TMZ Sports - Page 50

"He's got it. He's got the juice, bro!"

That's Michael Brockers GUARANTEEING Joe Burrow is going to be a superstar in the NFL ... telling TMZ Sports straight-up the LSU QB is that damn good!!!

Of course, Brockers is biased ... he's a former LSU stud himself -- but the L.A. Rams D-lineman swears Burrow has all that's necessary to lead a team in the league in 2020.

"I feel like he has it, man," Brockers says. "Quarterbacks have to know how to get out of pressure and stuff like that and he has the juice, bro."

Brockers points toward Burrow's insane stat line this season -- 5,671 yards and 60 TDs -- as the reason he's so confident in the QB, telling us, "You can't take none of that away from him."

In fact, Brockers says Burrow is so good ... he thinks the guy might actually come to the league with a target on his back on Day 1!!

Even though Luke Kuechly only played 8 NFL seasons, his old teammate says he's a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame ... 'cause Mike Tolbert says the linebacker did more than enough to prove he's worthy.

28-year-old Kuechly abruptly put an end to his successful career earlier this week ... saying it was time to put the game behind him.

There's been speculation that health had something to do with it, but Tolbert tells us regardless of the reason, he's proud Luke knew it was time to walk away.

"He's my guy, I love him to death," Tolbert tells TMZ Sports. "I'm happy for him. There's not a lot of guys that can say they walked away from the game the way they wanted to."

Luke was arguably the best linebacker in the league ever since entering the NFL way back in 2012 as a first-round pick out of Boston College.

We asked Tolbert -- who played with the Panthers from 2012-2016 -- if he thought Kuechly could take his talents to the sidelines as a coach ... and he says it would be a natural fit.

"I don't think there's anybody better. He's the smartest football player I've ever been around. He and Phillip Rivers I'd put 1 and 2."

Kuechly was a stud on the field with Carolina ... making 7 Pro Bowls and earning 5 first-team All-Pro honors. He was the NFL's defensive player of the year in 2013 and the defensive rookie of the year in 2012.

"I think Luke has that perfect mindset. He's not married, he doesn't have any kids. He can afford to spend those 20-22 hour days at the facility preparing. "

What's the only thing better than Championship weekend?? How about the smokin' hot fans who support the boys taking the field!!!

Don't believe us?? See above.

Check out Oakland Raiders superfan Josephine Skriver supporting the Oakland Raiders in the sexiest fan gear around ... as well as Rob Gronkowski's GF, Camille Kostek, always reppin' her boo's old team.

There's also Green Bay Packers Cheesehead Hailey Clauson ... who's always down to show her true colors.

Look, Mahomes, Henry, Rodgers and Garoppolo are fun to watch ... but this set of pics is much more fun to look at.

So, what better way to kick off the NFC and AFC title games than to scroll through our collection of football lovin' babes!!

Dr. Oz is firing back at Mark Wahlberg's cardiac arrest crack -- and as it turns out, the doc's actually got some jokes of his own ... plus nifty visual aides.

DO took to Instagram Saturday to respond to Mark's own video from a few days ago, where he accepted Oz's no-breakfast/one-legged push-up challenge and then joked the guy would probably need a defibrillator by the time Marky Mark was done with him in the gym.

Well, Dr. Oz seems to have one-upped him -- rocking real scrubs and showing off an actual defibrillator in what looks to be a real hospital ... not to mention giving a demonstration.

Oz even takes some shots at MW, saying he's probably used a fake defibrillator in front of the camera -- but in the real world, only one of 'em knows how to use it ... and it ain't Mark. He goes on to call out Mark's "full stomach" and show muscles ... doubting they work as advertised. It's funny, Dr. Oz is confident Mark will be the one passing out.

This is just the latest sling in what's become the weirdest/most awesome celeb feud of the new year. That said, we're ready to see some action here ... 'cause talk is cheap.

Antonio Brown is transitioning into his latest career with relative ease -- he performed for the first time as a rapper, and he's got one signature move of the game DOWN.

The out-of-work wide receiver made his debut on the mic Friday night in Fort Lauderdale, where he opened for rappers Lil Keed and Lil Gotit at a place called Revolution Live. Dude definitely knows how to make an entrance ... he did that and then some.

AB hit the stage to his new single, "Whole Lotta Money," which he rapped to and even enhanced by bringing his music vid to life ... throwing tons of bills all over the crowd.

Looks like he kept the set going too -- Antonio danced onstage and kept tossing around cash. At one point, the DJ mentions something about "allegations," and asked if he wanted to talk about that. AB ignored it though, and kept his focus on the indoor rainstorm.

"She's Muhammad Ali's daughter, she's not Muhammad Ali."

That's boxing superstar Claressa Shields essentially telling Laila Ali to put up or shut up ... after Ali trashed Shields this week as an inferior fighter.

Shields appeared on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weeknights on FS1) to respond to Ali's insults ... and yeah, Shields was FIRED UP!

"Let's just keep it honest. Don't say that I'm not talented because I'm the most talented female fighter there has been in the history of boxing."

Of course, 42-year-old Ali went on "Sway in the Morning" and said she would destroy Shields if they ever fought because Claressa isn't talented enough to hang with her.

FYI, Ali was 24-0 as a pro. She last fought in 2007. 24-year-old Shields is currently 10-0 and looks unstoppable.

"Laila Ali is all bark, no bite," Shields said ... "If a girl call me out, I answer."

Shields says Ali ducked Ann Wolfe back in the day. Wolfe is widely considered one of the best female fighters of all time.

Instead, Shields says Ali's resume is packed with bums, not legit top flight opponents.

"She fought against soccer moms and probably strippers or something. I fight real fighters."

Now, Shields says she's down to settle this in the ring.

Claressa says she'll give Ali one year to train up -- and even has a pay structure in mind.

"The loser gets $5 million. The winner gets $10 million."

Taylor Swift likes her workouts solo -- as in she doesn't just book a trainer, she books a gym -- sorry Justin Bieber.

Here's the deal ... Justin was at Dogpound Gym in West Hollywood with a bunch of people, but then Taylor and her crew rolled up.

We're told everyone -- including JB was asked to get the heck out of the gym -- because Taylor had an appointment. Justin's security team was approached and asked to leave, but JB's team held firm and said he was going to finish his workout before taking off.

We're told Justin, who did not have an appointment, finished -- although he was mostly goofing around and dancing -- and left ... but he had no idea it was Taylor who had requested the gym be cleared. Once he left, everyone who remained was asked to leave.

One source connected to the gym tells us Taylor did indeed have an appointment with a trainer in the gym ... and the appointment was to train alone. Justin just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

JB gave fans a preview of his routine that day, spending quite a bit of time dancing in front of mirrors to his new single, "Yummy."

Odell Beckham Jr. might've caught a big break in his butt-slapping case down in New Orleans -- 'cause the cop whose cheeks got smacked is pivoting away from pursing it.

According to NOLA.com and ESPN, the Superdome police officer who was on the receiving end of OBJ's ass slap last week is apparently not interested in pressing charges -- despite reportedly wanting to retaliate by punching Odell in the kisser, but refraining.

Of course, an arrest warrant on a simple battery charge had been issued for Odell. Now, NOLA.come reports that same officer has done a 180 ... reportedly having signed an affidavit stating he doesn't wish to press charges. It's unclear what changed his mind.

Either way, it could prove to be a major assist for Odell ... who's less likely to face prosecution if the primary alleged victim isn't cooperating. NOPD could even rescind their warrant at this point if they wanted to ... but all that remains to be seen for now.

Odell, meanwhile, has been laying low. Probably a good thing after sticking out like a sore thumb on Monday ... handing out cash to a ton of the LSU players on the sideline and raging in the locker room with them after. Probably best to let things cool off 😅.

Kamaru Usman says he'll whoop Conor's ass worse than Khabib ... and the beating will be so bad, McGregor might never fight again.

The beef heated up earlier this week at UFC 246 media event when "The Notorious" took aim at the welterweight champ, saying a Masvidal fight would be more entertaining 'cause Usman "has the similar style of Khabib, the sniff the jockstrap style."

Kamaru heard Conor ... and now he's firing back.

"Humans love the path of least resistance," Usman tells TMZ Sports ... "Fair play to him, I'd say. Fair play to Conor. But, this jock sniffer will humble him even worse than Khabib has humbled him."

Of course, Nurmagomedov dominated Conor during their October 2018 bout ... ultimately forcing him to tap midway into the 4th round.

Chris Long says he's proud of Luke Kuechly for hanging up his cleats early ... telling TMZ Sports the NFL is "a dangerous game."

"People got families," the former Eagles and Patriots Super Bowl champ says. "Good for him."

Kuechly, at just 28 years old, announced his retirement earlier this week ... and a lot of people are questioning whether it was the right call given what he's got left in the tank.

But, when we got Long out in D.C., he told us he's all for the move ... saying Kuechly -- who's battled head injuries throughout his career -- really has no reason to keep putting his body in jeopardy.

"I think guys are more financially capable to make that decision now," Long says.

"Where back in the day, you'd have to play 15 years to take care of your family, you don't have to do that anymore."

Conor McGregor and Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone are scrapping tonight in Vegas ... but the real winner in the Octagon? That's Brookliyn Wren ... and all of us.

Meet Brookliyn ... who will be working the UFC 246 fight with Arianny Celeste, Brittney Palmer, Red Dela Cruz and the rest of the UFC's Octagon girls.

Wren -- who started with the UFC back in April 2017 -- has worked some of the biggest fights in the promotion's history ... including the October 2018 Conor-Khabib fight that spilled into the stands after McGregor tapped.

"The Notorious" returns to the Octagon for the first time since that night ... and while all eyes will be on McGregor, we have a feeling Wren might catch a few glances too.

PK Subban says more women should follow Lindsey Vonn's lead and take a knee for their mans ... telling TMZ Sports a lot of dudes wanna get proposed to!!!

Remember, PK originally proposed to his Olympic ski star lady back in August ... and then LV returned the favor by popping the question over Christmas.

We spoke with the NJ Devils star out in NYC about the gesture ... and he says he wasn't surprised at all when Lindsey proposed ... and says any dude would want an expensive ass ring!!!

Roger Goodell, listen up ... Rams star left tackle Andrew Whitworth says he HATES extra points -- and wants them banned from the league ASAP!!!

We got the 4-time Pro Bowler leaving Craig's in L.A. this week ... when we got into a conversation with the big man about the XFL's new rules.

That's when Whitworth told us he loves the league's idea of getting rid of field goal attempts for a point after touchdown tries ... saying they straight-up hurt his body!!!

"I get tired of getting ran into," Andrew says. "I don't need an extra opportunity to get hit."

Of course, as an O-lineman, it's Whitworth's job to protect the kicker ... which means he's got to throw his body in the way of pass-rushing defenders EVERY TIME the Rams go for an extra point!!!

Yeah, ouch.

Here it is ... Conor McGregor and Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone stripping down and weighing in for their main event fight at UFC 246 -- and good news, they both made weight!

Conor and Cowboy both hit 170 on the dot -- perfect weight for their welterweight matchup Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The last time McGregor fought, he only weighed 155 to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov for the UFC lightweight title.

But now, he's moved up in weight and he looks pretty good -- big, strong and UFC doctors say he's in the best shape of his MMA career.

As for Cowboy, DON'T SLEEP ON THAT GUY -- Cerrone holds the UFC record for most victories, most finishes and most fight bonuses!

Both fighters will next attend the UFC ceremonial weigh-in -- which goes down later Friday in front of thousands of fans. It's usually a chaotic scene. We'll have the highlights for you right here.

"Couldn’t imagine taking baseball instruction from an ex-female softball player."

Well, this is a horrible take ... courtesy of former San Francisco Giants star Aubrey Huff.

The ex-Silver Slugger winner -- and current internet troll -- just went off on his former team in spectacularly sexist fashion ... blasting the Giants for becoming the first MLB squad ever to hire a full-time female coach.

"I got in trouble for wearing a thong in my own clubhouse when female reporters were present," Huff said. "Can’t imagine how it will play out with a full-time female coach running around. This has #metoo & #BelieveAllWomen written all over it."

Yeah, yikes.

Of course, the Giants couldn't possibly have a more opposite take than Huff ... they said Alyssa Nakken will change their clubhouse in a way not many people EVER could.

In fact, Giants manager Gabe Kapler said of the ex-Sacramento State softball superstar that he's "delighted" to have her be around the team in 2020.

But, Huff -- who won two World Series titles with SF in 2010 and 2012 -- continued with the sexism anyway ... telling former teammates Brandon Crawford, Brandon Belt and Buster Posey to "Have fun with that."

LSU Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron says the team's trip to the White House was a PHENOMENAL experience ... telling TMZ Sports POTUS is an awesome host!!!

The national champs spent the day at 1600 Penn in Washington D.C. ... and there was a ton of action -- #45 joking about being impeached, players doing the "Get The Gat" challenge, and Coach O's name getting butchered during introductions.

We spoke with coach out in the nation's capital about the visit ... and he couldn't have been happier about how it went down.

"It was phenomenal. President Trump was a gracious host, spent a lot of time with us," Orgeron said.

"[He's] very knowledgeable about football. It was one of the best experiences we've ever had. What a great experience for our football team."

O says he and his wife even got a personal tour of the White House!!!

"I felt really good about being at the White House ... Everything was A+ today."

We also spoke with some of the players, and they backed up O's review, saying the trip was "amazing!"

Some of the guys also had a message for Clemson ... and you're gonna wanna check that out!!!