The NFL’s richest player Jerry Richardson reached billionaire status, becoming the league’s only one, before his legacy at the Carolina Panthers was tainted by controversy
12:30 ET, 25 Mar 2026Updated 12:30 ET, 25 Mar 2026
Jerry Richardson prior to the National Football League game between the New York Jets and the Carolina Panthers
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Jerry Richardson became the NFL's only former player to become a billionaire(Image: ©Icon Sportswire)
Jerry Richardson became the first-ever NFL player to become a billionaire, yet his remarkable ascent became clouded by a controversial ending.
Drafted in the 13th round by the defending NFL champion Baltimore Colts (now Indianapolis Colts), Richardson made an immediate impact, earning Colt Rookie of the Year honors in 1959 and catching a touchdown pass from quarterback Johnny Unitas in the NFL Championship Game that year. After two seasons, he was traded to the New York Giants for John Guzik.
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After his NFL career, Richardson used his 1959 championship bonus, with help from former Wofford quarterback Charles Bradshaw, to open the first Hardee’s in Spartanburg. He co-founded Spartan Foods, Hardee’s first franchisee, and later became CEO of Flagstar, the sixth-largest U.S. food service company, overseeing 2,500 restaurants and 100,000 employees before retiring in 1995. Meanwhile, Bryce Young has broken his silence on how the Carolina Panthers season ended.
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Richardson later made history off the field, becoming the first former NFL player since George Halas to own a team when the league unanimously awarded him the 29th franchise, the Carolina Panthers.
Richardson was long regarded as one of the NFL’s most influential owners, alongside Jerry Jones and Robert Kraft. He played a key role in the 2011 NFL lockout and in negotiating a new players’ agreement.
According to Statista, as of January 2023, Richardson was recognized as the richest former NFL player, with an estimated net worth of $2 billion. Trailing him were former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach at $600 million, and former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton at $300 million.
As majority owner of the Panthers, Richardson was widely regarded as a “champion of diversity,” featuring African-American Cam Newton as starting quarterback, Hispanic Ron Rivera as head coach, and former Topcats cheerleader Tina Becker as chief operating officer.
Carolina Panthers team owner Jerry Richardson, right, sits in the owner's box at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017 prior to the team's game against the Green Bay Packers
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It was reported that Carolina Panthers employees received "significant" monetary settlements as a result of inappropriate workplace comments and conduct by owner Jerry Richardson (Image: 2017 MCT)
However the latter part of his ownership was shrouded in controversy. On December 17, 2017, Sports Illustrated reported that at least four former Panthers employees received substantial monetary settlements over inappropriate workplace conduct by Richardson.
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Allegations included sexually suggestive language and behavior, as well as at least one instance of a racial slur directed at an African-American Panthers scout. One settlement was confirmed by the recipient’s significant other, who had direct knowledge of Richardson’s actions.
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The same day the news broke, Richardson announced his intention to sell the Carolina Panthers at the end of the season. Following strong market interest, the franchise was sold in May 2018 to billionaire and then-Pittsburgh Steelers minority owner David Tepper for an NFL-record $2.2 billion. The sale was approved by NFL owners on May 22, 2018, and Richardson was later fined $2.75 million on June 28, 2018, over the alleged workplace misconduct.
Previously, a 13-foot statue of Richardson holding a football and flanked by two panthers had been unveiled at Bank of America Stadium in 2016 as an 80th birthday gift from Panthers LLC minority partners. The statue was removed on June 10, 2020. Richards later died at his home in Charlotte in May 2023, aged 86.