Social media recounts Jerry Richardson’s Panthers legacy — the good and the bad
READ MORE
Jerry Richardson dead at 86
The Carolina Panthers founder and former owner died on March 1, 2023. He owned the franchise from its inception in 1995 until 2018 when he sold it to David and Nicole Tepper.
Expand All
Carolina Panthers founder and former owner Jerry Richardson died Wednesday at 86.
People — from longtime fans to journalists who once interviewed Richardson — took to Twitter to recount memories of the man who paved the way for the Panthers to join the National Football League in 1995. He sold the team after an NFL investigation found Richardson guilty of workplace misconduct. David Tepper bought the Panthers from Richardson for a record-setting $2.275 billion in 2018.
While still taking to social media to remember Richardson, commenters cautioned people not to dismiss the coach’s troublesome past, including accusations of sexually harassing women and using a racial slur. An NFL investigation substantiated many allegations raised in a 2017 Sports Illustrated report and uncovered “similar matters that have not been the subject of public discussion,” according to a 2018 press release.
Others said they hoped his death would reignite conversations about harassment in sports.
Former Panthers coach Ron Rivera, who led the team to a Super Bowl appearance in 2015, recounted his time in Charlotte. After the team was sold and the Panthers fired him, Rivera became Washington Commanders’ head coach.
Tepper in a statement said Richardson’s contributions to professional football in the Carolinas are historic.
“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,” the Panthers owner and wife, Nicole, said in a statement. “He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful. Nicole and I extend our deepest condolences to Rosalind, the entire Richardson family, and their loved ones. We wish them much peace and comfort.”
Before he transitioned into a business career, the Baltimore Colts drafted Richardson in 1959.
In 2009, Richardson had a heart transplant before finishing nine more years as the team’s owner.
This story was originally published March 2, 2023 at 4:47 PM.
