NFL announces findings of workplace misconduct investigation The news broke via a league statement that the NFL had finally concluded its investigation of former Panthers owner Jerry Richardson.It’s a lot to unpack http://www.carolinapanthersteamonline.com/mario-addison-jersey , but here are the bullet points.The reported allegations were highlighted, however there were other allegations considered that were not of public record. The report was not intended to confirm or reject details, but it did substantiate some of the claims made.The improper conduct in this investigation was limited to Jerry Richardson, meaning the resignation of Curtis Fuller was not directly because of this investigation.Neither Richardson nor the organization reported to the NFL the claims or the non-public agreements to resolve said claims.Nearly all of the proceeds from this fine will go to organizations addressing race and gender-based transgressions.The organization has since developed a strict handling of workplace misconduct and sexual assault claims, as well as adding outside agencies to help with training the employees.Mary Jo White also recommended several things to the league as a whole; the establishment of a specific prohibition against non disclosure agreements, a specific requirement to report workplace misconduct to the League Office, establish a confidential hotline for employees to report these transgressions, and review best practices.The Panthers have released an official statement regarding the matter:My TakeI think I can speak on behalf of all of the CSR staff and say thank you to White for a very targeted and thorough investigation. It truly rocked many of us to see the head of the organization accused of these things, and I’m hoping some of the victims can find some closure and see justice was done. The recommendations should be applied league wide, I see no question of that and any push back by owners should be met with criticism.As for the amount... I mean. Jerry Richardson just sold the team for $2.275 billion dollars. That’s a drop in the bucket. I’m not an expert on what the NFL regards as fair punishment here, but the league was fining Marshawn Lynch $100k for REFUSING TO TALK TO THE MEDIA. Oh Authentic Taylor Moton Jersey , and not to mention the $1+ million fines for PEDs, such as the one Thomas Davis received for a substance that reportedly had never been an illegal substance before.Regardless of that, I’m glad the NFL is making moves to prevent this from happening in the future. Nobody deserves to be sexually assaulted or racially discriminated against, especially not at their place of work. Not in 2018. Not ever.Carolina Panthers TE Ian Thomas is the next generation of Keep Pounding With 51 days left to go until the Carolina Panthers kick off the season against the Dallas Cowboys, Bradley Smith wrote a stellar tribute piece talking about the only man who will ever sport the number 51 again for the black and blue, Sam Mills. That article got me thinking again about his inspirational “Keep Pounding” speech and the incredible playoff run it inspired, and about how his legacy and message of overcoming adversity transferred perfectly into the living body of Thomas Davis.Thomas Davis has been an incredible standard bearer for the Keep Pounding mantra over his NFL career, enduring an astounding amount of knee surgeries (three to be exact) while continuing to perform at an All-Pro level, and even playing in the Super Bowl with a broken arm. Now a cagey veteran, the team is going to have to start to consider a time without TD on the field. It could be as early as next offseason, but it also could be a little longer according to TD himself. Either way http://www.carolinapanthersteamonline.com/wes-horton-jersey , the on-field legacy is going to need a new host. Thomas Davis is perfectly healthy and will hopefully live a long life after football, and I’m sure he’ll maintain that same driven spirit, but the team needs a guy on the field that exhibits that virtue, that tenacity to overcome and prevail, someone who just has “the stuff” Sam Mills talked about baked into his bones.Enter Ian Thomas, a mid-round rookie tight end with an inspirational backstory that anyone can cheer for, but has yet to play a down in the NFL. Panthers.com did an amazing video outlining his story that I highly recommend you all watch:If that doesn’t move you, quite frankly, you can’t be my friend. I want all the best for this kid, and I want his NFL career to be a keynote on what is already an inspiring life.Obviously, both Sam Mills and Thomas Davis have a long list of on-field accomplishments to go with their stories and right now we have no idea about Ian Thomas the player Authentic Trai Turner Jersey , but we have received a great look into Ian Thomas the man. That ability to rise above and turn each hard-earned inch into a mile, that’s the stuff that inhabited Mills, still inhabits Davis, and oozes from the pores of the Keep Pounding mantra. Time still has yet to write the NFL story of Ian Thomas, but the book is hard leather bound, the pages are crisp and resilient, and the desk is sturdy. May the spirit of Sam Mills guide the hand over the pages in a way that honors a great off-field story with a tremendous on-field legacy.KEEP POUNDING.