Richardson Still on the Mend

Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson has had a rough last couple of months, and not just because his beloved team didn’t make it to the Super Bowl. Richardson has been battling heart troubles for an extended period of time, and while it’s been almost two months since he endured heart transplant surgery, Richardson is still recovering from the major operation, leaving franchise owners around the nation to become this football figure’s biggest support group.

This week’s NFL annual meetings of franchise owners has been one without the face of Jerry Richardson, and the Panthers owner has undoubtedly been missed by his fellow multi-millionaires and frenemies. Even New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has come out to show his loyalty to Richardson, giving him a giant teddy bear named “Patriot Bob” following his surgery. While Jerry Richardson’s son Mark has taken his place at this year’s annual meetings, it’s clear that his father is missed by the other team owners around the league. Mark Richardson recently made a statement discussing the camaraderie between owners, saying, “We compete with each other on Sunday, but we are also business partners every day of the year and we’re also very good friends. I would say some of the best friends my father has in the world, and some of my closest friends, are people who sit in that (meeting) room. We are family.” Here’s to wishing Jerry Richardson a speedy recovery.

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