Most people don’t get a statue for their birthday, but Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson isn’t most people.
The Panthers helped Richardson celebrate his 80th birthday in style, gifting him a statue featuring—yep—a pair of Panthers:
“It will always represent a symbol of heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to the Richardson family.”https://t.co/nwgDyV7Buc
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) July 18, 2016
That’s 4,500 pounds worth of Richardson and Panther, folks.
Steve Reed of the Associated Press provided some context:
For those wondering, media were not notified of the Jerry Richardson statue ceremony. Team said it was for friends, family, staff, etc.
— Steve Reed (@SteveReedAP) July 18, 2016
So did the team in a statement:
Each panther represents more than one thing. One represents the offense, the other the defense. And because of what they are and who they’re standing next to, they represent North Carolina and South Carolina. And then you take all three of them together, and I think of them as three panthers because Mr. Richardson is definitely a Panther.
It’s a rather odd event and statue, though Richardson’s commitment to the franchise since 1993 classifies as notable.
Rest assured the statue will be a mainstay of Carolina’s home games this season. Plenty of selfies (and Pokemon!) are sure to pop up ASAP.