TMZ Sports - Page 50

Russell Wilson has NOT asked for a trade from the Seahawks -- but the QB's agent says if he were to be jettisoned from Seattle, he'd accept a deal to Dallas.

Mark Rodgers -- who reps the NFL superstar -- told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Thursday Wilson wants to play in Seattle, but the Cowboys are one of four teams he would agree to be traded to.

The other three? The Saints, Bears and Raiders.

Of course, the Cowboys are the most interesting of the grouping ... considering everything going down with Dak Prescott.

Dallas brass has insisted it wants to keep the team's star QB on the roster ... this despite not having signed him to a long-term deal yet.

Could a potential swap with the Seahawks change their plans? Perhaps ... Russ, after all, is one of the most elite QBs in the league and he still has 3 years left on his contract after inking a massive $140 million extension in 2019.

As for Wilson's interest in the Saints and Bears ... their quarterback holes are glaring -- Drew Brees is expected to retire this offseason, while Chicago's signal-caller spot is in flux with Mitch Trubisky set for free agency.

The Raiders, meanwhile, make a little less sense ... Derek Carr had a solid year with Jon Gruden in 2020, and there's no reason to believe he won't be back with the team in 2021.

... unless Wilson truly is available for a trade.

Johnny Manziel underwent emergency dental surgery on Wednesday that will keep him out of the FCF's final regular-season game this weekend, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

28-year-old Manziel, the starting QB for the Zappers [0-2], left the Fan Controlled Football league's bubble environment in Atlanta and traveled back home to Scottsdale, AZ for the procedure, a league spokesperson tells us.

No word on Johnny's specific medical condition -- but obviously, his health is the priority and the league is working with Johnny to make sure he gets the care he needs.

We're told Manziel -- who had the surgery yesterday -- is already back in the gym ... and the league expects him to return to the FCF bubble in hopes he'll be ready to go for the team's playoff game on March 6.

A league rep says Manziel will have to meet "health-and-safety protocols and quarantine procedures" before he's allowed back -- but again, no one is anticipating an issue.

In the meantime, we're told Manziel will appear on the Week 3 Twitch broadcast as a "special guest" (along with Joe Montana) -- so Johnny fans can still get their fix of the Heisman winner.

A pro athlete just signed a huge, $10 MILLION contract ... but it wasn't a hooper or a football player -- we're talking DISC GOLF, BABY!!

30-year-old Paul McBeth just became the richest player in the sport's history ... inking the massive endorsement deal with Discraft Disc Sports that will pay him a solid 10 milli over the next 10 years.

McBeth is widely considered one of the best disc golfers on the planet -- he has 130 pro wins, 5 world championships and 2 national titles ... and was ranked #1 in the Professional Disc Golf Association rankings before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

So ... what the heck is disc golf?? It's pretty much like golf, but instead of hitting a ball with a club, you throw a flying disc into a basket made of chains.

It's a sport McBeth has been playing since he was a kid ... and the dude is thrilled to be raking in the dough after decades of hard work.

"It’s mind-blowing to me to think about that 17-year-old me — or even before that, 14-year-old me — made the right move back then to put myself in this position and be able to propel the sport potentially to the next level," McBeth said in a video announcing the deal.

The guy was already making some serious coin via his signature disc line -- he reportedly sold more than 100k of his own discs last year, earning $4 per disc, according to Cypress Point Disc Golf.

McBeth's previous contract with Discraft -- 4 years, $1 million -- was also considered the biggest in the sport at the time ... before he shattered it with the new deal.

McBeth is also married to pro disc golfer in Hannah McBeth, who is a badass in the sport as well with 3 career event wins. The two got married in 2018.

Incredible video shot less than 24 hours after the raid on the U.S. Capitol shows Donald Trump joking around with golf legends Gary Player and Annika Sorenstam ... while the rest of the country was still in shock.

Remember, Player and Sorenstam had each been booked to receive the Presidential Medal of Honor -- the highest civilian award in the country -- from Trump at a White House ceremony set for January 7.

The issue ... the insurrection at the capitol occurred on Jan. 6 -- where 5 people died and many more were injured. Several buildings in the Capitol complex were evacuated and locked down.

Yet, Trump forged ahead with the medal ceremony -- but decided to make it a private affair instead of a big public display.

Footage of the ceremony was captured by reporter Graham Bensinger -- and shows Trump joking around with the golfers as if everything was normal.

"Gary earned the title 'Mr. Fitness,' Trump said ... "He just told me, he said, 'Sir, lose a couple of pounds.' I said, 'Okay, Gary’' ... he said it in front of Annika. That was very rude, don't you think?!! How rude can you be?"

The jokes were met with huge laughs from people in the room -- and both Player and Sorenstam proceeded to praise Trump when they stepped in front if the mic.

"I want to say thank you for all that you've done and the service to our country," Sorenstam said ... "particularly, during the coronavirus crisis. I know it's been very tough and challenging, but many congratulations on the rollout of the vaccine and warp speed."

Player added that Trump's White House has "changed the world for the better."

In the weeks that followed, Trump was impeached -- with officials accusing him of inciting the insurrection.

Bensinger sat down with Sorenstam one month later for his show "In Depth with Graham Bensinger" -- and she admitted she's heard the negative criticism about her decision to accept the award while others like Bill Belichick declined.

"I've received quite a bit of positive feedback from friends and family. But, then there've been some not so positive," Sorenstam said ... "And, I've heard those, and I've listened to those."

Bensinger asked specifically what the negative criticism has been.

"I'm gonna be honest, I haven't been on social media since then. The other things that I've heard, the negativities: not necessarily my achievements, but the timing."

As for Trump, after he was impeached ... the case went to the Senate, where he was ultimately acquitted.

There are a lot of questions surrounding why cops didn't take a sample of Tiger Woods' blood after his rollover crash ... but the fact of the matter is, there was simply no reason for them to do so because there was no evidence Tiger was impaired at the time of the crash.

Law enforcement sources tell us there were no drugs or alcohol inside of Tiger's GV80, nor did he show any signs of impairment when he was pulled out of the wreckage. In fact, cops say he was awake and alert on the ambulance ride over to the hospital ... so the guy wasn't totally out of it by any means.

Beyond that, if cops want to draw blood to see if someone's under the influence -- they need a warrant to do it, and for that ... they need probable cause, none of which existed in Tiger's situation. Again, there was no evidence of impairment.

All evidence indicates Tiger was in a rush, was going too fast on a treacherous road and lost control of his vehicle.

TMZ broke the story, Woods was seen driving very fast out of his hotel just minutes before the accident and almost struck a director's car for the show "Grown-ish" which was shooting at the same hotel Tuesday.

L.A. County Sherriff, Alex Villanueva, came out Wednesday and said there were no criminal charges forthcoming for Tiger -- and he seemed pretty emphatic about it ... almost like he wanted to end any speculation to the contrary.

As we reported, Woods was busted for DUI in 2017, where he clearly appeared impaired after failing a number of field sobriety tests, but that wasn't the case this time.

The man who punched Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Spencer Jones in the face repeatedly in a violent bar brawl earlier this month claims he was simply acting in self-defense, insisting his actions were "legally justified."

Walker Brown says -- just before a camera filmed him whaling on Jones in a bathroom at Logie's on the Corner in Norman, OK -- he was the one who was initially attacked at the bar on Feb. 13.

Brown, through his attorney, Steve Stice, says Jones and his friends were the aggressors in the situation ... and had roughed him up prior to the violent affair on the bathroom floor.

"There is more to the story than what is depicted in the video," Stice said this week. "What is not shown is the original assault and battery suffered by Mr. Brown at the hands of Mr. Jones and his friend shortly before the captured footage."

"As can be seen, my client's nose and clothing were bloodied prior to the beginning of the video. Mr. Brown was legally justified in defending himself in this matter."

In fact, Stice says Brown was actually seriously injured in the melee ... claiming Brown suffered a torn biceps tendon that will require surgery as well as bruises and lacerations.

The Norman Police Department tells TMZ Sports it's currently investigating the fight ... after Jones called in to report an assault 3 days after the brawl.

Jones, meanwhile, is currently recovering after having surgery to repair eye damage he suffered in the scrap.

Jones' attorney, Woodrow "Woody" Glass, said earlier this week Jones was NOT the aggressor in the situation, insisting the football player was just trying to play peacekeeper.

AMAZING VIDEO!!!!

Check out this rugby team from Fiji -- singing a BEAUTIFUL song from their hotel balconies to thank the staff for taking care of them during a mandatory COVID quarantine.

The team is the Kaiviti Silktails -- the guys are currently in Australia to participate in the Ron Massey Cup, a big rugby tournament in New South Wales.

But, since Australia doesn't mess around when it comes to COVID, all players were ordered to quarantine at a hotel for 2 weeks before they're allowed to head into public.

The guys have been holed up at the Sofitel Wentworth Hotel in central Sydney -- and wanted to show their appreciation to the staff ... so they got on their balconies and broke out in song AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL!!!

We're not sure which song they're singing (if you know, feel free to write in and let us know!) ... but it's an incredible sight and these dudes can SANG!!!

Clemson DE Justin Foster -- who missed the entire 2020 season after a brutal battle with COVID -- says he's officially done with football, explaining the virus, asthma and allergies have made it too difficult to play.

The senior -- who was an honorable mention All-ACC player during his last full season in 2019 -- said his health is improving after contracting coronavirus in August, but he still has "a way to go" before he's fully healthy.

"For those unaware, I was born with asthma and allergies that, when active, affect my ability to breath normally," Foster said in a statement Wednesday.

"The combination of these conditions, along with contracting COVID, made for a severe difficulty to perform physically."

Foster continued, "While my situation has improved, I am not in a position now, nor do I see that position soon, to step back on the field."

Foster was expected to be a starter for Clemson last season as well as this upcoming season after logging 4.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss in '19.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said he tried to talk Foster out of the decision, explaining, "I checked his oil ... He's ready to move on."

Swinney added he thought Foster had NFL potential.

"I believe, as Coach Swinney says, that 'the best is yet to come,'" Foster said. "I think that is true for Clemson University, for the Clemson Tigers, and my future."

Boxing star Ryan Garcia is pointing the finger straight at Manny Pacquiao -- saying it's Manny who pulled the plug on their fight after offering it to Garcia earlier this year.

"Manny came to offer me the fight," Garcia explained on his way into Boa Steakhouse in L.A. on Wednesday.

"Obviously, I would love to fight Manny Pacquaio, but that's on him. That's on him."

Garcia had announced the fight back in January -- posting on IG as if it was a done deal.

"A dream turned reality," Garcia said at the time ... "It’s an honor to share the Ring with @mannypacquiao. I will always respect what you did in and out the ring. Here’s to the best Man Winning."

But, something went wrong ... and Garcia says the only person to blame is Manny.

Still, 22-year-old Garcia is ready willing and able to fight ... if 42-year-old Manny ever decides to put pen to paper.

Instead, Garcia is focusing on lining up another opponent -- his priority is Gervonta Davis ... but he's also open to fighting Vasyl Lomachenko.

"I think I made it very clear I want Gervonta Davis. That's the man I want and I'll knock him out in 2 rounds."

Garcia and Tank have been trading insults on social media for YEARS now -- while both obliterating opponents in the ring. Seems like the obvious fight to make.

Don't close the book on Tiger Woods' golf career just yet -- Dr. Oz STRONGLY believes Tiger can make a full recovery ... and could be back on the links in a year!

Woods suffered MAJOR damage to his right leg in the Feb. 23 car crash -- including comminuted open fractures (shattered bones that broke through the skin).

Dr. Oz compared the injury to NFL quarterback Alex Smith -- who also suffered a compound fracture of his tibia and fibula during a game in 2018.

Smith missed the 2019 season -- but returned to action in 2020 after multiple surgeries and serious rehab.

It's not an exact apples-to-apples comparison ... but it's close. And, Oz says Smith's case proves a shattered leg isn't career-ender anymore.

So, why is Dr. Oz so optimistic about Tiger's chances to recover, despite the fact he's 45 years old?

"He's had a bunch of surgeries and bounced back when no one thought he could," Oz says.

Plus, Tiger "had the luck of having his accident near a major trauma center with expertise in this area."

In other words, Tiger got top-level medical attention QUICKLY -- which bodes well for his chances of a full recovery.

"He still has the most important component to recovery which is mental resilience. This man can do what no one else can do. So with the strength of his mind and fortitude, I do think he'll be back and I think he'll come back to full speed."

Medically speaking, Oz says it'll be at least 6 months until Tiger's leg bones are "recovered to the original form" -- but he believes it will take around one year to build back the muscles in order to go out and golf again.

When Canelo Alvarez isn't knocking people out, he's OBSESSED with golf -- especially Tiger Woods -- which is why he's pulling like crazy for Tiger to recover from his injuries.

"Very sad to hear what happened," Canelo tells TMZ Sports ... "I hope everything comes out okay."

Canelo says he's been following Tiger since Woods first won The Masters in 1997 -- despite the fact Canelo was only 7 years old at the time! Alvarez has been an avid golfer ever since.

"He's so good. He's the best," Canelo added ... "I hope that he has good health and one of my dreams is to play with him."

Of course, Canelo won't be on the links this week -- he's gearing up for a big fight Saturday night on DAZN against "The Turkish Wolf" Avni Yildirim at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

Yildirim is 21-2 as a pro -- but he hasn't fought in 2 years and he's a huge underdog against Canelo. But, Alvarez says he's not taking his opponent lightly.

"I always train like I'm gonna fight the best," Canelo tells us ... "I don't care if people know him or not. I know that the guy he's coming for the win and I know and I train like always and I'm gonna do my best in the fight.'

Canelo says he's gunning for a knockout -- like always -- and also talks about possible upcoming opponents.

Kyrie Irving is breathing new life into the movement to replace the NBA logo with an image of Kobe Bryant -- saying straight-up, "Gotta Happen."

"[I don't care] what anyone says," Irving posted on Wednesday alongside a mockup of a pretty awesome-looking Kobe logo designed by Tyson Beck.

"BLACK KINGS BUILT THE LEAGUE," Irvin added.

A bunch of Kyrie's famous friends immediately supported Irving's proposal in the comments section -- from Dez Bryant to Stephen Jackson ... even the official Bruce Lee IG account co-signed on the idea!

The "Kobe for NBA Logo" movement gained a bunch of momentum following Mamba's tragic death in January 2020 ... with huge and influential stars like Mark Cuban and Paul Pierce publicly throwing their support behind the move.

Even Justin Bieber pushed for the change. But, as time passed, the voices calling for change quieted down. Maybe Kyrie will get everyone talking again?!

As for Jerry West, the current NBA legend featured in the logo, he's previously said he's open for the league to switch it up.

In fact, Alan Siegel, who created the logo back in 1969 told Newsweek he'd be cool with a change as well.

"I'm really proud of the logo, it's been something that's been recognized around the world, but if the current players want to recognize someone that's made a difference, like Kobe, and if the commissioner wanted to do so, I would support it."

So, really ... everyone seems on board with a switch.

The league did implement some changes around the league to honor Kobe -- renaming the All-Star Game MVP trophy after him ... as well as changing the game's scoring format to include his #24.

But, will Kobe become the new logo?!

Tiger Woods was greeted with a familiar face Wednesday as he recovers from his car crash ... his girlfriend stopped by, and it looks like she came bearing gifts.

Erica Herman popped into Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in West Carson, where TW is currently hospitalized. She also seemed to be accompanied by Tiger's caddie ... Joe LaCava.

They were both masked up heading in -- but later, Erica's mask disappeared. In its place was a paper cup you might get at a food court. Joe had one too, plus a paper bag of grub. Unclear if they were bringing something for Tiger, or just munching themselves.

Tiger's SO (significant other, for you old folks) since 2017 is a former employee at his Florida restaurant The Woods ... the general manager, no less. They were first linked at the Presidents Cup in NJ, and have gotten serious since ... reportedly now living together.

Good to see him getting some company that'll hopefully lift his spirits and help him feel better sooner -- lord knows he needs it after essentially having his right leg destroyed in the wreck.

As we reported ... Tiger suffered comminuted open fractures in two different bones, meaning they tore the skin. His ankle was shattered as well -- and, all in all, he required a rod, screws/pins and extensive orthopedic surgery from trauma specialists to help keep it all together.

Pro soccer player Jonathan Suarez -- who just signed a deal to play in the MLS -- was arrested on Tuesday after a woman claims she was sexually assaulted by the athlete and his brother at the same time.

Officials confirm the 24-year-old Orlando City SC player and his older brother Rafael Suarez Jr. were taken into custody late Tuesday after an alleged incident at Rafael's apartment in the Orlando area.

According to an arrest affidavit from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, obtained by the Orlando Sentinel, the alleged victim and a friend met with the Suarez brothers at a local Topgolf driving range ... and later went back to Rafael's apartment to play beer pong.

The alleged victim told police she went to Rafael's room to engage in consensual sex -- but Rafael let his brother in to "get in on the fun" and that's when things went sideways.

The woman claims she REJECTED both men and tried to stop the sexual activity -- but she claims the soccer player forced her to perform a sex act on him and then told his brother to resume having sex with the woman against her will.

After the incident, the woman went to police -- and the case was kicked over to a Special Investigation Detective.

Officials say, "The victim provided more information and evidence supporting the allegation to the Detectives. Based on the information provided by the victim, Detectives were able to positively identify Jonathan Suarez-Cortes and Rafael Suarez Jr., as the suspects involved in the incident and developed probable cause for their arrest."

Jonathan and Rafael were arrested and booked into the Osceola County Jail for sexual battery ... where they are being held without bond.

The OCSO posted video of the arrest ... showing the two men in handcuffs and white jumpsuits as they are taken to jail.

Major League Soccer released a statement on Jonathan's arrest ... saying he has been immediately suspended from play as the league investigates the situation.

"Major League Soccer will remain in close communication with the Orlando City SC, local law enforcement, and the MLS Players Association during this investigation."

"MLS will make further determinations concerning the player’s status as more information becomes available."

Jonathan Suarez was a high school soccer star in Fontana, CA and signed a pro contract to play in Argentina when he was 18.

He went on to play professionally in the top soccer leagues in Mexico -- with teams like Cimarrones de Sonora, Querétaro FC and Pumas UNAM.

He arrived in Orlando in February to begin a stint with the Orlando City SC team -- but now, obviously, those plans are on hold.

The Sheriff overseeing the investigation into the Tiger Woods car crash says he will NOT face criminal charges over the incident -- calling it a pure "accident."

Sheriff Alex Villanueva took questions from the media on Wednesday -- and when asked directly if Tiger would face a reckless driving charge, he said, "No."

"This is purely an accident," Sheriff Villanueva said ... explaining there is no evidence showing the 45-year-old was under the influence of any substance when he drove his vehicle off a cliff in Palos Verdes, CA on Tuesday.

There is a chance Woods could be hit with an infraction if investigators determine he was using his cell phone when he lost control -- or was otherwise distracted behind the wheel -- but it's a big difference from being charged with a crime.

"We do not contemplate any charges whatsoever in this crash," Villanueva added ... "This remains an accident. An accident is not a crime."

As we previously reported, Deputy Carlos Gonzalez -- the first person to respond to the crash scene -- says Tiger seemed lucid and sober in the moments after the accident.

Officials say they did not take a blood sample from Tiger to test for substances because there were no obvious signs of impairment.

Sheriff Villanueva also confirmed investigators have still not retrieved a "black box" from the SUV Tiger was driving -- a device that could show investigators how fast the vehicle was traveling at the time of the incident.

NBA superstar Russell Westbrook is following LeBron's lead ... opening a state-of-the-art school for underprivileged youth in his home city!!

The 32-year-old SoCal native has partnered with the L.A. Promise Fund to launch the "Russell Westbrook Why Not? Academy" ... which will cater to students in South Los Angeles from grades 6 through 12.

Brodie announced the decision in a touching video on Wednesday ... while he was being interviewed by one of his future students!

"My plan is making sure you guys and the future kids coming in have access to all the resources you need to be successful," the former NBA MVP said.

The schools will focus on providing access to "high-quality athletic programs while balancing a strong education and leadership development," according to a statement from the Foundation.

Westbrook says he will be actively involved with the school -- and will serve as a board member to oversee the progress.

Of course, LeBron's "I Promise" School in Akron has been a huge success -- with student program's test scores exceeding expectations since it opened in 2018.