Washington Football Team hires Jason Wright as team president

The Washington Football Team has filled a vacancy that has been left empty since the firing of Bruce Allen back in winter.

The Washington Football Team went through the 2020 offseason with a number of key positions left unfilled, with the most notable ones being team president and general manager. Bruce Allen, who had traditionally manned both positions, was fired on December 30 of last year, after the team finished a disappointing 3-13 season.

The Washington Football Team chose to proceed with Ron Rivera and Kyle Smith teaming together to spearhead the organization’s player evaluations, and Smith was the team’s closest thing to a general manager come draft time. But the position of president remained entirely empty. Terry Bateman was recently hired as a business executive, but did not take the president label.

Now, weeks away from the regular season, the Washington Football Team has finally hired a president to replace Bruce Allen, and lead the team into a new era. Per NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Washington Football Team has hired Jason Wright as team president. According to Schefter, Wright “will be responsible for leading the organization’s business decisions.” Wright is also the first black team resident in NFL history.

Ian Rapoport offered more information on Wright, and also shared a statement made on the hire by the Washington Football Team:

Wright, 38, was once a player in the NFL. He played college football at Northwestern, and was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2004. From that point forward, he’d see time with the Falcons, Browns, and Cardinals in seven seasons, peaking in 2007, when he logged 60 carries for 277 yards and a touchdown, as well as 24 receptions for 233 yards.

After retiring from the NFL in 2011, Wright opted to attend the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, to further his business education. He subsequently received his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the university, and had been working as a partner at a management consultant firm in Washington D.C. before his hire as president.

The addition of Wright will help Washington streamline its business operations in the wake of structural change. Having a team president devoted to all business aspects should also help different coaches and executives have succinct roles. Whereas under Allen, there was some confusion surrounding role boundaries, the Washington Football Team seems to be making a pledge to have a more organized hierarchy.

As for Wright himself, he has the football and business background necessary to be a welcome and positive influence on a Washington Football Team that needs sound leadership and decision making in 2020. Wright will presumably take on his duties in the near future, as Washington continues on its path back to relevance.