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Jason Wright (football player)
Encyclopedia
Jason Gomillion Wright (born July 12, 1982) is a former American football
running back
who played for the Arizona Cardinals
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers
as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football
at Northwestern
.
Wright has also played for the Atlanta Falcons
and Cleveland Browns
.
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 in Northwestern
school history. Wright finished his career with 32 touchdowns on 487 carries (5.4 yards-per-carry average), and added 577 yards and two touchdowns on 54 receptions. Wright also returned 31 kickoffs for 828 yards and one touchdown. He was the co-MVP of the 2003 Motor City Bowl
, even though Northwestern lost the game. Wright also lettered
in football
and track
at Diamond Bar High School
, and had 4,268 yards in his high school career. He was a double-major in psychology and pre-medicine.
Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
as an undrafted
rookie
free agent
on April 26, 2004, and was waived by the 49ers on August 31, 2004.
and signed to its practice squad on September 7, 2004, but was subsequently waived on October 19, 2004. He was signed again to the Falcons' practice squad on October 25, 2004, and elevated to the active roster on December 14, 2004. He made his NFL debut versus the Carolina Panthers
on December 18.
Wright saw playing time for the Browns when he made his Cleveland debut on November 6, 2005, versus the Tennessee Titans
, when he had eight carries for nineteen yards and the Browns' first rushing touchdown of the season. He also had three receptions for fifteen yards. Wright also played on November 13, 2005, against the Pittsburgh Steelers
, where he had one kickoff return for seventeen yards. He also added three carries for eight yards versus the Miami Dolphins
on November 20, 2005. After Reuben Droughns
was injured during the 2006 NFL season
,Wright became the starter
for a couple of games, only to be put in the injured reserve
list in December to end his season.
On February 20, 2007 Browns general manager Phil Savage
announced the team had extended Wright's contract through the 2008 NFL season
.
on March 16. In July 2011, he announced his retirement from the NFL to attend business school at the University of Chicago
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
who played for the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Northwestern
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
.
Wright has also played for the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
College career
Wright finished his college careerCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
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 in Northwestern
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
school history. Wright finished his career with 32 touchdowns on 487 carries (5.4 yards-per-carry average), and added 577 yards and two touchdowns on 54 receptions. Wright also returned 31 kickoffs for 828 yards and one touchdown. He was the co-MVP of the 2003 Motor City Bowl
Motor City Bowl
The Little Caesars Pizza Bowl is a post-season college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played annually since 1997. The first five games were played at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. Starting in 2002, the game was moved to 65,000-seat Ford Field in downtown...
, even though Northwestern lost the game. Wright also lettered
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
and track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
at Diamond Bar High School
Diamond Bar High School
Diamond Bar High School is located in Diamond Bar, California and is part of the Walnut Valley Unified School District. The school mascot is the Brahma, and the school colors are purple, gold, and white. Diamond Bar High School students participate in programs such as Advanced Placement and...
, and had 4,268 yards in his high school career. He was a double-major in psychology and pre-medicine.
Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
San Francisco 49ers
Wright was signed by the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
as an undrafted
Undrafted
An undrafted sportsperson or undrafted free agent is specific type of sportsperson who plays, or attempts to play, in a professional sports league without first being selected in a draft....
rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
on April 26, 2004, and was waived by the 49ers on August 31, 2004.
Atlanta Falcons
He was picked up by the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and signed to its practice squad on September 7, 2004, but was subsequently waived on October 19, 2004. He was signed again to the Falcons' practice squad on October 25, 2004, and elevated to the active roster on December 14, 2004. He made his NFL debut versus the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
on December 18.
Cleveland Browns
He was waived by the Falcons on September 3, 2005 and signed by the Cleveland Browns on September 13, 2005, and assigned to the practice squad. Wright was then signed to the active roster on November 3, 2005, and waived on December 16, 2005. He was re-signed to the practice squad on December 20, 2005.Wright saw playing time for the Browns when he made his Cleveland debut on November 6, 2005, versus the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
, when he had eight carries for nineteen yards and the Browns' first rushing touchdown of the season. He also had three receptions for fifteen yards. Wright also played on November 13, 2005, against the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, where he had one kickoff return for seventeen yards. He also added three carries for eight yards versus the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on November 20, 2005. After Reuben Droughns
Reuben Droughns
Reuben Droughns is an American football running back who is currently the head coach for the Serbian team Vukovi Beograd, the two-time champions of the Central European Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft...
was injured during the 2006 NFL season
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
,Wright became the starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
for a couple of games, only to be put in the injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
list in December to end his season.
On February 20, 2007 Browns general manager Phil Savage
Phil Savage
Phillip "Phil" Savage, Jr. is a former general manager for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He is currently a player personnel executive for the Philadelphia Eagles. He was the senior vice president and general manager of the Browns from 2005–2008...
announced the team had extended Wright's contract through the 2008 NFL season
2008 NFL season
The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League, themed with the slogan "Believe in Now."Super Bowl XLIII, the league's championship game, was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009, with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming out victorious over the...
.
Arizona Cardinals
An unrestricted free agent in the 2009 offseason, Wright signed a two-year, $2 million contract with the Arizona CardinalsArizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on March 16. In July 2011, he announced his retirement from the NFL to attend business school at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
.