Who else might be following Panthers owner Jerry Richardson out the door?

With allegations of workplace misconduct — both sexual and racial in nature — swirling around him even as he finds himself at the center of an NFL-led investigation, Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson has decided to sell his team.

In a letter published on the team’s website, Richardson didn’t address his alleged misdeeds but did say, “I believe that it is time to turn the franchise over to new ownership” and that he hopes that “everyone in this organization, both on and off the field, will be firmly focused on just one mission: to play and win the Super Bowl.”

Good. 

Whether Richardson reached this conclusion on his own or whether he was pressured to do so, this had to happen. Yes, it’s stunning news. NFL owners don’t just sell their team at the drop of a hat. Scratch that. Pro sports owners don’t sell their franchises at the drop of a hat. The only such instance came in 2014 when the NBA’s Donald Sterling was forced to sell his Los Angeles Clippers after recordings of his racist comments were made public. 

Now, while dealing with a scandal of his own, Richardson is headed for the door. And his decision came just hours after the NFL announced that it was taking over the investigation into his behavior.

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Given the nature of the accusations against the 81-year-old, there’s no way he could rightfully maintain ownership. Details still are trickling out about the nature of the accusations against Richardson. But he has already paid at least four former Panthers employees “significant” monetary settlements after using sexually suggestive language and behavior and after also directing a racial slur at an African-American scout, according to Sports Illustrated.

With Richardson moving to sell the team before the investigation’s completion, you can’t help but assume that even more damning evidence will eventually come out.

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Some people close to Richardson will tell you that he’s a good person. People in his community will tell you that Richardson has done a lot of good for Charlotte. Richardson was one of the more powerful owners in the NFL, and along with the Houston Texans’ Bob McNair he held the distinction of being one of only two men to have owned his team since its inception.

After purchasing the rights to start the team in 1993 for $206 million, Richardson has grown the Panthers into a $1 billion organization.

But sexual harassment outweighs any good he’s done.

In today’s climate, where we have seen sexual misconduct cost everyone from entertainment moguls to politicians to high-profile broadcast journalists their jobs, it was only a matter of time before this problem spilled into the NFL’s lap. Richardson couldn’t get off with a slap on the wrist.

The days of brushing off sexual harassment allegations or simply sweeping them under the rug are over. In the same way that we can no longer tolerate racial injustices, our sisters, daughters and wives can’t continue to go to their workplaces with the fear of their safety and dignity being at risk.

Richardson was viewed as a pillar of his community. He demanded excellence in the running of his franchise. But it matters not how much money he donates to charity, how much money his football team brings in or how many games the Panthers win. He violated the trust of those women who worked for him and, at the very least, exhibited predatory behavior.

The NFL has an image problem as is, and it couldn’t tolerate an owner that’s guilty of the behavior that Richardson is accused of. You can’t help but wonder, however, who’s next. You hope the answer is no one. Hopefully this is an isolated incident. But we know better.

Richardson hopes that those in his franchise can focus squarely on pursuing a Super Bowl, but that’s easier said than done. Even if the players can compartmentalize and play at a high level, completely free of distraction, the Panthers franchise will bear a black mark for some time.

What’s next?

Sean “Diddy” Combs, the rapper/record producer/entrepreneur (and more), already has expressed a desire to buy the Panthers. It remains to be seen if he’ll draw serious consideration, but if so, he’d become the first African-American majority owner in the NFL. That’d be a good move on the racial equality front.

But what matters most is that hopefully any woman that might have still been dealing with mistreatment from Richardson no longer will have to endure such treatment. 

And hopefully, people guilty of similar behavior — whether in the Panthers franchise or any other team or workplace — can learn from Richardson’s failings.

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Follow Mike Jones on Twitter @ByMikeJones

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