After purchasing the Panthers, Tepper said he was contractually obligated to keep the statue of Richardson, flanked by two panthers, outside of the downtown Charlotte stadium that Richardson built. Rajeeta Kochhar? That never deterred me. He calls and says, Jake, the sun came out today at my house, did it come out at yours?, Delhomme told The Associated Press on Thursday. They have three children. He also had a policy where fans couldnt remove their shirts during games. The Panthers' 2017 Tree Lighting at Bank of America Stadium. With an emphasis on need-based monetary scholarships and opportunities for Wofford students, this contribution is intended for the colleges endowment. Olsen and his wife Kara later named the child Trent Jerry Olsen after Richardson. One of our dear friends said, God does not give out hearts lightly, Rosalind Richardson told The Observer two weeks after the surgery. Nicole and I extend our deepest condolences to Rosalind, the entire Richardson family, and their loved ones. I dont know whether youd call it stubbornness or not, Richardson later told the Observer. Richardson never addressed the allegations against him publicly. He was 86. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! I said, Yes sir, it did. He said, thats a good thing everything will be OK. And then he hung up the phone.. Within hours of the Sports Illustrated report, Richardson announced that he would sell the Panthers. CHARLOTTE, N.C Jerry Richardson, the Carolina Panthers founder and for years one of the NFL's most influential owners until a scandal forced him to sell the team, has died. On Thursday afternoon, the Carolina Panthers announced the passing of team founder and former owner Jerry Richardson. 1 pick, Jalen Carter arrest throws Bears a hittable curve, NFL Combine notes: Illini CB Witherspoon the complete package, Trade down? Richardson beat long odds to earn the right to land a franchise. Nicole and I extend our deepest condolences to Rosalind, the entire Richardson family, and their loved ones. CHARLOTTE, N.C -- Jerry Richardson, the Carolina Panthers founder and for years one of the NFL's most influential owners until a scandal forced him to sell the team, has died. He served on some of the league's most prestigious committees and had become one of the more powerful owners. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Jerome "Jerry" Richardson, the founding owner of the Carolina Panthers franchise, passed away on Wednesday night at his Charlotte home at the age of 86. But the workplace misconduct scandal changed that timetable, and Richardson spent the last five years of his life without owning the team that had defined a large part of his business career. Early life and college [ edit] Richardson was born in Spring Hope, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton), NFL comissioner Roger Goodell, left, and Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson walk together during a break at an NFL owners meeting in Irving, Texas, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015. Jerry Richardson, the Carolina Panthers founder and for years one of the NFLs most influential owners until a scandal forced him to sell the team, has died. "Jerry Richardson's contributions to professional football in the Carolinas are historic," Panthers owners David and Nicole Tepper said in a statement. It was also reported he used a racial slur directed toward a team scout. Read what head coach Frank Reich said to the media during his press conference at the Combine on Wednesday. As with other captains of industry, Richardson's name adorns a number of buildings throughout the two states, but few places carry it as proudly as his alma mater. Condolences to Rosalind, Ashley, & Mark and the Richardson family.. Richardson built a food empire from scratch, starting the Hardees hamburger chain with $4,864 in 1961 with playoff bonus money he earned for playing on the Baltimore Colts 1959 NFL championship team. Sources have told The Observer it will never return to the stadium. Richardson wanted $10,000 for the 61 season; the Colts offered $9,750. Three months later, running back Fred Lane, who had just been traded to Indianapolis, was shot and killed by his wife in their Charlotte home. Conservative by nature, Richardson once cautioned Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton against getting tattoos and piercings after drafting the quarterback No. Richardsons bid for an NFL team had to at first beat out a competing bid for a Charlotte team from Shinn. . Charlotte had already become a professional sports town with the arrival of the NBA's Hornets in 1988, but those were the days when the city struggled to build an identity as anything other than a regional outpost, still confused with Charleston, S.C. or Charlottesville, Va., and years from becoming a national banking center. Pictures of Richardson holding babies or showing up at pre-game tailgates made their rounds on social media before most games. Richardson packed up, left the Colts training camp and pointed his Oldsmobile station wagon toward the Carolinas. With the arrival of the Panthers in 1995, he changed the landscape of sports in the region and gave NFL fans here a team to call their own. But Richardsons reputation took a tremendous hit when he announced he was selling the Panthers on Dec. 17, 2017, the same day Sports Illustrated reported that four former Panthers employees received significant monetary settlements due to inappropriate sexually suggestive language and actions by Richardson. His survivors include his wife Rosalind and two of their three children Mark and Ashley. I'd been here for one season and we'd won six games. Former tight end Greg Olsen posted a four-minute video on Twitter, saying when Richardson learned his unborn son had a serious heart defect he insisted on flying his family to Boston Medical Center in his own personal jet so they could receive the best medical advice. Too brutal.. The braver players like linebacker Kevin Greene and Delhomme would call him Big Cat. He was Mister Richardson to nearly everyone else in the building at Bank of America Stadium, with many shortening that name to simply Mister when referring to the team owner. The family did not own a car until Jerry Richardson was 16. Richardson was insistent on his stadium being financed privately. Personal Life: Dating, Girlfriends, Wife, Kids. Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson waves to the Panthers fans during warmups prior to their playoff game against the New York Giants at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on January 08, 2006. They played miniature golf in Myrtle Beach on their first date. I was told I couldn't get my company on the New York Stock Exchange before I was 40. Richardson teamed with quarterback and future business partner Charlie Bradshaw to become one of the top passing tandems among small colleges. Too grueling. The entire family lives in Charlotte. In the year 2002, he received the heart trouble and had . Richardson served on several high-level owners committees, playing a key role in labor negotiations with the players union. Jon, Mark, and Ashley Richardson Allen are her three children. CHARLOTTE, N.C (AP) Jerry Richardson, the Carolina Panthers founder and for years one of the NFL's most influential owners until a scandal forced him to sell the . https://pantherswire.usatoday.com/2023/03/02/panthers-owner-david-tepper-jerry-richardson/, Report: Panthers free agent RB D'Onta Foreman expected to be 'hot commodity', Panthers legend Steve Smith Sr. officially opens mental health facility, Panthers OC Thomas Brown receives praise from 2023 NFL draft prospect, Will Levis: Breaking down film with Frank Reich, Panthers was fun, Panthers great Cam Newton honors late Jerry Richardson, Report: Panthers will not use franchise tag this offseason, Former Panthers react to passing of team founder Jerry Richardson, Report: Panthers inquire about trade for Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, Biggest takeaways from the Panthers' combine media availability, 1 player Panthers fans should watch for each day of the combine, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Richardson served on several high-level owners committees, playing a key role in labor negotiations with the players' union. Jerry Richardson, the founder of the American football team Carolina Panthers, has died at the age of 86 He is survived by his wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson and three children - Ashley, Jon, and Mark Nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild are also included in his family Written By: Alfeeya Mohsin Pathan Richardson had a unique style of dealing with players, but generally was well-liked by those who played and coached under him. But his league-first attitude as seen through his leadership of numerous NFL committees helped pave the way for a series of public-private stadium partnerships throughout the country, and collective bargaining agreements that continue to support the growth of the game. A 1987 Observer story noted that Richardsons Spartan Food Systems restaurant colossus at that point included 2,000 Hardees, Quincys and Dennys restaurants. He overcame prostate cancer and underwent quadruple bypass surgery in 2002. He began the Carolina Panthers franchise, which he owned from 1995 to 2018. "No one has done more for Wofford students. Then, in his rolling Southern. The magazines investigation portrayed Richardson as an owner who acted inappropriately with a number of his female employees and also directed a racial slur at an African-American scout employed by the Panthers. Conservative by nature, Richardson once cautioned Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton against getting tattoos and piercings after drafting the quarterback No. But Richardson's reputation took a tremendous hit when he announced he was selling the Panthers on Dec. 17, 2017, -- the same day Sports Illustrated reported that four former Panthers employees received significant monetary settlements due to inappropriate sexually suggestive language and actions by Richardson. It has never returned. . Richardson founded the. Following his heart transplant, Richardson remained active in league business. But when you get to some of them, the word moves fast to the rest of them.. Here's everything we know, Everything you need to know about Geno Smith's contract negotiations, The most memorable pre-NFL draft workouts ever: Coaches, scouts, execs make their picks, 2023 NFL franchise tag tracker: Raiders tag Josh Jacobs, the NFL's rushing leader. "The NFL community is deeply saddened by the passing of Jerry Richardson," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement Thursday. We wish them much peace and comfort.. 2 days ago A 13-foot, 4500-pound statue of Richardson, given to him by his ownership partners in 2016 and placed outside Bank of America Stadium, was removed in June 2020 by the Panthers. He fired both his sons Mark, the team president, and Jon, the director of stadium operations following a sibling squabble at the stadium in front of other employees while he was recovering from a heart transplant in 2009. If he succeeded, he would become only the second NFL owner ever to both play in the league and own a team the other being George Halas. Richardson would set several Wofford receiving records on his way to a career that led the school to retire his football number. This story was originally published March 2, 2023, 3:51 PM. The following month the NFL fined Richardson $2.75 million for alleged workplace misconduct. Darin Gantt. We are saddened to hear about the passing of former owner Jerry Richardson, the Panthers said via Twitter on Thursday afternoon. His other. He was not a close personal friend at the time. He used his championship bonus money to open the first Hardees in Spartanburg, South Carolina close to where he had attended Wofford College. The team reached the Super Bowl in the 2003 and 2015 seasons, but lost both times. The plan to finance the stadium largely with his own money was the part that carried the biggest risk, but Richardson told The Observer in 1987 that would be part of the fun. Will Buffalo Bills' Nyheim Hines be fined for 'Santa's Helpers' elf cleats during Chicago Bears Christmas tie? And defensive end Greg Hardy was suspended after he was arrested for communicating threats after allegedly throwing his girlfriend on to furniture and threatening to kill her. He was 86. He and I spent a tremendous amount of time talking about his vision for what the Panthers could do for the Carolinas. Jerome Johnson Richardson Sr. (July 18, 1936 - March 1, 2023) was an American businessman, football player, and owner in the National Football League (NFL). He ultimately became a millionaire and used that money to purchase the Panthers for $206 million. Richardson became the first former NFL player to own a team since Chicagos George Halas when he landed the expansion Panthers in 1993. When linebacker Thomas Davis retired in 2021, he thanked Richardson for believing in him and keeping him on the roster despite having suffered three torn ACLs in the same knee. Richardson became the first former NFL player to own a team since Chicago's George Halas when he landed the expansion Panthers in 1993. People had said it was 150-to-1, 200-to-1. He and Bradshaw Richardsons former quarterback at Wofford opened their first Hardees restaurant in 1961 in Spartanburg. When Richardson heard the news in Chicago on Oct. 26, 1993, that his bid had been accepted to own the NFLs 29th franchise, he pointed to television cameras from the Carolinas at a press conference and yelled: Thank you, thank you, thank you!. CHARLOTTE, N.C Jerry Richardson, the Carolina Panthers founder and for years one of the NFL's most influential owners until a scandal forced him to sell the team . The Olsens honored Richardson by naming their son T.J., short for Trent Jerry. Jerry Richardson got his heart transplanted in the year 2009. It was a stormy night, she said then. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. NFL draft questions for teams in the top 10: Will the Colts trade up? With the news also came a statement from current owner David Tepper and wife . See video, posts and updates straight from Indianapolis as Panthers leaders speak to the media. Richardson didnt play much for Baltimore. Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. Jerry Richardsons contributions to professional football in the Carolinas are historic. During the year in which Richardson waited for and later recovered from his heart transplants, his two sons led the organization. It was a very stressful time.. It was expected at the time one of the boys might inherit the team, but that never happened. The team reached the Super Bowl in the 2003 and 2015 seasons, but lost both times. XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? Because of his imposing build and status as a former NFL player, Richardson engendered a level of respect not often accorded to NFL owners. In 2000, wide receiver Rae Carruth, a former first-round draft pick, was convicted on a murder conspiracy charge in connection with the drive-by shooting death of his pregnant girlfriend. The lack of consistency was a source of irritation for Richardson, as Carolina failed to put together back-to-back winning seasons during his 23 seasons as owner despite hiring four coaches: Dom Capers, George Seifert, John Fox and Ron Rivera. Delhomme recalls getting a phone call from Richardson a couple of days after he had a disastrous four-turnover performance in a 33-13 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals in the playoffs in the 2008 season. The David and Nicole Tepper Foundation supported the first-of-its-kind in Mecklenburg County project, which offers urgent care for behavioral health needs. The team said that "moving the statue is in the interest of public safety." He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful. That would serve as the seed money for a hugely successful fast-food franchise that would lead to Richardson bringing an NFL franchise to the Carolinas. "I never thought about not getting a franchise," Richardson said, expressing his trademark confidence. Jerry Richardson, Panthers founder and former owner, dies at 86, Jaxon Smith-Njigba wants to re-create connection with Bears QB Justin Fields, NFL Scouting Combine shifts mock draft, but Bears needs unchanged, QBs in NFL Draft in haze as Bears play poker with No. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL, 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Richardson served on several high-level owners committees, playing a key role in labor negotiations with the players union. "I will always be grateful to him for the opportunity to coach the Carolina Panthers & for his patient, steadfast leadership during 7 seasons," Rivera posted. He'd drop in on restaurants from time to time to check up, sticking his head in the drive-through line to surprise customers and employees alike. Mark Richardson was the team president and the heir apparent to his father, while the more laid-back Jon Richardson oversaw the stadium during its construction and operation. Email Scott at sfowler@charlotteobserver.com or call him at 704-358-5140, Get in-depth, sideline coverage of Charlotte area sports - only $1 a month. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Giants co-owner John Mara once told Richardson during the intense labor talks, according to the MMQB website: I dont know whose heart you got, but that had to be a tough son of a bitch.. The family is planning a private funeral service. They becamethe parents of three children. Deeply rooted in both Carolinas and once a wide receiver for the Baltimore Colts, Richardson persuaded the NFL to put an expansion team in Charlotte in 1993. CHARLOTTE, N.C Jerry Richardson, the Carolina Panthers founder and for years one of the NFL's most influential owners until a scandal forced him to sell the team, has died. He enlisted sports marketing executive Max Muhleman, and they put in place the first permanent seat license concept, in which fans paid an up-front fee for access to season tickets. The Panthers began play in 1995 and Richardson quickly built Carolina into one of the leagues model franchises, while becoming a powerful figure in the NFL. Lawmakers and others should not seek to undo laws meant to protect people from gun violence. He gave me a chance when no one else would! He took the money earned from that game and started the first Hardee's franchise in Spartanburg. I dont have any hobbies. Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera, who led Carolina to the Super Bowl in 2015, sent his condolences on Twitter. He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful.. Sister-in-law never calls her late husbands sister and is dismissive of her grief. His contributions to Wofford to date total more than $260 million, including capital upgrades. On the NFL's behalf, I extend our sincere condolences to Jerry's wife, Rosalind, and their family. But his fourth-quarter, 12-yard TD catch from Unitas gave the Colts a 21-9 lead in a game they would win 31-16. 2005 NFC Wild Card Playoff Game - Carolina Panthers vs New York Giants - January 8, 2006 Giants Stadium East Rutherford, New Jersey United States January 8, 2006 Photo by Ralph Waclawicz/WireImage.com, To license this image (6995493), contact WireImage: +1 212-686-8900 (tel) +1 212-686-8901 (fax) info@wireimage.com (e-mail) www.wireimage.com (web site), CHARLOTTE, NC - NOVEMBER 28: Owner Jerry Richardson of the Carolina Panthers looks on before the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 13, 2004 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. But I was a player on his team who needed help and he was able to provide it. He was 86. Wofford offered Richardson a partial scholarship worth less than $300, and he took it. He fired a number of Richardson-era employees after his purchase and also quickly changed the 50-yard line symbol to the Panthers logo. All the other competitors at the time St. Louis, Baltimore, Jacksonville and Memphis had in place a rent-free stadium to be paid for by public funds. The promise came close to coming true during the 2003 season. "As a former player himself, Jerry cared deeply about the welfare of players and the labor agreements he helped negotiate have led to improved pay and benefits for generations of players. Can the Lions fix their defense? He provided tremendous guidance to me, and to this day, Karen and I consider him and Rosalind true friends. Jerry Richardson entered Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, after completing high school in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Jon Richardson died of cancer in 2013. By then, Richardson had become a generally popular owner with his players and was doing the Panthers job full-time, having left the day-to-day restaurant business in 1995. You'll now receive the top Panthers Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. Mr. Richardson is a native Carolinian, whose dream was to bring NFL football and the world championship he knew as a player in the . Personal Life: Affair, Girlfriends, Wife, Kids. The Richardsons have a total of nine grandchildren. CHARLOTTE, N.C Jerry Richardson, the Carolina Panthers founder and for years one of the NFLs most influential owners until a scandal forced him to sell the team, has died. Theres nothing Id rather do with my time than be supportive of the Carolina Panthers.. By then, the Panthers were playing their ninth NFL season. The Richardsons are both lifelong residents of North Carolina. Jerry Richardson, a former NFL owner, is survived by his wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson. He made millions in the business world in the food business, but it was football that made him happy. Fox said from the NFL combine in Indianapolis. Richardson died. During its very 1st season, he triumphed over the NFL Super Bowl. A native son who was shaped by the region, his personal journey culminated with bringing professional football to the Carolinas, leaving an indelible mark on the area he loved. The Panthers head coach knows that is complicated since they're picking ninth, but made it clear his preference would be to find a rookie quarterback and build. The team said that moving the statue is in the interest of public safety. It has never returned. He never publicly explained the rift with his sons. In 1987, Richardson heard on the radio that businessman George Shinn had won his bid to bring an NBA franchise to Charlotte. Mar 02, 2023 at 01:47 PM. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. From a personal perspective, he was a wise and caring advisor to me, his fellow owners, and many Panthers players and coaches over the years.". The Panthers decided to charge for the right to buy season tickets in their proposed new stadium a radical idea that later helped build many other stadiums around the country. Jerry Richardson, the self-made millionaire who brought the NFL to Charlotte and founded the Carolina Panthers, died Wednesday. I will always be grateful to him for the opportunity to coach the Carolina Panthers & for his patient, steadfast leadership during 7 seasons. Lets just say I wasnt bursting with optimism, Richardson told The Observer in a 1995 story. "I was able to become the player that I became because of him, because he encouraged and motivated me to Keep Pounding. "With the arrival of the Panthers in 1995, he changed the landscape of sports in the region and gave the NFL fans here a team to call their own. He was 86.. Ralph Waclawicz/Call (212) 686-8900 or e-mail info@wireimage.com to license WireImage images. He visited every owner in the league all 28 of them at least once, Muhleman said, and sought out the brilliant retired NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle at his California home. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. As a football fan, he has naming rights to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte's football field. After a bad first half, Richardson caught several passes in the second half from Johnny Unitas and made the team. The team also became embedded in the sports culture of the Carolinas, producing stars like Cam Newton, Steve Smith and Luke Kuechly and routinely selling out 73,000-seat Bank of America Stadium. By continuing to use our website, you agree to our. He began to slow down as he entered his mid-60s, battling heart issues. The former president of the Panthers stadium was their son Jon Richardson. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. , , , Tunisha Sharma , , Jerry Richardson, the founder of the American football team Carolina Panthers, has died at the age of 86, He is survived by his wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson and three children - Ashley, Jon, and Mark, Nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild are also included in his family. But Richardson still had the $4,864 bonus he earned from the Colts 1959 championship. His father was a barber. The Panthers were the Carolinas team, but for many years, they belonged to Richardson. The NFL would independently investigate and substantiate many of the allegations raised by the magazine article while also uncovering similar matters that have not been the subject of public discussion, according to a 2018 NFL press release. The following month the NFL fined Richardson $2.75 million for alleged workplace misconduct. Entering the last preseason game before final cuts, Richardson and Michigan States John Lewis were battling for the final receiver spot. He was my boss. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. But in June 2020, the Panthers removed the statue, saying they were concerned there may be attempts to take the statue down due to protests and unrest following the death of George Floyd. That kind of attention to detail was not unlike his days as owner of the Panthers, in which he'd approve particulars of landscaping plans (native plants from each state on the north and south sides of the stadium to represent the two Carolinas) and the paint job on the field. Richardson is survived by his wife, Rosalind, son Mark and daughter Ashley Richardson Allen. Ive always told him he came into the world with a streak of lightning.. The Spring Hope, North Carolina, native spent years trying to persuade the NFL to put a team in the Carolinas, ultimately succeeding through a relatively original concept of funding a new stadium through the sales of permanent seat licenses. Florida. Their country home had no indoor plumbing. "His generosity will benefit future generations," Wofford athletics director Richard Johnson said. The Spring Hope, North Carolina, native spent years trying to persuade the NFL to put a team in the Carolinas, ultimately succeeding through a relatively original concept of funding a new stadium through the sales of permanent seat licenses.