Carolina Panthers Take Down Jerry Richardson Statue in Front of Bank of America Stadium Due to Safety Concerns

In 2018, longtime Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson sold the team to David Tepper. His decision to sell his majority stake came on the same day Sports Illustrated dropped a bombshell of a report that at least four former Panthers employees had received significant financial settlements after inappropriate workplace conduct and remarks by Richardson.

Two years prior, the Panthers' minority owners gifted Richardson with a 13-foot tall statue of the man right outside Bank of America stadium. In his first press conference as the new owner, Tepper was asked if he planned to remove the statue given the disgraceful nature of Richardson's departure from the team. He awkwardly fumbled through an explanation that he was contractually obligated to keep the statue before ending the press conference.

The statue is being taken down today in the interest of public safety, the team announced.

The team seems nervous Richardson's statue may fall victim to the fate of several other statutes that have been torn down during the protests of the last few weeks.

Which, given everything listed above, would not exactly be the worst thing in the world.