Jerry Richardson

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Jerry Richardson (born July 11, 1936 in Spring Hope, North Carolina) is the current majority owner and founder of the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League.

[edit] Biography

[edit] Playing career

Richardson is a graduate of Fayetteville High School and Wofford College, where he played wide receiver and set several school records.

Richardson was taken in the thirteenth round of 1958 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts. His active playing career only lasted two years catching fifteen passes for 171 yards and four touchdowns. His most notable reception was in the 1959 NFL Championship Game win against the New York Giants, in which he caught a touchdown pass from Johnny Unitas.

[edit] Business career

Using his $3,500 check from the playoff games, Richardson partnered with Charles J. Bradshaw to form Spartan Foods, a food-service company which became the second--and ultimately the largest--franchisee of Hardee's restaurants. Spartan Foods later founded Quincy's Family Steakhouse and Dooley's Seafood Emporium. Spartan Foods was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1976. Through merger activities, Richardson became CEO of TW Services (later Flagstar) which operated Denny's and El Pollo Loco franchises in the Carolinas and Canteen Vending Service's which was sold to Compass Group PLC. Richardson put the earnings towards his lifelong goal of purchasing an NFL franchise.

[edit] Panthers Owner

Richardson began lobbying to bring an NFL team to his home state in 1988. When NFL owners unanimously selected Charlotte to host an expansion team in 1993 Richardson became the first former NFL player to own a team since George Halas of the Chicago Bears. Richardson pledged after the 1996 season that the Panthers would reach the Super Bowl within ten years. That pledge was honored when the Panthers reached Super Bowl XXXVIII to cap the 2003 season; however, they lost to the New England Patriots. The Panthers have also reached the NFC conference championships two other times: In 1997 they lost to the Green Bay Packers, the winner of Super Bowl XXXI; and in 2005 they lost to the Seattle Seahawks, who in turn lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL.

Richardson remains an active owner of the team, but generally has allowed his front office staff and coaches to make all 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".^[1]

[edit] Personal life

Richardson was hospitalized in Charlotte at Carolinas Medical Center in early December 2008, one month after receiving a pacemaker. Richardson, who had a history of heart trouble and had undergone quadruple bypass surgery in 2002^[2], was placed on a donor waiting list for a new heart two days later. He received a new heart on February 1, 2009 and his doctors report that he is recovering well from the transplant.^[3]

[edit] References