4 legacy-defining moments of Carolina Panthers founder Jerry Richardson
By Dean Jones
What were some legacy-defining moments for Carolina Panthers founder Jerry Richardson, who passed away this week aged 86?
There was an outpouring of grief and tributes from everyone associated with the Carolina Panthers after the team confirmed founder and first owner Jerry Richardson passed away. He was 86 years old.
Richardson’s time with the Panthers ended under a cloud, forcing him to sell the team to David Tepper for a then-record $2.2 billion. Even so, there were some good moments and it’s clear from comments in the immediate aftermath of his death that he was held in high regard by players, coaches, and front-office figures alike.
Influential figures such as Tepper, commissioner Roger Goodell led the tributes for Richardson, whose funeral will be a family affair before a bigger celebration of life in the near future.
With that being said, here are four legacy-defining moments that fans will remember most about Richardson.
Defining Moment No. 1
Carolina Panthers hired John Fox
After an impressive start to life as an expansion franchise, the Carolina Panthers drifted somewhat. This meant Jerry Richardson was forced into drastic measures and a gamble that would define the organization throughout the early 2000s.
The owner took a chance on John Fox as Carolina’s next head coach, who was New York Giants’ defensive coordinator at the time. What came next was some of the best times in the history of Panthers football, even if it didn’t come with an elusive first Super Bowl success.