FROM WIKIPEDIA COMMONS
Jerome Johnson Richardson Sr. (July 18, 1936 – March 1, 2023) was an American businessman, football player, and owner in the National Football League (NFL). A native of Spring Hope, North Carolina, he played college football at Wofford and was twice a Little All-America selection. After graduating from there, he played two seasons in the NFL with the Baltimore Colts. Richardson later became a businessman, operating a Hardee’s location, founding Spartan Foods, and serving as the CEO at Flagstar. He began the Carolina Panthers, and served as its owner from its first season in 1995 until selling the franchise in 2018.
NFL CAREER
Drafted in the 13th round by the defending world champion Baltimore Colts, Richardson played two seasons in the NFL, earning Colt Rookie of the Year honors in 1959. He caught a touchdown pass in the 1959 NFL Championship Game from quarterback Johnny Unitas. He was traded from the Colts to the New York Giants for John Guzik on August 3, 1961.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
On October 26, 1993, Richardson became the first former NFL player since George Halas to become an owner when the Carolina Panthers were unanimously awarded the NFL’s 29th franchise. The Panthers have represented not only Charlotte and North Carolina, but the surrounding region; the area has benefited from the franchise’s success.
Richardson was regarded as one of the most powerful NFL owners, alongside Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys and Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots, respectively. Richardson played a role in locking out the NFL players in 2011 and in negotiating a new players agreement.
For the most part Richardson stayed in the background and rarely interfered in the Panthers’ day-to-day operations. For instance, when he fired George Seifert after the 2001 season (in which the Panthers went 1-15), he went nine years before holding another press conference at which he took questions from the media—when he announced that John Fox‘s contract would not be renewed.
In the 2015 season, Richardson’s Panthers reached Super Bowl 50 on February 7, 2016, after losing only one game all season. The Panthers fell to the Denver Broncos with a score of 24–10. At the company’s expense, the Panthers transported and housed a majority of their employees at the Super Bowl.
As Panthers majority owner, Richardson was said to be a “champion of diversity”, with African-American Cam Newton as starting quarterback and Hispanic Ron Rivera as head coach.
