TMZ Sports - Page 50

Rob Gronkowski ain't coming back to the New England Patriots this season ... but he says he might just rejoin Tom Brady and Bill Belichick in 2020!!

"I still stay fit, still watch the game whenever I can, still enjoy it," Gronk said. "I'm feeling good, but you know, one year off could possibly be the case."

Gronk officially ruled out a return to Foxborough this season with the announcement that he'll be hosting a festival in Miami during Super Bowl weekend instead of training for it.

But, when the 30-year-old superstar spoke with ESPN about the party plans Tuesday ... he left the door wide open for a Patriots return either next year or even in 2021.

"It's always an option in the back of my head," Gronkowski said. "It's not like I'm not staying in shape and not doing anything. I'm never stressed over it."

It's a bit of good news, bad news for the Patriots ... 'cause their offense has REALLY struggled over the past couple weeks and they definitely could use Gronk ASAP.

In fact, Gronk even joked about their issues, saying, "Man, they're missing some guy who is 6'6", 260 [pounds]. They're missing that guy, for sure."

But, if the future Hall of Fame tight end does return next year ... it could help the team keep Brady -- who's a free agent after this season -- for one more year.

Antonio Brown is TRYING to make things right with the New England Patriots -- starting with an apology to owner Robert Kraft.

"Mr.Kraft I apologize sincerely to you and your organization," Brown wrote.

"All I wanted to be was an asset to the organization; sorry for the bad media and the drama ! Thank you sincerely AB."

Remember, the Patriots cut Brown after just 1 game when the team learned the superstar WR sent menacing text messages to a woman who had accused him of sexual misconduct.

After the Patriots fired Brown, the WR attacked the team on social media -- and made reference to Kraft's prostitution case.

"Kraft got caught in the parlor AB speculations fired different strokes different folks clearly," Brown tweeted.

Brown later deleted the post -- but the damage had already been done.

So, why the apology? That's obvious ... Brown is desperate to get back in the NFL but no team is willing to take a chance on him right now for several reasons.

First, the NFL is currently investigating him over sexual assault allegations included in a lawsuit filed against him earlier this year.

Second, AB not only had a bad breakup with the Pats, but he burned the bridge with the Raiders all the way down too ... essentially forcing the team to cut him back in August when he illegally recorded a phone call with coach Jon Gruden and posted it on YouTube.

He also got into an altercation with Raiders GM Mike Mayock.

The Seattle Seahawks reportedly looked into signing Brown a few weeks ago but ultimately decided to go a different direction.

Will the apology pay off for Brown now? Maybe ... but don't hold your breath.

One more thing ... Tom Brady and AB have still been friendly on social media even after he was cut. And, with Brady recently criticizing the Patriots offense, it's possible the QB is lobbying to bring AB back.

Here's a shocker ... Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones thinks the Colin Kaepernick workout was a disaster and he's not even REMOTELY considering hiring the QB.

"That situation from the get-go probably had a lot more that wasn’t about football involved in it and consequently we got the results of that dynamic," Jones said on 105.3 The Fan.

Of course, Jones has been an outspoken critic of Kaepernick's kneeling protest for years -- so everyone expected Jerry to react this way to the workout.

During the interview, Jerry was asked specifically if he felt Colin's workout turned into a "circus."

"I think so," Jerry said ... adding, "We of course, aren't in the quarterback business."

"We're in the business of anytime, anywhere looking for talent -- whether we need it now or whether we need it in the future."

"So, the way these things work, you had that evaluation for you whether you're there or you're not. You have that evaluation. And, I think it's unfortunate that you can't just zero in on the business at hand, and that is evaluating a player that might or might not help you win a football game or move the chains within a football game."

When asked if he thought Cowboys backup Cooper Rush was better than Colin, Jerry essentially stood behind his roster and shot down the possibility of dropping Rush for Kap.

Jones has previously criticized Kap's protest as "disrespectful to the flag" -- though he led his team in a kneeling demonstration BEFORE the national anthem played during a "Monday Night Football" game in 2017.

A Washington Capitals player hocked a loogie and spit it all over an Anaheim Ducks player in a crazy brawl Monday night ... and the chaotic scene was all caught on video.

The spitter's name was Garnet Hathaway ... and during the second period of the Caps' game against the Ducks in D.C. -- he got into a tussle with some Anaheim players in a wild play behind the Ducks' net.

The Caps were putting it on Anaheim ... and some of the Ducks took issue with Hathaway's physical play -- and started a scrap all while Washington was scoring a goal.

In the video, you can see Hathaway beating the hell of Ducks center Derek Grant ... before another Anaheim player, Erik Gudbranson, grabbed Hathaway as the fight was dying down.

Gudbranson got in a nasty left jab to Hathaway's face ... so, the Caps' fourth-liner responded with a big ol' gob of spit!!

Of course, the saliva spray ignited another wild melee ... and eventually, the refs calmed down the whole scene by ejecting Hathaway.

After the game, 27-year-old Hathaway apologized for the spit ... but said he only did it because Gudbranson got in a cheap shot on him.

"The refs were trying to break it up, and it felt like there was a couple sucker punches thrown, and I got one there quick and then reacted a little emotionally," Hathaway said.

"And, unfortunately, spit came out of my mouth after I got sucker punched and it went onto him."

As for Gudbranson, he was pissed over it all, saying afterward, "That’s about as low as you dig a pit, really ... it's a bad thing to do. It’s something you just don’t do in our game, and he did it."

Unclear if the NHL will punish Hathaway for the spit ... and the winger said only "time will tell" if he'll have to serve a suspension over the altercation.

A powerful U.S. congressman is furious with the way the NFL is treating Colin Kaepernick -- and tells TMZ Sports the government may finally have to act against the league.

Rep. Hank Johnson (Democrat from Georgia's DeKalb County) says he believes Kaepernick is the "victim" ... because the NFL orchestrated a league-wide ban on the QB because he "exercised his 1st Amendment right."

So, what can Congress do about it?

"It's possible that Congress can do something," Johnson says ... "Congress oversees the anti-trust exemption that we gave the NFL. The NFL is doing quite well with that anti-trust exemption, maybe it's time for us to take a fresh look at it."

The anti-trust exemption is the law President Kennedy signed back in the day which allows the individual teams to work together as a monopoly to negotiate more lucrative broadcasting deals.

In other words, the NFL is in a much stronger negotiating position with the teams united -- instead of having to negotiate 32 individual broadcasting deals.

If the exemption was revoked, experts say it would cost the league billions of dollars.

"Maybe [the NFL feels] a little heat about their anti-trust exemption and the fact that the Judiciary Committee stands ready under the leadership of the chair of the anti-trust subcommittee David Cicilline to perhaps look at that anti-trust exemption."

FYI, Rep. Johnson serves on the House Judiciary Committee, one of the most powerful committees in Congress.

Rep. Johnson is essentially telling us if the league is abusing the anti-trust exemption to collude to keep players like Colin out of the league, Congress should investigate to decide if the exemption should be revoked.

It's a pretty aggressive threat that's sure to get the NFL's attention.

U.S. Olympic legend Harrison Dillard -- whom General Patton once called "the best goddamn athlete I’ve ever seen" -- has died at 96.

Dillard was an absolute BEAST of an athlete -- winning 4 Olympic gold medals and smashing more than 11 world and Olympic records during his illustrious career, according to the NY Times.

In fact, Dillard was the "World's Fastest Man" in 1948 after winning the 100-meter dash at the Olympics ... and became "World's Fastest Hurdler" at the 1952 Games.

Dillard is also a military veteran who served in the U.S. Army for 32 months during World War II and after dominating at an Army track meet, Gen. Patton called him, "The best goddamn athlete I've ever seen."

He later worked as a running coach for the Cleveland Indians and the New York Yankees.

Dillard is a two-time Hall of Famer ... he was elected to the National Track and Field H.O.F. in 1974 and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in '83.

Dillard passed away on Friday after battling stomach cancer.

Al Sharpton thinks people need to BACK OFF Colin Kaepernick and direct their anger at the NFL -- claiming it's the LEAGUE that bungled Saturday's workout ... not the QB.

"I think Kaepernick handled it right," Sharpton tells TMZ Sports ... "To have to be told that you're gonna have to sign some waivers and limit the media is absolutely insulting."

"I think that Kaepernick did the right thing by going to the high school, by opening it to the media, opening it to the public."

"He is being penalized for standing up for the rights of people, standing up for criminal justice and to try and reduce him to some kind of photo op for the NFL is something that is antithetical for what he stood for and is insulting to the fans and is insulting to the intelligence of the American people."

Sharpton says he salutes Kap for exposing the NFL's "hypocrisy."

Of course, there are several high profile people who feel the complete OPPOSITE way ... from Stephen A. Smith to James Brown to Jay Z.

Quavo is sick of watching his favorite Atlanta Falcons squad underperform on Sundays ... so he's giving some advice to Dan Quinn -- bench Matt Ryan for Colin Kaepernick!!!

"We need to get Matt Ryan out of there!" the Migos rapper tells TMZ Sports.

Of course, Colin ain't on the Falcons' roster ... and it's unclear if Atlanta even sent a rep to watch his workout near the team's facility Saturday.

But, Quavo tells us he doesn't care ... and says the Falcons need to add Kap and subtract Ryan ASAP!!!

"I love Colin," Quavo says. "Colin should be on a team!"

Doesn't seem likely the Falcons take Quavo's advice ... Matty Ice is locked into a 5-year, $150 MILLION contract -- and he actually hasn't been horrible this season.

But, hey ... Kap might be better than Ryan's backup, Matt Schaub, who is 38 years old now.

Touching moment on the golf course this weekend ... a fan with Down Syndrome yelled during a critical putt, but the PGA Tour Latin America golfer who missed the shot quickly forgave the guy with a hug and autographs.

The incredible scene all went down on Sunday at the Visa Open de Argentina in Buenos Aires ... where Brandon Matthews needed to sink an 8-footer in a playoff hole to keep his championship hopes alive.

But, while the 25-year-old was in the middle of his backswing ... a fan yelled out, causing Brandon to shank the putt -- and you can see on video, Matthews was initially pissed.

"I kind of flinched on the putt and immediately knew I missed it," Matthews told Golfchannel.com. "I thought someone had done it intentionally. I was frustrated."

But, when tournament officials went to Matthews and explained to him the fan had Down Syndrome and didn't mean any harm ... they say Brandon nearly cried.

Matthews raced over to the fan ... embraced him and handed him a signed glove and golf ball.

"I gave him a hug and I asked him, 'Hey, are you doing okay? Are you having fun?'" Matthews said. "I just wanted to make sure he was enjoying himself, that he had no hard feelings, that he didn’t feel bad about what happened."

It's an awesome gesture from Matthews, considering if the guy had won the tournament, he would've received an automatic invite to the prestigious British Open in 2020.

SHOOT THE J ... SHOOT IT!!!!

Dave Chappelle worked on his jumper at Lakers practice on Monday -- and if that's not the most L.A. sentence of the day, we don't know what is.

Chappelle linked up with the whole squad at the team facility and even posed for pics with LeBron James, who was wearing some REALLY short shorts (are Dave's arms bigger than Bron's BTW?)

But, when the team took the court, Chappelle went with 'em and even got pointers from Lakers guard Quinn Cook to improve his stepback game, according to Lakers reporter Dave McMenamin.

Of course, ya can't watch Dave hoop without thinking about that legendary "Chapelle's Show" skit with Charlie Murphy ... you know the one, THE PRINCE BASKETBALL GAME!

Chappelle kept his street clothes on this time around ... and while we wasn't exactly hitting all his shots, he's no Chance The Rapper either.

No word on why Dave was at practice ... but the team HOOKED HIM UP with his own custom Lakers jersey!! Wonder if they brought pancakes too?!

A 26-year-old female amateur MMA fighter died Sunday morning ... just one day after collapsing in the ring following a brutal loss at an event in England.

The Hampshire Police Dept. confirmed they were called to Southampton General Hospital around 1 AM on Sunday to respond to a woman who suffered a life-threatening brain injury.

The woman, Saeideh Aletaha, had competed at the Fast & Furious Fight series event at Central Hall in Southampton, England on Saturday ... and reportedly collapsed in the ring.

According to local reports, an ambulance was called to the venue around 9 PM and Aletaha was rushed to the hospital in "a serious and life-threatening condition."

Cops say Aletaha died at the hospital Sunday morning -- and they're now investigating her death.

Organizers behind the F&FFS event posted a statement early Monday morning essentially saying Aletaha knew what she signed up for ...

"All competitors get in [the ring] prepared that they may be injured and this is something not expected to happen 99.9% of the time."

FFS organizers say they had a full medical team on-site -- with doctors, paramedics and an ambulance -- along with an "experienced team of staff with numerous first aiders."

Exile Gym, where Aletaha trained, posted a tribute to the fighter ... saying, "Saeideh Aletaha was a lovely character with a beautiful soul. Her dedication to the sport was 110% travelling miles every day just to train."

"She found her place with us just a few months ago but has become apart of the family and will be sorely missed."

You're looking at the two scumbags who allegedly jacked a Super Bowl XLVI ring from a retired NY Giants linebacker's L.A. home ... and now the player is begging for its return.

The footage belongs to Spencer Paysinger, who was a rookie back in 2011 when the Giants miraculously beat the New England Patriots in one of the best title games ever.

Paysinger says he left a window open to air out his home on March 17 -- when two guys broke into the house and started rummaging through his stuff.

The 31-year-old -- who retired in 2017 -- says the crooks took all sorts of valuables including purses, computers and one REALLY important piece of jewelry ... the Super Bowl ring.

"I took it out recently for an elementary school Career Day and was lazy on returning to its secure location," Paysinger says.

The good news ... Paysinger had a Nest security camera in the home that captured the alleged thieves. You can see them going through the home with a flashlight while wearing gloves to hide fingerprints.

The bad news ... Paysinger says he had accidentally stopped paying to insure the ring just one month before the burglary because he changed credit cards and didn't update his autopay.

Now, Paysinger says he's desperate to get back his ring -- and promises if anyone comes forward with the item, he won't go to police.

"My Super Bowl ring should serve as a cherished family heirloom not an unfortunate event."

"If you’re reading this or if anyone knows the two young men in the video, please be assured there are no consequences tied to this post. This isn’t bait, there are no cops involved and nothing will happen to you by giving back my ring; keep the other s**t."

Officials are on the hunt for multiple suspects who entered a backyard NFL watch party in Fresno, CA and opened fire -- killing 4 people and injuring 6 more.

Around 35 people were at a home Sunday evening to watch the L.A. Rams vs. Chicago Bears game -- it's being described as a "friends and family gathering."

But, around 6 PM PT, "unknown suspects" snuck into the party and opened fire -- striking multiple people.

Cops say 3 people died at the scene and a 4th died at the hospital. 5 people are still hospitalized in critical condition but expected to survive and a 6th person suffered minor injuries.

Fresno Police Lt. Bill Dooley told the media ... "Everyone was watching football this evening when unknown suspects approached the residence, snuck into the backyard and opened fire."

Cops say it does not appear the victims knew the shooters -- and officials do NOT believe it was gang-related at this point, but they have not ruled it out.

No one has been arrested and cops have not identified a suspect.

The team that drinks super expensive, rare cognac together ... wins titles together??

Los Angeles Lakers hope so, 'cause LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Dwight Howard, DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo sipped on the $3,000 a bottle Louis XIII at a fancy L.A. hotel this weekend.

The All-Star studded private dinner went down Saturday night at Mr. C Beverly Hills ... and it was all to celebrate AD gracing the cover of Haute Living magazine.

H.L. and XO hosted the event and invited all AD's superstar teammates ... and his agent, Rich Paul.

There was (very, very expensive) booze ... but there wasn't any crazy turn up this time.

We're told the Lakers stars sipped on Louis XIII ... but all left before 10 PM 'cause they had a game Sunday night against the Hawks.

The Lakers -- 11-2 for the season and in 1st place -- won the game easily, 122-101.

UFC star Ben Askren is calling it a career -- the 35-year-old is officially retiring from MMA after revealing his hip is shot.

Askren broke the news on Ariel Helwani's MMA Show on Monday saying, "I'm retiring from the sport of MMA. Frankly, I'm retiring from everything."

The biggest issue for Askren -- widely considered one of the best grapplers in the world -- is his jacked-up hip ... which he's been dealing with for the past few years.

In fact, Askren says his doctor is recommending a full hip replacement -- and since he's already 35, it ain't exactly a recipe for a comeback.

"I got really emotional the other day because I just started thinking about all the great experiences I've had and how lucky I've been to have the amount of success I've had," Askren said.

Ben was famously included in the blockbuster UFC, ONE Championship trade back in 2018 involving MMA legend Demetrious Johnson.

Askren raised eyebrows right away -- defeating Robbie Lawler in his first UFC fight -- but things went south in 2019 when he was knocked out by Jorge Masvidal in 5 seconds.

It got worse when Askren fought Demian Maia in Oct. 2019 and lost by submission in the 3rd round. It became clear to Ben he couldn't continue to compete at the highest levels.

Asken (19-2) wasn't just a stud fighter -- he's also one of the most entertaining personalities in the sport and will surely find a career in broadcasting now that he's done in the Octagon.

Brad Paisley is a MASSIVE Cleveland Browns fan -- and you can tell he's genuinely sad about the incident with Myles Garrett ... explaining why the helmet-swing was heartbreaking to watch.

"Wish he hadn't done what he did," the country music superstar tells TMZ Sports ... "It's crazy. He shouldn't have done that."

Paisley has spent a lot of time around the Browns (remember his "Hard Knocks" cameo at training camp?) ... and says he's heard Garrett is a good dude, which makes it harder to understand why he went so crazy against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week.

"I'd love to know what he's thinking. I'm sure he's remorseful."

Even if Garrett can bounce back from the scandal, Paisley says he'll NEVER win back Steelers fans ... saying, "Pittsburgh will never forgive him, I'm sure."

As for the punishment, Paisley says he'll support whatever suspension the NFL eventually dishes out -- "He needs to serve that time, whatever they decide that is."

The league has already suspended Garrett for the rest of the year, but he's appealing this week and the punishment COULD change (maybe).

So, why is Paisley -- who's from West Virginia -- a Browns fan? It all stems back to Brian Sipe ... (betcha didn't think you'd see that name today!)

Here's a video to help explain ...