The passing of Carl Weathers was painfully felt all over the world — even in the community of football.
Weathers, 76, passed away in his sleep on Thursday, his family said in a statement Friday. He had previously been best known for his portrayals as Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” franchise and Derick “Chubbs” Peterson in the golf comedy “Happy Gilmore,” but Weathers had once been a professional athlete before he propelled himself into stardom on the movie screen.
Weathers, who had been a multi-sport athlete in his youth at Long Beach Poly High School, played college football first at Long Beach City College and then at San Diego State University under Don Coryell. This included helping the Aztecs have an 11-0 finish as a defensive end in the 1969 Pasadena Bowl.
He then signed on with the Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 1970, playing in seven games as a linebacker, helping to get the team to the AFC Championship game that year. In 1971, he converted into a strong safety, playing just a single game with the Oakland Raiders before he was released.
In the wake of the beloved actor’s death, the team released a statement. “The Raiders Family is mourning the loss of Carl Weathers, who passed away Thursday,” the team said.
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) February 2, 2024
“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,” the statement continued. “Our deepest condolences are with the Weathers family at this time.”
Weathers went on to play in the Canadian Football League and made 18 appearances between 1971-73 as well as recording a fumble recovery before retiring from the sport in 1974.
“Our thoughts are with family & friends of Carl Weathers, former #BCLions Linebacker & beloved Rocky character, Apollo Creed. RIP, Legend,” the BC Lions wrote on X.
Former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Robert Griffin III also expressed his thoughts about the acting legend on X. He wrote, “There is no Rocky without Apollo Creed and we were lucky that Carl brought him to life. RIP to a legend.”
