Did you know that Carl Weathers was a pro football player before he became famous as an actor in Rocky, Happy Gilmore and The Mandalorian?
He sure was. Weathers played two seasons for the then-Oakland Raiders before moving on to the CFL in the 1970s. That meant that the great John Madden was his head coach while Weathers played linebacker for eight games.
And per a story from Sports Illustrated, it was Madden who helped push him into acting when he was cut from the team.
Here’s the story, along with the quote that motivated him to look for work outside of football:
When Weathers was with the Raiders, future Hall of Fame Coach John Madden went to see him play the lead in “Othello,” and reportedly told him afterward to pursue his second career because Madden didn’t believe he was tough enough to be an outstanding pro football player.
“I was good enough to fool ’em, but never dedicated enough to become a great player,” Weathers recalled of his pro career. “Up to a point, everybody can capitalize on the fact that nobody knows what’s going on. I could make coaches believe I could do what they wanted me to do, but that’s not the same as pushing yourself. The great ones are willing to work harder.
Carl Weathers had John Madden and Ken Norton to thank for his role as Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” franchise.
Weathers was cut from Madden’s Raiders after dropping 20 lbs to play strong safety. Two days before camp, he was put at LB.
Norton, the real life Apollo, was supposed… pic.twitter.com/jXvPfz4jXc
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 2, 2024
