Manuel Wright
Encyclopedia
Manuel "Manny" Wright is an Arena football
Offensive lineman / Defensive lineman for the Stockton Lightning
of af2
. He was originally drafted by the Miami Dolphins
in the fifth round of the 2005
supplemental draft. He played college football
at USC.
Wright has also briefly been signed to the Buffalo Bills
and played for the New York Giants
. He earned a Super Bowl ring
with the Giants in Super Bowl XLII
.
in Long Beach, California
. As a junior in 2000, Wright recorded 95 tackles (57 solo) and with 25 sacks. As a senior, Wright was the team's defensive MVP after recording 142 tackles (60 solo), 16 sacks, four fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles, 20 deflections and an interception.
that season as a part-time student. However, he did not play football there.
In 2003
, Wright served as a backup for Defensive tackles Shaun Cody
and Mike Patterson. While appearing in nine games during the season, Wright recorded eight tackles, including two for losses and three pass deflections. His first career sack came against Michigan
in the Rose Bowl
.
Off the field, Wright was arrested on three misdemeanor charges, including assaulting one of his roommates, and assault with a deadly weapon. He later apologized to his teammates, coaches, friends and family for his actions and the charges were dropped.
Wright remained a backup to both Cody and Patterson as a sophomore in 2004
. He appeared in 11 games including two starts when Cody was moved to Defensive end
. On the year Wright had 23 tackles, including six for losses, two pass deflections and two fumble recoveries. For his efforts, he was an All-Pac-10 honorable mention.
Wright was a projected starter for the first time in his career, however, he sat out spring practices in order to work on his academics and remain eligible. However, he was unsuccessful, and was left with the options of either staying in school and not playing football or declaring for the NFL's supplemental draft, which is held by the league to accommodate players who did not enter the regular draft
. Wright would choose the latter.
selected Wright in the fifth round of the draft, which essentially replaced their fifth-round pick in the 2006 draft
. On July 22, Wright signed a four-year contract with the team. It included a signing bonus of $
190,000.
Wright endured injuries and battled weight issues during his first training camp while his work ethic and maturity were questioned by some. In a much publicized incident on July 26, Wright broke down in tears during practice after being scolded by Head coach
Nick Saban
.
As a rookie
, Wright would end up being active for only three games during the season
. He made his NFL debut on December 4 against the Buffalo Bills
, stepping in for injured Nose tackle Keith Traylor
. Wright recorded two tackles and a sack. He finished the season with four tackles, one sack and one pass defensed.
Wright, reportedly, gained 28 pounds during the 2006
offseason, but, reportedly, lost most of the weight during training camp. On August 8, a reportedly depressed
Wright took a leave of absence from the team. He was quoted as saying he "did not believe he would ever play for the Dolphins again and that he needed a 'fresh start'".
Despite requests from his family and from Head coach Nick Saban, Wright remained away from football in 2006. The Dolphins attempted to trade him, unsuccessfully, but were unable to reach an agreement to release him. The team received a roster exemption for Wright in 2006 and he was placed on the non-football injury list.
Although Wright had returned to the team during the 2007
offseason under new head coach Cam Cameron
, he was released on May 1.
on August 15, 2007. He appeared in six games during the regular season and recorded two tackles. He was also a member of the Giants' Super Bowl XLII
championship team.
On April 10, 2008, the Giants waived Wright.
and on December 22 was assigned to the Stockton Lightning
. However, on May 8, he was suspended by the team.
Arena football
Arena football is a variety of gridiron football played by the Arena Football League . It is a proprietary game, the rights to which are owned by Gridiron Enterprises, and is played indoors on a smaller field than American or Canadian outdoor football, resulting in a faster and higher-scoring game....
Offensive lineman / Defensive lineman for the Stockton Lightning
Stockton Lightning
The Stockton Lightning were a professional arena football team. They were members of the Western Division of the National Conferenece of the arenafootball2 .The Lightning joined af2 2006 as an expansion team...
of af2
Af2
AF2 was the name of the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup...
. He was originally drafted by 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...
in the fifth round of the 2005
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
supplemental draft. 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 USC.
Wright has also briefly been signed to the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and played for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He earned a Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
with the Giants in Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
.
Early years
Wright earned various team, local and national honors as a member of the football team at Long Beach Polytechnic High SchoolLong Beach Polytechnic High School
Long Beach Polytechnic High School, founded in 1895 as Long Beach High School, is a High school located at 1600 Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach, California, United States....
in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. As a junior in 2000, Wright recorded 95 tackles (57 solo) and with 25 sacks. As a senior, Wright was the team's defensive MVP after recording 142 tackles (60 solo), 16 sacks, four fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles, 20 deflections and an interception.
College career
Wright originally signed with USC in 2002 but did not qualify for admission, so he attended Long Beach City CollegeLong Beach City College
Long Beach City College, established in 1927, is a community college located in Long Beach, California. It is divided into two campuses. The Liberal Arts Campus, known as LAC, is located in the residential community of the Lakewood Village section of Long Beach, on Carson Street west of Clark Avenue...
that season as a part-time student. However, he did not play football there.
In 2003
2003 USC Trojans football team
The 2003 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2003-2004 NCAA Division I-A college football season...
, Wright served as a backup for Defensive tackles Shaun Cody
Shaun Cody
Shaun Michael Cody is an American football defensive tackle for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Southern California.-Early years:Cody attended Los Altos High School in...
and Mike Patterson. While appearing in nine games during the season, Wright recorded eight tackles, including two for losses and three pass deflections. His first career sack came against Michigan
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
in the Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
.
Off the field, Wright was arrested on three misdemeanor charges, including assaulting one of his roommates, and assault with a deadly weapon. He later apologized to his teammates, coaches, friends and family for his actions and the charges were dropped.
Wright remained a backup to both Cody and Patterson as a sophomore in 2004
2004 USC Trojans football team
The 2004 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2004-2005 NCAA Division I-A college football season. Although now vacated for breaking NCAA rules, the team won the 2004 BCS National Championship by winning the 2005 Orange Bowl, that year's BCS National...
. He appeared in 11 games including two starts when Cody was moved to Defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
. On the year Wright had 23 tackles, including six for losses, two pass deflections and two fumble recoveries. For his efforts, he was an All-Pac-10 honorable mention.
Early departure
In 20052005 USC Trojans football team
The 2005 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the college football season of 2005–2006, winning the Pacific-10 Conference , and playing for the NCAA Division I-A national championship...
Wright was a projected starter for the first time in his career, however, he sat out spring practices in order to work on his academics and remain eligible. However, he was unsuccessful, and was left with the options of either staying in school and not playing football or declaring for the NFL's supplemental draft, which is held by the league to accommodate players who did not enter the regular draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
. Wright would choose the latter.
Miami Dolphins
Leading up to the supplemental draft, many NFL teams showed interest in Wright in the form of visits, workouts and interviews. The Miami DolphinsMiami 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...
selected Wright in the fifth round of the draft, which essentially replaced their fifth-round pick in the 2006 draft
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
. On July 22, Wright signed a four-year contract with the team. It included a signing bonus of $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
190,000.
Wright endured injuries and battled weight issues during his first training camp while his work ethic and maturity were questioned by some. In a much publicized incident on July 26, Wright broke down in tears during practice after being scolded by Head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Nick Saban
Nick Saban
Nicholas Lou "Nick" Saban is the head coach of the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide football team. Saban has previously served as head coach of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins and three other NCAA universities: LSU, Michigan State and Toledo...
.
As a 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...
, Wright would end up being active for only three games during the season
2005 Miami Dolphins season
-Schedule:-References:...
. He made his NFL debut on December 4 against the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, stepping in for injured Nose tackle Keith Traylor
Keith Traylor
Byron Keith Traylor is an American football nose tackle who is currently retired. He was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1991 NFL Draft...
. Wright recorded two tackles and a sack. He finished the season with four tackles, one sack and one pass defensed.
Wright, reportedly, gained 28 pounds during the 2006
2006 Miami Dolphins season
The 2006 Miami Dolphins season began with the team trying to improve on their 9–7 record in 2005. Instead, they finished the season 6–10 after being hyped by some to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, and saw their coach Nick Saban abandon his contract to coach college football for the Alabama...
offseason, but, reportedly, lost most of the weight during training camp. On August 8, a reportedly depressed
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
Wright took a leave of absence from the team. He was quoted as saying he "did not believe he would ever play for the Dolphins again and that he needed a 'fresh start'".
Despite requests from his family and from Head coach Nick Saban, Wright remained away from football in 2006. The Dolphins attempted to trade him, unsuccessfully, but were unable to reach an agreement to release him. The team received a roster exemption for Wright in 2006 and he was placed on the non-football injury list.
Although Wright had returned to the team during the 2007
2007 Miami Dolphins season
The 2007 Miami Dolphins season was the 38th season for the team in the National Football League and 42nd season overall. The team nearly went winless for the season, but on December 16, the third to last game of the regular season, they beat the Baltimore Ravens, giving them a final record of 1–15...
offseason under new head coach Cam Cameron
Cam Cameron
-External links:...
, he was released on May 1.
Buffalo Bills
On May 3, the Buffalo Bills claimed Wright on waivers. Less than a week later, he was waived by the Bills. He told Chris Brown of the team's official website that he had 30 pounds to lose. Wright was subsequently cut by the Bills on May 10 after showing up at the teams first minicamp overweight.New York Giants
Wright signed with the New York GiantsNew York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on August 15, 2007. He appeared in six games during the regular season and recorded two tackles. He was also a member of the Giants' Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
championship team.
On April 10, 2008, the Giants waived Wright.
af2
In 2008 Wright joined the af2Af2
AF2 was the name of the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup...
and on December 22 was assigned to the Stockton Lightning
Stockton Lightning
The Stockton Lightning were a professional arena football team. They were members of the Western Division of the National Conferenece of the arenafootball2 .The Lightning joined af2 2006 as an expansion team...
. However, on May 8, he was suspended by the team.
See also
- List of University of Southern California people
- List of New York Giants players
- List of Miami Dolphins players
- List of National Football League and Arena football players