TMZ Sports - Page 50

Tarvaris Jackson -- who famously backed up Russell Wilson in Super Bowl XLVIII -- has died in a car crash.

He was only 36.

We're told Jackson was involved in a wreck late Sunday night in Alabama, where he grew up.

Russell Wilson tweeted about his former teammate early Monday morning -- saying, "TJack... you will be missed. Praying for your family...Love you man."

Recently, he had been working as a quarterback coach for the Tennessee State football team.

"My heart is so heavy with hurt hearing of the passing of Coach Jackson,” said TSU's athletic director, Teresa Phillips. “We were blessed with him for a short time but he did make an impact with our young men in this one season at TSU."

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to his young family and all who knew and loved him."

Added TSU head coach Rod Reed, "We are devastated. He was an awesome young man and he will be missed by our players, our staff and the TSU family."

Jackson was a stud football player in high school -- and later played at Arkansas before transferring to Alabama State, where he balled out for 3 seasons.

The Minnesota Vikings selected Jackson in the 2nd round of the 2006 NFL Draft, with head coach Brad Childress calling the QB a "diamond in the rough."

Jackson spent 4 years in Minnesota before signing with the Seahawks, Bills ... and then a 2nd stint with the Seahawks, where he served as Wilson's backup until 2015.

We spoke with Jackson's former Vikings teammate, Bryant McKinnie -- who spent 5 seasons with TJ -- about the passing of his longtime friend.

Jerry "The King" Lawler is on his way to Orlando, Florida for Monday's episode of 'Raw' ... despite having serious health issues in the past.

The 70-year-old legend is a staple on 'Raw' -- but considering his age and the fact he had a heart attack on the air in 2012, you wouldn't think he'd be game for shooting a live ep during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But, alas, Lawler packed his stuff and got on the plane Monday morning -- and even cracked jokes about being the only traveler at the airport.

"Not many people flying today," Lawler tweeted ... "I called the airline and said, "What time does your flight to Orlando leave?" They said, 'What time can you be here?'"

WWE says they are taking all sorts of precautions to keep everyone safe -- including medical screenings for everyone who enters the WWE Performance Center in Orlando.

As we previously reported, a WWE on-air talent tested positive for coronavirus after WrestleMania 36 but the org. says they believe the person caught it from frontline medical workers AFTER the taping.

Rudy Gobert says there was "no fight" with his Jazz teammate, Donovan Mitchell, over their coronavirus diagnoses ... and says the 2 spoke over the weekend to try to iron things out.

"It is true that we didn't speak for a while after this, but we did speak a few days ago," Gobert said Sunday on Instagram Live. "We're both ready to go out there and try to win a championship for this team."

"There's no fight," Gobert added according to ESPN ... "It's all about thousands of people are dying every day, and it's all about what we can do to help, what we can do to bring some positive. That's what my focus is on now."

If you missed it, Mitchell was reportedly so upset at Gobert over the way he didn't take COVID-19 safety precautions seriously before their positive diagnoses ... his friendship with the big man is "unsalvageable."

Gobert admitted on IG Live things haven't exactly been smooth since March ... but says he's working on burying the hatchet.

"You know, everyone has got different relationships -- it's never perfect," Gobert said during an Instagram Live interview Sunday. "People that are married, it's never perfect."

"So, you know, me and my teammate, no, it's far from perfect. But, at the end of the day, we both want the same thing -- and it's winning."

As for Mitchell, he hasn't spoken publicly about his relationship with Rudy since just days after his positive COVID-19 test in March ... saying to "Good Morning America," "to be honest with you, it took a while for me to kind of cool off."

LaVar Ball says he wants both NBA AND NFL players under the BBB umbrella going forward ... and he says he's got a plan that could make them $40 MILLION on their 1st contract with the company!

The Big Baller tells TMZ Sports he wants to sign big-name football and basketball draft prospects starting next year ... and he says his deals with them will be VERY different than what Nike and Adidas are offering.

LaVar tells us his vision for BBB athletes is to have an ownership stake in their products ... and rather than getting fixed money upfront -- they'll get a percentage of ALL their sales going forward!!

"The guys that I want to be involved with, I want them to believe in themselves," LaVar says. "So, I would give them 40 percent of the profit of what they make."

Ball continued, "I'm not going to give them the 5-year, $10 million deal. Because everybody's like, 'Oh, he's passing up $10 million!' Like, nah, if you really believe in yourself and you're going to be the head of a franchise, you'd rather have ownership."

LaVar says the math is pretty simple ... if a guy sells a million shirts worldwide at $100 apiece, and gets 40 percent of the profit, he can make $40 MIL on his first deal no problem!!

Former NBA star Gary Payton was in a pay-it-forward mood this weekend -- he brought a bunch of good food to the hardworking first responders in his own hometown.

The ex-SuperSonics PG strolled into Alta Bates Summit Medical Campus Saturday, which is in Oakland -- his stomping ground. We're told he came bearing gifts of the edible kind ... a crap ton of barbecue sandwiches and sides from local restaurant Kinder's Meats & Deli.

And, don't worry, Gary had more than enough to feed everyone ... and we mean just about every person on the hospital's payroll, including the often-forgotten security guards who are stationed at hospitals. All in all, we're told GP had enough grub to feed about 200 workers.

He set up shop and doled out the good eats as different wings and departments in the building caught wind of Gary's good deed, and made their way down to the floor he was on. A batch of 30 sandos even made their way to the ICU, where the most vulnerable are being treated.

An eyewitness tells us they overheard Gary tell someone that he actually has a friend who's currently staying at the hospital -- so it appears the spirit of generosity came over him to feed everyone working day and night to keep the people of Oakland healthy.

WWE's newest champ Drew McIntyre is giving a sincere shoutout to The Rock for believing in his potential before he ever dreamed of getting a belt ... and the video will hit you right in the feels.

Let's take you back to July 2019 when TMZ Sports posted a video of Dwayne Johnson being asked to name a wrestler who could be the next big thing.

The Rock quickly shouted out McIntyre -- explaining, "I think he's got a great look, great build" and insane potential!

Well, the video made quite an impact on Drew -- who says it came out of the blue at a time where he was still trying to find his identity in the ring.

And, to hear someone like The Rock publicly talk about his talent gave him a huge boost to his confidence and his career.

Ya gotta watch the clip ... Drew is incredibly humble and grateful for the support -- and he'll never forget it.

All you basketball know-it-alls got it wrong ... Michael Jordan is NOT the G.O.A.T of college hoops -- so says Bill Walton, who tells TMZ Sports that honor belongs to Kareem!

We got the basketball legend just days after MJ was crowned king of ESPN's "College Basketball's Greatest of All Time Bracket" ... and he says the voters got it flat-out wrong.

Don't get it twisted -- Bill LOVES Jordan, saying he's "one of the greatest players, phenomenal" ... but he tells us he believes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was just better.

"He has the records," Walton says of the former UCLA center. "He has the three championships."

Kareem -- a 1-seed to begin the event -- was shockingly upset in the bracket early on by nine-seeded Shaquille O'Neal.

MJ, meanwhile, ran the table as a 2-seed ... eventually beating Larry Bird in the bracket's championship.

As for how Kareem's college career at UCLA stacks up with Jordan's at UNC ... it seems Walton's got a point when you pull up those numbers.

Kareem -- who went by Lew Alcindor back then -- won three titles and averaged 26.4 points and 15.5 rebounds per game in his three-year career.

Jordan, meanwhile, won one championship while averaging 17.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in his three-year career.

Walton tells us he ain't too worried about the results, though ... and rightfully so, 'cause the guy's got an awesome virtual charity bike ride coming up this month -- where all the money raised is going toward COVID-19 relief efforts!!

Saints P Thomas Morstead is hooking up a bunch of doctors and nurses with thousands of dollars worth of freshly squeezed juices ... all to keep the medical professionals fighting the COVID-19 pandemic safe and healthy!!

In addition to being a Super Bowl-winning, Pro Bowl punter ... 34-year-old Morstead owns a stake in a company called Main Squeeze Juice Co. Thomas tells TMZ Sports he decided he could help by donating product ... so that's exactly what he did.

"Main Squeeze, they make the best juices in the world, and we wanted to make sure we were not only lending some real physical support, but also emotionally, just to let these doctors and nurses know we're behind them."

Thomas says this wasn't just a 1-time thing ... he, along with ex-Saints star Marques Colston (also an investor in the company), and the M.S. execs plan to keep donating as long as it's necessary.

"Main Squeeze franchising company did that on week 1. Week 2, this past week, I personally donated. I believe next week, Marques Colston, a former teammate of mine, is going to be donating as well," Morstead says.

"I don't know that there's an end in sight. We're just gonna try to keep providing support every Monday as long as it's needed."

Morstead says he's lost count of exactly how many drinks they've delivered ... but tells us they gave 1,400 juices to 8 different NOLA hospitals the first week alone.

Edmonton Oilers star Colby Cave has died following a brain bleed he suffered earlier in the week -- this according to his loved ones.

The Cave family made the sad announcement Saturday, saying Colby had passed away in a hospital he'd been in for the past few days. The families -- speaking for both Colby and his wife, Emily, said ... "Both our families are in shock but know our Colby was loved dearly by us, his family and friends, the entire hockey community and many more. We thank everyone for their prayers during this difficult time."

Colby was airlifted to a hospital in Toronto Tuesday for emergency surgery to remove a colloid cyst that was putting pressure on his brain. After the surgery, he was placed in a medically induced coma -- and had been in an unresponsive state since.

It's been reported that Colby's family wasn't able to visit him in the hospital due to COVID-19 concerns. Upon hearing about his passing, the NHL community at large mourned Colby's death, including NHL honcho Gary Bettman.

The commish said, "The National Hockey League family mourns the heartbreaking passing of Colby Cave, whose life and hockey career, though too short, were inspiringly emblematic of the best of our game." He continued, "Undrafted but undaunted, Colby was relentless in the pursuit of his hockey dream with both the Edmonton Oilers and Boston Bruins organizations. An earnest and hardworking player, he was admired by his teammates and coaches. More important, he was a warm and generous person who was well-liked by all those fortunate enough to know him."

His team also paid tribute, throwing up posts and clips of his first goal and other highlights. He came to the Oilers in 2018 and played for them for two seasons. He'd played for the Boston Bruins before that, as well as several other minor league hockey teams.

Colby's wife posted a very emotional remembrance of her husband, writing ... "My heart is shattered. The amount of physical, mental, and emotional pain I am in when I think about never seeing, touching, or holding you again is unbearable. You are and will always be my person, my hero, the greatest thing to happen to me. I never dreamed of being a widow before our first wedding anniversary."

Emily added, "Although, every cell in my body is lost without you, I promise to continue to make you proud. You were the best friend, husband, doggy daddy, and oh how I wished to see you as a baby daddy. I’ll see you again soon, Colb."

Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott are partying like it's NOT 2020 in the middle of a pandemic -- hanging together for a celebration that appears to violate the Texas "safer-at-home" order.

The turn up went down Friday night at the Dallas Cowboys QB's crib in Prosper, TX, and his star running back was there as a guest. We're told it was a birthday party for one of Dak's friends, and at the height of the bash, there were about 30 guests.

At one point, Zeke was seen posting up near a buffet catered by Nick and Sam's Steakhouse in Dallas. Normally, ya couldn't knock him for that ... the grub looked delicious.

The issue is the TX Governor's orders call for social distancing at all times, and no more than 10 people in a gathering.

The numbers don't add up for Dak, who's already getting heat for repeatedly blowing off social distancing for recent workouts with ex-Cowboy Dez Bryant.

We're told there was a sit-down dinner later in the evening at Dak's place for just a select few, closer to the magic number of 10 -- although clearly not seated 6 feet apart.

We've reached out to Dak's reps, but no word back.

Ronda Rousey is slamming the door shut on a full-time return to WWE -- saying she refuses to dedicate her whole life for some "f*cking ungrateful" fans.

DAAAAAAAAMN RONDA!!!

Ronda hasn't been in the squared circle since WrestleMania 35 back in 2019 -- and many people were wondering if she's EVER coming back?

Now, some answers courtesy of the "Wild Ride with Steve-O" podcast [shout out ProWrestlingSheet] ... where the former "Jackass" star asked her straight up about her career plans.

"I love the WWE," Ronda said ... "I had such a great time. I love all the girls in the locker room."

BUUUUUT ... (of course, there's a "but").

"But, I was doing basically part-time and I was away from home 200 days out of the year. And, when I did get home, I was so sleep deprived cause you just don’t have time to lay down.”

“So it’s just like ... what am I doing it for if I’m not being able to spend my time and energy on my family? But, instead of spending my time and my energy on a bunch of f*cking ungrateful fans that don’t even appreciate me?"

And boom goes the dynamite.

"I love performing. I love the girls. I love being out there ... but, at the end of the day, I was just like, ‘F*ck these fans, dude.'"

Ronda continued, "My family loves me and they appreciate me and I want all my energy to go into them. So that was my decision at the end of the day. It’s like, ‘Hey girls. Love what you’re doing. I’m gonna try and take all my momentum and push you guys as far as I can ... fly little birds, fly! I’m going f*cking home!’ And that was basically it."

Vanessa Bryant is managing her family's first Easter without Kobe and Gigi like a champ -- in fact, she and her kids are already getting a head start ... with cuteness to spare.

VB posted a super-sweet video Saturday showing her help 3-year-old daughter Bianka and her little sister, 9-month-old Capri, open a giant Easter egg with goodies inside -- sent to them by the florist to the stars, Jeff Leatham. It's adorable ... you see Bianka closing her eyes as she tries to crack it open with a mini hammer, but that shell's thick as hell.

Mom had to step in eventually and help her break a big enough hole to see what was inside. After LOTS of confetti-pulling, the mother-daughter duo found the treat ... chocolate!

BTW, Capri was definitely feeling the festivities ... she was giggling through the whole thing. What she mighta been thinking ... "When's my turn, MOM?!?" Good stuff.

No sign of Natalia here, but ya gotta figure she's around for the holiday too. The Bryants are devout Catholics and Easter's the holiest day of the year for the faithful.

As for the egg-cracking, it's usually a little kid thing to do anyway.

This marks the first Easter the Bryants have celebrated since Kobe and Gianna passed, and it's great to see Vanessa staying true to the fam's tradition. Last year, she was helping Bianka with another egg-tivity as well. Good on her for keeping their spirits up.

Warren Moon tells TMZ Sports ... Cam Newton would be a good fit in Jacksonville -- saying straight up, the QB has a great shot to start over Gardner Minshew ASAP!

Newton has been team-less since the Carolina Panthers cut him last month ... and the market for the former MVP hasn't been great.

In fact, Cam's been heavily linked to the L.A. Chargers, but the Bolts haven't reciprocated the interest. Like, at all.

Enter Moon ... who says Cam's next best option might be down in Florida -- 'cause the Hall of Famer thinks Newton might have a real shot to beat out Minshew in Jacksonville.

"They have Gardner Minshew there as their starter, who is not really a solidified starter in this league yet," Moon tells us. "So, I still think there’s an opportunity for maybe Cam to go to a Jacksonville and be a starter there."

Of course, Moon says everything is going to depend on Cam's health ... saying he believes teams need to see Newton's injured foot before they send contract offers his way.

As for if Cam would be a good fit to replace Tom Brady in New England ... Warren ain't so sure about that -- telling us the QB might be too flashy for Bill Belichick.