FanDuel has announced that it will be making adjustments to its planned 2024 Super Bowl ad featuring Carl Weathers following his death on Thursday.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Carl Weathers,” the company said in a statement to EW. “Throughout his life, Carl was an iconic talent who had a profound impact on the people he worked with on and off the screen.”
The statement continued, “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.”
The online sports gambling platform shared a sneak peek of the Super Bowl commercial in January, which you can watch above. The clip featured a remorseful Rob Gronkowski walking toward Vegas to right his wrongs after he infamously missed the “FanDuel kick of destiny” last year.
Weathers then pulls up on a motorcycle with a sidecar and declares to Gronk, “This time, you won’t miss.” The duo then speeds off together through the desert.
Weathers, a former NFL player turned actor who was best known for his role as Apollo Creed in the Rocky films, died peacefully in his sleep at 76 on Thursday.
His family shared a statement that recalled Weathers as being “an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life.”
It continued, “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.”
