Jerry Jones Saddened By Jerry Richardson's Decision To Sell The Panthers

Jerry Jones says that he admires Jerry Richardson and was saddened by the news that the Panthers are for sale.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones spoke with reporters after the Cowboys' Sunday night win against the Oakland Raiders and expressed his sadness over Jerry Richardson's decision to sell the Carolina Panthers.

Richardson, who has owned the Panthers since the NFL expansion in 1993, is under investigation for allegations of sexual misconduct and racist language at work. Hours after an extensive investigation by Sports Illustrated was published, Richardson announced that he was selling the team in a five-paragraph letter on the team's website. He did not specifically address the investigation or allegations against him. SI reported that at least four former employees had settled with the Panthers regarding inappropriate workplace behavior. 

• Jerry Richardson’s Tarnished Legacy: Under a Cloud, Selling the Team That Made Him an Icon

"I'm sad," Jones said. "I'm very sad. Jerry was one of the most really, really, really outstanding men of football that I've ever met. And I really admire him. I know he made it the old fashion way; he worked for it. And he took what he made in a short time in pro football, and turned it into a great business. And then used that to get the Carolina franchise. So it's a great story. I'm saddened by any of the stories or the things that might have instigated this at this time. He's a battler. He's a big man with a big heart. By the way, that's somebody else's heart. He's had a heart transplant. He'd be the first to tell you he's had a blessed life. But I'm really sad. I want all of those kind of men we could have in the National Football League."

On Sunday, the NFL announced that it has taken over the investigation of workplace misconduct.