Jerry Richardson’s statue will stay: Is this a good or bad thing?
The Carolina Panthers must keep the Jerry Richardson statue up outside Bank of America Stadium…..
The statue of Jerry Richardson outside of Bank of America Stadium has been a topic of much debate over the past couple of days.
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In his introductory press conference as new owner of the Carolina Panthers, David Tepper said he was “contractually obligated” to keep the statue up and now we have a better idea as to why.
Per a report from Stephen Igoe of 247Sports, Tepper may have used generous terminology. As Igoe alludes to in a tweet from NFL Newtork Insider Ian Rapoport, Richardson made sure his statue would remain outside the stadium. Each of the prospective buyers’ contracts for the team had a term in it that stated the statue of Richardson would remain outside the stadium.
I understand there are mixed feelings about leaving the statue up. Some are happy that the statue is being left up. After all, Jerry Richardson was the man responsible for bringing football to the Carolinas. He quite literally was the founder of the franchise. The team was well-run, even in years where winning was a difficult proposition. The fact the Carolina Panthers made the Super Bowl twice under his ownership speaks for itself.
There are also people who want the statue to be taken down due to the findings of the National Football League and the black mark Richardson left at the end of his tenure. I certainly understand that side as well. Both sides have valid points.
I am in the latter group. Although Jerry Richardson did bring football back to the Carolinas, some people will not necessarily remember the good things he did, particularly the younger generation. Rather, they will remember the allegations at the end of his tenure. The Carolina Panthers should be allowed to take the statue down if they choose to. Especially with Tepper talking about turning the page, the statue seems out of place in this instance.
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Everyone has a right to their opinion. Richardson’s made sure his statue will stay. Whether or not that is the right decision remains to be seen.