TMZ Sports - Page 50

Aaron Rodgers says his return to the football field is contingent on two big factors ... revealing he will only suit up again this season if the New York Jets are still in playoff contention and he is fully healthy.

The four-time NFL MVP was at the Jets training facility when he made his weekly appearance on the "Pat McAfee Show" on Tuesday ... and he gave a significant update on his Achilles recovery timeline.

Rodgers explained the first step in his potential return during the 2023-24 season is evaluating his health and playing ability ... and if he's not able to move around and protect himself on the field, he won't risk it.

If he's cleared by doctors and is satisfied with his athleticism, Rodgers will then assess where the Jets stand in terms of playoff chances.

"It's health first, and then can I play, are we alive for the playoffs, second," Rodgers said ... adding as of right now, he is not to the point where he could even consider playing.

There's been talk around the NFL that Rodgers is eyeing a Christmas Eve return when the Jets take on the Commanders at MetLife Stadium in Jersey ... just over three months after his initial injury, which would be one of the fastest bounce-backs from an Achilles tear in NFL history.

The Jets' remaining schedule is a bit of a mixed bag -- they play winnable games against the Patriots and Washington, but also face off against the Texans, Browns, and Dolphins, all legit playoff contenders.

Worth noting -- many Jets and NFL fans have been concerned about Rodgers being hellbent on returning ... especially because New York's offensive line is dreadful, and he would undoubtedly lack protection up front.

In fact, the Jets have allowed 47 sacks this season ... the third most across the league.

There's a new Harvard course covering all things Taylor Swift -- and yes, that means her relationships, including her Mr. Right Now, Travis Kelce ... so says the professor who's teaching the class.

One of Harvard's English professors, Stephanie Burt, joined us Tuesday on "TMZ Live" to discuss the class she'll be heading up next semester called 'Taylor Swift and Her World' -- which she made very clear will put an emphasis on the literary merit behind T-Swift's art.

It's obvious from the video, but Prof. Burt is a self-professed Swiftie, but says that's not the reason she's teaching this course. As she explains to us, Taylor's work/fandom are very much worthy of study.

In fact, because her personal life is so tied into her songwriting, that means who she dates will get some attention in this class. However, Prof. Burt notes they probably won't spend so much time on Trav ... mostly because she hasn't written a song about him just yet.

If history's any indication ... she might have to break up with him first for that to happen. 😅

Anyway, Harvard ain't the only higher-ed institution that's doing this for TayTay, for what it's worth ... the University of Florida is also introducing a Taylor-centric course of their own very soon -- and Arizona State already has one too. Indeed, academia hearts Taylor!

And, if it wasn't obvious already ... there's a ton of interest in this new Harvard course. As Professor Burt tells us, there are already hundreds of people who've signed up for the Spring.

Step aside beer bongs and Bentleys ... Post Malone just combined two more of his favorite things -- the Dallas Cowboys and cool clothes -- into a winning combination ... helping his beloved squad with a sweet, new merch line!!

The "Better Now" crooner officially debuted the Cowboys-approved items this week ... after collabing with Cheatin Snakes designer Grant Kratzer.

The clothing line features 22 pieces in total ... and includes tees, jackets, sweatshirts, shorts and more.

All of the items have a unique blend of Dallas Cowboys logos as well as imagery associated with Post -- and fans will be able to officially get their hands on them later this week through live stream platform NTWRK.

Cowboys players, of course, already got an early look at the swag ... and Dak Prescott -- as well as some of his other high-profile teammates -- were clearly fans of it all.

The gear will range from $40 to $168 ... and when Post -- who's already partnered with his favorite team earlier this year to make a Cowboys-themed Raising Cane's restaurant -- was asked for his opinion on it all, he fittingly had just one quote ...

Despite starting 1-10 and firing their head coach this week, Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper says he's still "totally confident" he picked the right quarterback, even though Bryce Young is struggling, and C.J. Stroud is an MVP candidate!

The billionaire hedge fund whiz and team owner since 2018 met with the media in North Carolina after giving Frank Reich the ax less than a season into his head coaching tenure ... when he was asked some tough questions about their QB situation.

"In the case of Bryce, I believe it was a unanimous decision with the coaches and the scouts," Tepper said. "We preferred Bryce. He was our number one pick."

"We are totally confident in that pick."

The statement of support from Tepper amid a report from Pro Football Talk that said some people around the league believe the owner pressured his football people to select Bryce, even though they wanted C.J.

Tepper says that isn't true.

The signal callers are having polar opposite seasons. Stroud's Texans are 6-5 and fighting for a playoff spot. He's thrown for 3,266 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions in 11 games. His completion percentage is near 64%, and he has a QB Rating of 100.8.

As for Young's numbers ... he's thrown for 1,877 yards, 9 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. He's completed 61.7% of his passes, and has a quarterback rating of 74.9.

Tepper also talked about the firing of Reich ... and responded to the charge that he's been far too impatient with coaches.

"There's reasons for each individual situation,' Tepper said. "I do have patience."

FYI, DT has fired Ron Rivera (HC for 28 games under David), Perry Fewell (4 games), Matt Rhule (38 games), and Reich this week (11 games).

Joe Buck says he doesn't regret his infamous call of Randy Moss' "mooning" touchdown celebration ... butt but he is admitting it was at the very least "a little over the top."

Nearly 19 years after he called Moss' pretend, show-it-all celly in an NFC Wild Card Round game "disgusting" ... Buck told Purple Daily -- a Minnesota Vikings podcast -- that he doesn't exactly look back on the moment fondly now.

"I hear that back and it kind of gives me a little bit of a jolt because I'm like, 'Man, I can't believe that that's what came out of my mouth,'" he said. "But I have to live with that."

"And I'm not saying that I regret it, but it feels a little over the top."

The call, of course, irked Vikings fans to no end following their huge 2005 win over the Packers ... especially after Moss explained that he did it, in part, as a response to being mooned by Green Bay fans earlier in the week.

Buck, though, said if it had all happened in a game more recently ... he would have almost certainly handled it differently.

"If it were today," he said on the SKOR North pod, "I think in a different atmosphere, I don't think those words would have come out of my mouth."

While Minnesota fans might never let it go -- even if Buck did go on to have one of the most memorable calls ever while broadcasting the Minneapolis Miracle -- the announcer said he and Moss don't have any kind of beef over it. In fact, he said they're actually "really good friends" now.

Kroy Biermann is being dragged to court by Chase over what the bank says is more than $10,000 in credit card debt ... and Chase wants a judge to make him pay.

Kim Zolciak's hubby just got hit with a lawsuit by the banking giant -- and in the docs, obtained by TMZ, Chase is alleging he owes a total of $13,071.88 ... which the bank says is way past due.

Chase attached Kroy's credit card statements in their complaint, which show the fat balances starting to rack up since summer.

Kroy and Kim's financial issues have been well documented ... starting with the alleged seven-figure sum they owe the IRS.

As we've told you, BMW just won a case against Kroy over non-payment of a Rolls-Royce ... and just this month a judge ordered Kroy to return the $400,100 SV to the car company.

Kroy was also sued by Sky Warrior over a $52,500 gambling debt from a bad run at a casino down in the Bahamas.

Travis Kelce wearing a strip club shirt might raise an eyebrow for some -- but the dude isn't batting an eyelash at all ... which says a lot about how solid his relationship is with Taylor Swift.

The KC Chiefs tight end was spotted wearing a fashionable/cozy outfit after Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders ... but folks couldn't help but notice a T-shirt he was rockin' underneath his windbreaker -- with the words "Crazy Horse Las Vegas" emblazoned across the front.

Of course, Crazy Horse 3 is a popular strip club in town, and the obvious questions people started asking is: Did he visit the place ... while also dating the biggest pop star in the world???

That question remains unanswered -- Crazy Horse 3 tells TMZ, it prioritizes the privacy of guests, and "as a policy, we do not disclose or comment on the identities of individuals who choose to enjoy their time within our club." The club's rep Lindsay Feldman did confirm Travis wearing the shirt was not a paid endorsement situation.

However, the establishment isn't shying away from his plug ... the image is on its IG.

Whether or not he went, the bigger point here is ... TK isn't skittish floating the possibility he did go to a strip club.

He's one of the most famous guys in the world right now as he and Taylor continue to see each other -- and undoubtedly also understands the PR game that comes with that.

With that said ... he's clearly gonna be himself, and not try to fit into whatever perfect Taylor Swift boyfriend image others might have in mind.

Translation: The guy's comfortable in his own skin, and in his bond with TayTay.

Like we told you ... both Travis and Taylor are back together in Kansas City now after she wrapped up her Brazil shows, and they'll likely spend the rest of the holidays side by side.

Olivia isn't Dunne modeling for Sports Illustrated -- the superstar LSU gymnast will grace the pages of the magazine for a second-straight year ... earning the title of "rookie."

The 21-year-old social media influencer was just announced as one of the models receiving the distinction for the 60th anniversary of the swimsuit issue ... putting her in the company of big names like Olivia Culpo, Brooks Nader, Emily Ratajkowski and Kate Upton, who are all former rookies for the publication.

Dunne flew to Portugal as part of the gig ... rocking a white Ola Vida suit and BABEN skirt for her photoshoot.

Of course, Livvy famously posed for the S.I. swimsuit issue in 2023 ... with editor M.J. Day explaining it was to show the student-athlete is much more than a pretty face.

Following the massive popularity of Livvy's first appearance, the mag said it was a no-brainer to bring her back.

"The decision to invite Livvy back to appear in the 2024 issue as a rookie was an easy one," Day said. "Last year, we featured Livvy the D1 athlete, highlighting her accolades as an all-academic and an all star on the rise. This year, we are featuring Livvy as a well-established, industrious entrepreneur who is here to stay, who continues to break barriers, continues to work hard and forge an unforgettable path for herself and future generations of female athletes."

"Like all the incredible women that represent SI Swimsuit, Livvy stands out in her own unique and critical way. We are so incredibly proud of what she continues to achieve and are so excited to welcome her back not as Livvy Dunne the LSU D1 gymnast, but Livvy Dunne, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit rookie."

Livvy also spoke about getting the nod ... adding, "Coming back for Year 2, I mean, last year I said it was a dream come true, and nothing’s changed. It's still a dream come true. I can't believe I can call myself a rookie. It feels unreal."

Dunne said posing for S.I. has helped her feel comfortable in her own skin ... and she hopes young girls everywhere will see her and get the same message.

Teyana Taylor and Iman Shumpert are no longer living under the same roof as their bitter divorce now plays out publicly ... something she blames squarely on her estranged husband.

Sources close to the exes tell TMZ, Teyana is incredibly disappointed and frustrated with Iman -- her husband of 7 years -- for deciding to make their identities public in a recent court filing in their divorce case.

Teyana had sought to not only protect their kids from this mess, but Iman as well ... which is why she initially filed divorce docs, back in January, using just their initials. The divorce was proceeding in private, but after his latest legal move, that privacy's completely out the window.

Teyana's attorney, Tanya Mitchell, echoed this sentiment, writing in a legal doc, "We were able to keep this divorce matter private as Ms. Taylor requested for eleven (11) months in this case prior to Mr. Shumpert's MOTION revealing the parties' legal names and making the private matter public."

She continued, "This matter would very likely still be private if Mr. Shumpert's MOTION TO SUBSTITUTE TRUE LEGAL NAMES AS REAL PARTIES IN INTEREST was not filed ..."

Our sources say Teyana and Iman are NOT living under the same roof -- though Teyana made it seem like they were on good terms in September, when she announced their separation.

In fact, we're told communication between Teyana and Iman is minimal ... and they only chat if it has to do with their 2 children. Basically, things ain't so rosy at the moment.

TMZ broke the story ... Teyana accused Iman of being a jealous spouse, with him allegedly being annoyed and aggravated with her burgeoning career, including on the acting front -- among lots of other messy allegations.

Taylor Swift is finally back in the States and reportedly ready to spend the rest of the holidays with her boyfriend Travis Kelce.

US Weekly cites sources as saying the singer landed in Kansas City Monday -- just a day after her last show in São Paulo wrapped Sunday. Remember, she had to rearrange her Thanksgiving plans ... and wasn't able to be with him over the past week or so.

The reason everything got switched around is because of a makeup show she did last Monday in Rio de Janeiro -- this after canceling that Saturday show due to extreme heat ... not to mention the death of one of her fans.

As a result, she ended up staying in Rio for an extra day ... which torpedoed any hope of flying back to see Travis before the next string of shows down in the country. In the end, it seems they decided to spend Thanksgiving apart -- visibly so for TK here in Kansas City.

TMZ broke the story ... the dude was seen driving around town solo last Thursday.

We already told you Taylor and Travis had plans to spend Christmas together -- and now, they're pretty much home free ... 'cause she doesn't have any more concerts until her "Eras" tour picks back up February, when she'll fly to Tokyo.

Travis, of course, will continue playing football these next few months ... and you can imagine Taylor will be in attendance for at least some of those games -- especially as playoffs near.

Russell Westbrook found himself quarrelling with fans yet again on Monday night ... and this time, he needed to be separated from the tiff by not only his teammates, but his opponents as well.

The Clippers star got into the heated spat with what appeared to be a couple of men at Crypto.com Arena toward the end of L.A.'s 113-104 loss to Denver.

Video from the scene shows Westbrook began verbally jarring with the courtside fans during a break in the action late in the fourth quarter ... before he returned as the final buzzer sounded to argue some more.

The 35-year-old point guard was clearly peeved at the guys ... though, thankfully, a referee, his teammates, and a few Nuggets players helped pull him away from it all.

Afterward, Westbrook refused to say specifically what the altercation was all about ... though he seemed to insinuate the fans had said something inappropriate about his family.

"Fans think they can say whatever they want," he told a throng of media members. "I'm not going to say [what they said] now because it's not appropriate, but I'm just protecting myself."

"Just unfortunate fans think they can get away with saying anything and, personally, I won't allow it."

Of course, this is hardly Westbrook's first heated incident with hecklers ... just seven months ago, he got into a screaming match with a man following a playoff game in Phoenix. Numerous other times recently -- including several instances during one of the worst seasons of his career in 2022 -- he beefed with fans as well.

On Monday night, Westbrook explained that now that his children are older ... he's simply refusing to take any cross-the-line shade from fans.

Gilbert Burns is back.

6 months after tearing multiple muscles in his left shoulder during his UFC 288 scrap with Belal Muhammad, Durinho tells TMZ Sports he's ready to climb back in the Octagon, and he knows who he wants to fight!

First, the injury.

"I'm clear. No pain. Shoulder is moving good. All range of motion is back. Strength," Gilbert says, "I'd say anything March or April, UFC 299 or UFC 300, I'll be ready to go."

As for who Gilbert wants in his return fight, he has an opp in mind ... though much could change with the upcoming welterweight title fight at UFC 296.

"I would love to fight Colby [Covington]," Burns said of the number 3 ranked contender, who will face champ Leon Edwards on December 16.

"I think Leon Edwards is gonna get the win, but who knows when he's gonna come back. Or when either one of these guys is gonna come back. That would be my number one pick."

Whatever happens at 296, Gilbert will see it with his own two eyes ... 'cause he says he'll be at T-Mobile Arena.

"I think after that night I'm gonna see who I'm fighting next."

Of course, Burns lost by unanimous decision in May ... when he was injured early in the fight. Because of the circumstances, it's tough to say who would've won if GB didn't get hurt, unless you're Gilbert. He's totally confident he would've kicked Belal's ass.

D.L. Hughley's advising T.I. and Tiny's son, King, to listen to a voice of reason, and understand why his meltdown during an Atlanta Falcons game is "embarrassing" to his parents.

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with D.L. Monday at LAX, where he called King's outburst -- insisting he grew up half-poor -- absolutely "insulting" to Tip and Tiny's lifetime accomplishments.

ICYMI, King ended up in his father's headlock inside their luxury suite at Mercedes-Benz Stadium -- the end result of King claiming he knew about the trap life from growing up at his grandmother's house, and even experienced roaches crawling on his face.

D.L. says King grew up a reality star via VH1's "The Family Hustle," and says any roaches he encountered were actually paid actors!!!

As a father himself, D.L. thinks King's words cut even deeper than they seemed in the video. He says all decent parents take pride in their kids being fed and clean, and D.L. says King's childhood passes that test with flying colors.

D.L. tells us his own kids wouldn't dream of spewing any such disrespect -- he says they're older and know better.

King was still fuming on social media -- a day after squaring off with his parents -- but D.L. is certain he'll eventually come around and see how silly this all is.

Dak Prescott couldn't be happier to have a baby girl on the way ... revealing he was hoping to welcome a daughter with his girlfriend, Sarah Jane Ramos -- and there's a special reason behind it.

The Dallas Cowboys quarterback -- who went public with the huge news over the holiday weekend -- spoke with reporters about his growing family on Monday ... and he said he's absolutely stoked to become a papa.

"Super, super blessed to have that responsibility," Prescott said. "But, at the same time [to] have that opportunity to start a family and bring a child into this world. I know what my mom means to me and, in a sense, have that feeling in a different role is something I'm looking forward to."

Of course, Dak lost his mother, Peggy, to colon cancer in 2013 ... and has kept her memory alive throughout his journey to becoming an NFL star.

He also has multiple tattoos in her honor ... including a Pegasus on his right leg.

Dak also stated the couple has already picked out a name for the baby on the way ... but will remain tight-lipped until the due date in March.

Prescott also joked about his recent success on the field ... chalking it up to his newfound "dad strength."

WWE legend Tammy Sytch has been ordered to spend roughly the next decade and a half in prison for her role in a 2022 car crash that killed a 75-year-old man.

Sytch learned her fate inside of a Volusia County courtroom on Monday morning ... three months after she pled no contest to, among other charges, one felony count of DUI causing death.

Sytch -- wearing an orange jumpsuit and shackles on her wrists -- addressed the courtroom for a few minutes during the hearing, which lasted several hours and featured testimonies from people affiliated with the case, including a medical expert who evaluated the former wrestling personality in the spring.

Sytch broke down in tears during her speech and apologized for her actions. At one point, the 50-year-old also turned to the victim's family and said, "I know my words are not enough but please know that I think about you every day."

When the judge ultimately sentenced her to 17 years in prison, Sytch appeared stoic -- before she was taken out of the courtroom by officials.

Sytch -- also known as "Sunny" in the ring -- has been locked behind bars since May 2022 ... after prosecutors claimed she drunkenly slammed her car into Julian Lasseter's, killing him during a horrific March 2022 crash in Florida.

According to authorities, Sytch barreled into Lasseter while he was stopped at a traffic light. They alleged that at the time of the wreck, she had a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher.

Sytch was hit with eight total charges over the incident ... and, at first, she pled not guilty to all of the charges, though she changed her pleas in August after reaching an agreement with prosecutors.

Following the plea deal, she had been facing a prison sentence of up to 25 years.

The judge also said during Tuesday's proceedings that Sytch will be required to serve 8 years of probation following her prison sentence ... and her driver's license has been permanently revoked.

A tennis fan, like a lottery ticket landing in her lap, caught Novak Djokovic's French Open final-winning racket after an epic match with Andy Murray in 2016 ... and now the piece of tennis history is up for auction!

The backstory is awesome -- Abby Doherty, a college student in 2016, traveled to Paris with her family to watch the famed French Open at Roland-Garros ... where she witnessed several matches, including the much-awaited tourney final between top-seeded Djokovic and 2nd-seeded Murray. Two all-time players.

Novak dropped the opening set of the June match, 3-6, before ticking off three sets in a row (6-1, 6-2, 6-4), and securing another F.O. title.

Djokovich was over the moon ... and after a bunch of celebrating (and a moment of good sportsmanship with Murray), the tennis legend used his Head racket to draw a heart in the famous clay court.

Then, Novak launched the Head racket into the crowd ... right where Abby was seated. She stuck her hand out, and boom -- snatched it out of the air!

Her dad almost immediately took a photo of his daughter, who was beaming.

That same Head Speed Graphene Touch PT113B racket, which has been photo-matched by experts to the French Open final (and several other French Open matches, including the Semifinals), is now available at SCP Auctions ... and their experts believe it could sell in excess of $100 grand!

The 27-inch long racket features Novak's custom double-wrapped, calfskin leather grip ... and shows signs of wear and tear from the match with Murray.

The win also marked a "calendar year" Grand Slam for N.D. ... meaning he won all 4 Major events (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open) within a 365-day period.

With 24 Major titles (including 3 French Open wins), Djokovic is widely considered the greatest tennis player of all time. Rafael Nadal has 22, followed by Roger Federer at 20, and Pete Sampras with 14.