Jerry Richardson – Former Carolina Panthers Owner
The man who began it all.
When the NFL was examining potential expansion destinations, Jerry Richardson was front and center regarding his desire to bring a football team to Charlotte at long last. A relentless campaign followed before the final decision was made, which saw him become the first-ever owner of the Carolina Panthers and shift the landscape of sports in the region.
Richardson couldn’t have dreamed for a better start with an immediate Super Bowl push that ended agonizingly short. The Panthers never had back-to-back winning seasons under his leadership, but there was plenty to celebrate along the way.
Of course, the methods in which Richardson was running the show were suspect behind the scenes. Something that would later force him to sell the team he loved to billionaire David Tepper.
A damning investigative report from Sports Illustrated at the time revealed all.
"“During its own investigation in the weeks prior, SI learned that on multiple occasions when Richardson’s conduct has triggered complaints—for sexual harassment against female employees and for directing a racial slur at an African American employee—he has taken a leaf from a playbook he’s deployed in the past: Confidential settlements were reached and payments were made to complainants, accompanied by non-disclosure and non-disparagement clauses designed to shield the owner and the organization from further liability and damaging publicity.”"
Richardson’s tenure in Carolina ended in disgrace and his statue was even removed from outside Bank of America Stadium. The self-made man who became a local hero sloped off into the wilderness without so much as a thank you.
Nobody will ever condone the accusations against Richardson. But few would deny that he isn’t one of the most influential Panthers ever and things have been sliding on a downward curve ever since Tepper took over the reins.