CHARLOTTE Jerry Richardson, the founder of the Carolina Panthers, passed away Wednesday night at age 86. RIP Mr. Richardson pic.twitter.com/o27b6O5Czt. "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. Jerry Richardson is Businessman, public benefactor, former NFL player from Spring Hope, North Carolina, United States. Two months after going on the donor waiting list, Richardson, then 72, received his transplant on Super Bowl Sunday in 2009 during a five-hour procedure at Carolinas Medical Center. Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. 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. Jansen Panettieres cause of death revealed by Hayden Panettiere and his family. You cant get to all 2,000 of them, he said then of the companys restaurants. Rosalind Sallenger, Richardsons wife, also studied at Winthrop University in the late 1950s. Richardsons legacy was forever changed when Sports Illustrated magazine published an investigative report just minutes before kickoff on a Sunday the Panthers were hosting the Green Bay Packers Dec. 17, 2017. NFL+ gives you the freedom to watch LIVE out-of-market preseason games, LIVE local and primetime regular season and postseason games on your phone or tablet, the best NFL programming on-demand, and MORE! 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. He sold the team to Tepper, a hedge fund owner, in May 2018 for a then-NFL record $2.27 billion. 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 NFLs most influential owners until a scandal forced him to sell the team, has died. 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. . Stephanie & I were saddened to learn of the passing of Jerry Richardson, Rivera said on social media. Richardsons catch came in the horseshoe end of Memorial Stadium, where the rowdier Colts fans congregated. 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. Richardson became the first former NFL player to own a team since the Bears George Halas when he landed the expansion Panthers in 1993. He was 86. Also Read: Kris Jordan: Cause of death, age, ex-wife Melissa Jordan, children, net worth and more. Lets just say I wasnt bursting with optimism, Richardson told The Observer in a 1995 story. It was also reported he used a racial slur directed toward a team scout. He married Rosalind Sallenger Richardson. 1 overall in 2011 for fear it would impact his image. Richardson remained confident throughout the process, getting a license plate that read PNTHERS in 1989 four years before his ownership group would actually be awarded a team. Given that two of the receivers were established stars and future Hall of Famers Raymond Berry and Lenny Moore, Richardson did not like his chances. 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. 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.". 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. During the year in which Richardson waited for and later recovered from his heart transplants, his two sons led the organization. Richardson wanted $10,000 for the 61 season; the Colts offered $9,750. Category: Richest Business. Also Read: Who was Jerry Richardson? His father was a barber. When Carolina received an NFL team from the League in 1993, Richardson became the second former NFL player to hold the position of the owner. 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 . Nicole and I extend our deepest condolences to Rosalind, the entire Richardson family, and their loved ones. Then, in his rolling Southern. Ive always told him he came into the world with a streak of lightning.. 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. When I went through my injuries and everyone told him it was time to move on and turn the page he said no. He gave me a chance when no one else would! 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. He chaired the labor committee during the 2011 lockout before owners and players agreed on a 10-year collective bargaining agreement that ended the longest work stoppage in NFL history. It was also reported he used a racial slur directed toward a team scout. The concept was simple cheap hamburgers, served to the masses and wildly successful. The Carolina Panthers founder and former owner died on March 1, 2023. 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. A public celebration of his life will be held at a later date. On game days, he'd ride around Bank of America Stadium in his golf cart, greeting fans and taking pictures, relishing the moments. 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. He loved the NFL so much that he kept the leagues logo a shield painted on the 50-yard line at Bank of America Stadium, rather than a team logo like nearly every other team in the league. 1:08 Jerry Richardson, founder of the Carolina Panthers, has died. "Jerry Richardson's contributions to professional football in the Carolinas are historic," Panthers owners David and Nicole Tepper said in a statement. With the news also came a statement from current owner David Tepper and wife Nicole, who thanked Richardson for what he had done for them and the organization. But underlying differences in how the team should be run made the owner ask his sons to resign in late August of 2009, about six months after Jerry Richardsons heart transplant. The scholarship was meant to honor his wife and her commitment to the arts. The following month the NFL fined Richardson $2.75 million for alleged workplace misconduct. Richardsons playing career lasted only two seasons when he walked away from the game at 25 following a dispute over $250. Nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild are also included in their family. 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. Scoring in a world championship game is about the ultimate as far as a player is concerned.. 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 made the greatest gift in Wofford Colleges history in 2021 when he gave $150 million to the institution. Too grueling. Once a fixture at tailgate parties with random Panthers fans before home games he liked to show up unannounced via golf cart Richardson was rarely seen in public in his final years. "Jerry Richardson brought NFL football to the Carolinas!'' Funeral services will be private. I work, I go home, he said. "The NFL community is deeply saddened by the passing of Jerry Richardson," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement Thursday. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! Conservative by nature, Richardson once cautioned Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton against getting tattoos and piercings after drafting the quarterback No. That kind of production earned him Associated Press Little All-America honors in 1957 and 1958, and in 1959, he was drafted by the Baltimore Colts. 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. Personal Life: Affair, Girlfriends, Wife, Kids. 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. The Carolina Panthers are a testament to his extraordinary and tireless dedication to the community.But his league-first attitude as seen through his leadership of numerous NFL committees, including the Stadium Committee and Management Council Executive Committee, 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.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.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. Unitas took a personal interest in Richardson, picking up the young receiver every morning on his way to practice and bringing him home at the end of the day. 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. Richardson died peacefully Wednesday night at his Charlotte home, the team said in a statement. 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. Within hours of the Sports Illustrated report, Richardson announced that he would sell the Panthers. A native son who was shaped by the region, his . The Carolina Panthers defeated the New York Giants 23 to 0. 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. Because so many events in his life seemed to be marked by football time, the procedure began on Super Bowl Sunday, as the Steelers of his close friends the Rooney family were in the process of beating the Cardinals. Mr. Richardson is a native Carolinian, whose dream was to bring NFL football and the world championship he knew as a player in the . Though, he is 1.91 m tall, he weighs about 84 kg. "Jerry Richardson's contributions to professional football in the Carolinas are historic," current Panthers owner David Tepper and his wife Nicole said in a statement. 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. 1 pick, Jalen Carter arrest throws Bears a hittable curve, NFL Combine notes: Illini CB Witherspoon the complete package, Trade down? 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. Jaguars won't spend big, but here are five players they could target in free agency. In 2000, wide receiver Rae Carruth, the teams first-round draft pick in 1997, was convicted on a murder conspiracy charge in connection with the drive-by shooting death of his pregnant girlfriend. pic.twitter.com/9Cjn0PSYW2. Richardson packed up, left the Colts training camp and pointed his Oldsmobile station wagon toward the Carolinas. Richardson was forced to sell the team to Tepper for a then NFL-record $2.275 billion after the 2017 season amid allegations of sexual and racial misconduct in the workplace. $2 Billion. (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 and wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson established a $500,000 fully endowed scholarship to Winthrop. The team reached the Super Bowl in the 2003 and 2015 seasons, but lost both times. Richardson didnt play much for Baltimore. The statue had become controversial following the workplace misconduct scandal that served to oust Richardson from his ownership of the Panthers and complicate his legacy. He died at his home in Charlotte on Wednesday night, the team said in a statement Thursday. Prosecutors dismissed domestic violence charges against Hardy after they said the accuser in the case couldnt be found. Former Panthers general manager Marty Hurney worked under Richardson from 2002-12 and then returned to the team in 2017 and worked four more years. 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. 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. But his work was hailed in league circles as a member of the league's stadium committee, and one of commissioner Roger Goodell's close circle of trusted voices. 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. The team reached the Super Bowl in the 2003 and 2015 seasons, but lost both times. Richardson pulled down an 8-yard pass from Unitas for his first NFL touchdown in a 38-31 loss to Cleveland on Nov. 1, 1959. A public celebration of his life will be held at a later date, with details to follow. The family did not list a cause of death. The sale of the Panthers for a reported $2.275 billion followed the scandal that was uncovered by Sports Illustrated magazine in December 2017. Richardson, after numerous accusations of workplace misconduct, sold the Panthers to Tepper back in 2018. It was expected at the time one of the boys might inherit the team, but that never happened. He made millions in the business world in the food business, but it was football that made him happy. The stadium was named "Jerry Richardson Stadium" after his donation of $10 Million. Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson watches players warm up before an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2010. Carolina Panthers founder Jerry Richardson died Wednesday night at his home in Charlotte, North Carolina. "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. 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. Jerry Richardson's Wife, Marriage & Relationship Richardson is married to Rosalind Sallenger Richardson. 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. ", "I will always be thankful to Mr. Richardson for providing me with the opportunity to play for the Panthers. A PSL would cost anywhere from $600 to $5400 per ticket and could later be re-sold or handed down in the right-holders will. His survivors include his wife Rosalind and two of their three children Mark and Ashley. I will always be grateful to him for the opportunity to coach the Carolina Panthers & for his patient, steadfast leadership during 7 seasons. 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. "The Carolina Panthers are a testament to his extraordinary and tireless dedication to the community.But his league-first attitude as seen through his leadership of numerous NFL committees, including the Stadium Committee and Management Council Executive Committee, 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. The NFL expansion process was painstaking. He was 86.. In the year 2002, he received the heart trouble and had . Being a part of the inaugural season is something that I will never forget. Sources have told The Observer it will never return to the stadium. ''I'm literally at a loss of words. Fowler has earned 20 national APSE writing awards and hosted The Observers podcast Carruth, which Sports Illustrated named 2018s Podcast of the Year. His new podcast and online series is called Sports Legends of the Carolinas and features 1-on-1 interviews with NC and SC sports icons. A new home for Michael Thomas? Id call it sticking to your convictions.. Richardson was born in his familys home in Spring Hope, in the eastern part of North Carolina, on July 18, 1936. He and I spent a tremendous amount of time talking about his vision for what the Panthers could do for the Carolinas. For better or worse. Info. Who helped themselves and who took a misstep on the second day of workouts at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine? Jerry Richardson entered Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, after completing high school in Fayetteville, North Carolina. But I was a player on his team who needed help and he was able to provide it. The team said that moving the statue is in the interest of public safety. It has never returned. He owned the franchise from its inception in 1995 until 2018 when he sold it to David and Nicole Tepper. He was not a close personal friend at the time. 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? A 1987 Observer story noted that Richardsons Spartan Food Systems restaurant colossus at that point included 2,000 Hardees, Quincys and Dennys restaurants. 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. For me to try to explain to you guys what this man has meant to me and my family and so many others would take a lifetime," Davis posted. And he went above and beyond to bring love and comfort to a family at its toughest time.". Jerry Richardson, the self-made millionaire who brought the NFL to Charlotte and founded the Carolina Panthers, died Wednesday. I said, Yes sir, it did. He said, thats a good thing everything will be OK. And then he hung up the phone.. He sold the team to Tepper, a hedge fund owner, in May 2018 for a then-NFL record $2.27 billion. He was fined $2.75 million by the NFL after an extensive investigation into the allegations following a story by Sports Illustrated in which four former employees anonymously stated they reached a financial settlement with Richardson in exchange for silence. 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. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. He passed away in 2013 at the age of 53 after a protracted fight with cancer. In every case he had one purpose: asking for advice and learning what it was that was wanted from member teams and owners.. I dont have any hobbies. Richardson was celebrated for bringing the NFL to Carolina in 1995, but his tenure with the team ended after the 2017 season amid allegations of sexual and racial workplace misconduct. One former female employee recalled Richardson arriving barefoot and asking for a foot massage.. 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. "The odds against us were huge. But as he stepped back from some of his day-to-day work with the team, his influence within the NFL remained large. Richardson is survived by his wife, Rosalind, son Mark and daughter Ashley Richardson Allen. CHARLOTTE Jerry Richardson, the founder of the Carolina Panthers, passed away Wednesday night at age 86. The new mayor has the power to physically remake the city or large portions of it. Richardson, a North. He still holds the school's single-game record for receiving yards (241 against Newberry in 1956), as well as records for touchdown receptions in a season (9) and career (21). Jerry Richardson got his heart transplanted in the year 2009. Net Worth: $2 Billion. The family moved to Fayetteville when Richardson was in elementary school. 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. He overcame prostate cancer and underwent quadruple bypass surgery in 2002. Fitterer and head coach Frank Reich also touched on other needs the team has, and what the priorities are for the coming weeks during their interviews at the combine. On Thursday afternoon, the Carolina Panthers announced the passing of team founder and former owner Jerry Richardson. That would be real boring.. He took the money earned from that game and started the first Hardee's franchise in Spartanburg. 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. A year after Carolina was awarded a franchise, in 1994, Richardson spoke to The Observer about what it was like to be an NFL owner. Richardson said in 2018 his greatest mission in life was bringing the NFL to the Carolinas. Carolina began play in 1995 and Richardson quickly built the Panthers into one of the leagues model franchises, while becoming a powerful figure in the NFL. 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. 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. How could you ever forget that? Richardson said in the 1995 interview with The Observer. Photos of Jerry Richardson throughout his time with the Panthers. 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.. Richardson and Rosalind moved into an apartment close to Memorial Stadium in Baltimore with their infant son, Jon. View photos of Richardson from the inaugural season in 1995 through decades of coaches and players in the Panthers community. Please check your email for a confirmation. He began to slow down as he entered his mid-60s, battling heart issues. In 2009, he had a successful heart transplant at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. Quarterback Jake Delhomme, who led the Panthers to their first Super Bowl in the 2003 season, said Richardson was well respected in the locker room and great to me and every player who played for him.. 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. 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 made his private plane available to tight end Greg Olsen before Olsens wife delivered a son who was born with a congenital heart defect. We wish them much peace and comfort.". 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. Quincy Williams or JuJu Smith-Schuster: Who is the better grinch. Carolina earned high marks in several key areas in survey, which rated various aspects of players' experience from strength coaches and the locker room to treatment of families. Richardson was hospitalized in the year 2008 in Carolinas Medical Center. 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. Richardson survived a series of serious health-related issues in his later years. Richardson delivered an impassioned speech at the 2010 annual meetings, imploring owners to take back our league. But his hard-line tactics didnt sit well with all players, particularly after he was said to have spoken condescendingly toward Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Drew Brees during a negotiating session. This website uses cookies and similar technologies to ensure you get the best experience, including personalised content. Richardson served on several high-level owners committees, playing a key role in labor negotiations with the players' union. I am truly heartbroken and sad over the loss of my friend. He would still make his rounds on his golf cart before many home games, however, greeting fans, players and coaches and shaking their hands. Jerry Richardsons contributions to professional football in the Carolinas are historic, current Panthers owner David Tepper and his wife Nicole said in a statement. "I will always be grateful to him for the opportunity to coach the Carolina Panthers & for his patient, steadfast leadership during 7 seasons," Rivera said on social media. 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. Olsen and his wife Kara later named the child Trent Jerry Olsen after Richardson. People had said it was 150-to-1, 200-to-1. Their country home had no indoor plumbing. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Nicole and I extend our deepest condolences to Rosalind, the entire Richardson family, and their loved ones. I have the ultimate American dream, it couldnt be better for me. In a two-sentence statement at the time that didnt explain the mysterious parting, Richardson cited the great contributions his sons had made, but expressed confidence in the remaining members of the leadership team. Rest up my friend!''. Richardson founded the.