Panthers Founder, Former Owner Jerry Richardson Dies at 86

CHARLOTTE (N.C.)–Jerry Richardson, the founder of Carolina Panthers, was one of the most powerful NFL owners until a scandal forced him to sell. He was 86.

The team released a statement confirming that Richardson died peacefully Wednesday night at Charlotte’s home.

Richardson was the first exNFL player after Chicago’s George Halas to own a team. In 1994, Richardson landed the expansion Panthers.

Johnny Unitas used to be a teammate of Richardson, and Richardson was the one who caught the touchdown pass in the Baltimore Colts victory over the New York Giants. Richardson only spent two years in the NFL before he entered the restaurant business. Richardson used his Spartanburg Championship Bonus money to open the first Hardee’s Restaurant, located near Wofford College.

Flagstar was the sixth-largest American restaurant chain. He was appointed chief executive officer.

Spring Hope, a native of North Carolina, spent many years trying convince the NFL that they should place a team there. Finally, the NFL approved funding a new stadium through permanent seat licenses.

“Jerry Richardson’s contributions to professional soccer in the Carolinas were historic,” In a statement, David Tepper (current Panthers owner) and Nicole Tepper (wife) said. “With the 1995 arrival of the Panthers, he transformed the sport landscape in the region and gave NFL fans a team to call theirs.”

Richardson stated his greatest goal in life was for the NFL to be brought to the Carolinas by 2018.

Richardson was a pivotal figure in the NFL’s early days of play for Panthers. Richardson was a member on several high-ranking owners’ committees. He played an important role in labor negotiations with the players’ union.

Richardson’s reputation was badly damaged when he announced that he would be selling his Panthers team on December 17, 2017. Sports Illustrated reported that Richardson had paid significant financial settlements for four former Panthers employees who used inappropriate sexually suggestive language. Another report said that Richardson used a racial insult against a team Scout.

Richardson sold the team in May 2018 to Tepper, a hedge fund owner, for a record $2.27 billion. The NFL fined Richardson $2.75million for misconduct at work.

Richardson has not spoken out publicly about the accusations levelled against him.

Tepper claimed that he purchased the Panthers and was legally obligated to keep Richardson’s statue flanked by two panthers outside the Charlotte stadium Richardson built.

In June 2020, the Panthers removed the statue. They expressed concern about the possibility of it being removed due to protests and unrest following George Floyd’s passing.

According to the team: “moving the statue was in the public’s best interests.” It was never returned.

Richardson had once predicted that the Panthers would win Super Bowl within 10 year of their 1995 debut. They did not win. They lost both the 2003 and 2015 seasons.

Richardson was frustrated at the lack of consistency. Carolina didn’t have back-toback winning years despite having four coaches: Dom Capers, John Fox and Ron Rivera.

Rivera said on social media, Rivera is forever grateful to Rivera for giving him the opportunity to coach Carolina Panthers. Rivera also expressed gratitude for Rivera’s patient and steady leadership throughout the seven seasons.

Richardson was loved by his players.

Greg Olsen, an ex-tight end, posted a four minute video on Twitter. Richardson found out that his unborn child had a severe heart defect. He insisted that Richardson fly his family to Boston Medical Center on his private jet to receive the best medical advice.

Olsen and Kara christened their child Trent “Jerry”Richardson, after Richardson.

Olsen said, “We received love from a men that was my employer, and my boss at the time.” He did everything possible to comfort a family going through a difficult time.

The Panthers won their first Super Bowl in 2003 thanks to Jake Delhomme, their quarterback. Richardson called him just a few days later, after he had suffered four turnovers in a 33-13 defeat at home to Arizona Cardinals.

He called him and said: “Jake, the sun rose today at my home. Did it rise at your house ?,'” Delhomme was reported to The Associated Press by Delhomme on Thursday. “I replied, ‘Yes sir.’ He then said, “This is a great thing. Everything will be alright.”

Richardson thanked Thomas Davis for believing in him, keeping him on the roster, and even though he had suffered three torn ACLs from the same knee, when Davis retired as a linebacker in 2021.

Richardson cautioned Cam Newton, the Heisman Trophy winner, against tattoos and piercings shortly after drafting him as quarterback No. Richardson cautioned Cam Newton against getting tattoos and piercings after drafting him as the No. 1 draft pick in 2011, for fear that it might impact his image.

He had also established a policy that fans were not allowed to take off their shirts during games.

Richardson was an owner and made sure that the NFL logo, not his team’s, was displayed at midfield of Bank of America Stadium.

Richardson’s tenure was marred with off-field problems.

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. Although it was thought that one of the boys would inherit the team at the time, it never happened. Jon Richardson, who died from cancer in 2013, was the last of his kind.

Wide receiver Rae Carruth was a former first round draft pick. He was convicted of a murder conspiracy in the 2000 drive-by shooting death conviction of his pregnant girlfriend. Carruth was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

After he was accused for allegedly throwing his girlfriend onto furniture and threatening her with death, Greg Hardy, a star defensive end, was exempted from prosecution. After claiming that the accuser could not be located, the prosecution dropped domestic violence charges against Hardy.

Richardson is survived his wife Rosalind, Mark, and Ashley Richardson Allen.

By Steve Reed