Lawrence Wright (American football)

Last updated

Lawrence Wright
No. 42
Position: Safety
Personal information
Born: (1973-09-06) September 6, 1973 (age 50)
Miami, Florida, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:209 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school: North Miami (FL)
College: Florida
Undrafted: 1997
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Player stats at PFR

Lawrence D. Wright, III (born September 6, 1973) is an American former college and professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons during the 1990s. Wright played college football for the University of Florida, where he was a member of a national championship team. Thereafter, he played professionally for the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL.

Contents

Early years

Wright was born in Miami, Florida in 1973. [1] He attended North Miami High School and Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, Pennsylvania. [2]

College career

Wright accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Steve Spurrier's Florida Gators football team from 1993 to 1996. [3] He led the Gators with 109 tackles as a junior in 1995. [3] During Wright's senior season in 1996, Wright was one of the team captains [3] and the Gators posted a 12–1 record and won the 1996 Bowl Alliance national championship by defeating the top-ranked Florida State Seminoles 52–20 in the 1997 Sugar Bowl. [4] That same year, he also won the Jim Thorpe Award, recognizing the best defensive back in college football, [5] and was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection in 1995 and 1996. [3] He finished his Gator career with 331 tackles, five interceptions, eight forced fumbles and four fumbles recoveries. [5]

Wright was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll for four consecutive years, and was a CFA Scholar-Athlete in 1996. [3] He graduated from Florida with a bachelor's degree in building construction in 1997, and was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 2007. [6] [7]

Gators fans also remember Wright for leading the cheer "If you ain't a Gator, you must be Gator bait!" during a large celebration at Florida Field following Florida's 1996 national championship. As an alumnus, he returned to Gainesville to lead the same cheer during celebrations after the Gators' national championships in 2006 and 2008 [8]

Professional career

Wright was undrafted in the 1997 NFL draft, [9] but was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as a free agent. [10] He played in eighteen regular season games for the Bengals during the 1997 and 1999 seasons, [10] He appeared in four regular season games as a rookie and fourteen games in 1999, [1] but was released by the Bengals before the beginning of the 2000 season.

Life after football

After retiring from professional football, Wright formed a construction and real estate development company, Wright & Partners, in South Florida.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danny Wuerffel</span> American football player (born 1974)

Daniel Carl Wuerffel is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida Gators, where he was a prolific passer under head coach Steve Spurrier. Wuerffel led the NCAA in touchdown passes in 1995 and 1996 and set numerous school and conference records during his career. During his senior year in 1996, he won the Heisman Trophy while leading the Gators to their first national championship. In 2013, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cris Collinsworth</span> American sports broadcaster (born 1959)

Anthony Cris Collinsworth is an American former football player and sports broadcaster. Collinsworth was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons (1981–1988), all with the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at the University of Florida, where he was recognized as an All-American. He is a television sportscaster for NBC, Showtime, and the NFL Network, and winner of 17 Sports Emmy Awards. He is also the majority owner of Pro Football Focus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ray Graves</span> American football player and coach (1918–2015)

Samuel Ray Graves was an American professional football player and college football coach. He was a native of Tennessee and a graduate of the University of Tennessee, where he was the starting center and team captain for the Volunteers under head coach Robert Neyland. After playing in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons, he returned to Tennessee to serve as an assistant football coach, then left for a longer stint as an assistant at Georgia Tech under head coach Bobby Dodd. He was the head football coach at the University of Florida from 1960 until 1969, where he led the Gators to their most successful decade in program history up to that point. While at Florida, he recruited and coached Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Steve Spurrier, who often praised Graves as a role model and mentor during his own successful coaching career. Graves also served as Florida's athletic director from 1960 until his retirement in 1979.

Keiwan Jevar Ratliff is an American former football cornerback who played seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL) during the 2000s. He played college football for the University of Florida, and was recognized as a consensus All-American. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL) in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft, and also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL.

Doug Johnson, Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for five seasons in the National Football League (NFL) during the early 2000s. Johnson played college football for the Florida Gators, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Atlanta Falcons, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Cleveland Browns, and the Tennessee Titans of the NFL. He is in the Florida Georgia Hall of Fame, and played in minor league baseball for the Tampa Bay Rays organization.

Reidel Clarence Anthony is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) from 1997 to 2001. He played college football for the Florida Gators, and received consensus All-American honors in 1996. Anthony was a first-round pick in the 1997 NFL draft, and played professionally for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL.

Louis Oliver, III is an American former professional football player who was a safety for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1980s and 1990s. Oliver played college football for the Florida Gators, earning All-American honors twice. He was a first-round pick in the 1989 NFL draft, and played professionally for the Miami Dolphins and the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL.

Thomas Johnson "John" Reaves was an American professional football player who was a quarterback for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and three seasons in the United States Football League (USFL) during the 1970s and 1980s. Reaves played college football for the Florida Gators football, and earned first-team All-American honors.

Ellis Bernard Johnson is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Johnson played college football for the University of Florida, and was recognized as the National Defensive Player of the Year. He was selected in the first round of the 1995 NFL draft, and played professionally for the Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons and Denver Broncos of the NFL.

Glenn Scott Cameron is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons during the 1970s and 1980s. Cameron played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL.

Willie Bernard Jackson Jr. is an American former professional football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins. He played college football at the University of Florida. As a football coach, he was the wide receivers coach for the Orlando Apollos of the Alliance of American Football (AAF).

Christopher Paul Doering is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1990s and 2000s. Doering played college football for the Florida Gators, earning second-team All-American honors in 1995. He played professionally for the Indianapolis Colts, the Denver Broncos, the Washington Redskins, and the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL.

Jason Brian Odom is an American former college and professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for four seasons during the 1990s. Odom played college football for the University of Florida and received unanimous All-American honors. He played professionally for the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Eric Joel Kresser is an American former college and professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL) for five seasons during the 1990s and early 2000s. Kresser played college football for the University of Florida and Marshall University, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL and the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL.

Richard Alexander Fain is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons during the early 1990s. Fain played college football for the Florida Gators, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Cincinnati Bengals, Phoenix Cardinals and Chicago Bears of the NFL.

James Arthur Spencer, Jr. is an American former college and professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for twelve seasons during the 1990s and early 2000s. Spencer played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for the New Orleans Saints, Cincinnati Bengals, San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos of the NFL.

Johnny Boykins Rutledge, III is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for five seasons in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1990s and 2000s. Rutledge played college football for the Florida Gators, and was a member of a national championship team. A second round pick in the 1999 NFL draft, he played professionally for the Arizona Cardinals and the Denver Broncos of the NFL.

Dwayne Keith Dixon is an American former college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) and Arena Football League (AFL). He played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, played professionally for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL, and the Washington Commandos and Detroit Drive of the Arena Football League. Dixon has been a college football coach since 1990.

Guy Durell Dennis is an American former college and professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons during the 1960s and 1970s. Dennis played college football for the University of Florida, and received All-American honors. Thereafter, he played professionally for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Detroit Lions of the NFL.

References

  1. 1 2 Pro-Football-Reference.com, Players, Lawrence Wright. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
  2. ↑ databaseFootball.com, Players, Lawrence Wright Archived February 19, 2010, at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved June 3, 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide Archived April 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine , University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 88, 97, 98, 99, 100–101, 125, 153–154, 186 (2011). Retrieved August 31, 2011.
  4. ↑ College Football Data Warehouse, All-Time Coaching Records, Steve Spurrier 1996 Archived March 10, 2012, at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved July 9, 2010.
  5. 1 2 Jim Thorpe Association, Thorpe Award Winners, Lawrence Wright Archived December 30, 2012, at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved February 7, 2012.
  6. ↑ F Club, Hall of Fame, Gator Greats. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Nine Members Inducted Into University of Florida Athletics Hall of Fame Archived September 24, 2015, at the Wayback Machine ," GatorZone.com (April 13, 2007). Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  8. ↑ Pat Dooley, "Past UF champs inspire and cheer on the Gators," The Gainesville Sun (January 13, 2007). Retrieved July 3, 2011.
  9. ↑ National Football League, Draft History, 1997. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  10. 1 2 National Football League, Historical Players, Lawrence Wright. Retrieved May 24, 2010.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.