He served on some of the league's most prestigious committees and had become one of the more powerful owners. From his headquarters in Spartanburg, he co-founded Spartan Foods, which was the first franchisee of Hardee's. CHARLOTTE Jerry Richardson, the founder of the Carolina Panthers, passed away Wednesday night at age 86. 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. Richardson stepped into NFL draft in 1959 and got selected in the thirteenth round by the supremacy victors the Baltimore Colts. Here is another account from the article that described the sickening acts that were allegedly committed by Richardson: "Former employees allege that in addition to verbal harassment, Richardson engaged in improper acts. He was 86. [16], On December 17, 2017, Sports Illustrated reported, based on anonymous sources who were reneging on signed settlement agreements, that "at least four former Panthers employees have received 'significant' monetary settlements due to inappropriate workplace comments and conduct by owner Jerry Richardson, including sexually suggestive language and behavior, and on at least one occasion directing a racial slur at an African-American Panthers scout. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. [9], For the most part Richardson stayed in the background and rarely interfered in the Panthers' day-to-day operations. 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. He was 86. 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. 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. We got love from a man that was my employer, my boss, not a close personal friend at the time, Olsen said. Jerry was a member of Pekin First Church of the Nazarene. By Joseph Person and The Athletic Staff. Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. He ultimately became a millionaire and used that money to purchase the Panthers for $206 million. I bet you had to lay down on your bed to fit into those jeans. Let others know about your loved one's death. In 2017, he funded Wofford's state-of-the-art Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. A lifetime resident of the area, Jerry was born Aug. 17, 1951, to William (Bill) and Mary Richardson and. Richardson also played for the Baltimore Colts from 1959 to 1960. Jerry Richardsons contributions to professional football in the Carolinas are historic," current Panthers owner David Tepper and his wife Nicole said in a statement. "We are very saddened to learn of the passing of Jon Richardson. Photos: former Panthers owner's Celebration of Life. According to sources, on multiple occasions Richardson requested female employees to visit him during a workday in his suite inside Bank of America Stadium. He was 86. Stephanie (Rivera and) I were saddened to learn of the passing of Jerry Richardson, former Panthers and current Commanders coach Ron Rivera said via Twitter. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook & Twitter: Twitter - @SI_Panthers and Jason Hewitt at @jasonhewitt50, A reminder of the Panthers founder's untimely exit. Jon Richardson, the oldest son of Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, died Tuesday after a lengthy battle with cancer. Mar 02, 2023 at 01:47 PM. Nicole and I extend our deepest condolences to Rosalind, the entire Richardson family, and their loved ones. One former female employee recalls Richardson, who stands 6'3", arriving barefoot and asking for a foot massage. The deal was approved by NFL owners on May 22, 2018. The women would be escorted by Richardsons assistant, who would then depart, leaving the owner alone with a junior employee. 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. The group includes a number of local prospects, and helps fill in the depth chart after they chose six players in the 2023 NFL Draft. This statue is a tribute to Richardson by the Carolina Panthers Partners. Richard is a philanthropist as well. How Jerry Jones' grandson helped the Dallas Cowboys select Texas LB Jerry Richardson. [2] He still holds Wofford's single-game record with 241 receiving yards vs. Newberry in 1956 and is the school's record holder for touchdown receptions in a season (9 in 1958) and in a career (21). We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time. Says one such invitee: 'The first time, you thought it was an important meeting with the owner. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' grandson won starting QB job at Arkansas. On June 28, 2018, Richardson was fined $2.75 million for the alleged workplace misconduct. 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. 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. [25], In 2021, he donated $150 million to Wofford College. Landing spots for top undrafted free agents: Who signed after Round 7? Also surviving are three sons, Randall Richardson of Delavan, Tony (April) Richardson of Green Valley and Terry (Sarah) Richardson of Canton; two grandsons, Dalton Richardson of Pekin and Corey Richardson of Canton; one step grandson, Colton Etter; one sister, Carolyn (Gene) Allen of Lincoln and one brother, Bobby Richardson of Bush. Bill Mallory's grandson goes to the Colts in the NFL Draft - Yahoo 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. pic.twitter.com/OK9c6QvG4g, Brian McCarthy (@NFLprguy) March 2, 2023. [8] Richardson played a role in locking out the NFL players in 2011 and in negotiating a new players agreement. 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. 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. [1] Richardson was an Associated Press Little All-American selection in 1957 and 1958. During its very 1st season, he triumphed over the NFL Super Bowl. Jerome Johnson Richardson Sr. (July 18, 1936 - March 1, 2023) was an American businessman, football player, and owner in the National Football League (NFL). Additionally, he also bagged the record for receiving most touchdowns in a term, ceasing at 9 in 1958. Nicole (Tepper) and I extend our deepest condolences to Rosalind (Richardsons widow), the entire Richardson family, and their loved ones. Messages run for up to one year and you John Fox, who coached the Panthers from 2002 to 2010 and led them to the Super Bowl in 2003, told ESPN on Thursday that he and his family are "thankful'' for the opportunity Richardson gave them. first published by Sports Illustrated near the end of the 2017 season, Person: It was past time for Panthers to take down the Jerry Richardson statue. He has played a vital role in the NFL all through his professional career. Jerry Richardson Obituary - Pekin Daily Times I will always be grateful to him for the opportunity to coach the Carolina Panthers (and) for his patient, steadfast leadership during seven seasons. He founded the Carolina Panthers, and served as its owner from its first season in 1995 until selling the franchise in 2018. 25, 2023. Please keep the Richardson family in your prayers today! They addressed a number of key spots throughout the weekend, and head coach Frank Reich said he's excited to see guys compete for jobs under a new staff. Richardsons tenure was marred by off-field issues. Well, if youre ready, lets start. He had a history of heart trouble and had undergone quadruple bypass surgery in 2002. Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to Harborton United Methodist Church, c/o Mary Ellen Belote, Post Office Box 5, Harborton, VA 23389. The founder of the team was accused of claims involving sexual harassment as well as racism. He gave me a chance when no one else would! Jerry Richardson Obituary (1944 - 2021) | Melfa, Virginia - Echovita On Wednesday, the Carolina Panthers took down the statue of founder and former owner Jerry Richardson and moved it to an undisclosed location. Using his championship game bonus as seed money, he opened his first Hardee's restaurant in Spartanburg. Jerry Jackson Richardson, 76, husband of Mary Catherine Spence Richardson and a resident of Melfa, VA, passed away Thursday, January 7, 2021, at VCU Medical Center in Richmond, VA. A native of Willis Wharf, VA, he was the son of the late Earlie Jackson Richardson and the late Nettie Parks Richardson. He and I spent a tremendous amount of time talking about his vision for what the Panthers could do for the Carolinas. Scott Wachter/USA TODAY Sports. Jon Gruden controversy brings back memories of Jerry Richardson - WBTV [3], Drafted in the 13th round by the defending world champion Baltimore Colts, Richardson played two seasons in the NFL, earning Colt Rookie of the Year honors in 1959. Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Richardson family," the team said in a statement. Jerry L. Richardson, 64, Leesburg, passed away, surrounded by a loving circle of family and dear friends, at 10:50 a.m. Friday, Jan. 8, following admission the previous morning at Kosciusko Community Hospital. Try a week on us. [21] The stadium was named Jerry Richardson Stadium in 2013 after an additional $10 million donation. The team reached the Super Bowl in the 2003 and 2015 seasons, but lost both times. Consider offering these words of comfort if you're not sure what's appropriate. I was told, 'You can't make money selling hamburgers for 15 cents.' [15] At the company's expense, the Panthers transported and housed a majority of their employees at the Super Bowl. But the workplace misconduct allegations stunned Panthers fans and forced him to sell the team. He . Turns out Deuce Vaughn wasn't the only Cowboys pick of the weekend who had a family connection in the Dallas draft room pulling for him. Jon Richardson was a two-year starter at wide receiver for the University of North Carolina. Due to the allegations made against Dan Snyder and the Washington football franchise, the removal of Jerry Richardson as the owner of the Carolina Panthers has been referenced numerous times in sports media as of late. 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. On game days, he'd ride around Bank of America Stadium in his golf cart, greeting fans and taking pictures, relishing the moments. He was predeceased by his brother, Earlie Francis Richardson. Obituary | Jerry Don Richardson Sr. | Wulf-Ast Mortuary Although Richardson once promised the Panthers would win a Super Bowl within 10 years of beginning play in 1995, they never did. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images). June 10, 2020 3:06 pm ET. "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. 'Felt like family,' DeMarvion Overshown on help from inside - Yahoo FILE - Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson speaks during a news conference for the NFL football team in . Grief researchers say holding that missing funeral service, even a year or more later, can still help us heal. He was born in Snyder, Oklahoma on October 15, 1938, the son of Mae (Gentry) and James Richardson. "Jerry Richardson's contributions to professional football in the Carolina's are historic,'' current owners David and Nicole Tepper said in a statement. 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.". The female employees knew what that meant. He is survived by wife, Kathleen; son, Johnson, and daughters Rose and Claire. Jerome Johnson Jerry Richardson, Sr. was born on July 18, 1936, in North Carolina, America. Ways to honor Jerry Richardson's life and legacy. Jerry Richardson, the founder and former owner of the Carolina Panthers died at the age of 86 on Wednesday night, the team announced. To send flowers 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. She gave birth to three children Jon, Mark, and Ashley Richardson Allen. He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Leonard, Johnie and Dallas; three sisters in law, Ruth Hamlin, Nancy Richardson and Margaret Richardson and one brother in law, Garry Turner. [20], Richardson and businessman Hugh McColl purchased the naming rights to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte's football field in 2011. "I never thought about not getting a franchise," Richardson said, expressing his trademark confidence. Conservative by nature, Richardson once cautioned Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton against getting tattoos and piercings after drafting the quarterback No. It's not a stretch to say the swirl involving Gruden resurrects memories connected to former Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson and allegations of racism in his personal life and the restaurant empire he once owned. 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. 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.