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. 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. Richardson served on several high-level owners committees, playing a key role in labor negotiations with the players' union. Rest up my friend!''. Richardson was insistent on his stadium being financed privately. He was later released. ''I'm literally at a loss of words. NFL draft questions for teams in the top 10: Will the Colts trade up? Richardson served on several high-level owners committees, playing a key role in labor negotiations with the players union. CHARLOTTE, N.C (AP) 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 . He made millions in the business world in the food business, but it was football that made him happy. "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. Richardsons legacy was forever changed when Sports Illustrated magazine published an investigative report just minutes before kickoff on a Sunday the Panthers were hosting the Green Bay Packers Dec. 17, 2017. Following his heart transplant, Richardson remained active in league business. Nicole and I extend our deepest condolences to Rosalind, the entire Richardson family, and their loved ones. A lot of times people get to some level and they dont like to take a risk, he said. Cleveland Browns vs New Orleans Saints weather report: What is the temperature at FirstEnergy stadium? Richardson had a unique style of dealing with players, but generally was well-liked by those who played and coached under him. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. After he had a heart transplant in Charlotte in 2009, Richardson lived for 14 more years. Before that, Richardson was revered for bringing the Panthers to the NFL in 1995 and helping the team reach Super Bowls after the 2003 and 2015 seasons. Then, in his rolling Southern. He made the greatest gift in Wofford Colleges history in 2021 when he gave $150 million to the institution. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton). I am truly heartbroken and sad over the loss of my friend. "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. RIP Mr. Richardson pic.twitter.com/o27b6O5Czt. "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. We are saddened to hear about the passing of former owner Jerry Richardson, the Panthers said via Twitter on Thursday afternoon. The scholarship was meant to honor his wife and her commitment to the arts. "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. There, he began creating the emphasis on customer service that would carry over into his stewardship of his football team. Prosecutors dismissed domestic violence charges against Hardy after they said the accuser in the case couldnt be found. Richardson developed a friendship with some of his Panthers players -- some, like former wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad, would approach him for business advice when their career were over. A public celebration of his life will be held at a later date, with details to follow. 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. Richardson wanted $10,000 for the 61 season; the Colts offered $9,750. You cant get to all 2,000 of them, he said then of the companys restaurants. But as he stepped back from some of his day-to-day work with the team, his influence within the NFL remained large. Their country home had no indoor plumbing. Richardson was well liked by his players. 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. Rosalind Sallenger, Richardsons wife, also studied at Winthrop University in the late 1950s. 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. He was 86. Entering the last preseason game before final cuts, Richardson and Michigan States John Lewis were battling for the final receiver spot. 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. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images). That concept contributed more than $100 million to the stadiums eventual cost of around $187 million. 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. Scoring in a world championship game is about the ultimate as far as a player is concerned.. Photos: Carolina Panthers founder, former owner Jerry Richardson over the years, Support my work with a digital subscription, A nervous Kevin Durant debuts for Phoenix in Charlotte. People had said it was 150-to-1, 200-to-1. 1:08 Jerry Richardson, founder of the Carolina Panthers, has died. Sports columnist Scott Fowler has written for The Charlotte Observer since 1994. "And he went above and beyond to bring comfort to a family at its toughest time.". I dont have any hobbies. The team reached the Super Bowl in the 2003 and 2015 seasons, but lost both times. By continuing to use our website, you agree to our. 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. "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. A new home for Michael Thomas? ", "Jerry Richardson gave me my first opportunity to be a head coach, and I'll always be thankful for that. Jerome "Jerry" Richardson, the founding owner of the Carolina Panthers franchise, passed away on Wednesday night at his Charlotte home at the age of 86. Panthers founder, former owner, Baltimore Colts player Jerry Richardson But Richardson's reputation took a tremendous hit when he announced he was selling the Panthers on Dec. 17, 2017, -- the same day Sports Illustrated reported that four former Panthers employees received significant monetary settlements due to inappropriate sexually suggestive language and actions by Richardson. That concept was iffy enough that well-known oddsmaker Danny Sheridan gave Charlotte 50-1 odds of getting an NFL team in 1989. 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. Early life and college [ edit] Richardson was born in Spring Hope, North Carolina. Can the Lions fix their defense? 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.. Richardson was . Jerry Richardson, the founder of the American football team Carolina Panthers, has died at the age of 86 He is survived by his wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson and three children - Ashley, Jon, and Mark Nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild are also included in his family Written By: Alfeeya Mohsin Pathan About the time he came into this world, thunder burst and lightning flashed. "I will always be grateful to him for the opportunity to coach the Carolina Panthers & for his patient, steadfast leadership during 7 seasons," Rivera posted. Carolina earned high marks in several key areas in survey, which rated various aspects of players' experience from strength coaches and the locker room to treatment of families. He is survived by his wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson and three children Ashley, Jon, and Mark. But Richardson still had the $4,864 bonus he earned from the Colts 1959 championship. Jerry Richardson family: Who are wife Rosalind Sallenger Richardson and He died at his home in Charlotte on Wednesday night, the team said in a statement Thursday. 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. Carolina began play in 1995 and Richardson quickly built the Panthers into one of the league's model franchises, while becoming a powerful figure in the NFL. With the arrival of the Panthers in 1995, he changed the landscape of sports in the region and gave NFL fans here a team to call their own. CHARLOTTE Jerry Richardson, the founder of the Carolina Panthers, passed away Wednesday night at age 86. Jerry Richardson entered Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, after completing high school in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Ralph Waclawicz/Call (212) 686-8900 or e-mail info@wireimage.com to license WireImage images. Please check your email for a confirmation. The following month the NFL fined Richardson $2.75 million for alleged workplace misconduct. He sold the team to Tepper, a hedge fund owner, in May 2018 for a then-NFL record $2.27 billion.