Sports World Mourns Chuck Norris’ Death

Chuck Norris‘ death is breaking hearts not just in Hollywood, but across the sports world … with athletes and even the WWE paying tribute to the “culture icon.”

Norris died on Thursday morning in Hawaii at the age of 86, after TMZ shared the news that the actor/martial artist was hospitalized.

Fans have flooded social media to pay their respects … including former NFL star Chad Ochocinco, who shared the news on his X page with a broken-heart emoji.

Pat McAfee — popular sports show host and former NFL punter — reacted similarly, simply posting “DAMN” while Robert Griffin III said, “RIP TO THE LEGEND CHUCK NORRIS 🙏.”

Famous strongman Eddie “The Beast” Hall wrote an emotional message on his Instagram, revealing he was “gutted” by Norris’ passing.

“Absolute legend of a man, we just started to message each other a little on here and was hoping to meet him someday,” Hall stated.

“He just turned 86 and looked fantastic! Makes you cherish your loved ones a bit harder when stuff like this happens 💔 stay safe out there people 🙏.”

Beyond his legendary acting career, Norris was a skilled mixed martial artist, holding a 3rd-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and several World Middleweight Karate championships. He also founded the Chuck Norris System (formerly known as Chun Kuk Do).

He made a memorable appearance on WWF Survivor Series 1994 as a guest enforcer for The Undertaker vs. Yokozuna‘s casket match.

“During the match, Norris delivered a devastating roundhouse kick to Jeff Jarrett, helping The Undertaker win,” the wrestling company said in a statement.