TMZ Sports - Page 50

Saints superstar Cameron Jordan says there's NO WAY IN HELL Ben Roethlisberger is a Hall of Famer ... saying the Steelers stud ain't even a top 5 QB of this era.

"I'd honestly put Eli before I put Ben," Cam says.

The piping hot take came straight from the Saints' locker room this week ... when Jordan scoffed at a reporter's insinuation that Big Ben is a surefire HOFer.

"Is that true?! Really?! In this era, you'd put him at like a top three of this era?! A top five of this era?!"

Cam certainly doesn't think so ... saying he'd have Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers AND Eli Manning over the Pittsburgh superstar.

It's a smoldering take from the New Orleans pass rusher -- who just made his fourth Pro Bowl -- 'cause most not only have Ben as a Hall of Famer, but a 1st-ballot one at that.

Big Ben is a two-time Super Bowl champ, a six-time Pro Bowler AND owns a career 143-68-1 record as a starter.

Best news for all of us?? Ben gets to face off against Cam in a must-win game this weekend ... and will have every opportunity to prove Jordan wrong then.

“I think, total, that thing has seen 33 countries, four IEDs, and two combat zones.”

That's Ken Brasington -- a Washington superfan and Marine Corps veteran -- describing his beloved Nationals cap that he nearly lost ... and yeah, the story of him getting it back is incredible.

Ken was at the Caps-Hurricanes game in Raleigh last Friday ... when his favorite hat -- that he had worn during his tours of duty across the world since he bought it back in 2004 -- was snatched off his head and thrown onto the ice in celebration of Alex Ovechkin's hat trick.

Brasington says he watched the beat-up headwear hit the ice in horror ... and described the ensuing panic to get the cap back as "a nightmare."

"Everybody that knows me knows me for wearing that Nationals hat," Brasington told The Washington Post, who first reported the unbelievable story.

"It’s the ugliest. It probably has to be washed once a week because it ends up smelling so bad. It’s a special piece of where I’ve been and it kind of describes me."

Ken says he immediately tried after the game to get the cap back from Hurricanes officials ... but was told it couldn't happen -- even after he described where the hat had been and how much it meant to him.

But, Brasington didn't give up ... and thanks to the help of a Hurricanes beat writer -- Ken got in touch with the Hurricanes' manager of communications and team services, who helped get the hat back.

"There was a good amount of hats in the bag, but his hat was right on top," Pace Sagester said ... “From the way that he had described it to us, we pretty much knew right away that that was the hat."

"It’s super beat up; the bill has, like, chunks missing out of it. It’s almost pink it’s so faded. It’s not something I would want to put on my head, but it’s special to him."

Pace was able to ship the cap from Carolina back to Brasington in Washington ... and even sent him a brand-new Hurricanes one in case Ken wanted to officially retire the Nats cap.

As for the hat's future ... Brasington says after the close call -- he might consider hanging it up, or even putting it on display in a shadow box.

"That way, everybody wins," Brasington says ... “I keep my hat, and [my wife] doesn’t have to see me wearing it."

Add Blake Griffin to the list of pro athletes going after hecklers this year ... because the 6'10", 250-pound monster just walked up on a fan in Minnesota and things got heated.

It went down Wednesday night in overtime of the Pistons vs. Timberwolves game, when Blake heard something from courtside and walked over to confront the fan.

Unclear exactly what the fan said to set Griffin off -- but Blake got super pissed -- and told the guy, "What the f*ck did you say to me?!"

Blake never physically touched the heckler -- thanks to teammates like Zaza Pachulia who held him back. But, you can see Griffin is HEATED.

The fan was ejected from the game -- and he waved to the crowd on the way out. Griffin was not disciplined during the game, but could face a fine.

Michael Blackson says Washington should go easy on Montae Nicholson -- because with all the issues involving NFL players these days, it coulda been way worse.

We broke the story ... the Redskins safety was caught on video KOing a man in a street fight with a devastating left-handed power shot. Nicholson and another woman were later arrested.

Some people say Nicholson took things too far -- and should have walked away from the fight before knocking his opponent out cold.

Enter Blackson -- a man never short on opinions.

"Street fight man. Street fight not over until it's over. These guys are NFL players but at the end of the day, they're still fighters that gotta defend themselves."

Blackson even saw a silver lining to this particular NFL fight.

Maroon 5 has just crushed the doubters who said finding another artist for the Super Bowl Halftime Show was impossible ... because TMZ has learned they locked down one of the biggest names in music ... Travis Scott!!!

Travis will join M5 during the halftime show in Atlanta on February 3. It's arguably the biggest gig in music, with historical performances over the years.

It's a monster move ... Travis has the hottest tour going, a huge single with Drake and he's generating big Grammy buzz. Not only that -- Travis' 3 shows on Grammy week (Vegas, San Diego, LA) are nearly sold out after presale -- and rumor has it he'll add another show at The Forum that week too.

And, if that's not enough, we've learned his plus one will be the mother of his child (and possibly his wife) and one of the biggest and richest celebs on the planet ... Kylie Jenner.

Our industry sources tell us Maroon 5 is also in talks with several other artists about possibly joining the show ... including Cardi B and Outkast's Big Boi.

Travis' addition is a big win for the NFL and hip-hop fans ... you'll recall, Waka Flocka Flame bashed the League for passing over Atlanta rappers in favor of a mainstream band.

It'll be interesting to see if Cardi and Big Boi strike deals to perform as well. Big Boi hails from the ATL, and his addition would be huge for the city.

7:21 AM PT -- The Patriots just issued a statement saying, "We support Josh Gordon in his continued efforts to focus on his health."

They added, "His attempt to do so is a private and personal matter, which we intend to respect."

6:43 AM PT -- More sad news regarding Gordon ... NFL.com's Tom Pelissero is reporting Gordon violated the league's substance abuse policy and now faces a suspension.

Unclear of how Gordon failed a test -- or failed to show up to take a test. Either way, it's bad.

And, with Gordon's history of failed drug tests during his NFL career, this won't be a slap on the wrist punishment.

He's already missed the entire 2015 and 2016 NFL seasons for substance abuse issues. Unclear what he's facing this time around.

Josh Gordon is leaving the New England Patriots -- at least, for now -- with the star wide receiver saying he needs to focus on his mental health.

"I take my mental health very seriously at this point to ensure I remain able to perform at the highest level," Gordon said in a statement.

"I have recently felt like I could have a better grasp on things mentally."

"With that said, I will be stepping away from the football field for a bit to focus on my mental health."

"I would like to thank Coach Belichick, Mr. Kraft, as well as countless others within the Patriots organization for their continued support."

"I want to thank my fans for their support as well as I continue down the path getting back to 100%."

This is not the first time Gordon has taken a break from football -- the 27-year-old has battled substance abuse issues and has pressed pause on his career to get treatment.

In fact, before the 2018 season -- when Gordon was still a member of the Cleveland Browns -- he trained privately away from the team so he could focus on his well-being.

When he rejoined the Browns, the reunion didn't last long -- he suffered an injury in September during a promotional video shoot -- and the team quickly traded him to New England.

When healthy, Gordon has proven to be a force in the NFL -- and made some key plays for the Patriots throughout the 2018 season. He's already caught 40 balls and 3 TDs for the Pats in 11 games.

Now, with 2 games left -- and playoff seeding on the line -- the Pats will be without Gordon. And, that's a big deal.

Story developing ...

7:55 AM PT -- Cops tell TMZ Sports ... they were called to a residence around 8:30 PM and when they arrived, Green-Beckham was attempting to flee through a window.

Cops eventually captured him and found 1 pound of weed in his backpack along with several vials of THC oil, officials say.

When cops searched the residence, they found 7 more pounds of marijuana -- but believe that belonged to another man.

Ex-NFL wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham was arrested on a felony drug possession charge in Missouri on Wednesday, TMZ Sports has learned.

Details surrounding the arrest are unclear (we're working on it) but we know the 25-year-old was also hit with a resisting arrest charge.

Green-Beckham was hauled to a police station in Springfield where he was booked and locked up. As of this post, he's still behind bars.

It's just the latest legal issue for a guy who had potential to be a huge NFL star. As we previously reported, Dorial was arrested for DWI last year while picking up a friend who had just been busted for drunk driving.

Green-Beckham was one of the top high school WRs ever -- but never reached his potential in college or the NFL due to off-the-field issues.

He was drafted by the Titans in the 2nd round of the 2015 Draft but didn't last there long. The Eagles picked him up in 2016 and he played 1 season -- racking up 36 catches for 392 yards and 2 TDs.

The Eagles released him before the 2017 season.

Ex-NFL receiver Titus Young has been released from prison after serving nearly 2 years of his sentence in his violent assault case ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.

As we previously reported ... Young -- a former 2nd-round pick of the Detroit Lions -- was arrested back in 2016 after he allegedly beat the hell out of a guy in a street fight.

Young pled no contest to 1 count of felony battery causing serious bodily injury later in 2017 ... and was sentenced to four years in state prison.

But, the ex-Boise State superstar was paroled and released from prison at 2:13 AM Saturday morning.

The 29-year-old has a long, troubled history with the law -- having been arrested several times since being cut from the Lions back in 2012.

He was also put on probation back in 2015 after attacking several people during his stint at a mental health facility.

The child Dikembe Mutombo flew to the U.S. to remove a massive tumor from his face required CPR after he went into cardiac arrest during surgery ... TMZ has learned.

According to dispatch audio -- obtained by TMZ -- 8-year-old Matadi was administered CPR Sunday at around 6 PM PT as an ambulance arrived to take him from one section of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center campus -- where he was undergoing surgery -- to an Intensive Care Unit in a nearby building.

At one point, a dispatch operator calls off one ambulance and sends another that's closer.

The surgery was scheduled to last 6 hours and Matadi went into cardiac arrest around the 6-hour mark. We don't know if the operation was completed. We've been trying to get an update for days, to no avail -- no one's talking. We were told, as of Monday night, Matadi was in stable condition and was able to move his hands and feet. Otherwise, everyone's radio silent.

Jon Jones REALLY wants a 3rd crack at Daniel Cormier -- and he's willing to write a fat ass check to get DC back in the Octagon.

"Fight me one more time and prove you’re actually the champ champ. I’ll donate $100,000 to a charity in San Diego if you accept," Jones wrote to Cormier on Twitter.

Of course, the two have fought twice -- with Jones winning both fights ... only to have the 2nd victory overturned in the wake of a positive PED test.

Jones is finally cleared to return to the UFC after serving his suspension -- he'll fight Alexander Gustafsson for the light heavyweight title at UFC 232 on Dec. 29.

But, Jones is already thinking past Gustafsson, trying to bail Cormier.

"Conor McGregor was an actual double Champ, the whole world knows your claim is a freaking joke. You’re more than welcome to be my first title defense."

Jones also took umbrage with comments Cormier recently made to Jim Rome -- when he questioned JJ's explanation that he only had a "pinch of salt" worth of steroids in his system during their 2nd fight.

"Daddys baby still out there whining," Jones said ... "What proud 'double Champion' just vacates his belt because someone else returns to the sport?"

Cormier says he's retiring from MMA in March -- on his 40th birthday -- so if Jones wants the fight, they gotta make this thing come together fast.

UFC superstar Amanda Nunes says her upcoming fight against Cris Cyborg is the biggest fight of her career -- even bigger than her destruction of Ronda Rousey.

Amanda and Cyborg are set to clash at UFC 232 on Dec. 29 in Las Vegas in a championship bout for the women's featherweight title.

Nunes has won 7 fights in a row, Cyborg's on a 20-fight win streak -- they're widely considered two of the greatest fighters in women's MMA history.

And, when we saw Nunes out in NYC, she was downright giddy -- telling us how excited she is to get into the Octagon and square up against Cyborg.

Of course, Nunes famously destroyed Ronda Rousey in Dec. 2016 in Ronda's last ever UFC fight. Since then, she's defeated Valentina Shevchenko and Raquel Pennington.

Amanda has big plans after the Cyborg fight -- she's engaged to fellow UFC fighter Nina Ansaroff -- who's on a 4-win streak of her own after a victory over Claudia Gadelha earlier this month.

The two are so stoked to the knot, they're even extending an invitation to Cyborg to attend the wedding!

"Anyone can come! It's a happy day."

Congrats!

Marshawn Lynch threw on his best hoodie and sandals and hit up the Oakland City Council meeting on Wednesday ... and made the following statement to city officials:

"We're losing the Warriors. We're losing the Raiders. Best not lose the A's. Appreciate it."

Marshawn is an Oakland guy, born and raised -- and is clearly upset with the mass exodus of the major sports teams in the area.

The Raiders are moving to Las Vegas and the Golden State Warriors -- who play in Oracle Arena in Oakland -- are moving to the Chase Center in San Francisco next season.

The Oakland A's currently play at the Oakland Coliseum but are hoping to build a new 34,000 seat waterfront stadium in the area where they could play in 2023.

Enter Marshawn who didn't have much to say -- but made his point crystal clear.

Oakland A's president Dave Kaval was grateful for Beast Mode's support -- tweeting out, "Thank you Marshawn! Let's do this!!"

Kaval has previously commented on the stadium situation -- saying, "We've been there 50 years ... We have a great sense of the importance of that development on the future of East Oakland."

Ex-Little League baseball phenom Mo'Ne Davis is all grown up -- and she's signed a letter of intent to play college softball at Hampton University in Virginia.

Remember, Davis SMOKED EVERYBODY with her insane 70 mph fastball during the 2014 Little League World Series -- becoming the first girl to toss a shutout in post-season play. She was only 13 at the time.

Now, she's a senior at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy in Philadelphia -- where she's still murdering the competition on the softball field, the soccer pitch and the basketball court.

Davis has been recruited by a ton of major college programs -- but ultimately decided on Hampton because of the prestigious communications department, according to her parents.

Davis will reportedly be a middle infielder at Hampton. Unclear if she'll play basketball too, but we know she's a BALLER on the court.

Back in 2015, Mo'ne was drafted by the Harlem Globetrotters after COOKIN' Kevin Hart in a celebrity basketball game.

Nick Foles is clearly FEEEELIINNN' himself after lifting the Eagles from the dead right back into the playoff picture -- 'cause dude wore a pair of webbed-toe shoes to work Wednesday!!!

The Vibram EL-X's ain't exactly known as Jordans in the football world ... but Nick still rocked 'em with pride at Philly's presser Wednesday -- showin' he doesn't need anyone's approval to swag out.

"I was wearing them around the house and figured I'd wear them to the facility and try it out. My wife thought I was a little crazy, but I said I'm not really worried about how I look. They're comfy."

SWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGG!!!!!

Foles has done things unconventionally throughout his career ... but it's paid off for the dude -- he's got a Super Bowl MVP and has Philly right back in the mix again this season.

A buncha kids got a SWEET pre-Christmas surprise Wednesday -- 'cause Kobe Bryant brought the gift of Mamba -- and a bunch of books -- to a school in Southern California!!

The Lakers legend dropped by Oxford Prep Academy in Mission Viejo and hung out with a bunch of kids for a great cause.

Kobe's got a new podcast called "The Punies," -- a pod about kids who learn lessons through sports -- which Mamba hopes real-life children can draw from.

Turns out ... one of the teachers at the school is turning those podcasts into an actual curriculum -- so Kobe had to swing by to see it all in person.

We're told Bryant brought the kids books, played games ... and actually watched the kids present projects they'd been workin' on.

Best signing day announcement ever!!!

High school football star Cooper Dawson -- a top defensive end at Hanahan High in South Carolina -- didn't feel right holding a press conference by himself on Wednesday to announce his college plans.

So, he brought a friend with him ... a guy who's been his inspiration while he recovers from an ACL tear -- Kingsley Feinman.

Kingsley has cerebral palsy -- and Dawson explained that he's learned a major life lesson from his friend, "The only disability is a bad attitude."

And, when the big moment came, Cooper whispered his college destination into Kinglsey's ear so he could make the announcement to the media.

What ensued is just awesome ... and props to WCIV's Scott Eisberg for capturing the whole thing on video.

The only sad part ... is Cooper didn't pick the school Kinglsey had hoped he would attend.

Still, guessing KF will learn to root for a new team.

Congrats!!