On Thursday, the Las Vegas Raiders lost one of their alumni and the film industry lost a well-loved actor.
Carl Weathers, 76, a Hollywood icon and former linebacker for the Oakland Raiders, passed away on Thursday. According to a statement released by his family on Friday, Weathers “died peacefully in his sleep,” as reported by Deadline.
For his role as Apollo Creed in the first four “Rocky” movies, Weathers was well-known. Among the other more well-known roles on his extensive resume are those of Chubbs Peterson in “Happy Gilmore,” Colonel Al Dillon in “Predator,” and Greef Karga in the television series “The Mandalorian,” which is a spin-off of “Star Wars.”
However, Weathers’ brief tenure as a Raider is likely what garnered the least attention.
Before making one appearance as a strong safety in 1971, Weathers was a linebacker with the Raiders in eight games during the 1970 regular season.
Weathers and the Raiders advanced to the 1970 AFC Championship Game, but were defeated by the Baltimore Colts. The Colts went on to win Super Bowl V against the Dallas Cowboys.
John Madden, the legendary Raiders coach, was just in his second season.
After leaving the Raiders, Weathers played eighteen games with the Canadian Football League’s British Columbia Lions. In his free time, he attended San Francisco State to study drama.
Weathers was a two-year letterman at San Diego State before joining the Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 1970. He was a part of the team that led the Aztecs to victory over Boston University in the 1969 Pasadena Bowl, where they went on to win 11-0 overall.
After leaving the NFL, Weathers went on to pursue a career in acting.
The NFL Scouting Combine will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, from February 27 to March 4, 2024.
The NFL Draft is scheduled for April 25–27, 2024, in Detroit, Michigan. The No. 13 overall pick is presently in the hands of the Las Vegas Raiders.
