He died at his home in Charlotte on Wednesday night, the team said in a statement Thursday. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images). Although Richardson once promised the Panthers would win a Super Bowl "within 10 years" of beginning play in 1995, they never did. Could the Cowboys look at a running back in first round again? He was 86.. Richardson served on several high-level owners committees, playing a key role in labor negotiations with the players union. Read what head coach Frank Reich said to the media during his press conference at the Combine on Wednesday. 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. Jerome J. Richardson was born July 18, 1936, in Spring Hope, N.C., the first step in a journey that would transform the Carolinas. Richardson had a unique style of dealing with players, but generally was well-liked by those who played and coached under him. Lawmakers and others should not seek to undo laws meant to protect people from gun violence. "Condolences to Rosalind, Ashley, & Mark and the Richardson family.''. At Wofford, Richardson majored in psychology, worked as a dormitory hall manager and joined the ROTC. 1 overall in 2011 for fear it would impact his image. Jerry Richardson, the founder of the American football team Carolina Panthers, has died at the age of 86. He also had a policy where fans couldnt remove their shirts during games. The Panthers' 2017 Tree Lighting at Bank of America Stadium. CHARLOTTE Jerry Richardson, the founder of the Carolina Panthers, passed away Wednesday night at age 86. The team reached the Super Bowl in the 2003 and 2015 seasons, but lost both times. We wish them much peace and comfort.. I sweated it out every day. 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. The concept was simple cheap hamburgers, served to the masses and wildly successful. 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 got his heart transplanted in the year 2009. The team reached the Super Bowl in the 2003 and 2015 seasons, but lost both times. It was a miracle. Richardson is survived by his wife, Rosalind, son Mark and daughter Ashley Richardson Allen. 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. He was not a close personal friend at the time. 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. A 1987 Observer story noted that Richardsons Spartan Food Systems restaurant colossus at that point included 2,000 Hardees, Quincys and Dennys restaurants. After the Panthers clinched the NFC South during their second Super Bowl season in 2015, quarterback Cam Newton got Richardson to dab during a raucous locker-room celebration in New Orleans. It was a stormy night, she said then. Nicole and I extend our deepest condolences to Rosalind, the entire Richardson family, and their loved ones. Early life and college [ edit] Richardson was born in Spring Hope, North Carolina. Richardsons tenure was marred by off-field issues. Richardson was rarely one to back down from a challenge, but there were some challenges he couldn't overcome by sheer force of will and determination. See video, posts and updates straight from Indianapolis as Panthers leaders speak to the media. Jerry Richardson entered Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, after completing high school in Fayetteville, North Carolina. His other. Muhleman noted the drive that Richardson exhibited in his relentless pursuit of making Carolina the NFLs 29th franchise. 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. Richardson kept a game ball from the championship game and a pair of Unitas cleats in the basement of his Charlotte home. Richardson knew that his physical presence inside a store had a way of motivating his employees. Can the Lions fix their defense? He was 86. It was expected at the time one of the boys might inherit the team, but that never happened. Richardson is survived by his wife, Rosalind, son Mark and daughter Ashley Richardson Allen. I dont know whether youd call it stubbornness or not, Richardson later told the Observer. 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. That allegiance to the league and his status within it also made him one of the lead voices for owners in the 2010 labor negotiations, in which he famously and sometimes profanely clashed with players across the table including Peyton Manning. The family did not own a car until Jerry Richardson was 16. The new mayor has the power to physically remake the city or large portions of it. 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. '', We are saddened to hear about the passing of former owner Jerry Richardson. 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. Jerome Johnson Richardson Sr. (July 18, 1936 - March 1, 2023) was an American businessman, football player, and owner in the National Football League (NFL). 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. Nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild are also included in their family. You cant get to all 2,000 of them, he said then of the companys restaurants. Ralph Waclawicz/Call (212) 686-8900 or e-mail info@wireimage.com to license WireImage images. 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. After he had a heart transplant in Charlotte in 2009, Richardson lived for 14 more years. The family did not list a cause of death. 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. 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. 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). "The odds against us were huge. We are saddened to hear about the passing of former owner Jerry Richardson. 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. People had said it was 150-to-1, 200-to-1. What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera, who led Carolina to the Super Bowl in 2015, sent his condolences on Twitter. He married Rosalind Sallenger Richardson. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Richardson would set several Wofford receiving records on his way to a career that led the school to retire his football number. They have a daughter named Ashley and a son named Mark in addition to their son Jon, who passed away in 2013. "I was able to become the player that I became because of him, because he encouraged and motivated me to Keep Pounding. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. He has authored or co-authored eight books, including four about the Carolina Panthers. 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 ultimately took eight years from Richardson beginning the effort to the Panthers actually beginning play. 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. We got love from a man that was my employer, my boss, not a close personal friend at the time, Olsen said. Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson is "fired up" to work with Washington's new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. 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. They have three children. "The Carolina Panthers are a testament to his extraordinary and tireless dedication to the community. Jerry Richardson Wife, Children Richardson's marital status was married. Richardson died peacefully Wednesday night at his Charlotte home, the team said in a statement. It was also reported he used a racial slur directed toward a team scout. He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful. Mr. Richardson claims that Wofford has had the biggest impact on his achievement in life, with no other influence coming close. 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. 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. It was also reported he used a racial slur directed toward a team scout. The David and Nicole Tepper Foundation supported the first-of-its-kind in Mecklenburg County project, which offers urgent care for behavioral health needs. Conservative by nature, Richardson once cautioned Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton against getting tattoos and piercings after drafting the quarterback No. Richardson died peacefully Wednesday night at his Charlotte home, the team said in a statement. 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. 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. Darin Gantt. 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. 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. Jon, Mark, and Ashley Richardson Allen are her three children. But after his second season, he walked away from the NFL in a dispute over money, and returned to Spartanburg to start his business career. Richardson was born in Spring Hope, North Carolina, in 1936. 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. 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. The Carolina Panthers defeated the New York Giants 23 to 0. I was told, 'You can't make money selling hamburgers for 15 cents.' But Richardson also showed compassion for his players. This website uses cookies and similar technologies to ensure you get the best experience, including personalised content. After he had a heart transplant in Charlotte in 2009, Richardson lived for 14 more years. 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. 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. Jaguars won't spend big, but here are five players they could target in free agency. Because of his imposing build and status as a former NFL player, Richardson engendered a level of respect not often accorded to NFL owners. A lot of times people get to some level and they dont like to take a risk, he said. His other son, Jon, died in 2013 at age 53 after a lengthy battle with cancer. Carruth was imprisoned for 16 years. He gave me a chance when no one else would! Nicole and I extend our deepest condolences to Rosalind, the entire Richardson family, and their loved ones. 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. During the year in which Richardson waited for and later recovered from his heart transplants, his two sons led the organization. The Richardsons are both lifelong residents of North Carolina. The team said that moving the statue is in the interest of public safety. It has never returned. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The family is planning a private funeral service. 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. 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. Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. On game days, he'd ride around Bank of America Stadium in his golf cart, greeting fans and taking pictures, relishing the moments. The Panthers were the Carolinas team, but for many years, they belonged to Richardson. 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. Carruth was imprisoned for 16 years. "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. Personal Life: Dating, Girlfriends, Wife, Kids. The resignations were a shocking development that left Richardson as the only family member involved in the teams day-to-day operations. They played miniature golf in Myrtle Beach on their first date. 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. "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. Richardson had heart problems at some point during his life. Id call it sticking to your convictions.. 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. He made the greatest gift in Wofford Colleges history in 2021 when he gave $150 million to the institution. Richardson had hired and fired two coaches Dom Capers, who got Carolina to the NFC championship game in Year 2 but could not repeat the success; and George Seifert, who went 16-32 in three desultory seasons in Carolina. 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. 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. Jerry Richardson's Wife, Marriage & Relationship Richardson is married to Rosalind Sallenger Richardson. Richardson, after numerous accusations of workplace misconduct, sold the Panthers to Tepper back in 2018. He sold the team to Tepper, a hedge fund owner, in May 2018 for a then-NFL record $2.27 billion. He used his championship bonus money to open the first Hardee's in Spartanburg, South Carolina close to where he had attended Wofford College. I said, Yes sir, it did. He said, thats a good thing everything will be OK. And then he hung up the phone.. 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. A bypass surgery in 2002 was just the beginning, and after years of treatments and other procedures, he received a heart transplant on Feb. 2, 2009, at Carolinas Medical Center. 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. I said, Yes sir, it did. He said, thats a good thing everything will be OK. And then he hung up the phone.. The lack of consistency irritated 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.

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