After a lengthy closed door meeting with Jerry Richardson, Josh Norman has decided that it would be in his best interests to franchise with Mr. Richardson's team.

"What can I say. He convinced me that I should look at this as an investment in my future. After listening to his wisdom I achieved much greater clarity on my situation, going in, I was convinced that I needed to focus more on the dollar amount. But after talking to him about the business side of things, I feel better about it. He is someone I can respect as someone who built his own empire one brick at a time. You can learn a lot from a man like that." -- Josh Norman

Mr. Richardson, who rarely speaks to the media, had this to say about his meeting with Josh.

"Josh is a fine young man and an important part of this team, he just needed some help with his career strategy. Sometimes it just takes someone who has been there to help you grab the reins and lead you out to where you need to be. I made him realize that ultimately, this is a lot of money, and if we works hard it is going to pay him back in spades going into the future."

Asked to elaborate further on how he felt about the franchise, Josh had this to say:

"Fried Chicken has always been one of my favorite foods. It just coarses through your blood when you're born and raised in the south. I've spent many hours and dollars on getting some of that crispy deliciousness, now I can finally say that once and for all, I'll have all I can possibly eat, and may even make a few dollars off of it too!"

Josh's first new Bojangles franchise will open in Charlotte, NC later today on April 1st at the corner of South Tryon street and West Boulevard.

"Now I better go and think about signing my Panthers franchise tender... or else, I have no idea how I'm gonna pay for this thing." quipped Norman as he left the press room.