Trailblazer, Legend, and Pop Culture Icon Carl Weathers, Dead at 76

Carl Weathers appeared in more than 75 films and television shows during his almost 50-year screen career. From characters like"Colonel Al Dillon," to "Apollo Creed," to the voice of "Combat Carl" in "Toy Story 4," Weathers occupies the annals of pop culture and spans generations of cinematic action and lore. Weathers said in one interview that, "the generations are spanned, from grandma and grandpa, there's mama and papa, there's the daughter and the son, and there's their daughter and their son!"

Tragically, Weathers was found dead in his home on Thursday. He had celebrated his 76th birthday a little over two weeks before. His family released a statement:

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers.He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024. … Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. 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.

Action legend, bodybuilder, and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger paid tribute to Weathers on X.

Carl Weathers will always be a legend. An extraordinary athlete, a fantastic actor, and a great person. We couldn’t have made Predator without him. And we certainly wouldn’t have had such a wonderful time making it. pic.twitter.com/q4CWVVeyTK
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) February 2, 2024

Weathers was in the center of every plot of four of Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky" franchise movies, taking his character Apollo Creed from rival, to frenemy, to ally.

Apollo Creed and Rocky’s iconic training montage.

Rest in Peace Carl Weathers (1948 - 2024) pic.twitter.com/DWhRpTzPck
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) February 2, 2024

There is no greater fight entrance in film history than Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) coming down to"Living in America" performed by James Brown. pic.twitter.com/k81jIAMGGL
— Allan (@TheAllanAguirre) February 2, 2024

Weathers performed classic comedic turns in Adam Sandler's "Happy Gilmore," and in Jason Bateman's "Arrested Development."

A true great man. Great dad. Great actor. Great athlete. So much fun to be around always. Smart as hell. Loyal as hell. Funny as hell. Loved his sons more than anything. What a guy!! Everyone loved him. My wife and I had the best times with him every time we saw him. Love to… pic.twitter.com/Gi2lPWFTgt
— Adam Sandler (@AdamSandler) February 2, 2024

In 2019, Weathers cemented his name onto the "Star Wars" franchise. In "The Mandalorian" streaming series, Weathers portrayed "Greef Karga," the head of the Bounty Hunters Guild. In 2021, Weathers was nominated for an Emmy for the role, and also directed two episodes of the series.

With such a storied cinematic career, one could easily forget that Weathers did not get his start in the entertainment world, but in the sports world. Weathers played a variety of sports: boxing (duh), football, soccer, wrestling, and gymnastics. He played football for San Diego State University, and was part of the 1969 Aztecs team that won the Pasadena Bowl. Weathers told the Detroit News:

When I found football, it was a completely different outlet. It was more about the physicality, although one does feed the other. You needed some smarts because there were playbooks to study and film to study, to learn about the opposition on any given week.

Weathers gave the commencement address at his graduation, then moved on to be a free agent with the then-Oakland Raiders. Weathers played eight NFL games between 1970 and 1971, before going to the Canada Football League in 1971 to play for the B.C. Lions. He was with them until 1973, when Hollywood came calling.

After his stint in professional football, Weathers pivoted more seriously to acting, landing small roles in Arthur Marks’ blaxploitation movies “Bucktown” and “Friday Foster,” as well as TV series including “Good Times,” “Kung Fu,” “Cannon” and “Starsky and Hutch.”

Weathers was born on Jan. 14, 1948, in New Orleans, and started performing in plays as early as grade school. Though he took the sports route through high school and college, he returned to the stage and what ultimately would be his final calling in his adult years.

Weathers was a class act, and always showed love and appreciation to all of the generations of his fanbase. Here are two of his final interviews: the first one was at local WGN Chicago: