Theres nothing Id rather do with my time than be supportive of the Carolina Panthers.. He made the greatest gift in Wofford Colleges history in 2021 when he gave $150 million to the institution. Info. "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. Carolina Panthers founder, former owner Jerry Richardson died Although Richardson once promised the Panthers would win a Super Bowl within 10 years of beginning play in 1995, they never did. We wish them much peace and comfort.". Carruth was imprisoned for 16 years. Im 58 years old, and I dont hunt, I dont fish, and I dont play golf. "The Carolina Panthers are a testament to his extraordinary and tireless dedication to the community. 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. Jerry Richardson and wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson established a $500,000 fully endowed scholarship to Winthrop. I've been told a lot of things.". Though, he is 1.91 m tall, he weighs about 84 kg. 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 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. 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? Richardson served on several high-level owners committees, playing a key role in labor negotiations with the players union. "Jerry Richardson's contributions to professional football in the Carolina's are historic,'' current owners David and Nicole Tepper said in a statement. 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 owner David Tepper comments on Jerry Richardson's passing 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. 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. By then, the Panthers were playing their ninth NFL season. It was expected at the time one of the boys might inherit the team, but that never happened. Mr. Richardson is a native Carolinian, whose dream was to bring NFL football and the world championship he knew as a player in the . 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. 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. Panthers founder, former owner Jerry Richardson dies at 86 Richardson then accompanied the Olsens to Boston for a medical consultation. Richardson served on several high-level owners committees, playing a key role in labor negotiations with the players union. He served on some of the league's most prestigious committees and had become one of the more powerful owners. He was 86. 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. A new home for Michael Thomas? Jerry Richardson is Businessman, public benefactor, former NFL player from Spring Hope, North Carolina, United States. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images). 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. Nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild are also included in their family. Richardsons catch came in the horseshoe end of Memorial Stadium, where the rowdier Colts fans congregated. They played miniature golf in Myrtle Beach on their first date. 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. 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. The concept was simple cheap hamburgers, served to the masses and wildly successful. The resignations were a shocking development that left Richardson as the only family member involved in the teams day-to-day operations. The financing plan got an enormous boost, however, due to the permanent-seat license (PSL) concept created by public relations guru Muhleman (who had also helped birth the Hornets). After he had a heart transplant in Charlotte in 2009, Richardson lived for 14 more years. We got love from a man that was my employer, my boss, not a close personal friend at the time, Olsen said. For better or worse. 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. 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. NFL+ gives you the freedom to watch LIVE out-of-market preseason games, LIVE local and primetime regular season and postseason games on your phone or tablet, the best NFL programming on-demand, and MORE! 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. (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. 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. 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. Lawmakers and others should not seek to undo laws meant to protect people from gun violence. 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. CHARLOTTE, N.C -- 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. How Panthers Owner Jerry Richardson Turned A $4,700 NFL Bonus Into A People had said it was 150-to-1, 200-to-1. 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. 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. To see what the Panthers are today, that's truly a testament to his vision.". Along the way, decisions were made that changed the face of sports business. "His generosity will benefit future generations," Wofford athletics director Richard Johnson said. After a bad first half, Richardson caught several passes in the second half from Johnny Unitas and made the team. Chad Reuter provides a stock report from Indianapolis. They have a daughter named Ashley and a son named Mark in addition to their son Jon, who passed away in 2013. Richardson had a unique style of dealing with players, but generally was well-liked by those who played and coached under him. Jerry Richardson, Panthers founder and NFL power broker, dies at 86 Quincy Williams or JuJu Smith-Schuster: Who is the better grinch. 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. Richardson was born in Spring Hope, North Carolina, in 1936. Nicole and I extend our deepest condolences to Rosalind, the entire Richardson family, and their loved ones. 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. 1 overall in 2011 for fear it would impact his image. Early life and college [ edit] Richardson was born in Spring Hope, North Carolina. At Wofford, Richardson majored in psychology, worked as a dormitory hall manager and joined the ROTC. 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. Jansen Panettieres cause of death revealed by Hayden Panettiere and his family. He sold the team to Tepper, a hedge fund owner, in May 2018 for a then-NFL record $2.27 billion. I said, Yes sir, it did. He said, thats a good thing everything will be OK. And then he hung up the phone.. Panthers founder, former owner, Baltimore Colts player Jerry Richardson The family is planning a private funeral service. 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 became the first former NFL player to own a team since the Bears George Halas when he landed the expansion Panthers in 1993. His contributions to Wofford to date total more than $260 million, including capital upgrades. Sign up for the Panthers Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. The Panthers began play in 1995 and Richardson quickly built Carolina into one of the leagues model franchises, while becoming a powerful figure in the NFL. This website uses cookies and similar technologies to ensure you get the best experience, including personalised content. Richardson, a North. With the Colts, he roomed with quarterback Johnny Unitas, and caught a touchdown pass from the Hall of Famer in the 1959 NFL Championship Game. As the team's owner, Jerry Richardson, made his rounds on the way to his spacious office, he would ask women to turn around so he could admire their backsides. . "And he went above and beyond to bring comfort to a family at its toughest time.". A native son who was shaped by the region, his . Nicole and I extend our deepest condolences to Rosalind, the entire Richardson family, and their loved ones. Jerry Richardson, former Baltimore Colts wide receiver who founded and