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. 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'd been here for one season and we'd won six games. When players would get into trouble, Richardson would invite them to his home and make them sit in a formal room listening to the minutes tick away on a grandfather clock before Richardson was ready to see them. "His generosity will benefit future generations," Wofford athletics director Richard Johnson said. Rosalind Sallenger Richardson. In 2000, wide receiver Rae Carruth, a former first-round draft pick, was convicted on a murder conspiracy charge in connection with the drive-by shooting death of his pregnant girlfriend. "The NFL community is deeply saddened by the passing of Jerry Richardson. Cleveland Browns vs New Orleans Saints weather report: What is the temperature at FirstEnergy stadium? Richardson was insistent on his stadium being financed privately. Richardson called Archie Manning, Peytons father, to clear the air and believed the situation was overblown. 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. A public celebration of his life will be held at a later date, with details to follow. 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. Stephanie & I were saddened to learn of the passing of Jerry Richardson, Rivera said on social media. 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 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. His survivors include his wife Rosalind and two of their three children Mark and Ashley. 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. I will always be grateful to him for the opportunity to coach the Carolina Panthers & for his patient, steadfast leadership during 7 seasons. I've been told a lot of things.". Net Worth: $2 Billion. "He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful. The former president of the Panthers stadium was their son Jon Richardson. Richardson served on several high-level owners committees, playing a key role in labor negotiations with the players union. His height is 1.91 m tall, and his weight is 84 kg. An explanation of winter vs nesting robins locally, winter aconite in snow, hiking the Appalachian Trail, and ice shacks being down on Lake Winnebago are among the notes from around Chicago outdoors. The Panthers' 2017 Tree Lighting at Bank of America Stadium. 1 overall in 2011 for fear it would impact his image. 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. 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. 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. Although Richardson once promised the Panthers would win a Super Bowl within 10 years of beginning play in 1995, they never did. '', We are saddened to hear about the passing of former owner Jerry Richardson. The team said that moving the statue is in the interest of public safety. It has never returned. 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. Florida. Jerry Richardson and his wife donate $5 million to African-American By then, the Panthers were playing their ninth NFL season. He used his championship bonus money to open the first Hardees in Spartanburg, South Carolina close to where he had attended Wofford College. Jerry Richardson, the founding owner of the Carolina Panthers, died Wednesday night at the age of 86, the team announced Thursday in a release on behalf of his family. 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. 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. "I didn't know Mr. Richardson very well at all,'' Olsen said. The heart donor has never been identified. 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. He was 86. The NFL expansion process was painstaking. All about former Carolina Panthers owners, net worth, statue, scandals and more, What is enlarged heart? Sister-in-law never calls her late husbands sister and is dismissive of her grief. Playing for the Browns that day was offensive tackle Mike McCormack, whom Richardson would later hire as the Panthers first president. He began the Carolina Panthers franchise, which he owned from 1995 to 2018. "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. The team also became embedded in the sports culture of the Carolinas, producing stars like Cam Newton, Steve Smith and Luke Kuechly and routinely selling out 73,000-seat Bank of America Stadium. Jerome Johnson Richardson Sr. (July 18, 1936 - March 1, 2023) was an American businessman, football player, and owner in the National Football League (NFL). Jerry Richardson entered Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, after completing high school in Fayetteville, North 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. Richardsons mother, Mary, told The Observer in 1993 that her son was born after 17 hours of labor during a thunderstorm. He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful. The new mayor has the power to physically remake the city or large portions of it. Richardson became the first former NFL player to own a team since Chicagos George Halas when he landed the expansion Panthers in 1993. CHARLOTTE Jerry Richardson, the founder of the Carolina Panthers, passed away Wednesday night at age 86. Will Buffalo Bills' Nyheim Hines be fined for 'Santa's Helpers' elf cleats during Chicago Bears Christmas tie? Funeral services will be private. 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. One former female employee recalled Richardson arriving barefoot and asking for a foot massage.. Richardsons catch came in the horseshoe end of Memorial Stadium, where the rowdier Colts fans congregated. 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. He is survived by his wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson and three children Ashley, Jon, and Mark. It ultimately took eight years from Richardson beginning the effort to the Panthers actually beginning play. He was later released. . Mr. Richardson claims that Wofford has had the biggest impact on his achievement in life, with no other influence coming close. He married Rosalind Sallenger Richardson. His mother worked as a sales clerk at a womens dress shop. How Panthers Owner Jerry Richardson Turned A $4,700 NFL Bonus Into A A family spokesman said Thursday that Richardson died peacefully last night at his Charlotte home.. Richardsons tenure was marred by off-field issues. He passed away in 2013 at the age of 53 after a protracted fight with cancer. "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. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reacts to death of Panthers founder Jerry Within hours of the report, Richardson announced his decision to sell the team. 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. 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. The promise came close to coming true during the 2003 season. 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.. Mar 02, 2023 at 01:47 PM. We wish them much peace and comfort.. 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 said that moving the statue is in the interest of public safety. It has never returned. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. 2005 NFC Wild Card Playoff Game - Carolina Panthers vs New York Giants - January 8, 2006 Giants Stadium East Rutherford, New Jersey United States January 8, 2006 Photo by Ralph Waclawicz/WireImage.com, To license this image (6995493), contact WireImage: +1 212-686-8900 (tel) +1 212-686-8901 (fax) info@wireimage.com (e-mail) www.wireimage.com (web site), CHARLOTTE, NC - NOVEMBER 28: Owner Jerry Richardson of the Carolina Panthers looks on before the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 13, 2004 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. I was told, 'You can't make money selling hamburgers for 15 cents.' 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. Nicole and I extend our deepest condolences to Rosalind, the entire Richardson family, and their loved ones. Their country home had no indoor plumbing. March 2, 2023 / 5:16 PM / AP. Richardson died peacefully Wednesday night at his Charlotte home, the team said in a statement. He used his championship bonus money to open the first Hardees in Spartanburg, South Carolina close to where he had attended Wofford College. But as he stepped back from some of his day-to-day work with the team, his influence within the NFL remained large. Rajeeta Kochhar? 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. It has never returned. After a bad first half, Richardson caught several passes in the second half from Johnny Unitas and made the team. I have the ultimate American dream, it couldnt be better for me. 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 sweated it out every day. Fox said from the NFL combine in Indianapolis. Olsen and his wife Kara later named the child Trent Jerry Olsen after Richardson. 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. How could you ever forget that? Richardson said in the 1995 interview with The Observer. He was 86. The Olsens honored Richardson by naming their son T.J., short for Trent Jerry. I dont have any hobbies. 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. He was a married man. 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. Jerry Richardson Wife, Age, Wiki, Biography, Cause Of Death, Parents Using his championship game bonus as seed money, he opened his first Hardee's restaurant in Spartanburg. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. In the year 2002, he received the heart trouble and had . 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. "I didn't pay any attention to it. 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 work, I go home, he said. Richardson, a North. Jerry Richardson age, height, weight, net worth 2023, wife, kids, gay Jerry Richardson Net Worth. 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. 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. 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. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images). But Richardson also showed compassion for his players. Richardson would set several Wofford receiving records on his way to a career that led the school to retire his football number. He calls and says, Jake, the sun came out today at my house, did it come out at yours?, Delhomme said Thursday. 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. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? The following month the NFL fined Richardson $2.75 million for alleged workplace misconduct. The lack of consistency was a source of irritation for 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. 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.". 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. Richardson, who was born July 18, 1936. Panthers founder, former owner, Baltimore Colts player Jerry Richardson A lot of times people get to some level and they dont like to take a risk, he said. But I was a player on his team who needed help and he was able to provide it. He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful. After he had a heart transplant in Charlotte in 2009, Richardson lived for 14 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. He was my boss. While Richardson seldom held press conferences even during the early seasons of the Panthers franchise, his public appearances became far less frequent in his later years. 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. Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson is a former NFL player who turned a $4744 championship bonus into a billion dollar fast food fortune. Career Richardson stepped into NFL draft in 1959 and got selected in the thirteenth round by the supremacy victors the Baltimore Colts. 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 PSL would cost anywhere from $600 to $5400 per ticket and could later be re-sold or handed down in the right-holders will. Richardson was . 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. What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful. 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. He made the greatest gift in Wofford Colleges history in 2021 when he gave $150 million to the institution. 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. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. He and I spent a tremendous amount of time talking about his vision for what the Panthers could do for the Carolinas. He and Bradshaw Richardsons former quarterback at Wofford opened their first Hardees restaurant in 1961 in Spartanburg. Photos of Jerry Richardson throughout his time with the Panthers. Who was Jerry Richardson? "No one has done more for Wofford students. Jerry Richardson, the self-made millionaire who brought the NFL to Charlotte and founded the Carolina Panthers, died Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/9Cjn0PSYW2. With an emphasis on need-based monetary scholarships and opportunities for Wofford students, this contribution is intended for the colleges endowment. Jerry Richardson Net Worth 2023, Age, Height, Weight, Wife, Kids He has authored or co-authored eight books, including four about the Carolina Panthers. He owned the franchise from its inception in 1995 until 2018 when he sold it to David and Nicole Tepper. CHARLOTTE, N.C (AP) 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 . 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. Richardson said in 2018 his greatest mission in life was bringing the NFL to the Carolinas. Richardson died peacefully Wednesday night at his Charlotte home, the team said in a statement. Richardson didnt play much for Baltimore. 1:08 Jerry Richardson, founder of the Carolina Panthers, has died. A 1987 Observer story noted that Richardsons Spartan Food Systems restaurant colossus at that point included 2,000 Hardees, Quincys and Dennys restaurants. 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. 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. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! 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. , , , Tunisha Sharma , , Jerry Richardson, the founder of the American football team Carolina Panthers, has died at the age of 86, He is survived by his wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson and three children - Ashley, Jon, and Mark, Nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild are also included in his family. Richardson died. 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. I dont know whether youd call it stubbornness or not, Richardson later told the Observer. "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. Nicole and I extend our deepest condolences to Rosalind, the entire Richardson family, and their loved ones. And he went above and beyond to bring love and comfort to a family at its toughest time.". People had said it was 150-to-1, 200-to-1. The team reached the Super Bowl in the 2003 and 2015 seasons, but lost both times. Richardson died peacefully Wednesday night at his Charlotte home, the team said in a statement. The sale of the Panthers for a reported $2.275 billion followed the scandal that was uncovered by Sports Illustrated magazine in December 2017. 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. 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. He was 86.. 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But his league-first attitude as seen through his leadership of numerous NFL committees 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. Jerry Richardson, a former NFL owner, is survived by his wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson. Jon, Mark, and Ashley Richardson Allen are her three children. Carruth was imprisoned for 16 years. He made millions in the business world in the food business, but it was football that made him happy. 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. "Condolences to Rosalind, Ashley, & Mark and the Richardson family.''. The family did not list a cause of death. 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. Info. It was a miracle. Ive always told him he came into the world with a streak of lightning.. They have a daughter named Ashley and a son named Mark in addition to their son Jon, who passed away in 2013. 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 Net Worth 2023: Age, Height, Weight, Wife, Kids, Bio Heather ODonnell of the Chicago social services agency Thresholds says the money is an opportunity to really build up substance use care.. 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. It was a very stressful time.. "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. Jon Richardson died of cancer in 2013. During its very 1st season, he triumphed over the NFL Super Bowl. Who helped themselves and who took a misstep on the second day of workouts at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine? 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. He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful.. Please check your email for a confirmation. "I was able to become the player that I became because of him, because he encouraged and motivated me to Keep Pounding. 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 founded the. Jerry Richardson and wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson established a $500,000 fully endowed scholarship to Winthrop. 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. 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. Richardsons bid for an NFL team had to at first beat out a competing bid for a Charlotte team from Shinn. Jerry Richardson Wife, Children Richardson's marital status was married. "The NFL community is deeply saddened by the passing of Jerry Richardson," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement Thursday. 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.