Jerry Richardson
Encyclopedia
Jerry Richardson is the current majority owner and founder of the Carolina Panthers
of the National Football League
.
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. This followed a highly successful national and international career in the food industry.
A lifelong resident of the Carolinas, Richardson and his wife, Rosalind Sallenger Richardson, have two sons, Jon and Mark (who played football at UNC and Clemson, respectively), and a daughter, Ashley Richardson Allen, of Charlotte. The Richardsons have nine grandchildren and live in Charlotte. Two of Richardson's grandchildren have played varsity sports (football and volleyball) at Wofford College, his alma mater. At Wofford, Richardson was an exceptional student and athlete. He still holds most receiving records at the school, where he was a small-college All-American. Wofford retired his number in October, 2011.Richardson remains an active and generous supporter of Wofford College, including sponsoring the competitive and comprehensive Richardson Family Scholars program for outstanding students and athletes.
Richardson remains an active owner of the Panthers, but generally has allowed his front office staff and coaches to make decisions regarding player personnel and game strategy. He has always supported the Panthers in good and bad times, having never missed a Carolina home game until he was hospitalized before a December 8, 2008 Monday Night Football matchup against division rivals Tampa Bay. His connection with the team has led to the nickname "Big Cat". Richardson is well known for his calm and businesslike approach, and has played a prominent and respected role in negotiations between the NFL and NFL players.
http://www.panthers.com/media-vault/videos/Jerry-Richardson-Tribute/8ad37589-38a8-4922-a841-47ca98f70582
. Richardson, who had a history of heart trouble and had undergone quadruple bypass surgery in 2002, was placed on a donor waiting list for a new heart two days later. He received a new heart on February 1, 2009 and he is recovering well from the transplant.
He opened the first Hardee's
franchise in 1961 under Spartan Foods. The business expanded rapidly, under his hands-on management style. He later rose to CEO of Flagstar, controlling 2,500 restaurants and 100,000 employees, and retired in 1995. He has maintained some interests in the food industry, including Bojangles
Chicken.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1140299/1/index.htm
in which the Panthers had the first overall pick, Richardson asked Auburn
quarterback Cam Newton
to have a clean-cut appearance after Newton told Richardson he had no tattoos, piercings, and was thinking about growing his hair longer. Although this is similar to a policy the New York Yankees
has on all of its players, this gained some controversy on Richardson's part due to other players (most notably Steve Smith and Jeremy Shockey
) had visible tattoos and, in Shockey's case, had longer hair earlier in his career with the New York Giants
, with Richardson even being accused of racism
. Despite this, Newton agreed to Richardson's dress code policies as a condition of being drafted first overall, and the Panthers ultimately drafted Newton first overall in the draft.
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
Biography
Jerry Richardson is a native North Carolinian whose dream was to bring NFL football and the world championship he knew as a player with the Baltimore Colts of the NFL to his home region of the Carolinas. With the Panthers in their second decade, Richardson has firmly established the NFL in the Carolina landscape while dedicating his efforts to making the rest of his vision a reality. Mr. Richardson is the only person inducted into the sports and business halls of fame in both South Carolina and North Carolina.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. This followed a highly successful national and international career in the food industry.
A lifelong resident of the Carolinas, Richardson and his wife, Rosalind Sallenger Richardson, have two sons, Jon and Mark (who played football at UNC and Clemson, respectively), and a daughter, Ashley Richardson Allen, of Charlotte. The Richardsons have nine grandchildren and live in Charlotte. Two of Richardson's grandchildren have played varsity sports (football and volleyball) at Wofford College, his alma mater. At Wofford, Richardson was an exceptional student and athlete. He still holds most receiving records at the school, where he was a small-college All-American. Wofford retired his number in October, 2011.Richardson remains an active and generous supporter of Wofford College, including sponsoring the competitive and comprehensive Richardson Family Scholars program for outstanding students and athletes.
Richardson remains an active owner of the Panthers, but generally has allowed his front office staff and coaches to make decisions regarding player personnel and game strategy. He has always supported the Panthers in good and bad times, having never missed a Carolina home game until he was hospitalized before a December 8, 2008 Monday Night Football matchup against division rivals Tampa Bay. His connection with the team has led to the nickname "Big Cat". Richardson is well known for his calm and businesslike approach, and has played a prominent and respected role in negotiations between the NFL and NFL players.
http://www.panthers.com/media-vault/videos/Jerry-Richardson-Tribute/8ad37589-38a8-4922-a841-47ca98f70582
Personal life
Richardson was hospitalized in Charlotte at Carolinas Medical Center in early December 2008, one month after receiving a pacemakerPacemaker
An artificial pacemaker is a medical device that uses electrical impulses to regulate the beating of the heart.Pacemaker may also refer to:-Medicine:...
. Richardson, who had a history of heart trouble and had undergone quadruple bypass surgery in 2002, was placed on a donor waiting list for a new heart two days later. He received a new heart on February 1, 2009 and he is recovering well from the transplant.
He opened the first Hardee's
Hardee's
Hardee's is a restaurant chain, located mostly in the Southeast and Midwestern regions of the United States. It has evolved through several corporate ownerships since its establishment in 1960. It is currently owned and operated by CKE Restaurants. Along with its sibling restaurant chain, Carl's...
franchise in 1961 under Spartan Foods. The business expanded rapidly, under his hands-on management style. He later rose to CEO of Flagstar, controlling 2,500 restaurants and 100,000 employees, and retired in 1995. He has maintained some interests in the food industry, including Bojangles
Bojangles
Bojangles or Mr. Bojangles may refer to:* Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, a famous African-American tap dance and movie performer* "Bojangles of Harlem", a 1936 song form the Fred Astaire movie Swing Time, a tribute to Bill Robinson and other African-american tap dancers* Bojangles, a jazz play by Ben...
Chicken.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1140299/1/index.htm
Controversy
Prior to the 2011 NFL Draft2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
in which the Panthers had the first overall pick, Richardson asked Auburn
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
quarterback Cam Newton
Cam Newton
Cameron Lemark Newton is a former American football safety. He played college football at Furman University, then played two seasons in the NFL, one each for the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers. He was cut from the Panthers before the 2007 season...
to have a clean-cut appearance after Newton told Richardson he had no tattoos, piercings, and was thinking about growing his hair longer. Although this is similar to a policy the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
has on all of its players, this gained some controversy on Richardson's part due to other players (most notably Steve Smith and Jeremy Shockey
Jeremy Shockey
Jeremy Charles Shockey is an American football tight end for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants 14th overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
) had visible tattoos and, in Shockey's case, had longer hair earlier in his career with the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, with Richardson even being accused of racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
. Despite this, Newton agreed to Richardson's dress code policies as a condition of being drafted first overall, and the Panthers ultimately drafted Newton first overall in the draft.