The Panthers were the Carolinas team, but for many years, they belonged to Richardson. The statue now resides in an undisclosed storage facility. 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.. Id call it sticking to your convictions.. Quincy Williams or JuJu Smith-Schuster: Who is the better grinch. 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 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. Jerry Richardson Wiki, Age, Bio, Height, Wife, Career, Net Worth We wish them much peace and comfort.". The team reached the Super Bowl in the 2003 and 2015 seasons, but lost both times. Richardson kept a game ball from the championship game and a pair of Unitas cleats in the basement of his Charlotte home. (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. Sports columnist Scott Fowler has written for The Charlotte Observer since 1994. 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. I was told, 'You can't make money selling hamburgers for 15 cents.' "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, Panthers founder and former owner, dies at 86 Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's cap hit might be rising in 2023, but owner Jerry Jones believes his quarterback has the ability to bridge the gap in any talent the roster might lose because of it. 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. "Jerry Richardson's contributions to professional football in the Carolinas are historic," Panthers owners David and Nicole Tepper 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. The team called the statue a public safety hazard at the time, citing the nightly social justice marches then occurring in Charlotte. The family did not list a cause of death. Stephanie & I were saddened to learn of the passing of Jerry Richardson, Rivera said on social media. With the news also came a statement from current owner David Tepper and wife . But when you get to some of them, the word moves fast to the rest of them.. Richardson took a lower public profile in later years as his gait and speech slowed he went nine years between press conferences at one point. Fox said from the NFL combine in Indianapolis. 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. But until Oct. 26, 1993 the day Richardson was awarded the NFL's 29th franchise it was all still a dream, to everyone but Richardson. Also Read: What is enlarged heart? Richardson died peacefully Wednesday night at his Charlotte home, the team said in a statement. A public celebration of his life will be held at a later date. "He called me and told my wife and I to meet him at the airport, and he put us on his plane and took us up to Boston Children's Hospital to make sure we got the best care and the best team to look at him. Conservative by nature, Richardson once cautioned Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton against getting tattoos and piercings after drafting the quarterback No. Jerry Richardson family: Who are wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson and children Ashley, Jon and Mark? 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. Jerry Richardson - Wikipedia Richardson served on several high-level owners committees, playing a key role in labor negotiations with the players union. CHARLOTTE Jerry Richardson, the founder of the Carolina Panthers, passed away Wednesday night at age 86. 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. 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. By then, the Panthers were playing their ninth NFL season. He has authored or co-authored eight books, including four about the Carolina Panthers. After he had a heart transplant in Charlotte in 2009, Richardson lived for 14 more years. Head coach Frank Reich and general manager Scott Fitterer plan on speaking with the veteran quarterback again next week after Tuesday's meeting in Indianapolis. Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera, who led Carolina to the Super Bowl in 2015, sent his condolences on Twitter. 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. A 1987 Observer story noted that Richardsons Spartan Food Systems restaurant colossus at that point included 2,000 Hardees, Quincys and Dennys restaurants. Jansen Panettieres cause of death revealed by Hayden Panettiere and his family, Kris Jordan: Cause of death, age, ex-wife Melissa Jordan, children, net worth and more, Where to buy Atlanta Falcons RB Cordarrelle Patterson's Christmas cleats. But Richardson also showed compassion for his players. After growing up in the Fayetteville area, Richardson went to Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C.; where he excelled in football and laid the groundwork for a business empire that would allow him to return to the game he once walked away from. Carolina Panthers founder Jerry Richardson passes away at 86 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. Because of his imposing build and status as a former NFL player, Richardson engendered a level of respect not often accorded to NFL owners. Quarterback Jake Delhomme, who led the Panthers to their first Super Bowl in the 2003 season, recalls getting a phone call from Richardson a couple of days after enduring he endured a disastrous four-turnover performance in a 33-13 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals in the 2008 playoffs. Richardson served on several high-level owners committees, playing a key role in labor negotiations with the players' union. Richardson knew that his physical presence inside a store had a way of motivating his employees. The new mayor has the power to physically remake the city or large portions of it. "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 and I spent a tremendous amount of time talking about his vision for what the Panthers could do for the Carolinas. He fired a number of Richardson-era employees after his purchase and also quickly changed the 50-yard line symbol to the Panthers logo. Richardson beat long odds to earn the right to land a franchise. 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. Foxs greatest success came in 2003, when a team with Jake Delhomme at quarterback and young stars like Steve Smith at wide receiver and Julius Peppers at defensive end made an unlikely run to the Super Bowl before losing on a last-second field goal to the New England Patriots, 32-29. He sold the team to Tepper, a hedge fund owner, in May 2018 for a then-NFL record $2.27 billion. Please check your email for a confirmation. Although Richardson once promised the Panthers would win a Super Bowl within 10 years of beginning play in 1995, they never did. Photos: Carolina Panthers founder, former owner Jerry Richardson over the years, Support my work with a digital subscription, A nervous Kevin Durant debuts for Phoenix in Charlotte. 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. Richardson served on several high-level owners committees, playing a key role in labor negotiations with the players union. Richardsons bid for an NFL team had to at first beat out a competing bid for a Charlotte team from Shinn. 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. His mother worked as a sales clerk at a womens dress shop. 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. 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. With an emphasis on need-based monetary scholarships and opportunities for Wofford students, this contribution is intended for the colleges endowment. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. 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. Rosalind Sallenger Richardson 5 Facts about Jerry Richardson's Wife On the NFL's behalf, I extend our sincere condolences to Jerry's wife, Rosalind, and their family. In every case he had one purpose: asking for advice and learning what it was that was wanted from member teams and owners.. Panthers founder Jerry Richardson passes away at 86 Jerry Richardson, the former Carolina Panthers owner who sold the team amid accusations of workplace misconduct, and his wife Rosalind have donated $5 million to Charleston's International . Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson is a former NFL player who turned a $4744 championship bonus into a billion dollar fast food fortune. At Wofford, Richardson majored in psychology, worked as a dormitory hall manager and joined the ROTC. 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. His height is 1.91 m tall, and his weight is 84 kg. He served on some of the league's most prestigious committees and had become one of the more powerful owners. 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.". They would later marry and have three children. He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful. 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. Scott Fowler is a national award-winning sports columnist for The Charlotte Observer. He would still make his rounds on his golf cart before many home games, however, greeting fans, players and coaches and shaking their hands. 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. Jerry Richardson: New details on allegations against Panthers owner 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. 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. I have the ultimate American dream, it couldnt be better for me. "Mr. Richardson taught me so many life lessons over the years and I will forever be grateful for the friendship and the bond that we had. pic.twitter.com/9Cjn0PSYW2. The team said that moving the statue is in the interest of public safety. It has never returned. He took the money earned from that game and started the first Hardee's franchise in Spartanburg. Richardson survived a series of serious health-related issues in his later years. 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. Also Read: Who was Jerry Richardson? The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. 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. He began the Carolina Panthers franchise, which he owned from 1995 to 2018. They played miniature golf in Myrtle Beach on their first date. All about former Carolina Panthers owners, net worth, statue, scandals and more, What is enlarged heart? In 1987, Richardson heard on the radio that businessman George Shinn had won his bid to bring an NBA franchise to Charlotte. They becamethe parents of three children. 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. Net Worth: $2 Billion. "He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful. 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. Chad Reuter provides a stock report from Indianapolis. He was 86.. The following month the NFL fined Richardson $2.75 million for alleged workplace misconduct. "The Carolina Panthers are a testament to his extraordinary and tireless dedication to the community. 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. He attended Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where he was a star tight end, and still holds the school's single-game record for receiving yards (241 against Newberry College in 1956). Jerry Richardson, a former NFL owner, is survived by his wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson. Jerry Richardson Net Worth 2023, Age, Height, Weight, Wife, Kids Sign up for the Panthers Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. "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. In the year 2002, he received the heart trouble and had . During its very 1st season, he triumphed over the NFL Super Bowl. Jerry Richardson Wife, Children Richardson's marital status was married. About the time he came into this world, thunder burst and lightning flashed. We wish them much peace and comfort.. In 2009, he had a successful heart transplant at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. It was expected at the time one of the boys might inherit the team, but that never happened. 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. Richardson had heart problems at some point during his life. 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 also had a policy where fans couldnt remove their shirts during games. 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. 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. I work, I go home, he said. The family moved to Fayetteville when Richardson was in elementary school. 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. The team went for a then NFL record $2.275 billion. He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful. Panthers founder, former owner, Baltimore Colts player Jerry Richardson 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 overall in 2011 for fear it would impact his image. I'd been here for one season and we'd won six games. A lot of times people get to some level and they dont like to take a risk, he said. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Richardson was born in Spring Hope, North Carolina, in 1936. 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. Richardson ended the 59 regular season with seven receptions and three touchdowns, but saved his most memorable play for the title game against the New York Giants (the Super Bowl did not yet exist). Panthers owner David Tepper comments on Jerry Richardson's passing 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. $2 Billion. Richardson then accompanied the Olsens to Boston for a medical consultation. 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. I will always remember him, as will millions in his beloved Carolinas, as the father of NFL football in these sister states, said Max Muhleman, a public-relations specialist who worked closely with Richardson for years. "The NFL community is deeply saddened by the passing of Jerry Richardson. He was 86. 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. Richardson packed up, left the Colts training camp and pointed his Oldsmobile station wagon toward the Carolinas. Can the Lions fix their defense? The Panthers were the first team to employ the concept, and the influx of cash was crucial to privately financing what was then known as Carolinas Stadium. CHARLOTTE Jerry Richardson, the founder of the Carolina Panthers, passed away Wednesday night at age 86. 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. Richardson was born in his familys home in Spring Hope, in the eastern part of North Carolina, on July 18, 1936. His survivors include his wife Rosalind and two of their three children Mark and Ashley. When I went through my injuries and everyone told him it was time to move on and turn the page he said no. ", "Jerry Richardson gave me my first opportunity to be a head coach, and I'll always be thankful for that. Here you will get Jerry Richardson's net worth, weight, height net worth, girlfriend, educational qualification and complete bio. The Carolina Panthers founder and former owner died on March 1, 2023.