Mike Wright
Encyclopedia
Michael Wright is an American football
defensive end
for the New England Patriots
of the National Football League
(NFL). He was originally signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football
at Cincinnati
.
. He graduated from Purcell Marian High School
in Cincinnati in 2000. He was a letterman and a starter for two years; as a senior, he won All-City and All-State honors.
, where he played football for a season in 2000. In 2001, he transferred to the University of Cincinnati
, where he walked-on to the football team. He was redshirt
ed his freshman season in 2001, and missed his sophomore season in 2002 with a knee injury. In 2003, he made six starts on the defensive line for Cincinnati and was named the team's defensive newcomer of the year. Wright recorded 42 tackles in his senior season in 2004 in addition to blocking an extra point.
after going undrafted in the 2005 NFL Draft
. He made the Patriots' roster out of training camp and played in 13 games in his 2005
rookie season. He was placed on injured reserve
on January 6, 2007, and missed the team's two playoff games. In the second week of the 2006
season, Wright made his first career start, and made four overall starts on the year. He led the team once in tackles and twice in special teams tackles in 2006.
Wright played in nine games in 2007
before being placed on injured reserve on December 13. He returned in 2008
to play in all 16 games, starting two. He finished the season with a career-high 2.5 sacks and 33 tackles. Wright was re-signed by the Patriots to a four-year contract in March 2009 after failing to find a starting job on the free agent
market.
Wright played in all 16 games for the Patriots in 2009
, starting nine. He finished the season with 35 tackles and five sacks. In 2010
, Wright missed the final six games of the regular season with a concussion, but recorded 14 tackles and 5.5 sacks in his 10 games played (five starts). Wright was placed on injured reserve
on January 7, 2011, during the playoffs
, after having not played since November 21.
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...
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...
for the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
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...
(NFL). He was originally signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2005. 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 Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats football
The Cincinnati Bearcats football program represents the University of Cincinnati in a college football. They compete at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level as members of the Big East Conference. The Bearcat football program is one of the nation's oldest, having fielded a team as...
.
Early years
Wright was born in Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. He graduated from Purcell Marian High School
Purcell Marian High School
Purcell Marian High School is a parochial high school in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood Cincinnati, Ohio, United States based in the Marianist Tradition...
in Cincinnati in 2000. He was a letterman and a starter for two years; as a senior, he won All-City and All-State honors.
College career
After high school, Wright attended Ashland UniversityAshland University
Ashland University is a mid-sized, private, non-profit university that is located in Ashland, Ohio.The University offers 73 undergraduate majors and nine pre-professional programs. The majors include toxicology/environmental science and entrepreneurship, which are unusual for an institution of its...
, where he played football for a season in 2000. In 2001, he transferred to the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
, where he walked-on to the football team. He was redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
ed his freshman season in 2001, and missed his sophomore season in 2002 with a knee injury. In 2003, he made six starts on the defensive line for Cincinnati and was named the team's defensive newcomer of the year. Wright recorded 42 tackles in his senior season in 2004 in addition to blocking an extra point.
New England Patriots
Wright was signed by the New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
after going undrafted in the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
. He made the Patriots' roster out of training camp and played in 13 games in his 2005
2005 New England Patriots season
The 2005 New England Patriots season was the 36th season for the team in the National Football League and 46th season overall. They finished with a 10–6 record and the division title before losing in the playoffs to the Denver Broncos....
rookie season. He was placed on 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...
on January 6, 2007, and missed the team's two playoff games. In the second week of the 2006
2006 New England Patriots season
The 2006 New England Patriots season was the 37th season for the team in the National Football League and 47th season overall. They finished with a 12–4 record and a division title before losing to the Indianapolis Colts in the playoffs....
season, Wright made his first career start, and made four overall starts on the year. He led the team once in tackles and twice in special teams tackles in 2006.
Wright played in nine games in 2007
2007 New England Patriots season
The 2007 New England Patriots season was the 38th season for the team in the National Football League and 48th season overall. They finished with a perfect 16–0 regular season record but lost to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII....
before being placed on injured reserve on December 13. He returned in 2008
2008 New England Patriots season
The 2008 New England Patriots season was the 39th season for the team in the National Football League and 49th season overall. Despite finishing the regular season with an 11–5 record, the Patriots did not qualify for the playoffs—becoming the first 11-win team since the expansion to a 12-team...
to play in all 16 games, starting two. He finished the season with a career-high 2.5 sacks and 33 tackles. Wright was re-signed by the Patriots to a four-year contract in March 2009 after failing to find a starting job on the 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....
market.
Wright played in all 16 games for the Patriots in 2009
2009 New England Patriots season
The 2009 New England Patriots season was the 40th season for the team in the National Football League and 50th season overall. They finished with a 10–6 record and a division title before losing to the Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs....
, starting nine. He finished the season with 35 tackles and five sacks. In 2010
2010 New England Patriots season
The 2010 New England Patriots season was the 41st season for the team in the National Football League and 51st season overall. The Patriots improved on their 10–6 record from 2009 by finishing with a league-best 14–2 record and clinching the top seed in the AFC, before losing to the New York Jets...
, Wright missed the final six games of the regular season with a concussion, but recorded 14 tackles and 5.5 sacks in his 10 games played (five starts). Wright was placed on 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...
on January 7, 2011, during the playoffs
2010–11 NFL playoffs
The National Football League playoffs for the 2010 season began on January 8, 2011 and led up to Super Bowl XLV on February 6, 2011 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas....
, after having not played since November 21.