Panthers owner Jerry Richardson bangs ‘Keep Pounding’ drum

Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson took to the field Sunday evening to bang the massive “Keep Pounding” drum ahead of kickoff at Bank of America Stadium.

The Panthers’ entertainment department had kept the name of the drummer under wraps before the game, building up suspense among fans.

Richardson, 79, was the first former NFL player to become an owner when the NFL voted to award the Carolinas the league’s 29th franchise in late 1993, according to the Panthers.

This isn’t the first time Richardson’s joined in on popular Panthers trends. In December, he did Cam Newton’s signature celebratory dance – the dab – after the team’s 41-38 victory against the New Orleans Saints.

The Panthers started the “Keep Pounding” drum tradition in 2012. Past drummers have included Olympic gold medalists, Boston Marathon bombing survivors, Davidson College and NBA standout Steph Curry and veteran Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis. Katherine Peralta

This story was originally published January 24, 2016 at 7:20 PM.