Summary
- FanDuel paid tribute to Carl Weathers in their Super Bowl ad.
- Weathers worked with FanDuel on their Super Bowl campaign before his passing, and the company adjusted their ad out of respect for his family.
- Co-stars Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger praised Weathers’ talent and impact, with Stallone crediting him for the success of the
Rocky
series.
The online gambling company FanDuel paid tribute to the late, great Carl Weathers during Super Bowl LVIII, with their ad featuring what is likely to be one of the final shots of the actor and action star. Weathers sadly passed away earlier this month at the age of 76, with the FanDuel ad ending with the caption “Thank you, Carl,” alongside the actor.
The ad itself features Weathers offering up some motivation to former NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski in the name of “Kick of Destiny.” FanDuel revealed last week that they would be making changes to the ad in the wake of Weathers’ death, releasing the following statement:
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Carl Weathers. 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.”
Best recognized for his roles in the likes of the Rocky franchise, Predator, and Happy Gilmore on the big screen, as well as Arrested Development and the Star Wars series The Mandalorian on the small screen, Weathers died “peacefully in his sleep” of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease on February 1, 2024, at the age of 76.
“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.”
Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger & More Have Paid Tribute to Carl Weathers
Two of Weathers’ best-known co-stars, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger have since paid tribute to the actor. Stallone took to social media to credit Weathers with his success as an actor, and the success of the Rocky series, describing Weathers as “absolutely brilliant.”
“Carl Weathers was such an integral part of my life, my success… I give him incredible credit. When he walked into that room and I saw him for the first time, I saw greatness but I didn’t realise how great. I never could have accomplished what we did with Rocky without him. He was absolutely brilliant. Rest in power and keep punching.”
Schwarzenegger, meanwhile, who starred alongside Weathers in the first Predator movie, called him a “legend” and “a great person.”
“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.”
