Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson said he doesn't regret the challenge he made this past summer to defensive end Julius Peppers to step up and become the team's defensive leader. Richardson has endured some criticism for calling out Peppers after Mike Minter's press conference and challenging him to be a team leader, even though Peppers is generally shy by nature.

   "I don’t know if I regret it. It turned in to be such an issue, and the fact that it turned into such an issue, I do regret," Richardson said. "I didn’t intend for it to become such an issue. It just seemed like such a natural thing to say. If one leader was leaving the team, and Mike’s value to the team to speak to a younger player about what I said. Somebody has got to be the leader. I chose Julius. I don’t apologize for that. I don’t apologize for it. I don’t regret it. I regret it is one of those things that built up. Some percent of what I say, and whatever I say here today, everyone will have a different perspective on. And I will be interested to see it. It will be one time I will read your stuff.”

   When asked if given' Peppers' subpar performance in 2007 whether it will make his contract situation difficult to deal with, Richardson said, "Any of the football things in personnel, that’s John (Fox) and Marty (Hurney). You would have to ask them.”

   Peppers averaged 10.7 sacks during his first five seasons with the Panthers, but had only three in 2007 and was relatively invisible for most of the season. Some speculate that Richardson's comments irked him, but Peppers said they did not.