‘Rocky’ star Carl Weathers dies at 76. He had deep Bay Area ties.

Actor Carl Weathers, famous for his starring role as Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” franchise, as well as roles in “Predator” and “The Mandalorian,” died on Thursday, according to a statement from his family. He was 76.

Weathers’ career path was far from traditional — and it hinged on a few pivotal years in the Bay Area. After graduating from San Diego State University, where he played football as a defensive end, he joined the Oakland Raiders as a free agent for two seasons. He played eight games as a linebacker.

“I was on the Raiders with John Madden and a whole group of wonderful athletes,” Weathers told The Daily Beast in 2016. “I was a kid, man. It was heady, it was unbelievable, it was exciting — scary sometimes.”

After his brief stint on the Raiders, Weathers signed to the B.C. Lions, a Canadian Football League team. Between games, he worked as an extra, and in the offseason he studied acting at San Francisco State University. Shortly after earning his B.A. in drama, he quit football for good.

In the following years, Weathers nabbed a few TV appearances and roles in Blaxploitation films. But it was in 1976, when he was cast in “Rocky,” that he got his big break.

Weathers played Apollo Creed, a cocksure, business-savvy heavyweight boxing champion. To drum up some publicity, Creed sets up a match, where he trades punches with Rocky Balboa in the ring. Weathers’ Creed is savvy without cynicism, proud without arrogance.

“Rocky” was an overnight hit. The movie was the highest-grossing film of the year. From there, Weathers’ career took off and he was featured in other movies, including “Semi-Tough,” “Action Jackson,” “Predator,” “Happy Gilmore,” three more “Rocky” films and many others. In recent years, Weathers’ role as Greef Karga on “The Mandalorian” netted him an Emmy nomination. 

Weathers is survived by his two sons.