Former NFL linebacker and beloved actor Carl Weathers, best known for his iconic role as Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” franchise, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Thursday.
Weathers was 76.
Following the passing of Weathers, FanDuel will be making adjustments to their Super Bowl LVIII commercial, in which he was set to appear.
FanDuel announced last month that former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski would return to take part in the “Kick of Destiny 2” at this year’s Super Bowl. The first ad for the “Kick of Destiny 2” featured Weathers and draws on Gronkowski searching for redemption following last year’s missed kick.
https://twitter.com/FoxxFiles/status/1753503604340633881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1753503604340633881%7Ctwgr%5E7a36bc6c84ecaa4a4b60850169bbb4c737f465e6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthecomeback.com%2Fnfl%2Fcarl-weathers-obituary.html
In a statement to The New York Post, a FanDuel spokesperson said that the sports betting company will adjust the ad appropriately, demonstrating respect for the Weathers family during this difficult time.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Carl Weathers,” the spokesperson for FanDuel told The Post in a statement on Friday. “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,” the statement concluded. “We are adjusting our campaign accordingly out of respect for the family during their time of grief.”
[NY Post]
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.