TMZ Sports - Page 50

Scary news for Tua Tagovailoa ... the Dolphins star has been diagnosed with yet another concussion.

Miami head coach Mike McDaniel just confirmed his quarterback sustained the head injury in the 26-20 loss to the Packers on Sunday ... and is now out for the team's game this weekend against the Patriots.

McDaniel was somber in delivering the news to a gathering of reporters on Wednesday ... saying, "This is a private time for him to focus on his health."

"And," he added, "that's all I really want to get into."

The 24-year-old appeared to be injured in the first half of the game against Green Bay in Miami ... after his head was seen slamming onto the ground following a hard hit. He stayed in the game, though he struggled mightily, throwing three interceptions in the second half.

The latest concussion comes less than three months after he suffered head injuries in back-to-back games against the Bills and then the Bengals.

During the contest against Cincinnati, he had to be stretchered off the field and rushed to a hospital due to the violence of the hit.

At the time, medical experts -- including famed neuropathologist Bennet Omalu -- urged him to consider retirement ... explaining another significant head injury could lead to catastrophic longterm effects.

Tagovailoa said following his return he wasn't too worried about it all ... explaining he felt good after speaking with his own doctors.

Forget champagne or a nice glass of vino ... LeBron James opted for hookah to celebrate Tuesday's win over the Magic -- and TMZ Sports has the vid of The King's smoke sesh.

James hit Barsecco in Miami in the hours after he and the Lakers dumped Orlando in Florida, 129-110 ... and you can see in footage we obtained from the popular lounge that he unwound from the big victory by blowin' some big clouds at the hot spot.

Witnesses tell us the NBA superstar got to the place at around 1:37 AM Wednesday morning ... and only stayed for a quick smoke -- leaving after about 15 or so minutes.

You can see in the clip, he was wearing the same outfit he wore to his postgame press conference Tuesday night -- a green and blue colored cardigan with plenty of jewelry on display.

Of course, James had to bolt from the place fairly early ... as the Lakers play again against the Heat in at FTX Arena on Wednesday night.

Tristan Thompson and Khloe Kardashian have their differences, but something clearly binds them ... their daughter, True.

Tristan posted this video of 4-year-old True, dancing up a storm in a kitchen. It's unclear if this was shot in Tristan or Khloe's house, but either way ... pretty cute.

They're dancing to "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back." Watch ... True shows off her vocals!

It's unclear what the child custody arrangement is ... but clearly Tristan was able to spend some holiday time with his daughter.

Our sources say Tristan and Khloe are getting along ... despite the fact she learned he had gotten another woman pregnant while lobbying her to go for a second child via surrogate -- which they did.

The adopted daughter of MLB Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley was arrested in New Hampshire for leaving her baby in freezing temps for over an hour after prematurely giving birth, TMZ has confirmed.

Alexandra Eckersley is facing serious charges ... endangering the welfare of a child, falsifying physical evidence, assault and reckless conduct. Eckersley was arraigned Tuesday and held on $3,000 bail.

Eckersley delivered her baby boy about 3 months early inside a tent in a wooded area of Manchester, NH ... according to NBC Boston. She reportedly was 4 to 5 months pregnant.

Eckersley called police to report she had just given birth, but she initially lied to officers as to the baby's whereabouts -- sending them on a wild goose chase. She was apparently embarrassed she was homeless and living in an encampment with her boyfriend.

As a result, the baby was left inside the tent for 73 minutes in 15-degree weather. Eckersley finally gave the right coordinates and cops found the infant alive, but struggling to breathe. EMS workers performed life-saving measures on the child and rushed him to a hospital, where he was intubated to assist his breathing.

Officials believe Eckersley was high on drugs at the time, although she denies it. When asked why she lied, Eckersley reportedly told cops, "What do they tell when a plane goes down? Save yourself first." Her boyfriend, who was with Eckersley when police first arrived, may also face charges.

Cops say Gervonta Davis roughed up a woman in Florida on Tuesday afternoon -- slapping her with a "closed hand" ... and leaving her with an abrasion on the inside of her upper lip.

Police officers spelled out the allegations against the star boxer in court documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, claiming the incident happened at a residence in Parkland at around 1:25 PM.

According to the docs, the 28-year-old fighter "did actually and intentionally touch and strike" the woman "against her will" and "did intentionally cause bodily harm to her."

Police say in the docs Davis struck the woman on the right side of her head "with a closed hand type slap." Cops said the woman was left with a facial injury ... but was able to exit the home following the altercation.

As we reported, Davis was arrested about an hour after the alleged incident -- and booked on a domestic violence battery charge. Jail records show he's still in police custody.

Davis is scheduled to fight Hector Luis Garcia in a much-anticipated boxing match on Jan. 7 in Washington D.C.

Following the contest, he was expected to make a super fight with fellow star pugilist Ryan Garcia.

The man accused of putting a bullet in David Ortiz's back during a 2019 assassination attempt was sentenced to 30 years in prison this week ... authorities announced Tuesday.

27-year-old Rolfi Ferreras Cruz, who allegedly shot the former Boston Red Sox star at a bar in the D.R. back in June '19, learned his fate at a hearing on Monday.

Nine others were also ordered to spend time behind bars due to their alleged roles in the shooting -- including 28-year-old Alberto Miguel Rodríguez Mota ... who prosecutors said "paid those who carried out the act."

Mota was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

But, the alleged mastermind behind the attack, Víctor Hugo Gómez Vásquez, was acquitted ... due to insufficient evidence.

As we reported, Ortiz was struck by gunfire while he was sitting with friends at the D.R. hotspot ... and was rushed to a nearby hospital.

Officials said his liver and his small and large intestines were damaged by the bullet -- and the former baseball player required multiple surgeries in the ensuing days to fix the issues.

The 47-year-old has since made a full recovery ... returning to his role as an MLB analyst for Fox -- while also making regular appearances at Red Sox games.

Authorities ultimately said they did not believe Big Papi was the intended target of the attack ... instead, revealing they believed a man named Sixto David Fernandez was the man the shooter wanted, allegedly because he'd once ratted out a drug runner to cops.

Luka Doncic went crazy on the court on Tuesday night -- and just minutes later, his teammates returned the favor ... dousing the Mavericks star in water following his historic game against the Knicks.

The 23-year-old Dallas point guard poured in 60 points -- and added 21 rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and one block -- ultimately leading his team to a huge come-from-behind win over NY in Texas.

And, as he made his way into the locker room to get changed afterward, the Mavs let him know they appreciated the first-of-its-kind performance ... showering him with over a dozen water bottles.

Check out the footage the Mavs posted of the celebration ... Doncic was absolutely soaked -- but loved every second of it!!!

Of course, the party was well deserved ... no other player in NBA history has ever recorded a triple-double with 60-plus points, 20-plus rebounds and 10-plus assists.

Doncic said following the contest he was "tired as hell," but he did have enough energy to make his fans laugh -- quipping, "I need a recovery beer."

WWE Superstar Kevin Owens is eager to team up with John Cena to face Universal Champ Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn on the final Smackdown this year ... telling us sharing the ring with the 16-time World Heavyweight Champion is a "full circle" moment for him and his son, Owen.

"I started with John when I came to WWE, and now he's going to be my partner against Sami," Owens said when he joined Babcock and Mojo, his friend and former colleague, on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weekdays on FS1).

"Me and Sami have had so much history in WWE, let alone our entire careers."

Kevin continued, talking about the magnitude of the moment, saying ... "To be in that kind of situation now together, it's all just so surreal. I'm just grateful for the chance to experience that stuff."

Kevin said his 15-year-old son Owen is a big fan of Cena ... and his boy will be in Tampa to watch the WWE icon team up with his father.

"Me and my son will always have a little bond over John Cena. My son, as he was growing up, was a huge John Cena fan. When I signed my WWE contract, I told my son, 'maybe I'll get to fight John Cena one day, then I did.'"

"He's still excited that John's coming around. It's a cool little thing to share with my son anytime John's involved. My son likes WWE but is not an avid fan like I was growing up."

Owens is thankful that Cena, who parlayed his career as a WWE Superstar into a successful acting career, is still committed to performing for the WWE universe after all these years, despite being a big Hollywood star.

"Anytime John comes back around, it piques his [Owen] interest, and now I get to team with him. He saw us fight each other. Now he's going to get to see me team with him."

Star boxer Gervonta Davis has been arrested in Florida, TMZ Sports has confirmed ... just days before his scheduled fight against Hector Luis Garcia.

According to jail records, the 28-year-old was booked in Broward County on Tuesday on a battery domestic violence charge. He posed for a mug shot -- and the records show as of late Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning, he was still in police custody.

Further details surrounding the allegations against Davis were not made immediately available.

The fighter is slated to step in the ring with HLG on Jan. 7 in Washington D.C., though it's unclear if Tuesday's arrest will change plans.

Davis -- 27-0 in pro fights -- is no stranger to trouble with the law ... he's been arrested several times in the past few years ... including in 2020, after he was accused of roughing up his ex-girlfriend at a celebrity basketball game in Florida.

One of the best careers in NFL history is coming to an end in just two weeks ... Arizona Cardinals star J.J. Watt just revealed he's retiring following the end of this season.

The 3-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year made the surprising announcement on his social media page Tuesday morning ... saying he's grateful his two-month-old son, Koa, was able to watch his last-ever home game on Christmas.

"Koa's first-ever NFL game," Watt said in his announcement. "My last ever NFL home game."

"My heart is filled with nothing but love and gratitude. It’s been an absolute honor and a pleasure."

Stars from all over the sports world congratulated Watt on his legendary career, including Kevin Durant, who wrote, "True game changer and a legend. Much respect 99."

The former Wisconsin Badger was the 11th overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft and played the majority of his 12-year career with the Houston Texans. Watt suited up for Arizona in his last two seasons.

Watt logged 111.5 sacks and 27 forced fumbles during his career ... and earned five All-Pro selections. He also won Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year in 2017.

The 33-year-old, who just had his first baby with Kealia Ohai Watt in October, may not be on the field after this season ... but his family will still be represented well in the NFL nonetheless -- as his brothers, Derek and T.J., currently play for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

J.J.'s final two NFL games will be against the Falcons this weekend ... and then the 49ers on Jan. 8.

Cherelle Griner can finally breathe ... something most people do without effort or thought, but something that was elusive to her during the 10 months her wife, Brittney Griner, was held captive by the Russian government.

Cherelle, who finished law school during her wife's captivity, tells PEOPLE ... "It was almost as if somebody just punched you in the stomach and you inhaled. You never get to breathe out."

She admits it was hard to hang on to hope ... "I was hopeless a lot of days. You try and stay grounded, but I'm human. Still, I would never completely give up hope on my wife's life."

As for Brittney's release ... Cherelle says her reaction surprised her ... "I had thought about that moment a thousand times, and I thought I would be full of tears, but I was overwhelmingly happy. It was the first time I was able to finally exhale."

Reuniting in San Antonio, where Brittney flew for medical observation and treatment, Cherelle said, "We were both just instantly crying. I was standing there full of tears and someone ran over and handed me a handkerchief. I definitely needed it."

She then described their embrace ... "I couldn't stop touching her facer. I was like, 'Is this really you?' It did not feel real. It was chilling, and warm. I was just holding on tight. I couldn't let her go."

Their first night together was sleepless ... "We just talked all night long and all morning." And then she reflected -- "I had all my freedom. I had my bed. But when you have your family overseas in a situation like that, time zones play a factor. Every night, that's the only time I could talk to her attorneys and I could handle things. And so I just hadn't slept."

Drew Rosenhaus, Leigh Steinberg, Jimmy Sexton and ... T.J. Ward?!

In just a short matter of time, the ex-Denver Broncos star could very well be in the same conversation as the trio of famed NFL superagents ... 'cause the former Super Bowl champ just started his own agency -- and he tells TMZ Sports he's looking to change the player rep game with it.

Ward launched the Player Above Sports Group recently ... and he said with all of his experience as a high-level NFL player, he believes he and his new team can impact athletes' lives off the field in a way other agencies can't.

"There's not a lot of player representation for players," the former defensive back said. "There's not a lot of guidance, in that aspect, for players by players and that's what I want to do."

"We want to give them something in a viewpoint from someone who's been there," Ward added. "I've done a few things in this league and have a lot of experience and I know I can help these players with their careers right now."

Ward played in the NFL from 2010 to 2017 -- logging time with the Browns, Broncos and Buccaneers. He said during his career, he suffered "ups and downs" with his representation, and he's now making it his goal to help ensure future athletes don't have similar issues.

Ward's already got a few clients under his belt -- including former Oregon star Nick Pickett -- but he's looking to grow quickly.

Add "Catcher" to Forrest Griffin's resume -- the UFC Hall of Famer and VP of Athlete Development has landed an important new gig -- he's the man responsible for catching Power Slap athletes as they careen towards the floor!

"I'm gonna be a head catcher," Forrest said, describing the person standing at the ready behind slap competitors, waiting to pounce when an athlete's rocked.

Dana White recently launched Power Slap -- taking slap fighting from the underground to the mainstream. The UFC honcho already locked down a TV deal for his new organization.

Power Slap hasn't debuted yet, but if social media's any indication, there's tremendous interest in PS ... teaser videos online have gone viral!

If you've never watched the sport, competitors go back and forth, slapping each other with all their might until someone quits or goes to sleep ... and when they do get knocked down or out, it's important someone's there to stop them from hitting their heads and sustaining trauma.

Enter Forrest.

"That double impact," Griffin said, explaining why the job's so important ... "You’ve taken the first trauma and when your head hits the ground, bang bang, both sides of your brain actually bounce against your skull. We want to prevent that and make it just the initial impact and have that be what causes you or not causes you to win or lose the competition."

Of course, as a fighter, Forrest was the guy doling out the knockouts, not preventing them. He has wins over all-time greats like Tito Ortiz, Rampage Jackson, Shogun Rua and more MMA legends. Since retiring, he's dedicated his life to the health, safety and development of the UFC's athletes.

Needless to say, Griffin is the perfect person for the job.

Forrest even showed off some head-catching skills ... on 6'2" 200 lb. Evan (he looks familiar), a Power Slap exec.

All jokes aside, Griffin's doing everything in his power to make the sport as entertaining, but also safe as possible.

Ex-NFLer Nate Burleson isn't ready to give up on Zach Wilson's career just yet ... telling TMZ Sports the New York Jets QB can still be a starter in the NFL.

The 2021 #2 overall pick was benched after another bad outing in the Jets' 19-3 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday Night Football ... leaving many wondering if he'll ever play for the Green and White again.

In fact, Mike White -- who replaced Wilson as QB1 earlier this season -- was reportedly cleared to play following his rib injury on Monday ... solidifying Wilson's return to the pine.

While Wilson's career has gotten off to a nightmarish start, Burleson -- who played 11 seasons in the league -- wants everyone to pump the breaks before labeling the 23-year-old a bust.

"Give him some time," the TV host told us at LAX on Friday. "He just got into the league, man. It's a rollercoaster ride."

Burleson says Wilson is learning how to handle the tasks of being an NFL quarterback ... and that includes taking accountability for his poor play when speaking to the media.

"You can lose a team by your play, but you also can lose a team by how you respond to your play," Burleson added. "I think that's the biggest lesson he learned. What you say to the media, that can have an impact on the locker room."

Wilson may be benched for now, but NB believes he can regain a spot at the top of an NFL depth chart down the road.

"He does have the tools to be a QB1 in this league, but it's going to take some time."

The Denver Broncos have fired head coach Nathaniel Hackett amid their disastrous 4-11 season ... just one day after the team suffered a massive 51-14 loss to the Rams on Christmas.

Broncos owner and CEO Greg Penner released a statement on Monday ... thanking the 43-year-old coach for his hard work and dedication to the organization, but saying it was time for a change.

"Following extensive conversations with George and our ownership group, we determined a new direction will ultimately be in the best interest of the Broncos," Penner said.

"This change was made now out of respect for everyone involved and allows us to immediately begin the search for a new head coach."

Hackett became the Broncos' head coach in January 2022 ... just a few months before the team traded for Seahawks QB Russell Wilson.

Both Hackett and Wilson struggled this season with the Broncos' offense ... only scoring 15.5 points per game.

The embarrassing 51-14 loss against the Rams on Christmas night was the last straw ... leaving the Broncos with a 4-11 record and at the bottom of the AFC West standings.

"Moving forward, we will carefully evaluate every aspect of our football operations and make whatever changes are necessary to restore this franchise's winning tradition," Penner added.

Wiz Khalifa is the coolest guy on the court ... just ask Harlem rapper Neek Bucks, who recently nabbed the Taylor Gang leader for his upcoming music video!!!

The two rappers recently draped up in "ballers" jerseys for a basketball-themed visual ... which looks to be a bench-clearing celebration!!!

We're told the single is called "Shot Caller" and will appear on Neeks' upcoming debut album "Blessed To The Max" ... which is executive produced by Neeks' mentor, Hitmaka -- who's also in the clip.

Wiz appeared to be calling a couple of shots of his own as he took a smoke break while combing through the footage ... and clearly nailed his celebration scenes while totally hitting it off with the cheerleaders!!!

Neek has emerged as one of rap's more impressive rookies as of late ... earning the respect of OG's like 2 Chainz and Wiz while still connecting with peers like Lil Tjay and G Herbo for collabs all the same.