Skip to main content
Advertising

Jerry Richardson to address owners, say farewell

Jerry Richardson, the outgoing owner of the Carolina Panthers, will make the final rounds Tuesday in Atlanta during the NFL's Spring League Meeting.

Richardson is expected to briefly address the owners and say farewell before the sale of the Panthers to David Tepper is approved, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported.

While Richardson will make his final appearance at an owners meeting, Tepper spent a majority of Monday night with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, according to Rapoport.

Richardson, 81, has owned the Panthers for the entirety of the franchise's existence, which began in 1993 when he and investors purchased the right to start the team for a reported $206 million.

Tepper, whose net worth is estimated by Forbes at $11 billion, will purchase the Panthers for $2.275 billion, with $2.2 billion of the transaction to be paid in cash. The price tag established a new record for the sale of a sports franchise in the U.S.

The sale of the Panthers is "expected to sail through" the league vote, but won't be finalized until July, NFL Network's Judy Battista reported.

Richardson announced in December he was selling the team after the league took over an investigation looking into allegations of workplace misconduct against him. The Panthers officially went up for sale following the team's wild-card loss in January.

Richardson ceded day-to-day control of the team in December to Tina Becker, a 20-year employee of the team who was promoted to chief operating officer. Richardson, 81, remains under NFL investigation.

This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be missing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an issue.

Related Content