Carl Weathers, Rocky and Mandalorian Star, Dead at 76

The late Carl Weathers. Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Image

Carl Weathers, the football player who traded his sports gig for a successful run at Hollywood stardom, died at 76. The linebacker turned actor’s manager, Matt Luber, confirmed he died in his sleep, per The Hollywood Reporter. “Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life,” he said in a statement. “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.”

Born in New Orleans in 1948, Weathers played with the Oakland Raiders and Canada’s BC Lions before retiring from the profession to pursue acting in 1973. A year later, Weathers earned a bachelor’s degree in drama after studying during off seasons. All the while, he began to fill out his acting résumé via a number of films and TV shows, including his first uncredited role in Magnum Force (1973), before appearing in several projects in 1975, such as blaxploitation movies Friday Foster and Bucktown and episodes of Good Times and Kung Fu. Weathers’s best-known role came with Rocky (1976). After playing Apollo Creed in the first entry in Sylvester Stallone’s boxing franchise, he went on to star in the next three films as well.

The Prince of Punch took his skills to his performance in the Arnold Schwarzenegger–led action film Predator (1987) and displayed his comedic chops on Arrested Development. Weathers earned an Emmy nomination for his performance in The Mandalorian (2019–23) as a former bounty hunter who helps find Baby Yoda. He has a forthcoming role in a FanDuel Super Bowl commercial with Rob Gronkowski, which is being altered after the news of his death. “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Carl Weathers,” the company said in a statement obtained by TVLine. “Throughout his life, Carl was an iconic talent who had a profound impact on the people he worked with on and off the screen. 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.”