Commanders President Jason Wright Stepping Down

According to Mark Maske and Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post, Commander President Jason Wright has stepped down from his role and will assume the role of senior advisor before leaving the organization at the end of this season. 

Maske and Jhabvala, citing two sources with knowledge of Wright’s contract, reports the president’s deal was set to expire in August. The Washington Post also reports Wright met with the members of their business staff on Thursday to inform them of his exit.

Wright wrote in a statement that he’s looking to explore his “next leadership opportunity” with a new organization. 

“This feels like the right moment for me to explore my next leadership opportunity,” Wright said. “I’m extremely grateful to my Commanders colleagues, our fans and this community for all that we have accomplished these past four years, and am looking forward to the start of a very successful season for the Burgundy and Gold.”

Commanders owner Josh Harris had high praise for Wright’s impact on the organization during a challenging time. 

“Jason has made a remarkable impact on the Commanders organization since he joined four years ago,” Harris said. “He stepped in at a time of immense challenge and has led this organization through an incredible transformation that set that stage for everything that is to come. I am extremely grateful to Jason for his partnership to me and the rest of the ownership group over the past year. His guidance has been invaluable and his leadership has helped reshape our culture.”

Last month, it was reported that Wright was a finalist for the Packers’ president and CEO position, so it’s clear he’s been interested in moving on from Washington. 

Wright, 41, played at Northwestern and entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent. He played seven seasons as a backup running back for the Falcons, Browns and Cardinals. 

He went back to school and earned a business degree, working in consulting for several years before the Commanders hired him as their team president in 2020. Wright was the first black team president in NFL history.