I dont have any hobbies. NFL draft questions for teams in the top 10: Will the Colts trade up? After he had a heart transplant in Charlotte in 2009, Richardson lived for 14 more years. The Panthers were impressed with the Alabama quarterback after meeting him this week, and they've acknowledged the possibility of trading up to get in position for him. Jerry Richardson is Businessman, public benefactor, former NFL player from Spring Hope, North Carolina, United States. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's cap hit might be rising in 2023, but owner Jerry Jones believes his quarterback has the ability to bridge the gap in any talent the roster might lose because of it. "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 never addressed the allegations against him publicly. In every case he had one purpose: asking for advice and learning what it was that was wanted from member teams and owners.. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images). 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. 1 pick, Jalen Carter arrest throws Bears a hittable curve, NFL Combine notes: Illini CB Witherspoon the complete package, Trade down? Info. Quarterback Jake Delhomme, who led the Panthers to their first Super Bowl in the 2003 season, said Richardson was well respected in the locker room and great to me and every player who played for him.. It was a stormy night, she said then. Richardson served on several high-level owners committees, playing a key role in labor negotiations with the players union. "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. 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. Conservative by nature, Richardson once cautioned Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton against getting tattoos and piercings after drafting the quarterback No. 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. 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. Id call it sticking to your convictions.. 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. ''I'm literally at a loss of words. He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful. . 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. Richardson was born in Spring Hope, North Carolina, in 1936. He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful.. He was fined $2.75 million by the NFL after an extensive investigation into the allegations following a story by Sports Illustrated in which four former employees anonymously stated they reached a financial settlement with Richardson in exchange for silence. Jerry Richardson's Wife, Marriage & Relationship Richardson is married to Rosalind Sallenger Richardson. 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. 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. During its very 1st season, he triumphed over the NFL Super Bowl. This story was originally published March 2, 2023, 3:51 PM. We wish them much peace and comfort.. His mother worked as a sales clerk at a womens dress shop. Jerome Johnson Richardson Sr. (July 18, 1936 - March 1, 2023) was an American businessman, football player, and owner in the National Football League (NFL). Richardson, a North. Sports columnist Scott Fowler has written for The Charlotte Observer since 1994. Unitas took a personal interest in Richardson, picking up the young receiver every morning on his way to practice and bringing him home at the end of the day. 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. Fowler has earned 20 national APSE writing awards and hosted The Observers podcast Carruth, which Sports Illustrated named 2018s Podcast of the Year. His new podcast and online series is called Sports Legends of the Carolinas and features 1-on-1 interviews with NC and SC sports icons. Using his championship game bonus as seed money, he opened his first Hardee's restaurant in Spartanburg. Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. He was a married man. Richardson served on several high-level owners committees, playing a key role in labor negotiations with the players' union. I was told, 'You can't make money selling hamburgers for 15 cents.' The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. The Richardsonslived in North Carolina their entire lives. Following his heart transplant, Richardson remained active in league business. "I was able to become the player that I became because of him, because he encouraged and motivated me to Keep Pounding. 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. Mar 02, 2023 at 01:47 PM. "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. We wish them much peace and comfort.". Here you will get Jerry Richardson's net worth, weight, height net worth, girlfriend, educational qualification and complete bio. Carruth was imprisoned for 16 years. Being born on 18 July 1936, Jerry Richardson is 86 years old as of today's date 2nd March 2023. He was 86.. He believed in me when no one else did. 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. 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 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. Prosecutors dismissed domestic violence charges against Hardy after they said the accuser in the case couldnt be found. Playing for the Browns that day was offensive tackle Mike McCormack, whom Richardson would later hire as the Panthers first president. Scoring in a world championship game is about the ultimate as far as a player is concerned.. It was expected at the time one of the boys might inherit the team, but that never happened. To see what the Panthers are today, that's truly a testament to his vision.". Richardson, after numerous accusations of workplace misconduct, sold the Panthers to Tepper back in 2018. Richardson and Rosalind moved into an apartment close to Memorial Stadium in Baltimore with their infant son, Jon. 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. Will Buffalo Bills' Nyheim Hines be fined for 'Santa's Helpers' elf cleats during Chicago Bears Christmas tie? Richardson was insistent on his stadium being financed privately. Also Read: Who was Jerry Richardson? Theres nothing Id rather do with my time than be supportive of the Carolina Panthers.. Richardson is survived by his wife, Rosalind, son Mark and daughter Ashley Richardson Allen. They have three children. Richardsons tenure was marred by off-field issues. 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 when you get to some of them, the word moves fast to the rest of them.. 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. 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. 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. The Richardsons have a total of nine grandchildren. 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. The following month the NFL fined Richardson $2.75 million for alleged workplace misconduct. By continuing to use our website, you agree to our. About the time he came into this world, thunder burst and lightning flashed. Sister-in-law never calls her late husbands sister and is dismissive of her grief. 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. "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. 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. 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. After he had a heart transplant in Charlotte in 2009, Richardson lived for 14 more years. 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. Nicole and I extend our deepest condolences to Rosalind, the entire Richardson family, and their loved ones. I work, I go home, he said. Although Richardson once promised the Panthers would win a Super Bowl within 10 years of beginning play in 1995, they never did. Rosalind Sallenger, Richardsons wife, also studied at Winthrop University in the late 1950s. As a football fan, he has naming rights to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte's football field. Richardson died peacefully Wednesday night at his Charlotte home, the team said in a statement. And during Richardson's tenure as owner he always made sure the NFL logo instead of his team's was at midfield of Bank of America Stadium. 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.. "The NFL community is deeply saddened by the passing of Jerry Richardson. He sold the team to Tepper, a hedge fund owner, in May 2018 for a then-NFL record $2.27 billion. The concept was simple cheap hamburgers, served to the masses and wildly successful. What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? Condolences to Rosalind, Ashley, & Mark and the Richardson family.. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton). Rosalind Sallenger Richardson; the wife of former player and current team owner, Jerome Johnson Richardson, simply known as Jerry Richardson; he is the owner of the Carolina Panthers. Richardson would set several Wofford receiving records on his way to a career that led the school to retire his football number. Darin Gantt. "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. (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. 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. "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. Who was Jerry Richardson? Read what head coach Frank Reich said to the media during his press conference at the Combine on Wednesday. Mr. Richardson is a native Carolinian, whose dream was to bring NFL football and the world championship he knew as a player in the . People had said it was 150-to-1, 200-to-1. 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. 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. 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. Please keep the Richardson family in your prayers today! ", "Jerry Richardson gave me my first opportunity to be a head coach, and I'll always be thankful for that. I'd been here for one season and we'd won six games. I said, Yes sir, it did. He said, thats a good thing everything will be OK. And then he hung up the phone.. A new home for Michael Thomas? "And he went above and beyond to bring comfort to a family at its toughest time.". Nicole and I extend our deepest condolences to Rosalind, the entire Richardson family, and their loved ones. He also had a policy where fans weren't allowed to remove their shirts during games. Chad Reuter provides a stock report from Indianapolis. Richardsons catch came in the horseshoe end of Memorial Stadium, where the rowdier Colts fans congregated. Richardson packed up, left the Colts training camp and pointed his Oldsmobile station wagon toward the Carolinas. He is survived by his wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson and three children Ashley, Jon, and Mark. He was 86. 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. 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. 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.". Former Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson has died at age 86. 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. Entering the last preseason game before final cuts, Richardson and Michigan States John Lewis were battling for the final receiver spot. They have a daughter named Ashley and a son named Mark in addition to their son Jon, who passed away in 2013. The sale of the Panthers for a reported $2.275 billion followed the scandal that was uncovered by Sports Illustrated magazine in December 2017. But Richardson still had the $4,864 bonus he earned from the Colts 1959 championship. He was 86. The Panthers' 2017 Tree Lighting at Bank of America Stadium. Richardson kept a game ball from the championship game and a pair of Unitas cleats in the basement of his Charlotte home. He ultimately became a millionaire and used that money to purchase the Panthers for $206 million. Then, in his rolling Southern. It was truly a special experience to play a part in the culmination of his efforts to bring football to the Carolinas. In 2009, he had a successful heart transplant at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. When he owned the team, Richardson would often refer back to the lessons learned selling hamburgers. 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 has authored or co-authored eight books, including four about the Carolina Panthers. 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. On Thursday afternoon, the Carolina Panthers announced the passing of team founder and former owner Jerry Richardson. In 2000, wide receiver Rae Carruth, the teams first-round draft pick in 1997, was convicted on a murder conspiracy charge in connection with the drive-by shooting death of his pregnant girlfriend. Sign up for the Panthers Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Carruth was imprisoned for 16 years. 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. All about former Carolina Panthers owners, net worth, statue, scandals and more.