“RIP Champ”: Brett Favre, Russell Wilson & NFL Community Mourns Legendary Heavyweight Boxer’s Death Who Built a $300M Empire

Two-time heavyweight boxing champion, an Olympic gold medalist, and ultimately an entrepreneur, George Foreman did not even want to be a boxer growing up. Raised by his mother in the fifth ward of Houston, George Edward Foreman was a promising footballer in his school, who idolized the Cleveland Browns legend, Jim Brown. “At first, I wanted to [be] a football player because one of my first heroes was the great Jim Brown,” Foreman’s bio reads on his official website.

Foreman, who ranks his Olympics gold medal as his greatest moment in boxing, underestimated himself until he signed up for a Job Corps program in California in 1964. At this point, football was not an option for Foreman because he was already caught up with his job all the time. Surprisingly, even boxing wasn’t part of his career plans; he took it up solely as a way to manage his anger, which had nearly gotten him expelled from the program. That decision led him to meet coach Doc Broadus, the man who would change his life and guide him to Olympic glory. “When I got into the Job Corps, I tried boxing just to show my friends that I wasn’t afraid. Well, 25 fights and 1 year later, I was an Olympic Gold Medalist,” Foreman wrote.

Talk about destiny!

We may remember Foreman as a two-time heavyweight champion, but for Foreman, nothing comes close to his Olympic medal. In a 2017 interview with Max Williams of Square Miles, the legendary boxer recalled his gold medal-winning moment by saying it was like a dream. “I was happy to become heavyweight champion of the world, a tremendous after-feeling. Then, winning that title again in ’94, it was like, ‘It’s impossible! It’s gotta be impossible!’ But to say one was better than the other—I couldn’t. Only the Olympic gold medal was distinctive,” Foreman said.

The Punching Preach was one rare breed who always believed in never giving up, even if it means to go against the world. Remember how he believed in Tom Brady when the NFL legend was up against an 18 year younger Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs in the 2021 Super Bowl? “There’s no reason why he shouldn’t win this thing. No reason why,” Foreman said in 2021. Now, when the legendary boxer [76] is no longer among us, the NFL world stood alongside the boxing community to honor a legend whose influence transcended sports.

Although the cause of death is yet to be revealed, taking to Instagram, Foreman’s family confirmed his passing away, writing, “Our hearts are broken… he lived a life marked by unwavering faith, humility, and purpose.” A fighter to the very end.

Now, the NFL stars, past and present, made sure to pay their due respect to such a legend. The Green Bay Packers legend Brett Favre paid tribute, calling him “one of the greatest to ever get in the ring,” while Russell Wilson kept it simple, sharing the news with the words, “Forever Legend.”

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Speaking about the fights, and the ring battles, in 1974, he stepped into the ring for the “Rumble in the Jungle” against Muhammad Ali. Younger, stronger, undefeated. Everything pointed to Foreman steamrolling Ali. Instead, he got rope-a-doped, gassed out, and watched Ali steal the show.

Recalling the incident to the NY Post in 2021, Foreman admitted that he had everything in his favor but one thing—mental strength.“I had the strength. I had the power. I had the youth,” Foreman said. “I just didn’t have the thinking power. Put that thinking power together with the same punch and strength — I even gained strength in my latter years, I gained power. And I had the thinking power. It wouldn’t have been a contest.” It was a loss that could’ve defined his career. Instead, it became a chapter in a much bigger story and went on to become the oldest champ ever by knocking out Moore in 1994.

Okay, surely, he rode into the sunset with that win… Catching fishes. Drinking his favorite beverage. Among his favorite people. But that would have been too cliche for his liking.

He swapped gloves for grills, turning the George Foreman Grill into a $300 million empire. The man who once threw knockout punches was now selling kitchen appliances with the same dominance. He didn’t just win in boxing—he won in life. So, here we are. Sports fans are left with memories. The thunderous knockouts. The toothy grin. And the unmistakable voice calling fights on TV. It will take time to get over this loss.

Not just Brett Favre, but the whole NFL community is paying homage

As news of George Foreman’s passing spread, tributes flooded in from players, reporters, and fans alike. All of us have taken a moment to recognize what he meant, not just to the ring but to life itself.

ESPN’s Mike Green put it simply: “George Foreman was one of the most engaging, endearing, and entertaining figures in sports in my lifetime.” And he wasn’t wrong. Foreman wasn’t just about knockout power—he had personality, charisma, and a comeback story that made even the most dramatic Super Bowl comebacks look tame. The man fought his way back to the top of the heavyweight division at 45. That’s Tom Brady coming back from retirement and winning a Lombardi level of ridicule.

One fan wrote: “Great fighter and a great man.” Hard to argue with that. Foreman’s career was the stuff of legend—an Olympic gold medalist, a two-time heavyweight champion, and a man who reinvented himself more times than an NFL franchise in quarterback purgatory. And through it all, he stayed true to himself. No trash talk, no gimmicks—just Foreman being Foreman.

He even joked about getting beaten by Ali as he told CBN.com, “I tell people, ‘If you’re going to get hit as many times as I’ve been hit by Mohammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, Evander Holyfield, you’re not going to remember many names.'” So, you see, he embraced the defeat. No grudges at all.

Meanwhile, another fan dropped this: “Don’t forget the Foreman Grill. I think that was his greatest achievement ever!” Fair take. After all, how many athletes turn their name into a kitchen staple? That grill wasn’t just a side hustle—it was a cultural phenomenon. You didn’t need to know a thing about boxing to know the “Lean Mean Grilling Machine.”

The Ring magazine, often called the Bible of Boxing, summed it up best: “[He] will be remembered as an icon of the sport forever.” And it’s true—Foreman wasn’t just a champion; he was a pioneer. So, it is just good to see the world coming together, respecting a trailblazer of boxing, nonetheless a sporting legend. It’s not a goodbye, but wishing him good luck on his journey in the afterlife. Rip George, you ringmaster… Chef!