Phil Robertson Dies: ‘Duck Dynasty’ Patriarch Was 79

The statement concluded with the news that the family will have a “private service for now, but we’ll share details soon about a public celebration of his life.”

Robertson, who was once a professional duck hunter and owner of the hunting and outdoor recreation company Duck Commander, gained widespread recognition on Duck Dynasty, which aired on A&E from 2012 to 2017. He appeared on the show with brother Si Robertson and sons Willie, Jase Robertson, and Jep Robertson, as well as their respective families.

In December 2024, two of Phil’s sons, Jase and Alan Robertson, confirmed their father’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis on their podcast. “According to the doctors, they’re sure that he has some sort of blood disease that’s causing all kinds of problems,” Jase shared. This, along with the early stages of Alzheimer’s he was experiencing, left Robertson “really struggling.”

“He is literally unable to — I think he would agree — to just sit down and have a conversation,” Jase admitted.

Robertson married his high school sweetheart, Miss Kay, in 1966. They went on to welcome their four sons. In 2020, Robertson discovered he had another adult child named Phyllis from an affair he had in the 1970s. He’s also survived by several grandchildren, including Sadie Robertson, and great grandchildren.

Before creating Duck Commander, Robertson was a college athlete, playing quarterback for Louisiana Tech’s football team. However, he declined pursuing a career in the NFL to focus on his hunting. After graduation, he taught for several years and eventually became a commercial fisherman.

The creation of Duck Commander came about after Robertson grew frustrated with duck calls and wanted to make a call that sounded exactly like a duck. The call was invented in 1972, with the company created in 1973. Willie eventually took over as CEO of Duck Commander.

Amid his time as a reality television personality, Robertson faced some controversy when he referred to homosexuality as “sinful” in 2013. He was briefly suspended from Duck Dynasty, but his family members stood by him and refused to film, so A&E added him back to the cast.

“We at A&E Networks expressed our disappointment with his statements in the article and reiterate that they are not views we hold,” A&E said in a statement. “But Duck Dynasty is not a show about one man’s views. It resonates with a large audience because it is a show about family… a family that America has come to love. As you might have seen in many episodes, they come together to reflect and pray for unity, tolerance, and forgiveness. These are three values that we at A&E Networks also feel strongly about.”

The Robertson family is set to return to TV with Duck Dynasty: The Revival on June 1, but the patriarch was not part of the cast amid his health issues.