The vote was unanimous among the 32 clubs, as well as the league's finance committee. League rules state that Tepper required a super majority to be approved by fellow owners — 24 or more votes, including that of the Panthers — to be minted into NFL ownership.
"We'd like to congratulate David and welcome him to the NFL," league commissioner Roger Goodell said. "We're thrilled to have him here."
Jerry Richardson had been the franchise’s founder and only owner in Panthers team history, ending his 25-year tenure with the team. Richardson felt compelled to put the team up for sale following the revealing of sexual and racial misconduct by Richardson at the team’s facility, in a story broken by Sports Illustrated.