Jerry Richardson, the former owner and founder of the Carolina Panthers, died Wednesday evening, the team announced Thursday. He was 86 years old.

“Jerry Richardson’s contributions to professional football in the Carolinas are historic,” Panthers owners David and Nicole Tepper said Thursday in a statement released on the team’s website.

“With the arrival of the Panthers in 1995, he changed the landscape of sports in the region and gave the 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.”

The team did not provide further details of Richardson’s passing as of Thursday afternoon.

Richardson owned the team since its inception in 1993 until 2018, when Tepper purchased the Panthers for more than $2.2 billion.

Richardson announced in December 2017 he was putting the Panthers up for sale in the wake of an investigation into workplace misconduct allegations against him.

Damning claims about Richardson were further discovered in a bombshell Sports Illustrated report, which noted the alleged behavior included sexually suggestive language and conduct.

The report also noted how at least four former Panthers staffers received “significant” monetary settlements due to Richardson’s behavior. The team founder was also accused of using a racial slur.

Richardson was later fined $2.75 million by the NFL following the investigation.
Tepper ultimately purchased the Panthers for $2.2 billion in 2018.