Prior to the pivotal Week 15 matchup with the Green Bay Packers, the Carolina Panthers revealed on Friday a potentially serious internal matter. It involves owner Jerry Richardson.

The team on Friday afternoon announced that the organization is going through an investigation on possible workplace misconduct involving team owner Jerry Richardson.

The Carolina Panthers today announced it has commenced an internal investigation into allegations of workplace misconduct against the team’s owner and founder, Jerry Richardson. The investigation is being led by the outside international law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart and Sullivan, LLP, and will be overseen by limited owner and former White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles.

“The Carolina Panthers and Mr. Richardson take these allegations very seriously and are fully committed to a full investigation and taking appropriate steps to address and remediate any misconduct,” team spokesman Steven Drummond said.  “The entire organization is fully committed to ensuring a safe, comfortable and diverse work environment where all individuals, regardless of sex, race, color, religion, gender, or sexual identity or orientation, are treated fairly and equally. We have work to do to achieve this goal, but we are going to meet it.”

Because this matter is under an ongoing legal review, the Carolina Panthers cannot comment publicly on the specifics of the allegations.

“Erskine Bowles is a trusted leader of unquestioned integrity. We look forward to this report, which we know will be honest and thorough,” Drummond said.

There is currently no indication as to what may have transpired or in what particular it may have unfolded involving Richardson. The NFL had gained knowledge of this possible situation on Friday just ahead of the team making the press release.

Richardson had become the first former NFL player since George Halas to own an NFL franchise when he was given the Panthers back in October 1993. Carolina officially began playing two years later and he has been the primary owner in the two-plus decades that have followed. In fact, he and Bob McNair are the only two owners in the league to have held control of the team since their inception.

There should much more details to emerge in the coming days or weeks once the investigation is completed. In the meantime, it puts a huge public scrutiny on the franchise and could result in the league taking swift action against Richardson or the Panthers organization depending on what comes about.