TMZ Sports - Page 24

Druski and Tiffany Haddish had folks talking after the 15th annual NFL Honors Thursday night in San Francisco, but for the wrong reasons ... 'cause both had some brutal mispronunciations of Jaxson Smith-Njigba and Mike Vrabel -- with Druski even drawing the ire of one of JSN's teammates.

Druski -- alongside NFL Hall of Famer Barry Sanders -- was on stage to present the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year award ... which Smith-Njigba ended up taking home.

The comedian was close on the Seattle Seahawks wide receiver's name on the first go-around ... but then tried again, which sparked some fierce backlash online for the way it came out.

Most people with a ruptured ACL are scheduling surgery … meanwhile, Lindsey Vonn -- Olympic runs!

The ski legend is in the midst of pulling off one of the wildest comeback attempts in Olympic history -- successfully completing a crucial downhill training run Friday in Cortina, Italy … just one week after tearing her left ACL and getting airlifted off a Swiss mountain.

The 41-year-old icon -- rocking a heavy brace on her knee -- tore through the brutal Olympia delle Tofane course in 1:40.33 ... finishing 11th out of 43 racers. But the placement almost doesn’t matter … the real victory is that she checked the mandatory training box needed to stay eligible for Sunday’s Olympic downhill, where she’s chasing a fourth career medal.

"Nothing makes me happier!" Vonn posted to Instagram pre-race. "No one would have believed I would be here… but I made it!! I’m here, I’m smiling and no matter what, I know how lucky I am. I’m not going to waste this chance."

The pressure was sky-high heading into the run. Officials already canceled one of Vonn’s three training opportunities Thursday because of dangerous snow and weather conditions … meaning Friday was a must-deliver moment.

And because Vonn seemingly thrives in chaos, thick fog rolled into the course midway through the race, delaying her start by 30 minutes. Still, the American star stayed loose -- even dancing around with teammates while waiting for the green light.

If this sounds medically insane … that’s because it kinda is. Vonn insisted earlier this week her knee feels stable with minimal swelling … and she backed that up by posting workout footage showing her crushing weighted squats and other intense training.

A pretty wild mindset considering she was in a rescue helicopter last Friday!!!

Cortina also happens to be her territory. She’s racked up 12 total victories on the Italian slope -- and it’s a huge reason she came out of retirement for these Games.

Travis Kelce's fiancée might've skipped the NFL Honors and Super Bowl parties on Thursday, but Taylor Swift's presence was still felt ... with the Kansas City Chiefs superstar vibing to her biggest song right from the DJ booth!!

The tight end was nominated for the league's Walter Payton Man of the Year at the awards show ... and even though he didn't leave with a trophy, he was still in great spirits at the "'Tight Ends & Friends' Presented by Cash App and VISA" bash in the Bay Area hours later.

Kelce's "New Heights" podcast X account shared vid of him in a Loud Luxury sandwich ... with him positioned between Andrew Fedyk and Joe De Pace on stage.

The attorney who represented Jaxson Hayes' ex-girlfriend in a domestic violence lawsuit against the Lakers' big man is ripping the NBA after it handed down a suspension for shoving a mascot ... telling TMZ Sports he feels the league doesn't have its priorities in order.

Hayes was hit with a one-game ban for his run-in with the Washington Wizards' mascot on Jan. 30 ... and Waukeen McCoy is scratching his head at the Association's swift action.

"They gave him a one-game suspension, that's ridiculous," McCoy said.

Eric Dickerson is NOT backing down from his Bad Bunny stance -- and now he’s dragging the NFL into the fire!

The Hall of Fame running back tells TMZ Sports he's doubling down on the opposition to the global superstar's headlining of Sunday's Super Bowl halftime show.

Of course, Dickerson has been very outspoken about the choice … saying he'd rather anyone else play, insisting Benito should "keep his ass where he's at" in Puerto Rico.

So when we caught up with the NFL legend on Wednesday at the San Jose airport ahead of the big game … we had to ask if he’d changed his mind.

“Hell no. Absolutely not, man,” Dickerson said. “Why can’t we get somebody from right here, from home? How about someone from right here in San Francisco? All these artists right here in the area to play at the Super Bowl.”

Dickerson also questioned whether a Spanish-language performance would resonate with American audiences.

“He speaks English,” Dickerson said. “I don’t know if it’s going to be in Spanish or whatever. What sense does that make?”

The former Rams star then waded deeper into controversy … saying he doesn’t view Puerto Rico the same as the mainland U.S., though he insisted he has nothing against the island itself.

Dickerson wasn't done swinging.

He also blasted the league’s diversity efforts -- calling the Rooney Rule “a freaking joke” and arguing Black coaches still aren’t getting fair shots at top jobs.

“You can’t make a person hire a Black coach,” Dickerson said. “Owners are going to do what they want to do. You feel comfortable with who looks like you sometimes. That’s just it.”

ED also went after the league.

“They’ll do anything for money,” he said. “As an entity, the NFL is one of the most corrupt organizations there is.”

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan is spending his Thursday apologizing to fans after he used the n-word during a livestream ... saying "there's no excuse for what I said."

McMillan issued the remorseful message on Instagram ... saying, "I sincerely apologize for speaking thoughtlessly and will do better."

The first-year player was playing Madden in "The Streamer Bowl," a charity esports tournament that has Twitch streamers and NFL stars on teams as they take on challenges.

T-Mac was streaming with YonnaJay and Tamir when the moment occurred. After intercepting a pass, he shouted the slur in excitement.

Patrick Mahomes Sr. will likely be spending his Super Bowl Sunday behind bars -- the ex-MLB player will remain in jail until a hearing next month -- with prosecutors pushing for him to serve a 10-year prison sentence for violating the terms of his probation.

As we previously reported, the 55-year-old was thrown in jail this week ... and now he's staring down the possibility of up to 10 years in prison.

Mahomes Sr. has been serving five years’ probation after pleading guilty in his 2024 DWI case, but authorities claim he broke the terms of his probation by allegedly drinking alcohol -- with the probation violation report stating he had a high reading on his SCRAM alcohol ankle monitor on Jan. 1.

TMZ Sports is going live from the newsroom to discuss the day's biggest stories ... but we don't just want folks to watch and enjoy the conversation, we want y'all to get involved!!

Hit the comment section as Babcock, Lucas, Dylan, Luca, and the whole crew break down the most important topics of the day ... and we'll be interacting with viewers throughout the program between 1 and 2:30 PM PT.

YouTube, X, TikTok ... we're everywhere.

So tune in, make fun of us, share your two cents, sound off about your favorite team ... nothing is out of bounds.

Kurt Warner is calling out the Hall of Fame voting drama … telling TMZ Sports that selectors might be playing too many mind games instead of simply putting the right legends in Canton.

We caught up with the former Super Bowl MVP at the airport this week ... and he didn’t hold back on the selection process. Warner suggests this year’s results have plenty of people scratching their heads and wondering how certain all-time greats are still waiting for the call.

"I think most people feel like they didn’t get it right this year," Warner said, referencing the snubs of Patriots legends Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft.

Bad Bunny refused to spill even a single bean ahead of his Super Bowl Halftime Show ... remaining super tight-lipped about whether anyone will join him on stage on Sunday.

Benito held a press conference prior to the biggest performance of his superstar career ... and during the Q&A, he said while he might have joked about it on "Saturday Night Live," folks don't even have to learn Spanish to enjoy his set -- they just gotta dance.

Considering BB was a surprise appearance six years ago during Jennifer Lopez and Shakira's gig, Ebro Darden and Zane Lowe asked if he's enlisting anyone for that same role at Levi's Stadium ... and he wasn't budging.

It's only a matter of time until Ilia Topuria's back in the Octagon ... 'cause TMZ Sports has confirmed the lightweight champ has struck a deal with his ex-wife Giorgina Uzcategui, after previously claiming he was the victim of bogus domestic violence allegations.

The agreement, first reported by Marca in Spain, comes after Topuria posted a photo to Instagram on Thursday, showing him back in the gym training ... with a caption reading, "The Champ is back!!!"

We're told the 155 lb. champion went back to training "weeks ago."

It's still unclear when Ilia wishes to return to the cage, but it'll likely be sometime in the middle of 2026 ... and fans are pumped!

Super Bowl Sunday isn't just about football, it's also about the food ... and TMZ Sports has obtained the menu for this year's big game -- and it's sure to leave your mouth watering.

Levy Restaurants -- the hospitality team over at Levi's Stadium -- gave us a look at what their team has been working on ahead of the matchup ... and it justifies the price of admission alone.

If anyone in attendance is craving a burger, the LX Hammer Burger might be just what they're looking for. It features a fall-off-the-bone, braised bone-in beef shank, roasted mirepoix demi-glace and Point Reyes bleu cheese fondue on a house-baked brioche bun.

The NFL's popular partners are turning up the heat -- and the spotlight -- in a new jaw-dropping photoshoot for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit!!

Normani, Brittany Mahomes, Christen Goff, Ronika Love, Haley Cavinder and Claire Kittle are starring in Sports Illustrated’s new digital feature for February ... dubbed the "new era of WAGs."

The publication focused on how the lovely ladies aren't riding football fame ... they're building brands, businesses and fanbases of their own.

The six-woman squad brought serious beachside bombshell energy to a shoot on Captiva Island in the Fort Myers, Florida area at South Seas ... while showcasing careers and brands that stretch well beyond their football superstar partners.

Travis Kelce just shared a major detail about his wedding with Taylor Swift ... telling TMZ Sports the reception will be a rager fueled by an insane amount of Garage Beer!!

The Kansas City Chiefs superstar spoke with us outside his "New Heights" podcast's Super Bowl party on Wednesday ... and we asked how many kegs of his beer brand will be available to guests after his ceremony.

Based on Kelce's answer, one thing's for sure -- it's definitely NOT going to be a dry wedding.

Greg Olsen is mourning a heartbreaking loss … the former NFL star revealed his older brother, Chris, has died after a battle with brain cancer.

The longtime Panthers tight end and current FOX broadcaster shared the devastating news in an emotional Instagram tribute ... explaining Chris lost his fight with glioblastoma -- one of the most aggressive forms of cancer -- after putting up a relentless fight.

"Love you brother," Olsen wrote with a heart emoji.

Olsen made it clear his brother never stopped battling, praising Chris’ toughness and spirit throughout the illness ... saying the disease may have taken a physical toll, but it never broke who he was as a person.

Cardi B might be gearing up to crash the biggest stage in sports -- if you listen to oddsmakers!!!

The superstar rapper is currently the betting favorite to make a surprise cameo during Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime show … with oddsmakers putting her ahead of every other rumored guest.

If anyone’s grabbing a mic next to Benito on Sunday, bettors think it’s going to be Cardi.

She’s listed at -200 odds (risk $200 to win $100) to make a special guest appearance, according to BetOnline. Other favorites include Rauw Alejandra (+125, risk $100 to win $125), Karol G (+125) and Marc Anthony (+200) … while Travis Scott (+400), Jennifer Lopez (+500) and Rosalia (+600) are seen as longshots.