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| Position: | Cornerback | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | December 21, 1947 Madison, Florida, U.S. | ||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 180 lb (82 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| College: | San Diego State | ||||||
| Undrafted: | 1969 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
Nathaniel Wright (born December 21, 1947) is a former American football cornerback who played in the National Football League (NFL) from 1969 to 1980.
He attended Monterey High School in Monterey, California, where he was a standout football and basketball player.
He was an All-Conference player from two years at San Diego State University after transferring from Monterey Peninsula College before turning pro.
Wright was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 1969. He played three games and recorded one fumble before being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. In ten games, he recorded two interceptions. The next year saw him record just one interception before he moved over to the Minnesota Vikings in 1971. That year, he played in three games and recorded no interceptions. He recorded ten combined interceptions in the next three seasons, which included six in 1974. In the 1973 playoffs, he recorded an interception in the Divisional Round matchup against Washington off Billy Kilmer on their way to a victory (coincidentally, Wright's next interception in the playoffs was also against Kilmer). [1] [2] Wright didn't record a further interception as the Vikings lost in Super Bowl VIII. In the 1974 postseason, Wright recovered a fumble at the 20-yard line and ran it in for a touchdown that the Vikings won 30–14 over St. Louis. It was his first ever touchdown and the first of only two he scored in his career. [3]
Wright was the defensive player who was covering Drew Pearson during the 1975 NFC Playoffs on the infamous Hail Mary pass in the 1975 NFC Divisional Playoff Game between the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings, played on December 28, 1975. Some observers and Viking players believed that Pearson pushed off on Wright, causing him to fall down and thus allowing Pearson to catch the pass from Roger Staubach and score the winning touchdown. However no penalty was called on Pearson. [4]
He was one of the fifteen plaintiffs in Mackey v. National Football League in which Judge Earl R. Larson declared that the Rozelle rule was a violation of antitrust laws on December 30, 1975. [5] [6]
He had his highest total in 1976 with seven. He recorded twelve combined interceptions over the next three years; Wright recorded his third and final interception in the playoffs in the 1977 NFC Championship, doing so off Roger Staubach in the 23–6 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. [7] Wright's career eneded in 1980, and he did so after picking off two passes in sixteen games (four starts). He totaled 34 interceptions and three fumble recoveries in 156 professional games. He was never selected to a Pro-Bowl or given All-Pro honors.
Super Bowl X was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1975 season. The Steelers defeated the Cowboys by the score of 21–17 to win their second consecutive Super Bowl. They were the third team to win back-to-back Super Bowls. It was also the first Super Bowl in which both participating teams had previously won a Super Bowl, as the Steelers were the defending champions and the Cowboys had won Super Bowl VI.
Super Bowl XII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1977 season. The Cowboys defeated the Broncos 27–10 to win their second Super Bowl. The game was played on January 15, 1978, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. This was the first Super Bowl in a domed stadium, and the first time that the game was played in prime time in the Eastern United States.
Super Bowl XIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1978 season. The Steelers defeated the Cowboys by the score of 35–31. The game was played on January 21, 1979, at the Miami Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, the fifth and last time that the Super Bowl was played in that stadium.
Roger Thomas Staubach, nicknamed "Roger the Dodger", "Captain America", and "Captain Comeback", is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy, where he won the 1963 Heisman Trophy playing for the Midshipmen. After graduation, he served in the U.S. Navy, including a tour of duty in Vietnam.
The National Football League playoffs for the 1971 season began on December 25, 1971. The postseason tournament concluded with the Dallas Cowboys defeating the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI, 24–3, on January 16, 1972, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The National Football League playoffs for the 1972 season began on December 23, 1972. The postseason tournament concluded with the Miami Dolphins defeating the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII, 14–7, on January 14, 1973, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California, becoming the only NFL team to finish a championship season undefeated and untied.
The National Football League playoffs for the 1973 season began on December 22, 1973. The postseason tournament concluded with the Miami Dolphins defeating the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl VIII, 24–7, on January 13, 1974, at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas.
The National Football League playoffs for the 1975 season began on December 27, 1975. The postseason tournament concluded with the Pittsburgh Steelers defeating the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl X, 21–17, on January 18, 1976, at the Orange Bowl in Miami.
The National Football League playoffs for the 1976 season began on December 18, 1976. The postseason tournament concluded with the Oakland Raiders defeating the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI, 32–14, on January 9, 1977, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
The National Football League playoffs for the 1977 season began on December 24, 1977. The postseason tournament concluded with the Dallas Cowboys defeating the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XII, 27–10, on January 15, 1978, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Drew Pearson is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. He was elected for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021.
James Bradley Johnson is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for 17 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), Johnson played for the Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Dallas Cowboys. He is best known for his time with the Buccaneers, whom he led to their Super Bowl XXXVII title over the Oakland Raiders.
Bobby Bryant is an American former football cornerback who played for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the South Carolina Gamecocks.
This article contains an in-depth explanation of the history of the Dallas Cowboys, a professional American football team that competes in the National Football League (NFL).
The 1973 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 13th in the National Football League (NFL). With a 12–2 record, the Vikings regained the NFC Central title after having gone 7–7 the previous year. They started the season 9–0 and looked a threat to the previous year's Miami Dolphins' record of a perfect season before losing to the Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals in their next three games. Their narrow 10–9 win over the Los Angeles Rams constituted the last time until 1997 that the last two unbeaten NFL teams played each other.
The 1971 Dallas Cowboys season was the franchise's 12th season in the National Football League (NFL), the first at the new Texas Stadium in suburban Irving, Texas and the 12th season under head coach Tom Landry. The Cowboys led the NFL with 406 points scored. Their defense allowed 222 points.
The 1978 Dallas Cowboys season was their 19th in the National Football League (NFL). For the third consecutive season, the Cowboys finished in first place in the NFC East. The Cowboys scored 384 points, which ranked first in the league, while the defense only gave up 208 points, 3rd best in the league. Twice, the Cowboys appeared on Monday Night Football.
The 1975 Dallas Cowboys season was the team's sixteenth season in the National Football League (NFL), all under head coach Tom Landry. The Cowboys finished second in the National Football Conference (NFC) East division with a 10–4 regular season record and advanced through the playoffs to Super Bowl X, where they were defeated by the Pittsburgh Steelers 21–17. They were also the first wild card team to reach the Super Bowl.
The 1979 Dallas Cowboys season was their 20th in the league. The team was unable to improve on their previous output of 12–4, winning eleven games. They qualified for the playoffs, but lost in the divisional round.
The Cowboys–Vikings rivalry is a rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings. The overall series is led by Dallas 19–15. The Cowboys and Vikings have played seven times in the playoffs, making this one of the most played playoff series in league history. The Cowboys lead the playoff series 4–3. CBS Sports named the rivalry among the best in the 1970s.