How did Carl Weathers die? His cause of death, explained

One of a very select group of people to ever go from being a linebacker for the Raiders to having an arm sliced off by a Predator, Carl Weathers cut his name into the rockface of bro cinema. 

In the ‘70s, he fought Rocky Balboa a couple of times, with mixed results. In the ‘80s, he made friends with Balboa, turning his aggression toward the Predator instead. By the ‘90s, he’d become a mentor to an Adam Sandler character who was learning how to yell at people less – one of pop culture’s greatest honors at the time. He even staked out one of the good spots in the Star Wars universe, playing mover and shaker Greef Karga on The Mandalorian opposite Pedro Pascal and some nice denim. All told, his acting career stretched across just over 50 years, with roles running the gamut from featured extra work to caricatured versions of himself.

Has Carl Weathers’ cause of death been announced?

On Feb. 2, 2024, Weathers’ family announced via social media that the beloved actor had passed away the previous day at age 76. Neither the cause of death nor Weathers’ location when he died was revealed apart from the revelation that the Arrested Development actor had “died peacefully in his sleep.” No further explanation was given at the time, and Weathers had never spoken publicly about any ongoing health problems, with the exception of a painful multi-year process of healing from two broken vertebrae, damaged while filming a stunt for Happy Gilmore.

Just over a week later, on February 10, The Blast obtained a copy of Weathers’ death certificate, confirming that the actor had died as a result of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease — plaque buildup in the arteries not uncommon in people who suffer from cardiovascular disease. His passing, which was designated “natural,” occurred in his Venice, California home.

Messages of love and remembrance from some of the biggest names in Hollywood immediately poured in. Arnold Schwarzenegger remembered his co-star as “a fantastic actor, and a great person,” and claimed that Predator would not have been possible without him. 

Fellow Predator alum and occasional governor of Minnesota Jesse Ventura called Weathers “a true professional, and a dear friend.”

Meanwhile, Sylvester Stallone posted a minute-long video to Instagram in which he held back tears as he acknowledged his friend and colleague. He called Weathers “such an integral part of my life, my success,” and gave him “incredible credit and kudos” for Rocky, the film that turned Stallone into a household name.

Adam Sandler also chimed in, calling Weathers “Smart as hell. Loyal as hell. Funny as hell” and “A true great man.”

Weathers leaves behind two sons, Jason and Matthew, from his first marriage.