Carl Weathers' Cause Of Death Is Finally Clear

A little over a week after the family of Carl Weathers shared the sad news that they were grieving the loss of the beloved "Rocky" star, his cause of death has been revealed. According to a report by The Blast, Weathers' death certificate says that he died from complications of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) shortly after midnight on February 2, 2024. According to the American Heart Association, ASCVD is the buildup of plaque in the arteries. It can cause several potentially deadly health events, including strokes, heart attacks, and aortic aneurysms.

Another health condition Weathers suffered from was a back injury that he sustained while working on a movie. Surprisingly, it didn't happen when he was sparring with Sylvester Stallone while in character as boxer Apollo Creed. Weathers told British GQ he was filming a stunt for the 1996 Adam Sandler comedy "Happy Gilmore" when he landed awkwardly on his spine. "I didn't know it until years later, but I fractured two vertebrae and osteophytes grew out and connected and it did a kind of self-fuse in a really bad place," he said. He experienced severe pain for years but was advised against surgery. Luckily, the pain eventually waned, and Weathers was able to get back to work without dealing with such a terrible distraction.

In his later years, Weathers delighted "Star Wars" fans by joining the cast of "The Mandalorian" series, and one of his other final acting roles was in a Super Bowl LVIII ad.

Carl Weathers and former NFL player Rob Gronkowski filmed a Super Bowl ad for FanDuel centered on the online gambling company's "Kick of Destiny" promo. During the 2023 Super Bowl, Gronkowski missed the 25-yard field goal attempt that he made for a live ad. FanDuel users had been placing bets on whether he would make it. The promotion was brought back for the 2024 Super Bowl, and Weathers appears in a teaser video for it. As a shaggy Gronk wanders through the desert lamenting his missed field goal, Weathers approaches on a motorcycle with a sidecar. "This time you won't miss. Get in," he tells the retired tight end.

A FanDuel rep told Variety that Weathers also filmed a reaction video with two different edits, one of which was going to air after Gronkowski's kick. However, exec Andrew Sneyd said that the original edits "wouldn't be appropriate for us to do any more." He didn't elaborate on why this is the case but said that FanDuel was working to create new edits. He also revealed that Weathers' family was involved in the process, as the company wanted to make sure that they found the finished product acceptable.

In an Instagram tribute to Weathers, Gronkowski shared that he's a fan of the actor's work in "Happy Gilmore." He also wrote, "He loved football and loved talking about football as much as anyone I've ever met. You will be missed Carl."