Jason Wright Appointed First Black and Youngest Team President in the NFL

The Washington Football Team, formerly known as the Washington Redskins, recently announced that they have appointed Jason Wright, a former running back, as the team’s president.

This announcement makes Wright the first-ever Black president in the NFL and at 38 years old, he is also the youngest.

“If I could custom design a leader for this important time in our history, it would be Jason,” said Dan Snyder, Washington Football Team owner. “His experience as a former player, coupled with his business acumen, gives him a perspective that is unrivaled in the league.”

“We will not rest until we are a championship caliber team, on and off the field. Jason has a proven track record in helping businesses transform culturally, operationally and financially. He is a proactive and assertive advocate for inclusion of all people and will set new standards for our organization, and for the league. There could not be a better duo than Jason Wright and Coach Ron Rivera as we usher in a new era for Washington Football.”

As the president, Wright will be responsible for leading the organization’s business divisions, including operations, finance, sales and marketing. He will join Coach Ron Rivera, who maintains all on-field responsibilities and football decisions, in reporting directly to team owner, Dan Snyder.

With the recent racial uprising in the United States due to an international call to stop racial discrimination and police brutality, many organizations have decided to create more opportunities for Black people and do away with symbols that represent past forms of oppression and racial insensitivities.

The Washington Football Team took the first step in a positive direction when it decided to change its’ name from the Washington Redskins. The choice to Wright, who is not only Black but very qualified for the position, is seen as another big step.

“The transformation of the Washington Football Team is happening across all aspects of the organization – from football to operations to branding to culture – and will make us a truly modern and aspirational franchise. We want to set new standards for the NFL. As a DMV local and fan, I’ve been watching this team with interest long before I knew I could become part of it. I believe in Dan Snyder’s vision for this organization, and I am looking forward to partnering with Coach Rivera, who is a champion for the players and one of the great minds in football. Together, we will define the future of the Washington Football Team,” Wright said.

With seven years of experience in the NFL under his belt, Wright has served as a running back for San Francisco, Atlanta, Cleveland and Arizona, where he was team captain and labor-union representative during the league’s 2011 lockout.

After retiring from the NFL, the Northwestern University graduate received an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and went on to work with McKinsey & Company, a global strategy and management consulting.

“From football to business school to McKinsey, I have always enjoyed building exciting new things and taking on the hard, seemingly intractable challenges that others may not want to tackle,” Wright said. “I especially love doing this with organizations who have deep history and values that set a firm foundation. This team, at this time, is an ideal opportunity for me.”

During his time at McKinsey & Company, Wright quickly ascended to being named partner in the Operations Practice and spearheaded the Black Economic Institute at McKinsey, where he additionally co-piloted their anti-racism and inclusion strategy.

“I remember Jason as a player, and it is no surprise to me that he went on to achieve the caliber of success that Jason has in his time in the business world,” Rivera said. “From my conversations with his former teammates and coaches plus my own with Jason, I have come to see that we share many of the same core values and beliefs”

“Because he knows the NFL firsthand and how fast it moves, I am excited to have him on board to head up the front office and operations, so that I can focus on what’s most important to the fans in our community – winning football games.”