantown after the team's miraculous buzzer-beater win against the Miami Heat.

Local Boston reporters captured video of fans honking their horns, dancing, and even climbing street poles moments after the Celtics big win.

If you think the celebration is over the top ... then you probably weren't watching the game. Trailing by one with less than a second left on the game clock, Derrick White tipped in the go-ahead shot to save the Celtics season.

The Celtics are now on the brink of making NBA history ... becoming the first team to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a playoff series, and the city is feeling it!

No question the Celtics will be feeding off fan energy ... star forward Jayson Tatum told the press, "I've never been so excited to go back to Boston in my life."

Aaron Rodgers is a HUGE fan of Taylor Swift ... and TMZ has the video to prove it!!!

Check out this footage we obtained, which shows the New York Jets star QB lapping up Taylor's Saturday concert at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. It was the second of three nights the pop star was slated to perform at the venue as part of her sold-out Eras Tour.

In the clip, Rodgers is dancing to Taylor's music with his arms raised and his eyes shut. He's seemingly in a trance and totally captivated by Taylor's song, "Style." Anyone know Rodgers was a Swifty?

Well, he did mention it last week during an interview with host Adam Schein on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio. Rodgers said he was "for sure" going to Taylor's concert because he's a "big fan." He also proclaimed his love for Taylor's "Folklore" album and one of its tracks, “August.”

As you know, Rodgers was traded to the Jets from the Green Bay Packers back in April. Before the announcement, Rodgers was very vocal about wanting to play for the Jets and move to the New York metropolitan area.

Hulk Hogan will never forget the impact pro wrestling legend Billy Graham had on his life, saying Graham's influence on his career is one of the main reasons he became one of the greatest icons in WWE history!

Hogan reflected on his relationship with Billy after the 79-year-old wrestling legend died last week, recalling how he would take his father to watch Billy's matches  ... and was captivated by BG's larger-than-life personality on the microphone and stellar physique.

"I want to be just like him," Hulk used to tell his dad, referring to Graham, as he watched in awe whenever "Superstar" would flex his biceps at events.

Hogan says he modeled his career after Graham, a former WWE Champion, and WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes, aka "The American Dream."

"I stole a little bit from each of them," Hogan told Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weekdays on FS1).

Hogan said he and Billy became good friends over the years and shared a full circle moment  ... telling a story of how Graham came to watch him in the main event at Madison Square Garden after years of watching Billy headline shows.

"We just bonded and just got along great," Hogan said.

One of Hogan's career highlights was when he joined forces with Graham, a moment The Hulkster appreciates all these years later when he reflects on his wrestling legacy.

High school hoops star Mikey Williams has lost his partnership with a sports technology company, TMZ Sports has learned ... one month after he was arrested in Southern California.

As we previously reported, Williams -- who committed to play for the Memphis Tigers last November -- was jailed on April 13 after authorities alleged he was involved in a shooting near his San Diego County home in March.

Lace Clips, one of the first companies to ink the basketball player to a name, image and likeness deal, told us they will no longer work with Williams after the arrest.

"We are not continuing our partnership with Mikey Williams," said Jonathan Nussbaum, the president of Lace Clips.

Nussbaum also claims that Williams wasn't holding up his end of the bargain after they gave him a multiyear contract in 2022 ... adding that their relationship was deteriorating even before his arrest.

"He is not someone that will be associated with our brand going forward," Nussbaum said.

We're told Williams' partnership with the sports tech company -- which makes wearable smart activity trackers that attach to shoes -- will cease at the end of May.

Get ready, Sin City ... Dana White tells TMZ Sports he's planning to bro down with Tom Brady way more in Vegas now that the former NFL star is in line to be part-owner of the Raiders!!!

The UFC honcho sounded thrilled at the idea of it all, too ... saying he'll even pick up the checks when the two pal around at dinners!!

Of course, Brady is not quite a Raiders boss just yet ... while he and Mark Davis have agreed to a deal for minority ownership in the NFL franchise, the league still requires at least 24 of its other owners to give their stamp of approval before it's all greenlit.

But, that feels like nothing more than a formality at this point ... which has Dana pumped.

If you weren't already aware, the two have been buds for years -- Brady actually owns a small piece of the UFC -- and White made it clear their friendship is about to get way more fun.

"I think there's more opportunity for us to hang out now that he's around more in Vegas," White said. "I don't know about working!"

As for how he sees things going with the Raiders once Brady's officially got his stake in the game, White told us he has no doubt Vegas will benefit big time.

Gilbert Arenas is believing the hype around future NBA star Victor Wembanyama ... telling TMZ Sports the French hooper is a "generational game-changer" ... but there's one thing that could keep him from his full potential -- his feet.

We spoke with Agent Zero about the most hyped prospect since LeBron James, and he says if the 19-year-old possesses the basketball I.Q. like fellow international stars Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Luka Dončić ... he will thrive in the league.

But while Gilbert says Wembanyama checks off so many boxes, the one thing that concerns him is the 7'2" giant's dogs ... admitting foot issues could potentially impact his promising NBA career.

"That's the only thing I think will slow him down is [his] feet," Arenas said. "Other than that, as long as he's healthy, I don't see anyone stopping the progression in his dominance."

While Wemby has had a number of injuries in his short career, he hasn't had any foot ailments as of yet. But unfortunately for big men, foot injuries have historically been a pain in the ass -- just ask Yao Ming, Joel Embiid, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Chet Holmgren to name a few.

Aside from Wemby's feet, Gil isn't worried that Victor's thin frame will affect him in the pros ... explaining he's been playing against people stronger than him his whole life and turned out fine.

The Spurs won the NBA Draft Lottery ... meaning they can select Wembanyama with the first pick in June -- and it sounds like Arenas thinks San Antonio will be getting a future all-time great if they take Victor.