Washington names former player Wright as NFL's first Black team president

[August 18, 2020]    (Reuters) - The Washington Football Team on Monday named former NFL running back Jason Wright as its president, making him the first Black person to be hired for such a role in National Football League history.

The NFL logo is pictured at an event in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., November 30, 2017. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File Photo

Wright, who following his retirement in 2011 earned his MBA from the University of Chicago, will be responsible for leading the team's business divisions, including operations, finance, sales and marketing.

The 38-year-old former player joins a Washington team that last month said it will retire its Redskins name and logo which had been used since 1933 but had long been criticized as racist by Native American rights groups.

"This team, at this time, is an ideal opportunity for me," Wright said in a news release.

"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."

Wright, who previously worked at consulting firm McKinsey & Co where he was a partner in the operations practice, will report directly to Washington team owner Dan Snyder.

Wright spent seven seasons in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Brown and Arizona Cardinals.

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto, editing by Ed Osmond)

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