Jerry Richardson

Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson has the distinction of being only the second former National Football League player to own the majority interest in an NFL team.

It was reported that Richardson received a heart transplant on February 1, 2009, after having been on the transplant list since December 2008.WCBD (Charleston, SC): Panthers Owner Richardson Has Heart Transplant

After his collegiate career at Wofford College, Richardson signed with the Baltimore Colts in 1959. In his two seasons with the Colts, he caught 15 passes for 171 yards, scoring four touchdowns. Richardson scored a touchdown in the 1959 NFL Championship game as the Colts defeated the New York Giants 31-16.

After leaving the Colts, Richardson began the first franchis Hardee's Restaurants. He built his business, Flagstar Companies, Inc., into the largest publicly-held company in South Carolina. Hen he stepped down as chairman and CEO in 1993 to turn his attention to the Panthers, Flagstar had about 2,500 restaurants and 100,000 employees.Wofford College: Jerry Richardson

In 1987, Richardson began lobbying the NFL to place a team in North Carolina. On October 26, 1993, the NFL awarded the league's 29th franchise to Richardson.

• Mahalo's Guide to the Carolina Panthers
• NFL.com: Career Stats
• Pro-Football-Reference.com: Jerry Richardson Statistics
  • Height: 6' 3"
  • Weight: 185 lbs.
  • Rookie Year: 1959

• Google Images: Jerry Richardson Photos

• Yahoo! Images: Jerry Richardson Images

• WireImage: Jerry Richardson Photos

• Live Search: Jerry Richardson Photos

• • This page was created by Kerry, a Part Time Guide in the Mahalo Greenhouse (see the original), and quality controlled by Susan.

• If you'd like to help us create the best spam free search results on the Internet, apply to be a Part Time Guide!</em>