The massive statue that resides outside Bank of America commemorating former owner Jerry Richardson is no more. Richardson became the owner of the Carolina Panthers on October 26, 1993. It was the NFL’s 29th franchise.
Richardson owned the team for 24 years until a Sports Illustrated piece was released that reported “at least four former Panthers employees had received ‘significant’ monetary settlements due to inappropriate workplace comments.
The comments and conduct by Jerry Richardson included “sexually suggestive language and behavior, and on at least one occasion directing a racial slur at an African-American Panthers scout,” according to the New York Times.
Richardson allegedly asked women in the team offices to “turn around so he could admire their backsides” among other office behavior that was only described as disturbing.
The same day as the allegations, Richardson announced that he would sell the Panthers franchise at the conclusion of the season. He went on to finalize a sale to David Tepper for $2.2 billion.
With statues being removed across the country due allegations of racial bias and other misconduct, Richardson’s 13-foot memorial flanked by two panthers has been removed as well.
Richardson received the statue as a gift for his 80th birthday.
From the Carolina #Panthers: "We were aware of the most recent conversation surrounding the Jerry Richardson statue and are concerned there may be attempts to take it down. We are moving the statue"#NFL #NFLTwitter #Carolina #KeepPounding #News #Sports pic.twitter.com/2GWaKmr799
— Gabriel Schray (@schrayguy) June 11, 2020
This article cites information from NBC Sports, ESPN and the AP. For more sports, news and entertainment follow the Midwest Sports Network on Twitter @MWSNsports or like our page on Facebook.
