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A top Qatari official just made a shocking admission ... estimating between 400 to 500 migrant workers died while working on projects tied to the FIFA World Cup, significantly higher than previous official figures indicated.

Hassan Al-Thawadi -- chief of the iconic soccer event -- disclosed the amount during an interview with Piers Morgan on TalkTV Monday ... saying hundreds of migrant workers died as a consequence of World Cup labor.

"Between 400 and 500," Al-Thawadi told the British reporter in a response that appeared off the cuff, adding, "I don't have the exact number. That's something that's being discussed."

"One death is too many. It's as simple as that."

Prior to Al-Thawadi's interview, the death toll was said to be around 40 ... with a large majority of those coming being non-work related deaths (think sickness instead of worksite accident).

It's possible Qatar is still not being forthcoming with the true statistics. In fact, other reports have estimated thousands of workers have died during W.C. prep. The conditions under which the mostly foreign-born work staff operated were also reportedly abysmal.

Despite admitting to the hundreds of deaths, Al-Thawadi claims the health and safety standards have improved since they won the bid to host in 2010.

"I think overall the need for labor reform in itself dictates that yes, improvements have to happen."

"This was something that was recognized before we bid. The improvements that have happened aren’t because of the World Cup. These are improvements that we knew that we had to do because of our own values"

Texans wide receivers will honor their teammate, John Metchie III, with sets of custom cleats this week ... paying tribute to the wideout as he continues his battle with leukemia.

The guys, led by star Brandin Cooks, surprised the 22-year-old with the idea on Tuesday ... showing off the special spikes that they'll don for their game against the Browns on Sunday.

The orange-themed cleats pay homage to John's signature "Karate Kid" touchdown celebration that he made famous while playing for Alabama. They also say "Metchie Strong" and "Believe" on the sides.

And, check out video that the Texans shared Tuesday, Metchie III was blown away by it all.

"We love you," Cooks said to the wideout while unveiling the cleats. "Keep inspiring us in everything that you're doing. You know we've got your back every step of the way as best we can, for sure."

Metchie III was selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Texans ... but the team announced in July that he would miss the season following his leukemia diagnosis.

Jerry Jones was hit by a coughing fit that was so bad on Tuesday -- he didn't just request oxygen ... he wanted a shot of booze too!!!

The Cowboys owner hacked up the lung during his weekly spot on the Shan & RJ show on Audacy's 105.3 The Fan ... attempting to clear his throat for several moments.

While he was discussing the state of his Dallas franchise, things got so full of phlegm, the show's hosts had to pause and ask if he was OK. Jerry responded yes, before the coughing continued.

Finally, Jerry was able to get it all out ... and then he quipped, "Get me some oxygen!"

"Better still," he continued, "how 'bout a big shot of Jack!"

Jerry eventually recovered well enough to discuss some more serious matters -- the Odell Beckham Jr. plane incident ... and the 1957 photo of him at a desegregation protest.

On OBJ, Jones said the issues the wide receiver had on an American Airlines flight on Sunday will have no impact on the Cowboys' pursuit of the free agent.

As for the now-infamous photo of him that began recirculating last week, Jones said, "I think the key thing is, for me, is that it's a misread if you think that I don't recognize how monumental those days were."

"I respect the people that were involved that were trying to, make their, if you will, change things. And I have a lot of respect for that."

NFL quarterback DeShone Kizer says Aaron Rodgers made a bold first impression when he joined the Green Bay Packers in 2018 ... claiming the superstar asked whether he believed any conspiracies surrounding the September 11 terrorist attack.

The free agent shared the bizarre tidbit during an appearance on "The Breneman Show" Monday ... when he said AR wasted no time breaking the ice in their first meeting together.

Kizer said, "He shut the door and the first thing that came out of Aaron Rodgers' mouth was, 'Do you believe in 9/11?'"

The former 2nd-round pick was clearly puzzled by the question ... replying, "What, do I believe in 9/11? Yeah, why wouldn't I?"

"He was like, 'You should read up on that.' And then we just start learning up about the playbook, and I was like, 'Wow I don't know where this is going."

But, Kizer isn't painting the Super Bowl champ out to be a 9/11 denier or crazy conspiracy theorist ... explaining it was more of a bonding exercise -- and it worked.

"What it ended up being was a thought experiment where he wanted me to go back and look into some of the conspiracies around it," Kizer added.

Kizer and Rodgers' time as teammates only lasted one season ... so there wasn't much time for them to throw on the tinfoil hat together.

People -- especially those who lost loved ones in 9/11 -- may question the use of conspiracies to build a relationship ... but Kizer seemed to have appreciated its efficiency.

The boos for Deshaun Watson will be a bit louder when the Browns star takes the field in Houston Sunday ... ten of his accusers will be in the building to watch the controversial QB play his first game since his suspension ended.

Around ten women, along with their attorney, Tony Buzbee, will be inside a suite at NRG Stadium for the 1 PM eastern game, according to The Athletic ... pitting 27-year-old Watson against his old organization, the Texans, who drafted him in 2017.

“I will be there to welcome Deshaun back to Houston,” Buzbee told The Athletic, saying he'd be there with "bells and whistles on."

It's unclear which of the more than two dozen women who sued Watson (almost all have settled) will be attending the game.

Buzbee says he invited all of his clients, but some declined.

As for why they'd go watch him play, Buzbee wishes to send Deshaun a message ... “You think you put us behind you, but we are still here.”

Of course, Deshaun was suspended 11 games and fined $5 million this offseason after scores of female massage therapists accused him of acting improperly during sessions.

He hasn't seen NFL action since January 3, 2021.

Competitive eater and radio personality Patrick Philbin -- famously known as "Pat From Moonachie" -- has passed away. He was 59.

Former host Anthony Cumia of "The Opie & Anthony Show" broke the news of his death Monday night ... saying Philbin, who frequently appeared on the show, was an all-around good guy.

"Pat was a character," Cumia said via Twitter, "Entertaining as all hell. He was also a genuinely nice person. He was such a big part of the O&A show over the years. RIP Pat."

The cause of death hasn't been disclosed but Philbin recently told his followers he was undergoing hydrotherapy ... as one of his legs was amputated.

"I'm in hydrotherapy to keep my one remaining leg," Philbin said on Nov. 17.

There was also a GoFundMe started for Philbin that claimed he was dealing with health issues ... and needed the money for his medical expenses. They raised over $20k.

Besides being hilarious on the airwaves, Philbin was a Major League Eating competitor. In fact, Pat placed 2nd at the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating contest in Atlantic City in 2009 ... the most famous eating competition in the world.

But, arguably, his best feat came during an eggnog drinking challenge ... when he took down 75 shots of the creamy beverage before throwing it all up on someone seconds later.

After hearing the news, Pat's fans flooded social media, paying tribute to the New Jersey native ... one of them saying on Facebook, "You were a funny MFer."

"I am so happy we met and lived near each other. May God bless you always. Make those jokes in Heaven."

Pat's friend, New Jersey-born comedian Jim Norton also shared some thoughts following his friends passing.

"Pat from Moonachie was a legend and responsible for iconically funny moments on the show. Pat was funny in the purest sense of the word. He always went for the laugh, every time in every situation. RIP to one of the greats."

A fan had the time of his life at the Lakers game on Monday night -- he hit an epic half-court shot, won $75,000 ... AND got a hug from L.A. superstar Anthony Davis!!!

It all went down at Crypto.com Arena during the Lake Show's contest with the Pacers ... when L.A. officials invited a man wearing a black Lakers-fitted cap to shoot his shot at a $75K cash prize during a break in the action.

The fan took one dribble, got a running start -- and then heaved up the basketball that somehow found nothing but the net!

The dude then did his best Justin Jefferson impersonation, hitting "The Griddy" all over the court ... while high-fiving courtside fans.

AD was so happy the guy got the cash ... the Lakers big man had to join in the celly too -- throwing his arms around the fan near center court.

Unfortunately for the guy and the rest of the Lakers supporters in attendance, the half-court shot was just about the only highlight of the evening ... as L.A. blew a 17-point lead to lose the game 116-115.

A U.S. Marine Corps vet was the star of the show at the Laker game on Monday ... when she filled her prosthetic leg with beer and chugged it on video!!

The whole thing was displayed on the scoreboard during L.A.'s matchup against the Indiana Pacers ... when Annika Hutsler took advantage of her very first NBA game in epic fashion.

The fans in attendance clearly loved the stunt ... cheering her on as she downed her drink.

The move resulted in Hutsler earning the title of "fan of the game" ... which came with a $100 gift card.

Hutsler -- who enlisted in the USMC in 2017 -- decided to have her leg amputated in 2019 after several attempts to have a tumor removed from her foot ... and has since transitioned to careers in acting, modeling and sports.

In fact, she won silver medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter wheelchair races at the U.S. Department of Defense Warrior Games.

Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, just welcomed their baby boy to the world ... and the kid's already got an Olympic-worthy nickname!!

The married couple announced Patrick "Bronze" Lavon Mahomes III was born on Monday ... coming in at 7 pounds and 8 ounces.

Patrick and Brittany shared the news with a pic of Bronze's feet ... with an iced-out Cuban link chain with the baby's name draped across a custom "Mahomes" blanket.

The new addition to the fam comes just one day after Brittany had to go to social media to dispel rumors she was about to give birth DURING the Chiefs' 26-10 win over the Los Angeles Rams ... with folks wondering why she wasn't giving her usual 2 cents on the game.

"I am not in labor, y’all tripping 😂," Brittany said on Monday.

The couple's friends flooded their Instagram comments to give their congratulations ... including Barry Bonds, Max Homa and Patrick's brother, Jackson.

This is the Mahomes family's second child together -- Patrick's longtime lady gave birth to their daughter, Sterling Skye, on Feb. 20, 2021.

Bronze definitely has some good genes -- his grandpa is a former MLB player, his mom is a former college soccer star and his dad is one of the greatest NFL quarterbacks of his era.

Sean Taylor's half brother saw no issues with the Commanders' memorial of the late Pro Bowler on Sunday ... telling TMZ Sports the whole thing was "an honor" -- and he's expecting more to be added to it as time goes by.

Washington officially unveiled the Taylor tribute at FedEx Field on the 15th anniversary of the free safety's tragic death just before the team kicked off its game against the Falcons.

Fans poured out in droves to see it ... but many found it underwhelming -- noting it was simply a wire mannequin covered in mismatched gear.

But, when we got Jamal Johnson out at Reagan Airport in D.C. on Monday -- he told us it was all fine by him.

"It was greatly appreciated and an honor that his legacy lives on in D.C.," Johnson said ... adding, "I was at a loss for words."

Of the criticism, Johnson said "everybody is entitled to an opinion," but he noted he doesn't expect this to be the end of the Commanders' homages to Taylor.

"I don't feel like that's the finished process of it," Johnson said. "That's just a step."

Taylor was drafted by Washington in 2004, and went on to play four seasons in D.C. -- before he was tragically shot and killed in Miami.

The Dallas Cowboys aren't phased by Odell Beckham Jr.'s American Airlines controversy ... 'cause, according to head coach Mike McCarthy, they still wanna sign the star wide receiver!

As we previously reported, the NFL free agent -- who's expressed interest in signing with teams like the Cowboys, Bills, and Giants -- was kicked off an AA flight Sunday morning after a flight attendant told authorities they believed the Super Bowl champ may have been experiencing a medical emergency ... after they were unable to wake him up.

Of course, the incident could potentially cause teams to cool to the idea of signing the 30-year-old receiver ... but the Cowboys HC says that's not the case for them.

"Really haven't been involved with in the conversation," McCarthy said during Monday's press conference, adding ... "but I know personally based off of my understanding, I think we're moving full steam ahead."

For what it's worth, Odell's side of the story is different than the one AA and law enforcement have told. In fact, OBJ went to Twitter the day after the incident and attempted to provide some clarity.

"I didn’t kno I couldn’t fall asleep before take off when I boarding first and the flight was delayed 30 mins," Beckham tweeted.

"I had a flight to catch when I landed in LA as well. Simple shxt. I feel asleep before taking off."

Beckham continued ... "MAKE IT MAKE SENSEE…. And they were zero sleepin pills / drugs. None of that bullshxt I will not allow my name to be tarnished or disrespected. I had a long miami night. I was exhausted. And went to sleep."

OBJ last played for the L.A. Rams in 2021 ... and despite tearing his ACL during the Super Bowl, he won a ring in L.A.

Jessie James Decker is firing back at internet trolls ... calling them super lame for body shaming her ripped kids -- and her former NFL star hubby, Eric Decker, is cosigning on her message.

Jessie initially received the hate on her social media page on Saturday -- after she posted a photo of her three children looking shredded on a Mexico beach.

While celebs like Julian Edelman, Golden Tate and Kelly Rowland loved it -- other hecklers threw insults Jessie's way, accusing her and Eric of overtraining their kids ... and even digitally editing their bellies.

On Monday, Jessie took aim at the haters -- calling the allegations completely baseless.

"Being accused of photoshopping abs on my kids (I can’t help but laugh) or … the polar opposite over 'overtraining' our kids makes me realize how bizarre our world has gotten regarding the body and what’s normal and what’s not," she said.

"We preach about body positivity and acceptance but my kids having a mass amount of genetic and built muscle from athletics is 'weird'?"

The 34-year-old country singer went on to explain her kids, who are 8 years old and younger, are simply active -- saying one's in gymnastics, one is in love with football, and the other is a big dancer.

"I'm proud of my children and encourage them to live their dreams," she said. "So we'll see y'all at the 2032 Olympics, and wearing Bubbys jersey in the stands and dancing at Forrests rock concert✌️"

The Portugal vs. Uruguay World Cup match was interrupted by an unexpected intruder on Monday ... when a man holding a rainbow flag stormed the pitch in protest.

The spectator made his move 50 minutes into the contest ... running at full speed before getting stopped by security and escorted off the grass.

Along with the rainbow flag, the man was wearing a Superman shirt that read "Save Ukraine" on the front ... and "Respect For Iranian Women" on the back.

Of course, homosexuality is illegal in Qatar ... and the stunt is sure to come with serious ramifications.

As we previously reported, journalist Grant Wahl said he was detained for nearly half an hour last week ... after World Cup guards took issue with his pro-LGBTQ shirt.

The spectator's message for Iranian women's rights also comes on the heels of Team USA's decision to alter the country's flag in support of the same cause ... which led Iranian state media to call for FIFA to boot America from the massive sporting event.

The Big Ten has fined Michigan State University $100,000 and suspended a Spartans cornerback for eight games in 2023 ... after concluding its investigation into the wild tunnel brawl at Michigan in October.

The conference handed down the punishment on Monday ... saying officials found that seven MSU players did indeed kick, hit or use a helmet to strike Wolverines players during the Oct. 29 incident.

In addition to the fine, the conference revealed MSU corner Khary Crump will have to sit out the first eight contests of next season due to his role in the brawl.

The other six players involved in the fracas were all hit with four-game bans, though they've all since served that punishment, the conference announced.

Big Ten officials also issued a public reprimand to the University of Michigan for not providing "adequate protection for personnel of both home and visiting teams when entering and leaving playing arenas."

As we reported, Crump, linebacker Tank Brown, defensive end Zion Young, safety Angelo Grose, defensive back Justin White, defensive end Brandon Wright, and pass rusher Jacoby Windmon were all hit with criminal charges from the Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office for their roles in the brawl.

Lamar Jackson deleted a vulgar Tweet Sunday night ... a few hours after going in on a fan who criticized his play on Sunday.

"When someone asking for over $250 mil guaranteed like [Lamar] ... games like this should not come down to [kicker Justin Tucker]. Let Lamar walk and spend that money on a well-rounded team," a fan wrote on Twitter shortly after the Ravens lost a shocker to the Jaguars.

25-year-old Jackson, clearly emotional, responded ..."Boy STFU y'all be cappin too much on this app mf never smelt a football field," before ending the Tweet with a vulgar term.

The Tweet remained up for about 3 hours before being taken down.

It was a rough day for the Ravens ... who lost a shocker to the 4-win Jaguars. Baltimore's All-Pro kicker, Tucker, attempted a 67-yard field goal for the win as time expired, but came up a few yards short.

Jackson went 16-for-32, throwing for 254 yards and 1 TD. The QB was clearly frustrated after the game, telling reporters ... "Nobody likes losing."

With the L, the Ravens are now tied with the Cincinnati Bengals atop the AFC North at 7-4. Lamar and company will play the Broncos this Sunday.

Neither the NFL nor the Ravens have commented on Jackson's Tweet.

Tiger Woods has been sidelined once again.

The golfing legend revealed he has developed a new foot injury -- plantar fasciitis -- and he'll have to withdraw from this weekend's Hero World Challenge over it.

Woods said he made the decision after talking with his doctors and trainers ... adding that the condition is "making it difficult to walk."

The 46-year-old, however, still plans to perform his hosting duties at the event -- and he said he's still gunning to get in golf at two events next month.

"My plan is still to compete in The Match and PNC Championship," he said.

The Match -- a high-profile celebrity golf event where he will team up with Rory McIlroy to take on Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas -- goes down Dec. 10. The PNC Championship, where he'll team up with his son, Charlie Woods, goes down Dec. 15.

Tiger has battled ailments throughout his career, but has barely played since he badly broke his leg in a February 2021 car accident.

He logged rounds at The Masters, the PGA Championship and the Open this past year -- his first since the wreck -- but he withdrew from U.S. Open after his surgically repaired leg wasn't in good enough condition to compete.

"My body needs more time to get stronger for major championship golf," Woods tweeted at the time.