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  • The NFL Life on Men's Journal

    Actor, NFL Veteran Carl Weathers Dies at 76

    By Geoff Magliocchetti,

    2024-02-03

    The family of actor and Oakland Raiders draft pick Carl Weathers announced his passing at the age of 76 through a statement on Friday. Weathers died peacefully in his sleep and is survived by his sons Jason and Matthew.

    "Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life," the statement, obtained by Ashley Hume and Brie Stimson of Fox News, reads in part . "Through his contributions to film, television, the arts, and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner, and friend."

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    Though more renowned for his acting career, Weathers made an impact on reality's gridiron: he was a member of San Diego State's undefeated team from the 1969 season and later went on to play eight games with the NFL's Oakland Raiders before 13 appearances with the Canadian Football League's BC Lions.

    "The Raiders Family is mourning the loss of Carl Weathers, who passed away Thursday," the Raiders franchise declared in a statement . "Weathers played two seasons with the Silver and Black before embarking on a successful acting career that spanned five decades, famously depicting boxer Apollo Creed in the Rocky franchise among many other unforgettable roles. Always a proud Raider, Weathers will be missed dearly by his Raiders Family and his many fans worldwide."

    As the Raiders mentioned, Weathers was perhaps best known for his role as theatrical, trash-talking heavyweight champion Apollo Creed, his character from the first four films of the "Rocky" franchise. Creed served as the main antagonist of "Rocky" and "Rocky II" before becoming a close friend of Sylvester Stallone's eponymous character in the latter duo. Younger sports fans likely see him as Derick "Chubbs" Peterson, the one-handed mentor of Adam Sandler's titular character in the golf comedy "Happy Gilmore."

    Ever the versatile actor, Weathers proved capable of entertaining both the jock and nerd alike: he starred alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in the sci-fi horror classic "Predator" and held a recurring role on "The Mandalorian," a Disney+ series set in the "Star Wars" galaxy.

    Online gambling brand FanDuel was set to feature Weathers an advertisement set to run during Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11. The ad, entitled "Kick of Destiny 2," was set to feature Weathers mentoring former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski as he tried a field goal that would allow users to collective split a $10 million prize. Weathers appeared to be lampooning his mentoring role previously seen in "Happy Gilmore" and "Rocky III."

    FanDuel told Erin Keller of the New York Post that it plans to adjust the campaign out of respect for the Weathers family.

    Related: Titans Playoff Hero Frank Wycheck Dies at 52

    “Throughout his life, Carl was an iconic talent who had a profound impact on the people he worked with on and off the screen," the statement reads in part. "FanDuel was fortunate to have had an opportunity to work with him during our Super Bowl campaign. We are adjusting our campaign accordingly out of respect for the family during their time of grief.”

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