TMZ Sports - Page 6

The great thing about sports is the constant flow of new faces to big teams ... and it looks like Auburn University's got some fresh blood coming to its coaching staff!

Steven Pearl was recently named as the Tigers' new coach, and it shouldn't come as a surprise, because he's been involved with Auburn's athletic program for several years.

We're going to take a look into how the sports figure worked his way to the head coaching position at Auburn ... and how he's not the first one from his family to have worked with the university's basketball team.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Benicio Del Toro joined Travis and Jason Kelce on their podcast this week ... and the brothers were absolutely giddy to meet up with the A-listers.

The "One Battle After Another" stars dropped by "New Heights" to promote their upcoming action flick ... but before either got to talking, the Kelces couldn't contain their excitement.

Jason repeatedly stressed to himself and his little brother to "play it cool" ... but Travis proclaimed there was just no way he could do that on camera.

Gary Cohen dove headfirst into controversy Tuesday night, expressing bewilderment at Matt Shaw's decision to miss Sunday's Cubs game for his buddy Charlie Kirk's memorial service, and the Mets announcer is catching heat.

"Shaw had Cubs World in a tizzy this weekend when he was not here for the Cubs game with the Reds, and they lost 1-0, and his lack of presence was felt. It was later revealed that he had been given permission to attend Charlie Kirk's funeral," Cohen said in the 4th inning, as the 23-year-old was at the plate.

"I don't want to talk about any of the politics of it, but the thought of leaving your team in the middle of a race for any reason other than a family emergency, really strikes me as weird."

Loyola-Chicago legend Sister Jean is retiring as the school's minister and men's basketball chaplain at 106 years old ... a role that launched her into March Madness fame in 2018.

The school's president, Mark C. Reed, confirmed the news to the student newspaper this week ... saying Sister Jean -- full name Jean Dolores Schmidt -- is not able to be physically present on campus, but will continue supporting and praying for the university.

SJ has dealt with health issues recently ... which forced her out of attending the Ramblers' NIT game against Chattanooga earlier this year.

City Girl JT has broken her silence on Cardi B's ether-fueled "Magnet" diss track aimed at herself and Lil Uzi Vert with her own fire and brimstone ... and she's lumping Stefon Diggs into the Drama!!!

On Tuesday, it was revealed Cardi was heading for the No. 1 Billboard spot ... and JT couldn't bite her tongue anymore. She shed light on Tasha K's disturbing recent interview with Chris Blake Griffith, where he alleges Diggs sexually assaulted him by sticking his tongue in his ear ... all before exposing himself on a drive back to his house.

JT tagged Diggs' NFL squad, the New England Patriots, to alert them to the interview ... yep, she wants him benched by Sunday!!!

Tom Brady is on the defensive against critics accusing him of having a "conflict of interest" with his Raiders ownership and Fox gig ... saying it's his duty to utilize his knowledge of the sport -- and anyone who doesn't see that is "paranoid and distrustful."

The legendary quarterback addressed the chatter in a newsletter on Wednesday ... when he spoke at length about the importance of doing one's job.

For him ... that means growing the game of football by sharing his experiences on Fox broadcasts while also assisting in bringing the Las Vegas Raiders back to relevance.

11:11 AM PT -- Guardians manager Stephen Vogt just provided an update on David Fry ... revealing the player suffered a broken nose and facial fractures.

Vogt added Fry is in good spirits and alert after visiting him at the hospital.

Guardians designated hitter David Fry was rushed to the hospital on Tuesday night ... after he was nailed in the face by a nearly 100 MPH fastball.

The scary scene all unfolded in the sixth inning of Cleveland's crucial matchup with Detroit at Progressive Field.

Fry squared around to bunt on a 2-1 count ... but Tarik Skubal's heater got away from him, and instead of hitting the catcher's mitt, the 99.6 MPH pitch ended up right in Fry's nose.

Legal documents TMZ Sports has obtained appear to indicate Jordon Hudson has her sights set on making an entertainment project with some reptile themes.

According to a filing in Massachusetts, Hudson -- the daughter of a fisherman -- created an LLC called "Spring Street Seafood Company" late last month.

A description of the business states it intends to produce a written and audio-visual work tentatively titled "Razor (Ophidian's Version)."

Matt Shaw says missing Sunday's Cubs game for Charlie Kirk's memorial was "really important" for him ... and he made it clear, he's not concerned about any backlash he's getting for the decision.

The Chicago rookie addressed Kirk's assassination for the first time with media members on Tuesday ... and he told journalists he and the political activist had a strong bond.

He explained the two met while he was living in Arizona, and they grew close because of their faith.

Matthew Stafford getting hit where it hurts was actually a gift to his wife ... 'cause she joked the blow below the belt he suffered in Sunday's game against the Eagles was a free vasectomy!!

Kelly -- who married Stafford in 2015 -- had the funny take about the Rams quarterback on her latest episode of her "The Morning After" podcast ... and she explained what he told her about the third-quarter incident after the loss.

"He goes back in [to the game], thank goodness, and after the game, I'm like, 'Hey, what was going on. Like, are you OK?"" Kelly said. "He was like, ‘Yeah, I got my nuts crushed.'"

7:21 AM PT -- Cops tell TMZ Sports ... Rudi Johnson died by suicide in Florida just after midnight on Tuesday.

Former Cincinnati Bengals running back Rudi Johnson has died.

A family source for the ex-NFL star tells TMZ Sports ... he passed away this week.

Richard Sherman has closed out his DUI case ... the ex-NFL star ended up getting deferred prosecution on Tuesday.

The former Seattle Seahawks cornerback appeared in a King County, Wash. courtroom, where the matter was wrapped up.

Prosecutors say in order to get the deferred prosecution, Sherman had to admit his actions on the night of his 2024 arrest were the result of a substance use disorder ... and he had to agree to undergo two years of treatment as a result.

Russell Wilson might have lost his job as the starting quarterback of the New York Giants on Tuesday, but that didn't stop him from making a bunch of kids' days -- he made a special visit to a local hospital to raise spirits for patients.

Wilson shared the photos from his trip to the Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital after the news broke Jaxson Dart would be taking over under center in the Big Apple ... while including the caption, "With god, nothing is impossible. Grateful for his healing power!!!"

Wilson's followers flooded the comments with support ... letting him know they still have his back no matter where he sits on the depth chart.

The Schwarzeneggers got the fam back together Monday night for some fine dining at celebrity favorite sushi spot ... Nobu!

Check out the pics ... it was a whole family reunion with Arnold and his ex-wife Maria Shriver ... plus all of their kiddos -- Patrick Schwarzenegger and his wife Abby Champion, Katherine Schwarzenegger and her hubby Chris Pratt, Christopher Schwarzenegger and Christina Schwarzenegger.

The bunch appeared in great spirits after a successful family outing -- which, as you can see, didn't include any grandkids.

Football coach Shawn Clark died after he experienced what was described as a "medical emergency" earlier this month.

The sports figure, who formerly served as an assistant coach for the University of Central Florida's offensive line, was hospitalized after suffering the emergency on September 9th, according to ESPN.

Although he was initially believed to have been in "stable condition," UCF announced he'd "unexpectedly" died on Sunday.

Hulk Hogan's Real American Beer brand is honoring its co-founder ... releasing a limited edition "Hulkamania Forever" light brew to celebrate the legacy of the wrestling legend!

The special tribute product will feature new cans decked out in Hogan's famed red and yellow color scheme, as well as the WWE logo ... an item that'll surely be a must-have for fans when it hits shelves in a matter of weeks.

"We're proud to partner with WWE to create a true tribute to the legendary Hulk Hogan," Chad Bronstein, Real American Beer co-founder, told us. "This campaign brings together two iconic American brands, a collector-tier release, and a national megaphone -- it's a powerful moment for our fans, our partners, and our future."