Steve Wright (offensive lineman)
Encyclopedia
Stephen Hough Wright is a former American football
offensive tackle and offensive guard. A 1977 graduate of Wayzata (Minnesota) High School, he played college football
at Northern Iowa and then played ten professional
seasons for four teams from 1981
–1992
. He appeared on Survivor: Redemption Island
where he placed 10th and became the 3rd jury member.
in 1981. While with the Cowboys, the 265-pound Wright was blocking for Tony Dorsett
on Dorsett's 99-yard touchdown run against the Minnesota Vikings
during the 1982 NFL season. While with the Cowboys Wright also blocked for another future Survivor contestant, Gary Hogeboom
(Survivor: Guatemala
), who was the team's second-string quarterback.
Before the 1983 NFL season, the Cowboys traded Wright to the Baltimore Colts, where he spent two seasons with the team in Baltimore and Indianapolis.
In 1985, Wright moved to the Oakland Invaders
of the United States Football League
. That season, the Invaders reached the USFL Championship Game, losing to the Baltimore Stars
. Wright, who wore #70 with the Invaders, scored a touchdown in a May 1985 USFL game against the Denver Gold
when Invaders quarterback Bobby Hebert
completed a two-yard pass to Wright, who was tackle eligible on the play.
In July 1986, Wright returned to the NFL's Indianapolis Colts
, signing with the club as a free agent.
Wright signed with the NFL's Los Angeles Raiders in 1987, starting nearly 50 games over seven seasons with the team. While with the Raiders, Wright wore #66.
He retired from pro football in June 1994 at the age of 35 after spending the entire 1993 NFL season on injured reserve. Wright was inducted into the Northern Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame in September 1997.
In 2011, Wright appeared as a contestant on the American CBS
competitive reality television
series Survivor: Redemption Island
. On Day 30, he was the 13th person voted out of the game and was sent to Redemption Island. He was eliminated on Day 31.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
offensive tackle and offensive guard. A 1977 graduate of Wayzata (Minnesota) High School, he played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Northern Iowa and then played ten professional
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
seasons for four teams from 1981
1981 NFL season
The 1981 NFL season was the 62nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVI when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals.-Major rule changes:...
–1992
1992 NFL season
The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that...
. He appeared on Survivor: Redemption Island
Survivor: Redemption Island
Survivor: Redemption Island is the twenty-second season of the American CBS competitive reality television series Survivor, which premiered on February 16, 2011. Applications were due in January 2010, and filming lasted from August to September 2010. The season was filmed in the vicinity of San...
where he placed 10th and became the 3rd jury member.
Football career
A tight end in college, Wright was not selected in the NFL Draft, but signed as a free agent with the Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
in 1981. While with the Cowboys, the 265-pound Wright was blocking for Tony Dorsett
Tony Dorsett
Anthony "Tony" Drew Dorsett is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.-Early years:...
on Dorsett's 99-yard touchdown run against the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
during the 1982 NFL season. While with the Cowboys Wright also blocked for another future Survivor contestant, Gary Hogeboom
Gary Hogeboom
Gary Keith Hogeboom is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League and a contestant on the CBS reality TV show Survivor: Guatemala.-Career:...
(Survivor: Guatemala
Survivor: Guatemala
Survivor: Guatemala — The Maya Empire, commonly referred to as Survivor: Guatemala, is the eleventh season of the American CBS competitive reality television series Survivor. The season was filmed in the Yaxhá-Nakúm-Naranjo National Park near the more popular Tikal National Park, located in...
), who was the team's second-string quarterback.
Before the 1983 NFL season, the Cowboys traded Wright to the Baltimore Colts, where he spent two seasons with the team in Baltimore and Indianapolis.
In 1985, Wright moved to the Oakland Invaders
Oakland Invaders
Oakland Invaders was a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League from 1983 through 1985.-In reaction to the Raiders relocating to Los Angeles:...
of the United States Football League
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
. That season, the Invaders reached the USFL Championship Game, losing to the Baltimore Stars
Baltimore Stars
The Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars were a professional American football team which played in the United States Football League in the mid-1980s. They were owned by real estate magnate Myles Tanenbaum. They were the league's dominant team, playing in all three championship games and winning two of...
. Wright, who wore #70 with the Invaders, scored a touchdown in a May 1985 USFL game against the Denver Gold
Denver Gold
The Denver Gold was a franchise in the United States Football League, an attempt to establish a second major professional football league in the United States, playing a springtime season, from 1983 to 1985...
when Invaders quarterback Bobby Hebert
Bobby Hebert
Bobby Joseph Hebert Jr., is an American sportscaster who is best known as a retired Pro bowl American football quarterback of the New Orleans Saints. He played professionally in the USFL and NFL from 1983 to 1996 for the Michigan Panthers, Oakland Invaders, New Orleans Saints, and Atlanta Falcons...
completed a two-yard pass to Wright, who was tackle eligible on the play.
In July 1986, Wright returned to the NFL's Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, signing with the club as a free agent.
Wright signed with the NFL's Los Angeles Raiders in 1987, starting nearly 50 games over seven seasons with the team. While with the Raiders, Wright wore #66.
He retired from pro football in June 1994 at the age of 35 after spending the entire 1993 NFL season on injured reserve. Wright was inducted into the Northern Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame in September 1997.
Post-football
Soon after retiring from football, Wright founded Cloudburst, a company that provides sideline misting systems. He sold the business in 2000. Today, Wright lives in Huntington Beach, California.In 2011, Wright appeared as a contestant on the American CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
competitive reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
series Survivor: Redemption Island
Survivor: Redemption Island
Survivor: Redemption Island is the twenty-second season of the American CBS competitive reality television series Survivor, which premiered on February 16, 2011. Applications were due in January 2010, and filming lasted from August to September 2010. The season was filmed in the vicinity of San...
. On Day 30, he was the 13th person voted out of the game and was sent to Redemption Island. He was eliminated on Day 31.