Ive always told him he came into the world with a streak of lightning.. What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? That team went 15-1 in the regular season but would eventually lose to Denver in the Super Bowl, 24-10, as the championship Richardson wanted the most barely eluded him again. 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. Jerry Richardsons contributions to professional football in the Carolinas are historic," current Panthers owner David Tepper and his wife Nicole said in a statement. He provided tremendous guidance to me, and to this day, Karen and I consider him and Rosalind true friends. He began the Carolina Panthers franchise, which he owned from 1995 to 2018. Im 58 years old, and I dont hunt, I dont fish, and I dont play golf. He served on some of the league's most prestigious committees and had become one of the more powerful owners. The Panthers began playing in 1995 and Richardson owned them until 2018, when he sold the team under pressure to current owner David Tepper. In the late 1950s, Rosalind Sallenger Richardson studied at Winthrop University. Jerry Richardson family: Who are wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson and children Ashley, Jon and Mark? He ultimately became a millionaire and used that money to purchase the Panthers for $206 million. A family spokesman said Thursday that Richardson died peacefully last night at his Charlotte home.. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton), Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme, left, talks with team owner Jerry Richardson, right, during the NFL team's football training camp in Spartanburg, S.C., on Saturday, July 26, 2008. A 1987 Observer story noted that Richardsons Spartan Food Systems restaurant colossus at that point included 2,000 Hardees, Quincys and Dennys restaurants. Condolences to Rosalind, Ashley, & Mark and the Richardson family.. It was also reported he used a racial slur directed toward a team scout. Category: Richest Business. Richardson is survived by his wife, Rosalind, son Mark and daughter Ashley Richardson Allen. Deeply rooted in both Carolinas and once a wide receiver for the Baltimore Colts, Richardson persuaded the NFL to put an expansion team in Charlotte in 1993. He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful. I was told I couldn't get my company on the New York Stock Exchange before I was 40. The team went for a then NFL record $2.275 billion. 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 father was a barber. 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. '', We are saddened to hear about the passing of former owner Jerry Richardson. Their football stadium already had a name, but the school's new basketball arena and athletic facility still bear his, as does the football stadium at UNC Charlotte. Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. 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. Within hours of the Sports Illustrated report, Richardson announced that he would sell the Panthers. 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. 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. Richardson died peacefully Wednesday night at his Charlotte home, the team said in a statement. 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. He fired a number of Richardson-era employees after his purchase and also quickly changed the 50-yard line symbol to the Panthers logo. The statue now resides in an undisclosed storage facility. Facebook; Twitter; Facebook Messenger; Pinterest; Email; print; Carolina Panthers founder Jerry Richardson died Wednesday night at his home in Charlotte, North Carolina. XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? Jerry Richardson Net Worth. Jerome J. Richardson was born July 18, 1936, in Spring Hope, N.C., the first step in a journey that would transform 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. Quincy Williams or JuJu Smith-Schuster: Who is the better grinch. Theres nothing Id rather do with my time than be supportive of the Carolina Panthers.. Will Buffalo Bills' Nyheim Hines be fined for 'Santa's Helpers' elf cleats during Chicago Bears Christmas tie? I have the ultimate American dream, it couldnt be better for me. "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. 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. The Panthers' 2017 Tree Lighting at Bank of America Stadium. 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. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL, 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. CHARLOTTE Jerry Richardson, the founder of the Carolina Panthers, passed away Wednesday night at age 86. Jon, Mark, and Ashley Richardson Allen are her three children. 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. 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. Please check your email for a confirmation. Richardsons legacy also includes the birth of the Panthers and the development of a restaurant empire that made him a rich enough man to join one of Americas most exclusive clubs the leagues 32 NFL owners. 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. Because of his imposing build and status as a former NFL player, Richardson engendered a level of respect not often accorded to NFL owners. CHARLOTTE Jerry Richardson, the founder of the Carolina Panthers, passed away Wednesday night at age 86. NFL draft questions for teams in the top 10: Will the Colts trade up? Jerry Richardson Age, Wiki, Biography They becamethe parents of three children. Jerry Richardson's age is 86 years old as of today's date 15th February 2023 having been born on 18 July 1936. Richardson served on several high-level owners committees, playing a key role in labor negotiations with the players' union. The family moved to Fayetteville when Richardson was in elementary school. 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. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! He would still make his rounds on his golf cart before many home games, however, greeting fans, players and coaches and shaking their hands. 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. Nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild are also included in their family. 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 odds against us were huge. He has authored or co-authored eight books, including four about the Carolina Panthers. 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. Sign up for the Panthers Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Chad Reuter provides a stock report from Indianapolis. 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 expected at the time one of the boys might inherit the team, but that never happened. 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. 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 used his championship bonus money to open the first Hardee's in Spartanburg, South Carolina close to where he had attended Wofford College. 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. Richardson never addressed the allegations against him publicly. The Richardsonslived in North Carolina their entire lives. He never publicly explained the rift with his sons. Together they have three children and their names are Ashley Richardson Allen, Mark, and Jon. "I didn't pay any attention to it. 32 NFL players who could change teams this offseason, Disputed loan at center of Commanders probe, amid allegations of sexual and racial workplace misconduct, More than 25 years experience covering NFL, college football and NASCAR. Richardson and Rosalind moved into an apartment close to Memorial Stadium in Baltimore with their infant son, Jon. 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. "The Carolina Panthers are a testament to his extraordinary and tireless dedication to the community. 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. 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. During the year in which Richardson waited for and later recovered from his heart transplants, his two sons led the organization. The team reached the Super Bowl in the 2003 and 2015 seasons, but lost both times. We wouldnt go into this if I didnt think we could do it, Richardson said at a Charlotte news conference on Dec. 15, 1987, when he officially announced his bid for an NFL expansion franchise. He passed away in 2013 at the age of 53 after a protracted fight with cancer. Lets just say I wasnt bursting with optimism, Richardson told The Observer in a 1995 story. That got Richardson seriously thinking about trying to bring an NFL team to Charlotte. 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. He is survived by his wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson and three children Ashley, Jon, and Mark. $2 Billion. 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. 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. Jerry Richardson's Wife, Marriage & Relationship Richardson is married to Rosalind Sallenger Richardson. The team called the statue a public safety hazard at the time, citing the nightly social justice marches then occurring in Charlotte. No cause was given for Richardson's death. "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. He was 86. He was 86. . We wish them much peace and comfort.". I've been told a lot of things.". 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. In 1987, Richardson heard on the radio that businessman George Shinn had won his bid to bring an NBA franchise to Charlotte. It was expected at the time one of the boys might inherit the team, but that never happened. Richardson, after numerous accusations of workplace misconduct, sold the Panthers to Tepper back in 2018. Richardsons bid for an NFL team had to at first beat out a competing bid for a Charlotte team from Shinn. , , , 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. He was 86. 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. It was also reported he used a racial slur directed toward a team scout. That never deterred me. Richardson teamed with quarterback and future business partner Charlie Bradshaw to become one of the top passing tandems among small colleges. 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. 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. pic.twitter.com/9Cjn0PSYW2. On game days, he'd ride around Bank of America Stadium in his golf cart, greeting fans and taking pictures, relishing the moments. Prosecutors dismissed domestic violence charges against Hardy after they said the accuser in the case couldnt be found. 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. 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. The Panthers defeated the Buccaneers 21-14. 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 new home for Michael Thomas? Personal Life: Affair, Girlfriends, Wife, Kids. By continuing to use our website, you agree to our. When I went through my injuries and everyone told him it was time to move on and turn the page he said no. It revealed that Richardsons assistant would escort female employees to Richardsons office and then leave. They have a daughter named Ashley and a son named Mark in addition to their son Jon, who passed away in 2013. After he had a heart transplant in Charlotte in 2009, Richardson lived for 14 more years. 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. As a football fan, he has naming rights to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte's football field. 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 stadium was named "Jerry Richardson Stadium" after his donation of $10 Million. The David and Nicole Tepper Foundation supported the first-of-its-kind in Mecklenburg County project, which offers urgent care for behavioral health needs. Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson is "fired up" to work with Washington's new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. Also Read: What is enlarged heart? The scholarship was meant to honor his wife and her commitment to the arts. Richardsons tenure was marred by off-field issues. Richardson packed up, left the Colts training camp and pointed his Oldsmobile station wagon toward the Carolinas. Jerry Richardson, a former NFL owner, is survived by his wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson. He gave me a chance when no one else would! He also had a policy where fans weren't allowed to remove their shirts during games. "Jerry Richardson's contributions to professional football in the Carolina's are historic,'' current owners David and Nicole Tepper said in a statement. 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. But Richardson still had the $4,864 bonus he earned from the Colts 1959 championship. 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. A native son who was shaped by the region, his . Richardson was well liked by his players. 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. Jerry Richardson is Businessman, public benefactor, former NFL player from Spring Hope, North Carolina, United States. He and Bradshaw Richardsons former quarterback at Wofford opened their first Hardees restaurant in 1961 in Spartanburg. 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 . Being born on 18 July 1936, Jerry Richardson is 86 years old as of today's date 2nd March 2023. 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 was 86.. 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. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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. The magazines investigation portrayed Richardson as an owner who acted inappropriately with a number of his female employees and also directed a racial slur at an African-American scout employed by the Panthers. 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. 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. They kept opening more and more Hardees, with Richardson before long a multi-millionaire taking a hands-on approach to the business many times. They played miniature golf in Myrtle Beach on their first date. Mar 02, 2023 at 01:47 PM. 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. 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. With an emphasis on need-based monetary scholarships and opportunities for Wofford students, this contribution is intended for the colleges endowment. 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. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. 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. He began to slow down as he entered his mid-60s, battling heart issues. It was a stormy night, she said then. You'll now receive the top Panthers Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. On Thursday afternoon, the Carolina Panthers announced the passing of team founder and former owner Jerry Richardson. His survivors include his wife Rosalind and two of their three children Mark and Ashley. Richardsons mother, Mary, told The Observer in 1993 that her son was born after 17 hours of labor during a thunderstorm. But Richardsons tenure was marred by off-field issues. During its very 1st season, he triumphed over the NFL Super Bowl. We all felt his love, all felt his commitment, Greene said of Richardson. Nicole and I extend our deepest condolences to Rosalind, the entire Richardson family, and their loved ones. The new mayor has the power to physically remake the city or large portions of it. The following month the NFL fined Richardson $2.75 million for alleged workplace misconduct. 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. 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. Richardson died peacefully Wednesday night at his Charlotte home, the team said in a statement. Former Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson has died at age 86. It was a very stressful time.. We are saddened to hear about the passing of former owner Jerry Richardson, the Panthers said via Twitter on Thursday afternoon. The third head coach Richardson hired was John Fox in 2002, who would last for nine years before Richardson fired him and hired Ron Rivera following the 2010 season. 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. 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. Id call it sticking to your convictions.. Olsen and his wife Kara later named the child Trent Jerry Olsen after Richardson. Scott Fowler is a national award-winning sports columnist for The Charlotte Observer. "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. We got love from a man that was my employer, my boss, not a close personal friend at the time, Olsen said. He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful. "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. 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. 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. Also Read: Kris Jordan: Cause of death, age, ex-wife Melissa Jordan, children, net worth and more. ", "I will always be thankful to Mr. Richardson for providing me with the opportunity to play for the Panthers. I work, I go home, he said. Carruth was imprisoned for 16 years. Date of Birth: Jul 11, 1936 (86 years old) Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson is a former NFL player who turned a $4744 championship bonus into a billion dollar fast food fortune. He played football at Fayetteville High 6-3, 150-pound receiver known as Stick for his slender frame who won the teams Competitor Trophy. When he owned the team, Richardson would often refer back to the lessons learned selling hamburgers. 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. "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. Richardson died peacefully Wednesday night at his Charlotte home, the team said in a statement. We wish them much peace and comfort.". 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. 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? Jerome Johnson Richardson Sr. (July 18, 1936 - March 1, 2023) was an American businessman, football player, and owner in the National Football League (NFL). 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.". After he had a heart transplant in Charlotte in 2009, Richardson lived for 14 more years. 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. 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. "I was able to become the player that I became because of him, because he encouraged and motivated me to Keep Pounding. I was told, 'You can't make money selling hamburgers for 15 cents.' He believed in me when no one else did. That concept was iffy enough that well-known oddsmaker Danny Sheridan gave Charlotte 50-1 odds of getting an NFL team in 1989. Richardson knew that his physical presence inside a store had a way of motivating his employees. He also had a policy where fans couldnt remove their shirts during games. He was not a close personal friend at the time. Jon Richardson died of cancer in 2013. 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. Too grueling. 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. 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.. 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. 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. We are saddened to hear about the passing of former owner Jerry Richardson.
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