The Carolina Panthers are back in the playoffs again after defeating Tampa Bay thanks to some late heroics from Cam Newton. Before this shot in the arm of good news, the Panthers organization has been dealing with accusations that owner Jerry Richardson has been racists and sexist towards his employees.
Rather than dealing with the fallout, Richardson has decided to put the team up for sale. Cam Newton has defended Jerry Richardson saying he is innocent until proven guilty. Now it appears that the entire team has the back of their owner, and they specifically called him out in their post game chant following their playoff clinching victory.
Because the #Panthers might take it down, here's the video of Ron Rivera breaking down the team for Mr. Richardson:
"Just remember guys this is about team, everything we do is about team, most important thing is about team, okay?"
"Alright, do me a favor, Mr. Richardson on 3" pic.twitter.com/mWKtDChnu7
— Edgar Salmingo, Jr. ✌️ (@PanthersAnalyst) December 25, 2017
In the era of #MeToo, the optics of supporting a man accused of misconduct may not play well in the public eye, but it appears that solidarity with their owner trumps any perceptions that may arise from their support of Richardson. Not to mention that Richardson has been accused of using racial slurs towards black employees. As the Panthers forge through the playoffs, expect Jerry Richardson to become a symbol for an us against the world mindset that teams develop when faced with adversity.
