TMZ Sports - Page 50

Cleveland Browns stars Rashard "Hollywood" Higgins and Jedrick Wills, Jr. just caught a break in their drag racing incident ... with both players pleading guilty to lesser charges of speeding on Tuesday.

As we previously reported ... 26-year-old Higgins and 21-year-old Wills were cited for drag racing in Westlake, OH on Jan. 5 ... just days before the Browns' first playoff game in nearly 2 decades.

During the stop, police claim they found a marijuana joint in Higgins' pocket ... which the wide receiver was instructed to destroy on camera, as one cop claimed it would be "bad for press."

During Wills' stop, the lineman admitted he and Higgins were "just being d*ckheads."

While the players' attorney initially claimed they would both plead not guilty to the drag racing charges, TMZ Sports has confirmed Higgins and Wills both pleaded guilty to lesser charges of speeding.

Both players paid $250 fines to wrap things up -- which seems like a pretty good deal considering the more serious punishment they could have received if convicted on the drag racing charges.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Malik Beasley was just sentenced to 120 days in jail -- and banned from owning guns for life -- this after he pled guilty to felony threats for pointing a firearm at a family during a bizarre incident back in September.

Prosecutors in Hennepin County, Minn. say Beasley's Plymouth house was accidentally put on a "Parade of Homes" list in the fall -- which is essentially a tourist guide for impressive mansions in the area. The list caused vehicle traffic around Beasley's home to increase -- which really pissed him off, prosecutors say.

Officials say on Sept. 26, Beasley got so frustrated that he walked toward a visiting car that was near the end of his driveway and pointed a gun at it. Prosecutors say he then ordered the family inside the ride to scram.

24-year-old Beasley -- who cops say was also in possession of marijuana at the time -- was later arrested ... and ultimately charged with felony threats of violence and felony drug possession.

At a virtual court hearing back in December, Beasley pled guilty to the threats charge ... and in exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop the drug charge.

At the hearing, Beasley said of his actions, "I was not in my right mind. I’m ready to move on."

Beasley returned to virtual court on Tuesday for sentencing ... and the judge ordered him to spend 120 days at a jail facility known as "The Workhouse" at Hennepin County Adult Corrections Facility.

As part of the sentencing, the judge ruled Beasley will NOT have to serve the time during the NBA season ... setting a tentative May 26 date to report to the jail.

The judge also said Beasley could end up being released on electronic home monitoring if COVID-19 precautions force that move.

Beasley was also ordered to complete an anger management program and was hit with a lifetime ban on owning firearms. Beasley was also ordered to not consume any alcohol or drugs, and complete random drug testing.

Prosecutors say Beasley read a statement at the hearing, telling the court, "I am not that person. I humbly apologize for my actions."

In a statement to NBA reporter Shams Charania, Beasley's attorney, Steve Haney, said, "We are very pleased with this outcome that will allow Malik to continue working on becoming a better person and making better choices."

WNBA superstar Renee Montgomery -- a 2-time champ who sat out the 2020 season to focus on social justice work -- is retiring from pro basketball, she confirms to TMZ Sports.

"This is my 'Dear Basketball' moment," 34-year-old Montgomery said on the TMZ Sports TV Show (which she co-hosts nightly on FS1) ... "I'm gonna hang up my Kobes!"

When asked why she's stepping away now, Montgomery explained, "I just feel like there's so much momentum that I’ve created just with the things going on here in Atlanta … and I don't want to stop it."

Montgomery had one helluva career -- in college, she led UConn to a national championship in 2009 and was such a legend, the University added her to the "Huskies of Honor" (essentially the school's Hall of Fame) while she was still an active player!

She was a 1st round pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft (4th player selected) and won 2 WNBA titles with the Minnesota Lynx.

Montgomery was an All-Star in 2011 and won the league's 6th Woman of the Year award in 2012.

During her illustrious career, Montgomery also played with the Connecticut Sun, Seattle Storm and most recently, the Atlanta Dream.

The federal agency tasked with investigating the helicopter crash that killed Kobe and Gianna Bryant, along with 7 others, will announce their findings in a Tuesday meeting -- including the probable cause of the accident.

National Transportation Safety Board will meet virtually Tuesday -- and it will be open to the public, so we'll live stream the whole thing here.

The NTSB has been working on the case ever since the aircraft -- a Sikorsky S-76 helicopter -- crashed in Calabasas on Jan 26, 2020.

As we previously reported, the NTSB initially said preliminary findings showed no outward evidence of engine failure -- and months into the investigation, officials said the pilot may have been disoriented when the aircraft was caught in deep fog.

Autopsy results showed the pilot, Ara Zobayan, was NOT on alcohol or drugs at the time of the crash ... and NTSB investigators said Zobayan’s girlfriend told them he was in great shape before the accident.

The NTSB said in June it found evidence showing Zobayan thought he was ascending over the fog, when in reality, the helicopter was going downward at a high rate of speed.

In addition to revealing the likely cause of the crash, the NTSB is also expected to make flight recommendations for similar aircraft in the hopes of preventing another tragedy.

Along with Kobe and Zobayan, seven others -- including Kobe's daughter, Gianna, and friends Alyssa Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, John Altobelli, Christina Mauser, Payton Chester and Sarah Chester -- perished in the Jan. 26, 2020 crash.

#RIP

Need further proof hockey players are some of the toughest people on the planet??

Vancouver Canucks winger Nils Hoglander was left a bloody mess after taking a puck to the face Monday night -- BUT HE STAYED IN THE GAME!!!

The terrifying scene all went down in the Canucks vs. Maple Leafs tilt in Toronto ... when in the first period, Jordie Benn threw a puck at the net that accidentally caught Hoglander right in the forehead.

Fortunately, Hoglander was wearing a visor ... but the force of the shot was so strong, it still cut the 20-year-old badly.

Check out the clip, Hoglander was bleeding so profusely from his nose and forehead area ... it covered his entire visor!

But, in true #HockeyGuy fashion ... Hoglander wiped it all away with his hand, and then returned to the game a short time later!!

Bad news ... Vancouver ended up losing, 3-1.

Your friends will be yelling, "Hail to the Chief" if you're rocking the Barack Obamas -- a rare Nike shoe specifically designed for the ex-Prez -- and they'll also know you're rich as hell.

Sotheby's is hosting a one-of-a-kind sale of these Nike Hyperdunks in size 12.5 and designed for 44 back in 2009. Talk about an extremely rare pair of Nikes ... there are only 2 pairs in existence. The others were gifted to Obama.

According to Sotheby's ... these particular shoes -- influenced by the Hyperdunks created for Team USA at the 2008 Olympics -- were not worn by Obama, but they're Nike's only confirmation sample, and in pristine condition.

The price is a modest $25k. If you're inclined to say, "Just do it" ... the sale opens Friday at, yes, 4:44 PM ET.

Is it worth it? Well, the shoe's literally etched in POTUS lore -- official Presidential Seal on the tongue and an embroidered "44" and the insoles include the year "1776."

He told ya he was going to Disney World ... and Rob Gronkowski has already made good on his promise!!

The Tampa Bay Bucs superstar tight end rolled into the Most Magical Place on Earth in Orlando on Monday ... and immediately got into an awesome lightsaber battle!!!

It's all part of Disney's annual Super Bowl celebration -- where they (usually) parade the winners around the theme park just like Tom Brady did in 2002, 2004 and 2019.

There are reports Disney has scrapped the Super Bowl parade this year as part of its COVID protocol -- but Gronk will still get to enjoy the park as a super VIP guest, which is probably super awesome.

Both Gronk and TB12 did the post-game "We're going to Disney World" spot this year after beating the K.C. Chiefs on Sunday ... but Brady is reportedly set to visit the park at a later date.

In the meantime, more theme park snacks for Gronk and his family!!!

Disney World had been shut down for a while due to COVID -- but reopened in July with new safety protocols to keep people safe.

Marty Schottenheimer -- one of the NFL's all-time greatest head coaches -- died on Monday after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer's ... his family announced Tuesday.

He was 77 years old.

The coach had fought Alzheimer's since 2014 ... but was moved to a North Carolina hospice facility last month after his family said he was suffering from "complications from his disease."

Schottenheimer's wife, Pat, said at the time, "As a family we are surrounding him with love and are soaking up the prayers and support from all those he impacted through his incredible life."

"In the way he taught us all, we are putting one foot in front of the other ... one play at a time."

Pat and the rest of the Schottenheimer family told ESPN's Chris Mortensen Marty passed on Monday ... adding the former coach will have a private family service soon with a public memorial service at a later date.

Schottenheimer was a head man in the NFL for 21 years ... and is 1 of just 8 men to win at least 200 games in the league as a head coach.

He began his head coaching career with the Cleveland Browns in 1984 -- and later went on to coach Joe Montana and Marcus Allen in Kansas City starting in 1989.

Schottenheimer went on to spend 10 total years with the Chiefs -- piling up a 101-58-1 regular-season record. He took the team to 7 playoff appearances -- and even brought them to the AFC Championship game in 1993, where they lost to the Buffalo Bills.

Marty continued his coaching career with Washington before moving to the San Diego Chargers. He was named Coach of the Year there in 2004, when the team went 12-4 and won the AFC West.

The debate is officially over ... Jerry Rice is giving up the claim he had to the NFL's "Greatest of All-Time" label, admitting that honor now belongs to Tom Brady!!!

The legendary receiver -- who had been considered the league's G.O.A.T. prior to Brady's epic 7 Super Bowl wins -- relented on an appearance on 95.7 The Game on Monday that Tom's formally passed him on the rankings after the Bucs' title win Sunday.

“When you have seven rings, you’re doing something right," Jerry said, before adding, "He can have that G.O.A.T. status. I never wanted that status anyhow."

Of course, Rice didn't give away the title without taking at least a little jab ... Jerry said Tom's had the ability to pad his resume in a way he never could because of new player safety rules.

"I don’t have seven Super Bowl rings," Rice said, "but I think I played in an era when football was more of a contact sport. You’re seeing a lot of that now -- players are protected."

In case you were wondering, Jerry's old claim to the "G.O.A.T." label was warranted ... he was a 3-time Super Bowl champ, 1-time SB MVP, 13-time Pro Bowler and a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Jerry also holds nearly every receiving record ever ... including an all-time receiving yards mark of 22,895 -- which is more than 5,000 (!!!) ahead of second-place Larry Fitzgerald!

But, Tom's got the 7 rings, 3 NFL MVP awards and 14 Pro Bowl honors ... and he still ain't done yet!!

In fact, Jerry said he wouldn't be surprised to see Brady keep going for TWO more years ... explaining, "I think he can do it now in this league because players are so much more protected."

The woman who claims she was brutally beaten by NFL lineman Chad Wheeler is speaking out about the incident -- saying he couldn't care less about her after nearly beating her to death.

The woman, Alleah Taylor, sat down with CBS reporter Jericka Duncan to describe the Jan. 22 incident, which ended with her being hospitalized for serious injuries.

"I had touched my face and I had looked down and there was blood on my hand," Taylor said in the interview (which airs Wednesday) ... "and I remember getting up and running to the bathroom."

"Chad was standing by the bed, by the doorway and he was sipping his smoothie and he was like, 'Wow you're still alive?!'"

Taylor says she's "grateful" the 6'7", 315-pound lineman stopped the attack -- but she says the NFL player acted like it was no big deal.

"I'm grateful he didn't grab me in that moment. I was able to run to the bathroom. He went back to the living room to continue eating."

"I had texted his dad too and told him that Chad was trying to kill me. Chad's dad called him while he was eating and I was in the bathroom. And he answered and he didn't have any worry at all. Chad was like, 'I'm just eating dinner, nothing's going on.' And that terrified me."

Wheeler was later arrested and hit with three criminals charges -- including 1st-degree domestic violence assault -- over the incident. It took 3 cops to subdue him in a wild struggle, documented in the police reports.

Tampa Bay Bucs head coach Bruce Arians says COVID disrupted things so badly during the 2020 season ... his own wife didn't meet his QB until Super Bowl Sunday!

"You know what's amazing? My wife met Tom Brady for the first time on stage when we were handed the Lombardi trophy," Arians said on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

"And that's the way our whole team and coaching staff was this year," he added.

Arians says the team usually holds a Family Day on Saturday for players and staff to bring their kids, parents, siblings, etc. to hang out together ... but the pandemic put a stop to that.

"We really really missed that this year," Arians explained.

The good news ... seems Bruce's wife and Tom Brady got along when they finally did get to meet. She even commented to Bruce about TB12's insanely good looks.

"She said he needs to keep the 5 O'clock shadow -- he's too pretty the other way!"

There's more ... Arians also talked about boozing at the after-party, getting hit with the Gatorade bath and why he's giving himself until Wednesday to sober up!

More proof Josh Jacobs is lucky he wasn't critically injured ... 'cause TMZ Sports has obtained photos of the Las Vegas Raiders star's 6-figure Acura NSX -- and it's destroyed.

As we previously reported, the 22-year-old running back was involved in a single-car accident around 4:42 AM near the Vegas airport on January 4.

Jacobs was transported to the hospital with a gnarly gash on his forehead. As nasty as the injury was ... it's now clear it could've been a lot worse.

The photos -- taken at a Sin City tow yard the day of the accident -- show the purple 2019 Acura NSX with HEAVY damage to the front of the vehicle.

The NSX -- license plate "IAM28" (Josh's Raiders #) -- retails for about $160K ... and goes 0-60 in under 3 seconds, and has a top speed of about 190 MPH.

Officials initially suspected Jacobs might've been under the influence of alcohol, but blood alcohol tests indicated his BAC was "below the legal limit and therefore DUI charges are not being filed against him," according to the DA.

Legally, Jacobs didn't escape totally unscathed ... he was hit with 1 misdemeanor charge of "Duty of Driver to Decrease Speed Under Certain Circumstances."

Most importantly, the 2019 1st round draft pick out of Alabama -- who rushed for 1,065 yards and 12 touchdowns last season -- wasn't more seriously injured.

As dope as the supercar is ... it can be replaced.

Our new Vice President is super fit for office ... Kamala Harris is running stairs like she's Sylvester Stallone in "Rocky." All she needs is the music.

Ya gotta see this video of the Veep showing off her stamina over the weekend at the Lincoln Memorial. She did several laps, running up and down the steps and making it look pretty easy.

Harris passed on her usual Converse Chucks and went with some proper running shoes, AND a face mask for this workout ... which she wasn't doing solo, btw.

Check out the Secret Service agents -- most standing and watching the general area, but at least one was running the stairs to keep up with her.

All the VP needs now is "Gonna Fly Now" to really set the scene.

Washington State Cougars star QB Jayden De Laura has been suspended from the football team indefinitely ... this, after the freshman was arrested for DUI over the weekend.

TMZ Sports has confirmed ... JDL was pulled over around 2 AM on February 6 ... after a police officer claims he blew a stop sign before heading the wrong way down a 1-way street.

During the stop, cops claim De Laura reeked of alcohol ... so they conducted a field sobriety test, which didn't go so well for Jayden.

The football player was ultimately arrested and transported to a local station where he was booked for DUI.

Once De Laura arrived to the station, officials say he was given the opportunity to take a breathalyzer test, but declined.

The QB received a criminal citation for driving under the influence and 2 traffic infractions -- wrong way on a 1-way and another for 'no driver's license on person.'

Cops noted De Laura was cooperative throughout the incident.

The University of Houston football team has suspended freshmen defensive end Chidozie Nwankwo -- after the highly touted freshman was charged with domestic violence for allegedly choking his girlfriend.

Officials say the 18-year-old -- listed at 5'11", 293 lbs -- is accused of choking his girlfriend in a January 28 incident at an apartment complex located on the UH campus.

Official documents show Nwankwo was formally charged on Feb. 3 with assault/impeding breathing. He has since been released from custody but the UH football team has suspended him in the wake of the allegations.

"We are aware of the serious allegations regarding Chidozie Nwankwo," the school announced.

"He has been suspended from the Houston football program, pending further information. We will have no further comment regarding this specific case."

Nwankwo was a prized recruit for the Cougars coming out of  Foster High School in Richmond -- reportedly receiving offers from major programs including LSU, Baylor, Texas Tech, Arkansas and Boise State.

The worst performance of the Super Bowl goes to the moron who got in the field and tried to make a run for the end zone ... AND BLEW IT ON THE 1 YARD LINE!

The idiot -- wearing a 1-piece, pink thong women's bathing suit -- somehow got around stadium security and made his way onto the field in the 4th quarter as Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs desperately tried to mount a comeback against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Bucs.

The CBS broadcast cut away from the field invader seconds into his run -- but fans in the stands caught the whole thing ... including the bitter end.

The fan started off strong -- making a few defender misses with some nifty spin moves ... before running into a wall of security toward the Chiefs endzone.

But, he couldn't complete the run -- instead, he slid, giving himself up ON THE 1.

In all seriousness, this dude is a moron -- and the fact he got close to players, refs, security and others while we're all still in a pandemic is stupid and irresponsible.

Cops ultimately corralled the guy and walked him off the field in handcuffs.

Plus, he was wearing shorts ... so he wasn't even a real streaker.

Basically, bro ... you're the worst. Enjoy the jail cell.