On Friday, America mourned the loss of a legend as news broke that Carl Weathers—former Raiders linebacker-turned-‘Rocky’ rival whose biceps (and comedic chops) gave Arnold Schwarzenegger’s a run for their baby oil—passed away peacefully in his sleep at the age of 76. Among the millions who lamented the death of the 20th-century American icon was comedian Adam Sandler, who starred alongside Carl Weathers in the 1996 golf comedy ‘Happy Gilmore.’
A true great man. Great dad. Great actor. Great athlete. So much fun to be around always. Smart as hell. Loyal as hell. Funny as hell. Loved his sons more than anything. What a guy!! Everyone loved him. My wife and I had the best times with him every time we saw him. Love to… pic.twitter.com/Gi2lPWFTgt
— Adam Sandler (@AdamSandler) February 2, 2024
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While Sandler might be best known for punchlines, his tribute to Weathers was earnest and emotional, showing how much the man behind characters like Action Jackson and Apollo Creed meant to him, his wife and many others. He even shared rarely seen photos of Weathers in his Raiders uniform.
— Adam Sandler (@AdamSandler) February 2, 2024
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In ‘Happy Gilmore,’ Weathers played Chubbs Peterson, the seasoned, one-armed looper to Sandler’s Gilmore, an erratic young-gun golfer. Chubbs dies in a freak taxidermy accident (remember, it’s a comedy), but his advice—including “just tap it in” and “it’s all in the hips”—eventually leads Gilmore to a coveted gold jacket. Though the pair may not have shared too much golf talk in the years since, we’re sure Weathers, much like his Peterson, offered plenty of wisdom along the way.
Rest in peace Carl Weathers: 1948 – 2024.
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
