Falcons minority owner Warrick Dunn had a flashback when he saw Jason Wright’s picture Monday.
“Wait a minute, I used to play with him,” Dunn said.
In 2004, Dunn was the Falcons’ featured running back, and Wright, who was named president of the Washington Football Team on Monday, was a backup running back.
“He was a good guy,” Dunn recalled. “From what I remember, he’s a hard worker. He studied the game. He just put in the work. He was committed to his cause.”
Wright became the first African-American to be named a president by a team in the NFL, which just completed its 100th season.
“It’s great to see somebody who played the game, understands the game and worked hard at his craft get that position,” Dunn said. “He went into that area and now he’s a president. That’s pretty remarkable. I’m sure a lot of people doubted him, but he’s taken the right steps He’s done it.”
Falcons president Rich McKay was the team’s general manager when Wright signed.
“As a player Jason was an overachiever, who reached the level of success that he did because of how hard he worked and how important it was to him,” McKay said. “So, I’m not surprised that he’s put himself in position to get this gig.”
Wright spent seven years in the NFL with the Falcons (2004), Browns (2005-08) and Cardinals (2009-10).
Wright was a member of the Falcons’ practice squad when he made his NFL debut in the 2004 season, appearing in two games. He was waived by the Falcons the following year.
He went on to join the Browns, where he gained 578 yards with two touchdowns in four seasons. Wright was a captain for the Cardinals and their NFLPA representative during labor negotiations in 2010-11.
Wright, who played at Northwestern, earned a master’s degree from the University of Chicago’s business school.
“We are all happy for him,” McKay said. “We all remember him. He was somebody that we were talking about on the practice field for those of us that are still here. He did make an impact. For him to be the first minority president of a team, good for him.”
Dunn, who’s been successful in business after football, would offer Wright some advice based on his years of ownership with the Falcons since 2009.
“You’ve got to keep your eyes and ears open,” Dunn said. “You have to be open to listening and learning. I would always go with my gut. My instincts. He understands the game. He’s been playing it his entire life.”
Dunn would start with some basics in trying to rebrand the Washington franchise.
“I’m sure he’s going to work on building the foundation so that it becomes something solid for years to come,” Dunn said. “If he doesn’t just reach for the stars, but start building toward having that foundation before you get to the mountain top. I would just be open, but confident in your decisions that you have to make.”
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