Jon Richardson died of cancer in 2013. We wish them much peace and comfort.. 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. Theres nothing Id rather do with my time than be supportive of the Carolina Panthers.. A family spokesman said Thursday that Richardson died peacefully last night at his Charlotte home.. The following month the NFL fined Richardson $2.75 million for alleged workplace misconduct. "Jerry Richardson's contributions to professional football in the Carolinas are historic," Panthers owners David and Nicole Tepper said in a statement. Jon, Mark, and Ashley Richardson Allen are her three children. "I didn't know Mr. Richardson very well at all,'' Olsen said. Richardson ended the 59 regular season with seven receptions and three touchdowns, but saved his most memorable play for the title game against the New York Giants (the Super Bowl did not yet exist). It was expected at the time one of the boys might inherit the team, but that never happened. Personal Life: Affair, Girlfriends, Wife, Kids. 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. "Jerry Richardson's contributions to professional football in the Carolina's are historic,'' current owners David and Nicole Tepper said in a statement. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! The scholarship was meant to honor his wife and her commitment to the arts. Jerry Richardson and wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson established a $500,000 fully endowed scholarship to Winthrop. In the year 2002, he received the heart trouble and had . 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. Scoring in a world championship game is about the ultimate as far as a player is concerned.. 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. Jerry Richardson got his heart transplanted in the year 2009. 1 pick, Jalen Carter arrest throws Bears a hittable curve, NFL Combine notes: Illini CB Witherspoon the complete package, Trade down? The braver players like linebacker Kevin Greene and Delhomme would call him Big Cat. He was Mister Richardson to nearly everyone else in the building at Bank of America Stadium, with many shortening that name to simply Mister when referring to the team owner. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Conservative by nature, Richardson once cautioned Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton against getting tattoos and piercings after drafting the quarterback No. 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 was not a close personal friend at the time. It didnt go well for Hornets, Galen Youngs family upset after the woman who caused his death gets no prison time, At age 72, Dom Capers looks back and forward as he rejoins the Carolina Panthers, An astonishing legacy: Steve Joyner has coached basketball for 45 years at J.C. Smith, An island of misfit toys: Reich and original Panthers had unforgettable year in 1995, Sources: Former Panthers coach Matt Rhule seeks $5 million from team in arbitration suit, Panthers founder, former owner Jerry Richardson leaves behind a complicated legacy, Carolina Panthers founder and former owner Jerry Richardson dies at 86, A controversial history: Timeline of Jerry Richardsons life, career and team ownership, Panthers great Greg Olsen named his son after late team owner Jerry Richardson, Social media recounts Jerry Richardsons Panthers legacy the good and the bad, Former Panthers coach, players react to Panthers founder Jerry Richardsons death, From the archives: Carolinas NFL dream comes true. 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. His survivors include his wife Rosalind and two of their three children Mark and Ashley. 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 promise came close to coming true during the 2003 season. It was widely assumed Richardson would hold onto the team until his death. Heather ODonnell of the Chicago social services agency Thresholds says the money is an opportunity to really build up substance use care.. 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. 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.. He and I spent a tremendous amount of time talking about his vision for what the Panthers could do for the Carolinas. 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. He attended Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where he was a star tight end, and still holds the school's single-game record for receiving yards (241 against Newberry College in 1956). "I didn't pay any attention to it. 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. 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. But Richardson also showed compassion for his players. Here's everything we know, Everything you need to know about Geno Smith's contract negotiations, The most memorable pre-NFL draft workouts ever: Coaches, scouts, execs make their picks, 2023 NFL franchise tag tracker: Raiders tag Josh Jacobs, the NFL's rushing leader. I said, Yes sir, it did. He said, thats a good thing everything will be OK. And then he hung up the phone.. 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. Jerry Richardson family: Who are wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson and 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. To see what the Panthers are today, that's truly a testament to his vision.". "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. Richardson is survived by his wife, Rosalind, son Mark and daughter Ashley Richardson Allen. "The odds against us were huge. He was 86. Using his championship game bonus as seed money, he opened his first Hardee's restaurant in Spartanburg. Richardson was hospitalized in the year 2008 in Carolinas Medical Center. 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 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. 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. Richardson was well liked by his players. 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. His survivors include his wife Rosalind and two of their three children Mark and Ashley. 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. 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. On Thursday afternoon, the Carolina Panthers announced the passing of team founder and former owner Jerry Richardson. Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Jerry Richardson, former Baltimore Colts wide receiver who founded and 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. Early life and college [ edit] Richardson was born in Spring Hope, North Carolina. 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. 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. 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. Please check your email for a confirmation. 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. 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. Richardson was born in his familys home in Spring Hope, in the eastern part of North Carolina, on July 18, 1936. The team said that moving the statue is in the interest of public safety. It has never returned. Then, in his rolling Southern. He was 86. The sale of the Panthers for a reported $2.275 billion followed the scandal that was uncovered by Sports Illustrated magazine in December 2017. He sold the team to Tepper, a hedge fund owner, in May 2018 for a then-NFL record $2.27 billion. 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. During its very 1st season, he triumphed over the NFL Super Bowl. 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. Together they have three children and their names are Ashley Richardson Allen, Mark, and Jon. How Panthers Owner Jerry Richardson Turned A $4,700 NFL Bonus Into A . 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. 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. 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. 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. Jerome Johnson Richardson Sr. (July 18, 1936 - March 1, 2023) was an American businessman, football player, and owner in the National Football League (NFL). 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. Funeral services will be private. Two months after going on the donor waiting list, Richardson, then 72, received his transplant on Super Bowl Sunday in 2009 during a five-hour procedure at Carolinas Medical Center. Richardson became the first former NFL player to own a team since the Bears George Halas when he landed the expansion Panthers in 1993. He was 86. After he had a heart transplant in Charlotte in 2009, Richardson lived for 14 more years. Panthers founder, former owner Jerry Richardson dies at 86 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. He overcame prostate cancer and underwent quadruple bypass surgery in 2002. It was a miracle. But the workplace misconduct scandal changed that timetable, and Richardson spent the last five years of his life without owning the team that had defined a large part of his business career. Jerry Richardson's Wife, Marriage & Relationship Richardson is married to Rosalind Sallenger Richardson. Being born on 18 July 1936, Jerry Richardson is 86 years old as of today's date 2nd March 2023. Richardson served on several high-level owners committees, playing a key role in labor negotiations with the players union. Jerry Richardson Wife, Age, Wiki, Biography, Cause Of Death, Parents Carolina Panthers founder Jerry Richardson passes away at 86 Lets just say I wasnt bursting with optimism, Richardson told The Observer in a 1995 story. 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. 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. That kind of attention to detail was not unlike his days as owner of the Panthers, in which he'd approve particulars of landscaping plans (native plants from each state on the north and south sides of the stadium to represent the two Carolinas) and the paint job on the field. Richardsons tenure was marred by off-field issues. Category: Richest Business. 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. His other. Lawmakers and others should not seek to undo laws meant to protect people from gun violence. 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. 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. His contributions to Wofford to date total more than $260 million, including capital upgrades. "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. The David and Nicole Tepper Foundation supported the first-of-its-kind in Mecklenburg County project, which offers urgent care for behavioral health needs. That never deterred me. But Richardson still had the $4,864 bonus he earned from the Colts 1959 championship. Richardson was . On game days, he'd ride around Bank of America Stadium in his golf cart, greeting fans and taking pictures, relishing the moments. And in 2014 star defensive end Greg Hardy was placed on a commissioner's exempt list after he was accused of allegedly throwing his girlfriend on to furniture and threatening to kill her. 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. Panthers owner David Tepper comments on Jerry Richardson's passing The NFL expansion process was painstaking. It was truly a special experience to play a part in the culmination of his efforts to bring football to the Carolinas. He also had a policy where fans couldnt remove their shirts during games. How could you ever forget that? Richardson said in the 1995 interview with The Observer. "I never thought about not getting a franchise," Richardson said, expressing his trademark confidence. Richardson would set several Wofford receiving records on his way to a career that led the school to retire his football number. He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful. 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. I have the ultimate American dream, it couldnt be better for me. 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. Info. Because of his imposing build and status as a former NFL player, Richardson engendered a level of respect not often accorded to NFL owners. While hitchhiking with some Wofford friends at Pawleys Island, S.C., during the summer of 1957, he met a Winthrop student and former Florence High cheerleader named Rosalind Sallenger. He began the Carolina Panthers franchise, which he owned from 1995 to 2018. 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. Panthers founder, former owner Jerry Richardson dies at 86 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. The team called the statue a public safety hazard at the time, citing the nightly social justice marches then occurring in Charlotte.