As the team's owner, Jerry Richardson, made his rounds on the way to his spacious office, he would ask women to turn around so he could admire their backsides. Lets just say I wasnt bursting with optimism, Richardson told The Observer in a 1995 story. The entire family lives in Charlotte. Carolina Panthers founder Jerry Richardson died Wednesday night at his home in Charlotte, North Carolina. "The point of the story is not so much about T.J. and our family, as much as it was the love of the man, and the love he had for a player he didn't owe a lot to. We wish them much peace and comfort.". But before he could ride around those games and bask in the adulation of having brought the NFL to the Carolinas, he had to deliver them. Personal Life: Affair, Girlfriends, Wife, Kids. By continuing to use our website, you agree to our. 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. View photos of Richardson from the inaugural season in 1995 through decades of coaches and players in the Panthers community. On game days, he'd ride around Bank of America Stadium in his golf cart, greeting fans and taking pictures, relishing the moments. He calls and says, Jake, the sun came out today at my house, did it come out at yours?, Delhomme said Thursday. We wish them much peace and comfort.. He was later released. He was a loyal member of the league, and painted "The Shield" logo at the 50-yard-line of his home field throughout his tenure as owner. 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. He made his private plane available to tight end Greg Olsen before Olsens wife delivered a son who was born with a congenital heart defect. Richardson called Archie Manning, Peytons father, to clear the air and believed the situation was overblown. Florida. Rosalind Sallenger Richardson; the wife of former player and current team owner, Jerome Johnson Richardson, simply known as Jerry Richardson; he is the owner of the Carolina Panthers. See video, posts and updates straight from Indianapolis as Panthers leaders speak to the media. That concept contributed more than $100 million to the stadiums eventual cost of around $187 million. 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. "Condolences to Rosalind, Ashley, & Mark and the Richardson family.''. How could you ever forget that? Richardson said in the 1995 interview with The Observer. It was a miracle. 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. We all felt his love, all felt his commitment, Greene said of Richardson. An only child, Richardson had a modest upbringing. "Jerry Richardson's contributions to professional football in the Carolinas are historic," Panthers owners David and Nicole Tepper said in a statement. 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Playing for the Browns that day was offensive tackle Mike McCormack, whom Richardson would later hire as the Panthers first president. Info. The Panthers defeated the Buccaneers 21-14. 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. When I went through my injuries and everyone told him it was time to move on and turn the page he said no. Heather ODonnell of the Chicago social services agency Thresholds says the money is an opportunity to really build up substance use care.. Richardson died peacefully Wednesday night at his Charlotte home, the team said in a statement. The Richardsonslived in North Carolina their entire lives. A new home for Michael Thomas? Richardson, after numerous accusations of workplace misconduct, sold the Panthers to Tepper back in 2018. 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. In 2016, Jerry Richardson made donations to establish the Rosalind Sallenger Richardson Center for the Arts on the Wofford College campus in honor of his wife of more than 60 years. In 2009, he had a successful heart transplant at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. Theres nothing Id rather do with my time than be supportive of the Carolina Panthers.. We are saddened to hear about the passing of former owner Jerry Richardson, the Panthers said via Twitter on Thursday afternoon. Richardson survived a series of serious health-related issues in his later years. Early life and college [ edit] Richardson was born in Spring Hope, North Carolina. 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. There, he began creating the emphasis on customer service that would carry over into his stewardship of his football team. It was widely assumed Richardson would hold onto the team until his death. 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. 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. Scott Fowler is a national award-winning sports columnist for The Charlotte Observer. 1 pick, Jalen Carter arrest throws Bears a hittable curve, NFL Combine notes: Illini CB Witherspoon the complete package, Trade down? He was dedicated to making the Panthers the team of the Carolinas, building Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte and making Wofford College the long-time home of the team's training camp. Carolina began play in 1995 and Richardson quickly built the Panthers into one of the league's model franchises, while becoming a powerful figure in the NFL. Richardson would set several Wofford receiving records on his way to a career that led the school to retire his football number. Even in his later years, Richardsons posture showcased what Muhleman called a flawless vertical carriage that made him the tallest 6-foot-3 on the planet.. 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.". On Thursday afternoon, the Carolina Panthers announced the passing of team founder and former owner Jerry Richardson. '', We are saddened to hear about the passing of former owner Jerry Richardson. 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 NFL community is deeply saddened by the passing of Jerry Richardson," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement Thursday. He passed away in 2013 at the age of 53 after a protracted fight with cancer. Richardson founded the. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Richardson began the process of building a football team in July of 1987, when he met with former Bank of America CEO and Charlotte icon Hugh McColl to discuss his dream of bringing the sport to his home state. 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. 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. He sold the team to Tepper, a hedge fund owner, in May 2018 for a then-NFL record $2.27 billion. 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. Jon, Mark, and Ashley Richardson Allen are her three children. He went on to make his fortune in the restaurant business, becoming chief executive officer of Flagstar, the sixth-largest food service company in the country at the time. Mr. Richardson claims that Wofford has had the biggest impact on his achievement in life, with no other influence coming close. Jerome Johnson Richardson Sr. (July 18, 1936 - March 1, 2023) was an American businessman, football player, and owner in the National Football League (NFL). Being born on 18 July 1936, Jerry Richardson is 86 years old as of today's date 2nd March 2023. A public celebration of his life will be held at a later date. He was 86.. It didnt go well for Hornets, Galen Youngs family upset after the woman who caused his death gets no prison time, At age 72, Dom Capers looks back and forward as he rejoins the Carolina Panthers, An astonishing legacy: Steve Joyner has coached basketball for 45 years at J.C. Smith, An island of misfit toys: Reich and original Panthers had unforgettable year in 1995, Sources: Former Panthers coach Matt Rhule seeks $5 million from team in arbitration suit, Panthers founder, former owner Jerry Richardson leaves behind a complicated legacy, Carolina Panthers founder and former owner Jerry Richardson dies at 86, A controversial history: Timeline of Jerry Richardsons life, career and team ownership, Panthers great Greg Olsen named his son after late team owner Jerry Richardson, Social media recounts Jerry Richardsons Panthers legacy the good and the bad, Former Panthers coach, players react to Panthers founder Jerry Richardsons death, From the archives: Carolinas NFL dream comes true. Jon Richardson died of cancer in 2013. He went on to make his fortune in the restaurant business, becoming chief executive officer of Flagstar, the sixth-largest food service company in the country at the time. Conservative by nature, Richardson once cautioned Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton against getting tattoos and piercings after drafting the quarterback No. Still, Richardson often began his days at that point, at age 51, by showing up unannounced at one of the Hardees in Spartanburg, and either making biscuits, pouring coffee or taking orders at the drive-thru. After he had a heart transplant in Charlotte in 2009, Richardson lived for 14 more years. And in 2014 star defensive end Greg Hardy was placed on a commissioner's exempt list after he was accused of allegedly throwing his girlfriend on to furniture and threatening to kill her. A former teammate of Johnny Unitas who caught a touchdown pass in the Baltimore Colts victory over the New York Giants in the 1959 NFL championship game, Richardson only spent two years in the NFL before venturing into the restaurant business. Although Richardson once promised the Panthers would win a Super Bowl "within 10 years" of beginning play in 1995, they never did. Olsen and his wife Kara later named the child Trent Jerry Olsen after Richardson. The following month the NFL fined Richardson $2.75 million for alleged workplace misconduct. 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. He made millions in the business world in the food business, but it was football that made him happy. The statue now resides in an undisclosed storage facility. The team reached the Super Bowl in the 2003 and 2015 seasons, but lost both times. He was 86.. If wed known then how long it would take, we never would have done it, Richardson said in 1995, on the eve of the Panthers first game. He made the greatest gift in Wofford Colleges history in 2021 when he gave $150 million to the institution. Too brutal.. Tepper has said several times in interviews that the business side of the Panthers organization was in disarray when he bought the team in 2018. 1 overall in 2011 for fear it would impact his image. The resignations were a shocking development that left Richardson as the only family member involved in the teams day-to-day operations. Richardson is survived by his wife, Rosalind, son Mark and daughter Ashley Richardson Allen. Richardson died peacefully Wednesday night at his Charlotte home, the team said in a statement. He was not a close personal friend at the time. He played football at Fayetteville High 6-3, 150-pound receiver known as Stick for his slender frame who won the teams Competitor Trophy. After the Baltimore Colts drafted Richardson in the 13th round, he showed up for training camp in 1959 as one of 19 receivers fighting for three spots on the 36-man roster. Jerry Richardson, the founder of the American football team Carolina Panthers, has died at the age of 86. Carruth was imprisoned for 16 years. "I was able to become the player that I became because of him, because he encouraged and motivated me to Keep Pounding. Although Richardson once promised the Panthers would win a Super Bowl within 10 years of beginning play in 1995, they never did. 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. They have three children. Jansen Panettieres cause of death revealed by Hayden Panettiere and his family. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. He began to slow down as he entered his mid-60s, battling heart issues. Richardson was born in his familys home in Spring Hope, in the eastern part of North Carolina, on July 18, 1936. He was 86. 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. By then, the Panthers were playing their ninth NFL season. The Panthers began playing in 1995 and Richardson owned them until 2018, when he sold the team under pressure to current owner David Tepper. Also Read: What is enlarged heart? The following day Richardson would tell a pep rally of thousands of fans in Charlotte that the Panthers would not only get to but win a Super Bowl within their first 10 years an unfulfilled promise that he was often reminded of in later years. Stephanie & I were saddened to learn of the passing of Jerry Richardson, Rivera said on social media. Rajeeta Kochhar? He was drafted by the Baltimore Colts in 1959 and caught a touchdown pass from Johnny Unitas in the 1959 NFL Championship Game. Darin Gantt. The Carolina Panthers defeated the New York Giants 23 to 0. Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson is a former NFL player who turned a $4744 championship bonus into a billion dollar fast food fortune. Ive always told him he came into the world with a streak of lightning.. 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. Within hours of the report, Richardson announced his decision to sell the team. Category: Richest Business. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images). He is survived by his wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson and three children Ashley, Jon, and Mark. He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful. He was 86. About the time he came into this world, thunder burst and lightning flashed. He owned the franchise from its inception in 1995 until 2018 when he sold it to David and Nicole Tepper. Winthrop actually couldn't have welcomed someone better for their future, despite the fact that she probably appeared to be just another student at the moment. This website uses cookies and similar technologies to ensure you get the best experience, including personalised content. When Greene was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016, he mentioned Richardson and his deep love for his Panthers players in his speech. In February 2021, Richardson made a $150 million gift to Wofford, pushing his personal contributions to the school to over a quarter of a billion dollars. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. This story was originally published March 2, 2023, 3:51 PM. He was 86. 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. . The family is planning a private funeral service. Richardson became the first former NFL player to own a team since the Bears George Halas when he landed the expansion Panthers in 1993. Jerry Richardson's Wife, Marriage & Relationship Richardson is married to Rosalind Sallenger Richardson. What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? That team went 15-1 in the regular season but would eventually lose to Denver in the Super Bowl, 24-10, as the championship Richardson wanted the most barely eluded him again. 1:08 Jerry Richardson, founder of the Carolina Panthers, has died. 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. 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. 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. While fans saw a stoic Richardson sitting expressionless in his end-zone suite at Bank of America Stadium on Sundays, he was not afraid to cut up with his players. "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. It revealed that Richardsons assistant would escort female employees to Richardsons office and then leave. In the year 2002, he received the heart trouble and had . Following his heart transplant, Richardson remained active in league business. Richardson served on several high-level owners committees, playing a key role in labor negotiations with the players union. He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful. We wouldnt go into this if I didnt think we could do it, Richardson said at a Charlotte news conference on Dec. 15, 1987, when he officially announced his bid for an NFL expansion franchise. Jerome J. Richardson was born July 18, 1936, in Spring Hope, N.C., the first step in a journey that would transform the Carolinas. Rosalind Sallenger, Richardsons wife, also studied at Winthrop University in the late 1950s. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade), Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, right, introduces the team's new coach, Ron Rivera, left, during a news conference in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011. But I was a player on his team who needed help and he was able to provide it. The family did not list a cause of death. All about former Carolina Panthers owners, net worth, statue, scandals and more. "The NFL community is deeply saddened by the passing of Jerry Richardson," commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. Richardson was well liked by his players. He sold the team to Tepper, a hedge fund owner, in May 2018 for a then-NFL record $2.27 billion. He was my boss. Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson is "fired up" to work with Washington's new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. I have the ultimate American dream, it couldnt be better for me. Here you will get Jerry Richardson's net worth, weight, height net worth, girlfriend, educational qualification and complete bio. Jerry Richardson Age, Wiki, Biography 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. Panthers founder Jerry Richardson dies at 86, Jones: Not fixated on Cowboys' drought, just '23, Sources: Raiders plan franchise tag for Jacobs, WR Addison to Steelers' Pickett: 'Come get me', Wolverines' Turner wows with 4.26 40 at combine, Top QB prospect Levis eager to unleash 'cannon', QB Bennett addresses off-field issues at combine, Campbell: Lamar wants deal done with Ravens, Alabama QB Young undeterred by size questions, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? The heart donor has never been identified. He was 86. One of our dear friends said, God does not give out hearts lightly, Rosalind Richardson told The Observer two weeks after the surgery. Former Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen, who played for Carolina from 2011 to 2019, revealed in a video message on Twitter that his son T.J., who was born with hypo-plastic left heart syndrome that initially required four open heart surgeries, was named in part after Richardson as the "J" is Jerry. We wish them much peace and comfort.. It was also reported he used a racial slur directed toward a team scout. In 23 NFL seasons with Richardson as owner, the Panthers qualified for two Super Bowls, in the 2003 and 2015 postseason, although they lost both games. Nicole and I extend our deepest condolences to Rosalind, the entire Richardson family, and their loved ones. Richardsons tenure was marred by off-field issues. ''I'm literally at a loss of words. He used his championship bonus money to open the first Hardee's in Spartanburg, South Carolina close to where he had attended Wofford College. Prosecutors dismissed domestic violence charges against Hardy after they said the accuser in the case couldnt be found. Richardson kept a game ball from the championship game and a pair of Unitas cleats in the basement of his Charlotte home. Former Pro Bowl linebacker Thomas Davis, who played for Carolina from 2005 to 2018, summed up what many players thought of Richardson with this post on Instagram. Richardson had 241 yards receiving in a game against Newberry in 1956, and he was named an Associated Press Little All-American in 57 and 58. Jerry Richardson, the self-made millionaire who brought the NFL to Charlotte and founded the Carolina Panthers, died Wednesday. 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. During the year in which Richardson waited for and later recovered from his heart transplants, his two sons led the organization. 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. He did so with lots of help, including the necessary financial backing from close friend and Charlotte mega-banker Hugh McColl Jr. Richardsons son Mark was also instrumental in the effort. But as he stepped back from some of his day-to-day work with the team, his influence within the NFL remained large. RIP Mr. Richardson pic.twitter.com/o27b6O5Czt. Though, he is 1.91 m tall, he weighs about 84 kg. The NFL fined Richardson a league-record $2.75 million after its probe concluded, nearly tripling the amount of its previous record fine of $1 million. The Dallas Cowboys will place the franchise tag on running back Tony Pollard if the two sides cannot reach a long-term deal before March 7's deadline, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday, per sources. It was also reported he used a racial slur directed toward a team scout. I am truly heartbroken and sad over the loss of my friend. (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. But Richardson still had the $4,864 bonus he earned from the Colts 1959 championship. He fired a number of Richardson-era employees after his purchase and also quickly changed the 50-yard line symbol to the Panthers logo. Before that, Richardson was revered for bringing the Panthers to the NFL in 1995 and helping the team reach Super Bowls after the 2003 and 2015 seasons. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. After he had a heart transplant in Charlotte in 2009, Richardson lived for 14 more years. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The report alleged that Richardson had committed numerous instances of workplace misconduct, including sexual harassment, uttering a racial slur and asking some of his female employees if he could personally shave their legs., The report, which was substantiated by the NFLs ensuing probe, revealed that at least four former Panthers employees had received significant financial settlements from Richardson following his inappropriate behavior in exchange for what amounted to a vow of silence. It also noted that Fridays were Jeans Day at the Panthers offices, and that became fodder for many inappropriate comments by Richardson. He believed in me when no one else did. And during Richardson's tenure as owner he always made sure the NFL logo instead of his team's was at midfield of Bank of America Stadium. Sports columnist Scott Fowler has written for The Charlotte Observer since 1994. His mother worked as a sales clerk at a womens dress shop. With the Colts, he roomed with quarterback Johnny Unitas, and caught a touchdown pass from the Hall of Famer in the 1959 NFL Championship Game. Cleveland Browns vs New Orleans Saints weather report: What is the temperature at FirstEnergy stadium? He and Bradshaw Richardsons former quarterback at Wofford opened their first Hardees restaurant in 1961 in Spartanburg. The team called the statue a public safety hazard at the time, citing the nightly social justice marches then occurring in Charlotte. 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. The Richardsons are both lifelong residents of North Carolina. Richardson developed a friendship with some of his Panthers players -- some, like former wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad, would approach him for business advice when their career were over. "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. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. 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. CHARLOTTE, N.C. Jerry Richardson, the former Baltimore Colts wide receiver who later founded and owned the Carolina Panthers until a scandal forced him to sell the team, has died. XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? pic.twitter.com/9Cjn0PSYW2. Together they have three children and their names are Ashley Richardson Allen, Mark, and Jon. It was truly a special experience to play a part in the culmination of his efforts to bring football to the Carolinas. He has authored or co-authored eight books, including four about the Carolina Panthers. I'd been here for one season and we'd won six games. 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. He went on to make his fortune in the restaurant business, becoming chief executive officer of Flagstar, the sixth-largest food service company in the country at the time. I've been told a lot of things.". Jon Richardson died of cancer in 2013. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! The Ohio State product feels good about his ability as a passer and extending plays with his legs, but he's just as willing to put in the work to grow at the next level.