Damien Richardson (American football)

Damien A. Richardson (born April 3, 1976) is a former safety in the National Football League (NFL). He played his entire career for the Carolina Panthers from 1998 to 2004. He played college football at Arizona State.

While playing at Arizona State, Richardson received a Woody Hayes National Scholar-Athlete Award. He was also honored as a National Football Foundation Hall Scholar-Athlete, and was a GTE Academic All-District VIII selection. As a senior in 1997, Richardson was a Second-team All-Pac-10 member.

Richardson was selected in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL draft. Richardson's career with the Panthers was ended by serious injuries to his neck and knee. He subsequently attended medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, completed a master's degree in public health at Harvard University, and is an orthopedic physician at Banner – University Medical Center.