Randall Cobb's journey on Fox's "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test" came to an abrupt end, with the retired NFL star shockingly quitting just 12 hours before the conclusion of season four's training camp. So, what pushed the former footballer to suddenly walk away, so close to the finish line?
On the penultimate day of the grueling competition, the six remaining recruits were tasked with a wartime simulation in the Moroccan desert. They had to split into two teams of three, locate a safe house, and evade capture from faux enemies in the pitch black of night. The challenge was further complicated by the harsh, desolate terrain.
As they navigated nearly three miles of the course, Andrew East led Randall and Gia Giudice into enemy territory, making them a vulnerable target. Randall was particularly on edge during the nerve-wracking mock special forces mission. The 35-year-old admitted in a confessional, "I'm worried about freezing in situations I've never been in before."
In the blink of an eye, the "enemy" forces surrounded Randall, Gia, and Andrew, fake-capturing them, and their team failed the exercise. The three stars had their heads covered with sacks and their hands tied up with zip ties to simulate a real-life capture. Although it was simply a training exercise, the scenario felt too realistic for the athlete to continue in the competition.
"V.W. V. W.," Randall announced, signaling his voluntary withdrawal from the experience. "Please, please." As he was being untied, the rattled ex-quarterback admitted, "It just felt too real. I completely panicked."
The feeling was one that Special Forces director Mark "Billy" Billingham was all too familiar with. "I've actually been captured," the military veteran reflected in a confessional. "It's the most terrifying thing that's ever happened to me. Thoughts of family, everything's going through your head at 100 miles an hour. You have no idea what's coming next."
While Billy could sympathize with Randall's decision to quit, the other directing staff were disappointed by his last-minute departure. As Rodolpho "Rudy" Reyes lamented while watching the exercise from afar, "I can't believe he's V.W.'d. He was one of the strongest recruits we had. It's a shame to see him go."
Randall's exit left just 12 hours remaining in the competition, meaning only five recruits—Andrew, Gia, Kody Brown, Shawn Johnson, and Brianna "Chickenfry" LaPaglia—will move on to the final and hardest phase: Capture and interrogation. As Billy teased in a preview for next week's season finale, "12 hours of absolute mental and physical hell. You've just got to keep biting the bullet, just keep going and keep going until you are told 'this is it.'"
Tune in on Thursday at 9 p.m. on Fox to see the remaining five celebs make it to the end of "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test."
