Washington Football Team makes Jason Wright first Black team president in NFL history
Jason Wright #JasonWright
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.
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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.
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