Tag: Jerry Richardson

It’s deja vu for Commanders head coach Ron Rivera

Ron Rivera is familiar with what he’s facing in 2023.

It’s deja vu for Commanders head coach Ron Rivera.

He has no doubt, previously been down this familiar road. Rivera has raised eyebrows at times with his responses with the media during his time in Washington. However, he may actually be the right coach for this time in the Commanders transition to new ownership.

The Carolina Panthers were 2-14 for the 2010 season. Rivera was subsequently hired to replace John Fox. Rivera was not naive. He had been in the NFL long enough as a player and assistant coach to know Fox could certainly coach, having led the Panthers to 11 wins twice, 12 wins once and an NFC championship before losing the Super Bowl on a last-second Adam Vinatieri field goal.

Fast forward eight seasons to 2018. The Panthers had a new owner in David Tepper. In 2019, the Panthers struggling on their way to a 5-11 season, Tepper was ready for a change. He was ready to hire his own head coach.

Rivera came to Washington in 2020 and has coached the team to 7-9, 7-10 and 8-8-1 seasons. Longtime owner Daniel Snyder is on the way out, ready to sell. How long will the new owner want to stay with Ron Rivera?

It’s not an enviable position for Rivera. He must win big or will be shown the door. Many fans and some in the media will be unfair to Rivera regardless of what he does. If he does not trade the next two No. 1 draft choices and pay $35 million for Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, he doesn’t want to win badly enough and is, in their eyes, a buffoon.

On the other hand, perhaps the new owner will not want to take over a team with no cap room and no first-round choices in 2023 or 2024. In one sense, next year’s money and next year’s choices are actually not Rivera’s. They are the next owner’s property and right to do with as he chooses.

As teenagers never realize until later, it is one thing to order a meal for yourself. It’s quite another as the responsible adult to pay for all of the family’s meal with your own hard-earned money.

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Panthers great Cam Newton honors late Jerry Richardson

Panthers legend Cam Newton honored the late Jerry Richardson in a touching post on Friday morning.

With questions surrounding his one year of experience as a Division I starter and “lack” of run in a pro-style offense, Cam Newton was no slam dunk to go atop the 2011 NFL draft. Nonetheless, Jerry Richardson and the Carolina Panthers took the chance on him.

And for that, Newton—as he expressed once again in a post on Friday morning—has always been grateful.

Here’s what he had to say about Richardson, who passed at the age of 86 on Wednesday night:

Newton made the most out of that opportunity he earned from Richardson and the Panthers—as he became one of, if not the greatest player the team has ever rostered. The former No. 1 overall pick holds franchise records for passing yards (29,725), passing touchdowns (186) and rushing touchdowns (63) while being the only player in Carolina’s 28-year history to be named Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year.

He also took Richardson’s Panthers to their second-ever (and last) Super Bowl appearance back in that decorated 2015 campaign.

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Former Panthers react to passing of team founder Jerry Richardson

A number of former Panthers are honoring Jerry Richardson, who passed away at the age of 86 on Wednesday night.

Carolina Panthers founder and first-ever team owner Jerry Richardson died at the age of 86 on Wednesday night.

Numerous individuals from the franchise’s past, and some of the present, took to social media on Thursday and honored the man they knew as “Big Cat.” Here, as they continue to pour in, are their tributes:

Panthers owner David Tepper releases statement on Jerry Richardson’s passing

Panthers owner David Tepper released a statement regarding the passing of team founder Jerry Richardson on Thursday.

On Thursday afternoon, the Carolina Panthers announced the passing of team founder and former owner Jerry Richardson. With the news also came a statement from current owner David Tepper and wife Nicole, who thanked Richardson for what he had done for them and the organization.

The statement reads:

“Jerry Richardson’s contributions to professional football in the Carolinas are historic. With the arrival of the Panthers in 1995, he changed the landscape of sports in the region and gave NFL fans here a team to call their own. He was incredibly gracious to me when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful. Nicole and I extend our deepest condolences to Rosalind, the entire Richardson family, and their loved ones. We wish them much peace and comfort.”

Richardson, after numerous accusations of workplace misconduct, sold the Panthers to Tepper back in 2018. The team went for a then NFL record $2.275 billion.

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Former Panthers owner Jerry Richardson dies

The Carolina Panthers’ first and former owner Jerry Richardson has died at the age of 86.

On Thursday afternoon, the Carolina Panthers announced the passing of former owner Jerry Richardson. Richardson, 86, died at his home in Charlotte.

The Panthers’ patriarch was born in the small town of Spring Hope, N.C. in 1936. He attended high school in nearby Fayetteville and moved down south to play football at Wofford College.

Richardson, a 6-foot-3 flanker/halfback, stills holds his university’s records for most receiving yards in a game (242) as well as most receiving touchdowns in a season (nine) and a career (21). He was then selected by the Baltimore Colts in the 13th round of the 1958 NFL Draft.

His subsequent pro career lasted just two seasons, one of which saw him lay claim to an NFL Championship in 1959. He’d use the bonus money from the victory to help launch his next endeavor —as a part-owner of a Hardee’s franchise in Spartanburg, S.C.

After then founding and selling Spartan Food Systems and connecting with NationsBank (later known as Bank of America) chairman Hugh McColl, Richardson established the Panthers as an NFL franchise in 1993. Carolina was unanimously selected as the league’s first expansion team in almost three decades, making Richardson the first former NFL player to become an NFL owner since George Halas.

While inspiring, Richardson’s legacy is also a complicated one. In December of 2017, an exposé by Sports Illustrated revealed multiple accusations of workplace misconduct against the then 81-year-old. Per the report, at least four employees received “significant” monetary settlements to remain silent about inappropriate actions from Richardson, including sexually suggestive behavior and racial insensitivity.

Richardson was then forced to sell the team shortly after in 2018. The franchise was sold to current owner David Tepper for a then NFL record of $2.275 billion.

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Ron Rivera, the man in ‘Command’

Ron Rivera talks John Madden, and tells the origins of “Riverboat Ron.”

How did Ron Rivera become “Riverboat Ron?”

Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera aka “Riverboat Ron” recounted the story Friday as a guest on Pro Football Talk with host Mike Florio.

As a high school football player, he and his friends were out one day in Monterey, California, when suddenly Rivera spotted this large man and his family together. It was Oakland Raiders head coach John Madden. Rivera approached him, introduced himself, they chatted briefly and Rivera told Madden he was going to play in the NFL someday. To which Madden responded, encouraging Rivera to follow his dream, signing an autograph for Rivera. Rivera still possesses Madden’s autograph in an old scrapbook.

30 years later, Rivera had been a head coach for two seasons with the Carolina Panthers. Panthers owner Jerry Richardson advised Rivera he needed a mentor, instructing Rivera his good friend was expecting Rivera’s call. Richardson’s friend was none other than John Madden.

Rivera telephoned Madden and was told directly that he was only 3-13 in games decided by 6 points or less. Madden encouraged Rivera to look at those games again, asking himself what he could do differently. Following Madden’s advice, watching the film, taking notes on those games, resulted in about a 15-to-20-page report.

Rivera traveled to Madden, bringing the report for Madden to see, only to be told by Madden the report was not for Madden, but for Rivera, asking, “What did YOU learn?” Rivera felt perhaps he had been too safe, to which Madden responded, “Ron, there is no book. You’ve coached enough, you’ve played enough, go from your gut.” Thus “Riverboat Ron” was born, the man willing to gamble when his gut tells him, it is time.

Florio inquired how quarterbacks are more available today than in previous decades and Rivera agreed, pointing to Detroit letting Matthew Stafford go to the Rams for his opportunity to win a Super Bowl, while the Lions have an opportunity to build through the draft choices obtained in the trade.

Would Washington like to do something like that this offseason? “Yes, if the right situation is available, we want to get in on it,” expressed Rivera.

Wearing the new burgundy and gold Commanders’ jacket, Rivera spoke of the Commanders developing and building their own culture. However, the former Chicago Bear linebacker was quick to point out that Joe Gibbs accomplished so much in the past for Washington, winning three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks. Remembering their great teams Rivera spoke of needing to honor them for their great accomplishments.

He spoke of the NFL owners needing to hire more minorities but also voiced current coaches and front office personnel perhaps need to be introducing owners to other minorities more often along the way.

Florio inquired as to the overtime rule that permits the team first on offense to win the game right away. Rivera understands that can happen, but feels defenses need to make something happen in the overtime. Rivera spoke of fans not complaining about the rule when the defense makes something happen in the overtime period.

Washington coach Ron Rivera has experience fixing a scandal-riddled organization

Ron Rivera worked through the scandal in Carolina and now has to do the same in Washington.

Talk about being in the wrong organization, not once but twice. That is how current Washington coach Ron Rivera has to feel.

In a text message to ESPN’s John Keim, first-year Washington coach Rivera said that the organization’s culture would change moving forward.

“Biggest thing is that we have to move forward from this and make sure everybody understands we have policies that we will follow and that we have an open door policy with no retribution,” Rivera said. “Plus my daughter works for the team and I sure as hell am not going to allow any of this!”

Rivera was coach of the Carolina Panthers when the scandal broke and original owner Jerry Richardson had to sell the team.

On December 17, 2017, Sports Illustrated reported that “at least four former Panthers employees have received ‘significant’ monetary settlements due to inappropriate workplace comments and conduct by owner Jerry Richardson, including sexually suggestive language and behavior, and on at least one occasion directing a racial slur at an African-American Panthers scout.” According to the anonymous sources which were the basis for the article, Richardson asked women in the team offices to “turn around so he could admire their backsides” on Casual Friday, among other “disturbing” office behavior.

Less than three years later, Rivera finds himself head coach of another team caught up in a massive scandal.

Former Washington Redskins employee Emily Applegate, and 14 other female employees who spoke on terms of anonymity, have alleged that the franchise has long worked under a toxic spell of serial sexual harassment and verbal abuse. More than one female sports reporter has added their names to that list.

Rivera was part of the process that righted the organization in Carolina. He seems to be an excellent person to be part of trying to rebuild what has become a disgraced Washington NFL franchise.

This comes days after the team announced it would find a new nickname despite controversial owner Daniel Snyder calling the current one a “badge of honor,” and saying he would “NEVER” change it. When companies threatened to pull millions out of their relationship with the team and Washington merchandise no longer being sold by massive businesses, that tune quickly changed.

 

4 ideas for the Panthers to replace the Jerry Richardson statue

Here are four ideas to take the place of Richardson’s likeness in front of the stadium.

Jerry Richardson has joined the ranks of Christopher Columbus, Edward Colston and Williams Carter Wickham. On Wednesday, the Carolina Panthers removed the statue of their former owner in front of their home at Bank of America Stadium.

Though the tremendously gaudy piece never should have been erected in the first place, kudos on the team for making the right decision to correct that mistake. That elephant-sized statue in the room, dedicated to a man accused of multiple instances of sexual and racial misconduct, was a sore spot for many fans anyway.

So, what happens next? While the Panthers have not disclosed whether or not the statue will return (it won’t), let’s conjure up some possibilities to replace it.

Here are four ideas to take the place of Richardson’s likeness in front of the stadium.

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Watch: Jerry Richardson statue gets lifted off Panthers’ property

The Panthers have removed the statue of former team owner Jerry Richardson from their property.

The Panthers have removed the statue of former team owner Jerry Richardson from their property.

Watch as a crane lifts the statue from its long-time perch in front of Bank of America Stadium onto a truck bed.

Richardson owned the team from its inception in 1995 to 2017, when he was pressured to sell to current owner David Tepper following a workplace misconduct scandal. The two panthers that flanked his statue are also being removed.

In a statement, the Panthers said that the statue is being moved to an undisclosed location in the interest of public safety.

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Why the Panthers are removing the statue of former owner Jerry Richardson from their stadium

The statue of Jerry Richardson is *finally* coming down, but not why you think.

The bad stretch for statues of old southern men rolls on.

Two years after former Panthers owner Jerry Richardson was forced to sell the team amid allegations of sexual harassment and racist remarks to employees, his statue outside Bank of American Stadium, which has been standing since 2016, is being removed. Joe Bruno of WSOC-TV in Charlotte was the first to report the news.

Richardson sold the Panther to current owner David Tepper, who told reporters he was “contractually obligated” to keep the statue in place as a part of his agreement to buy the team. It appears Tepper has found a way around that obligations.

The Panthers said the statue is coming down to prevent possible vandalism.

Richardson also made a “statement” that didn’t say much at all.

Given the timing and the events of the past few weeks across the country, it’s hard to imagine this doesn’t have anything to do with the behavior that led to Richardson being forced to sell the team.

Like every other NFL team, the Panthers put out a statement last week condemning racism in the wake of George Floyd’s death. It would have been awfully hard to take that statement seriously with a 13-foot statue of an accused racist standing outside of the stadium.

Whether or not the Panthers will re-erect the statue when these “safety concerns” are alleviated is unclear. Whether or not they should is very clear, however.