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Detroit Lions owner Martha Ford -- who has been in charge since 2014 -- has stepped down from her role with the team ... and her daughter, Sheila Hamp, will take over.

94-year-old Ford took over the team after her husband, William Ford Sr. -- the last surviving grandchild of Henry Ford -- passed away.

"It has been a great honor for our family to be associated with the Lions and with the National Football League," Martha said in a statement Tuesday.

"I am gratified that this family tradition, which my husband and I began almost six decades ago, will continue under Sheila's guiding hand."

"It is clear to me that Sheila will provide superb leadership and is fully committed to competitive excellence and community involvement."

Sheila addressed her new role, saying, "My mother has inspired all of us since taking on leadership of the Lions over six years ago."

"She has been a tireless leader to our family, our team and our community. Her smart decisions have given me a solid foundation to take the team forward."

"On behalf of the family and the team, I want to thank her for her countless contributions. I look forward to leading the Lions to excellence on and off the field."

The Fords have owned the Lions since 1963 ... when William bought the team for $4.5 million.

The franchise is now worth around $1.95 BILLION, according to Forbes.

NFL commish Roger Goodell released a statement on the transition, saying, "We are pleased that the Ford family will continue to own and operate this historic franchise."

Did you know Cam Newton has 7 kids? Neither did we!

The 31-year-old -- who's usually pretty private when it comes to his personal life -- opened up about his offspring in an emotional Father's Day post on IG.

"I’m a proud father of seven," the ex-Carolina Panthers star said.

"A daddy isn’t defined as the man who makes the child (not an all instances) but rather a MAN who extends his hands and time to help with the child’s raising and his heart to LOVE the child through anything!"

He continued, "Blood doesn’t always make you DADDY being a dad comes from the heart."

"Anybody can make a baby but it takes a real man to raise a child! Kudos to all the real men worldwide happy Father’s Day to us."

He also named all 7 of his kids -- Jaden, Shakira, Chosen, Sovereign-Dior, Camidas, Caesar, Cashmere.

We know what you're thinking ... doesn't Philip Rivers have a bunch of kids, too?

Yep -- Rivers has 9 KIDS!!

Michael Jordan's autograph is crazy valuable -- even with thousands of signatures floating around -- but imagine owning the very 1st ball MJ EVER SIGNED!!

Well, if ya got the dough, you can buy what's (likely) Jordan's first autograph ... signed when Michael was a 13-year-old youth baseball player.

Here's the deal ... in 1976, Jordan played on Parkers Food Stores (a local grocery store & team sponsor) Babe Ruth League youth baseball team in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Jordan, who wore #10 -- along with his teammates -- signed a ball to commemorate their 11-3 season ... which ended in a championship.

The team's manager, Dick Neher -- who was a co-worker of MJ's dad, James Jordan -- held on to the ball for over 25 years before selling it in 2002.

Now, Goldin Auctions has acquired the 1-of-a-kind piece ... where it's available for auction online.

FYI -- GA recently sold a similar Derek Jeter piece (Jeetz signed when he was only 8) for $36k.

So, what's Jordan's sig gonna sell for? Well, Jeter's a LEGEND -- but he's not MJ -- so Goldin expects the ball to go for around $50k.

Awesome, right?!

Al Sharpton wants SWIFT justice in the NASCAR noose investigation -- and if they don't produce answers quickly, he's ready to take action.

"If we don't hear something soon, NASCAR can expect a visit from me -- and I won't be coming to drive a car," Sharpton tells TMZ Sports.

Al is really upset ... he's pissed that somebody put a noose in Bubba Wallace's garage at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama on Sunday -- and he's also pissed cops haven't identified the culprit publicly yet.

Long story short, Sharpton believes the investigation needs to be a top priority with NASCAR and law enforcement because "people need to know they will be held accountable."

As we previously reported, NASCAR says it's working with authorities -- and the FBI is now involved.

The big question ... shouldn't there be surveillance video of a suspect?? Why hasn't video been released yet?

Al wants answers. Now.

Sharpton also says the noose isn't just a symbol of hate -- it's a threat of violence and should be treated as such.

"A rope represents a threat to human life and that person ought to be found out and dealt with by the authorities," Sharpton says.

"To hang a noose, which is a symbol of lynching and killing somebody because of the color their skin, shows real hatred and real bigotry."

"And by doing it they confirmed the very reason why we're marching all over the country. Rather than a condemnation, it's a confirmation of why we need to keep marching."

Mike Tyson and his tiny shorts are back in the gym for another terrifying training video ... AND THIS ONE IS SCARY AS HELL!!

Once again, the 53-year-old -- who turns 54 next week -- is just going H.A.M. on his trainer, terrorizing the guy with some ultra-violent combos.

He's changing levels, he's striking with power ... it's more of the Mike Tyson you love.

Even Odell Beckham chimed in -- saying, "Mannnnnn hellllll na!!!! I don’t want no smokkkke y’all stop playin wit him."

UFC star Tyron Woodley added, "He baaaaaaaaack!"

As we previously reported, Tyson says he's serious about taking a charity fight ... and is considering Evander Holyfield as an opponent.

"That would be awesome for charity," Tyson told us back in May ... "Can you imagine me and him going in the ring together?"

57-year-old Holyfield has also been training -- so, it's possible the two will it back at some point.

But, right now, Tyson says he's focused on "having fun, looking good, showing off my new bod and stuff."

Jamie Foxx is also showing off his new bod -- the Hollywood star is getting into boxing shape to play Iron Mike in an upcoming flick ... and he looks JACKED!!

The SF 49ers -- Colin Kaepernick's former team -- are now flying a Black Lives Matter flag at Levi's Stadium ... putting the message front and center next to the Star-Spangled Banner.

"Indivisible with liberty and justice for all," the Niners said of the new flag in a statement on social media on Monday. "#BlackLivesMatter"

The new piece at the stadium is powerful ... and even star running back Tevin Coleman took the time out to acknowledge his squad's tribute, commenting raised fists on the pic.

Of course, S.F's owner, Jed York, has backed the BLM movement ever since George Floyd tragically died in late May ... pledging to donate $1 million to help fight systemic racism.

As part of the donation, York said at the time, "Before we are able to realize impactful change, we must first have the courage and compassion as human beings to come together and acknowledge the problem: black men, women and children and other oppressed minorities continue to be systemically discriminated against."

York has since given his team Juneteenth off and has insinuated he'll likely make election day in November a holiday for his employees as well.

Other 49ers players have also been vocal in their support of the BLM movement over the last few weeks ... with stud receiver Kendrick Bourne even shouting out Kaepernick while kneeling at a protest earlier this month.

Another disturbing racism allegation in the racing world ... Sonoma Raceway officials claim they, too, found a noose at their track over the weekend, and cops are now investigating.

According to officials at the legendary California track -- which plays host to NASCAR races annually -- a piece of twine tied in the shape of a noose was found hanging from a tree near the property on Saturday.

"To have something like that show up on our property is disgusting,” the raceway's general manager, Steve Page, told NBC Bay Area.

Page added he went to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office over the incident ... and now they say they've launched a probe into the matter.

"We take it seriously," a spokesperson said. "That's why we're out there with the violent crimes unit. Put every effort into making an ID on this."

The troubling discovery came just one day before a noose was found in Bubba Wallace's garage down at NASCAR's event at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama on Sunday.

In that incident, the FBI says it has taken over the investigation to find the culprits.

For Bubba's part, he shook off the hateful message to finish 14th in Monday's race ... and said afterward, "You're not going to take away my smile."

At least SOME part of Mark McGwire belongs in the Hall of Fame ... so says Big Mac himself, who believes his 70th home run ball should be in Cooperstown STAT!!

"Bottom line," McGwire said out at LAX this week, "it should have been put in the Hall of Fame."

Of course, the ball can't exactly go there at the moment ... Todd McFarlane -- a legendary comic book artist -- famously bought it for over $3 MILLION just a few months after McGwire made history in 1998.

And, despite the ball's plummeting value (experts tell TMZ Sports it's worth only around $300K-$400K), McFarlane doesn't seem at all ready to part with it, even for the Hall.

He told us last week he still loves his purchase and it would take a "stupid number" for him to give it up.

In other words, don't bet on it ending up in the Hall, even if it'd take it.

As for Mark, he said he's at peace with the ball not being worth millions anymore, adding, "It dropped when Barry [Bonds] broke the record." But, the Cardinals legend did say he wouldn't mind autographing it!!

There's more ... McGwire went IN on the MLB's plan to allow a DH in the National League in 2020 -- saying he believes the role should be punted from baseball altogether.

An airplane toting a "White Lives Matter" banner flew over Manchester City's soccer game against Burnley on Monday ... and now, cops say they're investigating.

The scene was disturbing ... just minutes after players took a knee to show support of the Black Lives Matter movement -- the plane circled around Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England.

Reports say the banner was visible for several minutes ... and players -- who have all decided to replace their last names on their jerseys with the words "Black Lives Matter" -- said afterward they were sickened by the message.

Now, cops have vowed to launch a probe into the matter ... writing in a statement Tuesday morning, "We are making enquiries to establish the full circumstances surrounding this incident."

"We will then be in a position to make an assessment as to whether any criminal offences have taken place."

Burnley's officials also condemned the banner -- which was allegedly paid for by a Burnley fan -- writing in a statement of their own, "This, in no way, represents what Burnley Football Club stands for."

"We will work fully with the authorities to identify those responsible and issue lifetime bans."

Emotional moment at Talladega ... where Bubba Wallace tried to fight back tears as ALL of his fellow drivers rallied behind him at the starting line.

The drivers worked together to push Bubba's #43 car to the starting line Monday to show their support for Wallace -- just one day after officials found a noose in his team's garage.

The drivers then gathered around Bubba's car before the Geico 500 in Talladega on Monday to show the world they stand with him ... and man, it was powerful stuff.

Wallace was flanked by 82-year-old team owner Richard Petty who also showed support for the young driver.

The event also featured a prayer for unity in the wake of the racist incident.

After the national anthem, which was also super emotional, drivers lined up to hug Wallace ... who was obviously moved by the show of support.

The race is about to begin ... and even though there are a few fans at the Speedway, the energy is off the charts.

LET'S GO BUBBA!!!!!!!

Cleveland Cavs superstar Kevin Love is continuing his quest to raise awareness for mental health ... by donating a half a MILLION dollars to his former school's psychology department.

31-year-old Love -- who was a star for the UCLA Bruins in 2007-2008 -- has been outspoken about his battles with depression since 2018 ... and has been fighting to end the stigma against mental health disorders.

Love announced the $500,000 to UCLA on Monday ... one day after receiving the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYs.

"I hope one day we are able to erase the stigma around anxiety and depression, and we can only do that by improving diagnosis and treatment, fostering public conversations about mental health and encouraging people to seek help when they need it," Love said via Tom Withers.

Love's contribution is receiving praise from the university ... with Michelle Craske, professor in psychology, psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences adding, "When heroes like Kevin come forward and share their vulnerability, it shines a light on anxiety and depression, and that helps chip away at stigma."

"I want to thank Kevin for his leadership and his courage to share his personal story with the world. He has inspired and provided hope to many."

CALLING ALL CARS ... HELLO?! ANYONE? ANY CARS?

NO?

Oh, that's because there are NO MORE COP CARS in Fortnite -- and it seems to be the video game's way of acknowledging the real-life protests against police brutality.

All traces of police vehicles -- including SWAT vans -- have been removed from the game ... leaving many players wondering, why?

The Wall Street Journal cites a source at Epic Games -- the company behind the game -- who says it wasn't intended to be a political statement.

"I think it’s just us being sensitive about the issues many people in our audience are dealing with,” the source told WSJ.

The move has little to no impact on the actual gameplay -- you can't drive the cars around or anything like that ... they're basically decorative.

Epic Games hasn't spoken publicly about the issue -- but earlier this month, they posted a blog addressing the Black Lives Matter movement and the outrage over the killing of George Floyd ... and how it delayed the release of the Fortnite Season 3 launch.

"Recent events are a heavy reminder of ongoing injustices in society, from the denial of basic human rights to the impact of racism both overt and subtle against people of color," Epic Games said.

Mississippi State star Kylin Hill -- one of the best football players in the country -- is demanding the state makes changes to its flag ... or "I won’t be representing this State anymore."

21-year-old Hill -- who was born and raised in the Magnolia State -- made his comments via Twitter on Monday ... in response to a tweet from Governor Tate Reeves discussing the topic of removing the Confederate symbol from the flag.

"Either change the flag or I won’t be representing this State anymore," Hill said. "& I meant that .. I’m tired."

He added ... "Unlike rest I was born in this state Hundred points symbol and I [know] what the flag mean."

TMZ Sports reached out to Hill via Instagram DM asking whether his tweet meant he would NOT play for the Bulldogs if the change wasn't made ... and he "liked" the message.

Ex-MSU star K.J. Wright expressed his support for Hill's stance ... saying, "You have my full support brotha! That flag represents hate, racism, oppression!"

"It’s BEEN TIME for a change. There’s strength in numbers! We all have to be on board"

Hill's demand comes on the heels of Oklahoma State star Chuba Hubbard threatening to boycott the school after coach Mike Gundy was spotted supporting pro-Trump media outlet, One America News.

Gundy later apologized and vowed to help change the culture at OSU.

All Elite Wrestling has suspended one of its biggest stars without pay for saying he wanted to "rape" a female WWE superstar during a 2016 interview.

Sammy Guevara -- known as Chris Jericho's protege -- appeared on the "Raw's 4th Hour" podcast back in '16 and said, "Sasha Banks ... when I was at the WWE the other week I wanted to go f**king rape that woman."

The comments resurfaced this week -- and now his bosses at AEW have decided to take action.

"Effective immediately, Sammy is suspended without pay until further notice," AEW said in a statement.

"Sammy has agreed to undergo extensive sensitivity training and, upon completion, his future status within the company will be reevaluated. During his suspension, his salary will be donated to the Women’s Center of Jacksonville."

Sasha Banks has also spoken out ... saying she recently had an "open discussion" with Sammy about his comments and apologized.

"Words like the comments he made, jokingly or not, have absolutely no place in our society! I don’t condone or tolerate this kind of behavior. "

Banks added, "What one thinks is just a side comment can have a massive impact on someone else’s life, and can send the wrong message."

"We have to hold ourselves accountable for our actions and the words we say, and I hope the situation shows him that."

Sammy is also speaking out publicly -- saying, "I've made stupid, inappropriate and extremely offensive comments in my past."

"I am truly sorry for my hurtful words and actions, and I will never forgive myself."

Jesse Iwuji -- an African American driver who races in NASCAR's Truck Series -- says he's been the target of racist fans for years ... but the noose incident really struck a chord.

"That's literally one step away from carrying out the real action of lynching someone," Iwuji tells TMZ Sports.

"And, everyone knows what that noose means. It's racist, it's hate, and it just shows that you do not care, any bit, about our race."

Iwuji knows Bubba Wallace and feels "really sad" for the Cup Series driver ... but praises Bubba for how he's handled the situation with poise and class.

In fact, Iwuji -- who's also an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve -- says racism in the sport is nothing new. He knows from personal experience.

"I'm currently racing in the NASCAR truck series, and we see racism. It happens here and there. We probably get messages a few times a year from fans who are just racist, they just don't like us because of our color."

Now, 32-year-old Iwuji says he wants NASCAR to focus on exposing the racists in the sport and eradicating them, so NASCAR can continue to grow with people from all walks of life.