LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. - Jason Wright knows what it's like to be the first.
Wright, who will soon complete his first year as President of the Washington Football Team, is the first Black team president in the NFL.
Earlier this week, Carl Nassib became the first active NFL player to announce he is gay. Wright, a former NFL player, has unique perspective on Nassib's news - but not only from his experience in a locker room.
Wright says his sister dedicated much of her professional career to LGBTQ+ rights. She worked for GLAAD, an organization committed to accelerating acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community.
"One of the things I learned from her is that community acceptance and family acceptance are the main drivers for health and well-being for LGBTQ+ youth," Wright explained to News 3 Sports Director Adam Winkler in a 1-on-1 interview via Zoom. "When that's not in place, there are real mental health issues. There's an endemic of suicide among LGBTQ+ youth."
"One of things that cultivates greater family and community acceptance, and sometimes can be a great substitute for it - is a visible role model in a prominent platform in a pioneering space. So when this announcement happened, I immediately was drawn back into my sister's labor of love, her life's passion, and recognizing this announcement was literally saving lives. Someone will decide to live to see tomorrow because of what Carl has done."
Jason Wright was hired as team president in August 2020. He spent seven years as a running back in the NFL and was team captain and NFLPA player representative for the Arizona Cardinals during the 2011 NFL Lockout.
