Tag: Jason Wright

Jason Wright says name change is about identity; ‘Bigger than a logo’

One of the biggest projects for Wright to take on as president is deciding a new team name in Washington, which he said will be a process.

While the celebrations and congratulations are prevalent in Washington today with the announcement that Jason Wright has been hired as the first Black team president in NFL history, pretty soon the 38-year-old will have to get down to business and focus on the changes that he’s been hired to oversee in a franchise that has suffered some bumps and bruises over the past several months, and years.

One of the biggest things that Wright will be focusing on over the next several months is helping to decide on a new team name in Washington, something that is long overdue and much-needed to help the culture shift in D.C. When talking on Good Morning America on Monday, Wright explained that he’s aware of the weight that this decision holds, and it’s something that will take some time.

“What we’re actually doing is much more than a new name. It’s actually a new identity, a new way of engaging with the world,” Wright said. “It’s going to inform the new way we embed in the community, the way we engage with fans. So it’s much bigger than just a name or a logo or whatever you’re going to put on the jersey.”

Jerseys and logos aside, there is a clear desire in Washington to keep some of the old traditions alive that were prevalent decades ago when the storied franchise was among the best in the NFL. In order to get this decision right, and find a way to please fans, and players, and sponsors, it’s going to take quite a while to come to a decision.

“It’s going to be a longer process, and it’s going to engage the fans intensely, it’s going to engage the sponsors intensely, and by the end of this, it’s going to be a community decision that we make as a Washington Football community.”

It’s clear that the desire to have everyone come together and decide on a new and hopefully bright future is incredibly important. Wright made sure to note that on Monday, and the name change process will be in good hands with him going forward.

[vertical-gallery id=39210]

Former Falcons RB Jason Wright becomes first Black NFL team president

Former Falcons running back Jason Wright didn’t have the most memorable playing career, but he will permanently be a part of league history after becoming the first Black team president on Monday.

Former Falcons running back Jason Wright didn’t have the most memorable playing career, but he will permanently be a part of league history after becoming the first ever Black team president on Monday.

Wright, 38, takes over the role for the Washington Football Team and is also the youngest NFL team president ever. He will attempt to clean up the mess that had been brewing for some time in Washington.

Here’s a little bit of background information on Wright, as shared by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Wright signed with the Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2004, playing in just two games for Atlanta. He rushed three times for ten yards that season before spending time with Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals over his seven-year NFL career.

[lawrence-related id=56671,56537,56519,56535]

[vertical-gallery id=56640]

Players and media take to Twitter to congratulate Washington president Jason Wright

Washington’s hire of Jason Wright as the new president seems to have struck the right chord, with everyone sending their congratulations.

Washington kicked off the week with a bang by announcing the hiring of Jason Wright as their newest team president, making him the youngest team president in the NFL at age 38.

Wright is also the first Black team president in the NFL, and just the fourth former player to ascend to that role.

While we may not know a ton about Wright and his playing career, it is clear by the reaction from his colleagues and those who know him that Washington is hiring a great person who will help spur some much-needed change in Washington. Here are the best reactions and congratulations from Twitter after the announcement was made.

[vertical-gallery id=39291]

What should you know about Washington’s new president, Jason Wright?

Washington hired former NFL running back Jason Wright to be the new team president, who is the youngest to hold that position at age 38.

The Washington Football Team made history on Monday morning when they announced that Jason Wright was being hired as the new team president. Wright is a former player in the NFL, and he now becomes the first Black team president in league history, as well as the fourth player to ascend to that role.

So what should you know about Wright going forward? Here are some quick hitters.

  • From 2004-2010, Wright was a running back in the NFL, playing for the Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, and Atlanta Falcons.
  • Finished his college career at Northwestern as the fourth all-time leading rusher with 2,625 yards, the third all-time all-purpose yards leader with 4,030 yards, and the fourth all-time leading scorer with 210 points.
  • At just 38 years old, Wright becomes the youngest team president in the NFL.
  • In his six years in the league, he only ran for 633 total yards and had two touchdowns, though he was often a favorite among teammates in the locker room.
  • In college at Northwestern, he was a double-major in psychology and pre-medicine.

As time goes on, we will continue to learn more about Wright, but the reaction from the hiring has been nothing but positive so far. Welcome to the team, Jason!

[vertical-gallery id=39291]

Washington hires Jason Wright as NFL’s first Black team president

Washington announced the hiring of Jason Wright as the new team president on Monday, making him the fourth former player to ascend to role.

The Washington Football Team continues to be on the forefront of change this offseason, as they have now hired Jason Wright to be the new team president, starting next week.

Wright, who was a former running back in the NFL, is now the first African-American team president in the NFL, and only the fourth former player to ascend to that role.

“This team, at this time, is an ideal opportunity for me,” Wright said in a statement. “The transformation of the Washington Football Team is happening across all aspects of the organization — from football to operations to branding to culture — and will make us a truly modern and aspirational franchise. We want to set new standards for the NFL.”

Washington has been without a president since Bruce Allen was fired at the end of the 2019 season, and head coach Ron Rivera was hired soon after to take over in a strong leadership role for the team, according to Dan Snyder. This new hiring is not supposed to change much of that at all, with Rivera still holding full control of what takes place on the field.

“If I could custom design a leader for this important time in our history, it would be Jason,” Snyder said in a statement. “His experience as a former player, coupled with his business acumen, gives him a perspective that is unrivaled in the league. We will not rest until we are a championship caliber team, on and off the field.”

[vertical-gallery id=39271]

Washington Football Team makes Jason Wright first Black NFL Team President

The Washington Football Team has hired Jason Wright as Team President. The former NFL player is the first Black to hold the position.

Changes are afoot big time for the scandal-ridden Washington Football team.

Former NFL running back Jason Wright has been named team president it was announced Monday. Wright, 38, becomes the first Black president of an NFL team. He also is the youngest person to hold the position with any NFL club.

“If I could custom design a leader for this important time in our history, it would be Jason. His experience as a former player, coupled with his business acumen, gives him a perspective that is unrivaled in the league,” Washington Football Team owner, Dan Snyder said. “We will not rest until we are a championship-caliber team, on and off the field. Jason has a proven track record in helping businesses transform culturally, operationally and financially. He is a proactive and assertive advocate for inclusion of all people and will set new standards for our organization, and for the league. There could not be a better duo than Jason Wright and Coach Ron Rivera as we usher in a new era for Washington Football.”

Wright will be responsible for leading the organization’s business divisions, including operations, finance, sales, and marketing. He replaces Bruce Allen, who was dismissed as team president at the end of the 2019 season.

The team has changed its name to Washington Football Team this offseason after Snyder said he would never remove the previous nickname despite its racist connotations. Then, the Washington Post ran an investigation exposing alleged sexual harassment of 15 women who worked for the organization that led to the exit of multiple executives.

Wright went to Northwestern. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted rookie free agent on April 26, 2004, and was waived by the 49ers on Aug. 31, 2004. Wright was run down and tackled from behind by Brock Lesnar in a 2004 preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings.

He was also was with the Falcons and Browns. Wright saw playing time for the Browns when he made his Cleveland debut on Nov. 6, 2005, versus the Tennessee Titans, when he had eight carries for 19 yards and the Browns’ first rushing touchdown of the season.

Getty Images

An unrestricted free agent in the 2009 offseason, Wright signed a two-year, $2 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals on March 16.

In July 2011, he announced his retirement from the NFL to attend business school at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Overall, Wright rushed for 633 yards in his NFL career.