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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Ivan Lambert

Washington Team President Jason Wright’s blunder

Twitter is aflame with WFT fans expressing their hatred, insults and expletives to Washington owner Dan Snyder following Sunday’s embarrassing 56-14 loss to Dallas.

The team play was embarrassing, the lack of urgency was embarrassing, 42-7 at the half was embarrassing, and 56-7 score before a late Washington score was embarrassing.

Now we must consider WFT President Jason Wright’s questionable behavior as well. Wright late on Christmas night tweeted the following:

Now, why would an NFL team president even consider tweeting a photo of Santa and a snowman urinating on another NFL team helmet? Even more, why would a team president not possess the discernment to see it was quite unprofessional and inappropriate before clicking “send”?

Wright is the team president; he is to be a leader. Leaders are to lead. Lead in a direction of wisdom, knowledge, professionalism, maturity. In other words, while fans lose it on Twitter, are not leaders to be those above such juvenile behavior?

His bio on the WFT website reads, “Wright is responsible for leading the organization’s business divisions, including operations, finance, sales, and marketing…”

With much talk of a culture change needed because of the behavior of owner Dan Snyder, now we also observe Wright “leading” with this unprofessional behavior?

When called out on Twitter by Washington fans, Wright, instead of setting a high bar, manning up and confessing his wrong (see Jonathan Allen who took full responsibility for his actions in punching a teammate), Wright chose to tell fans in a tweet to

What would you think of the president of a company tweeting this picture of two urinating on another organization? Would you hesitate to give that CEO your business?

I wish Wright well; hey, I want this organization turned around ON AND OFF the field! I not only desire success and prosperity for the organization, but I also want this organization to be respected again, trusted (think Joe Gibbs).

Wright’s behavior at best was very junior-high like, but to then deflect on to his own paying customers telling them to “chill”?  Is that prudent, perceptive leadership?

Good leaders show respect for others and take responsibility for their actions. We have all failed at this from time to time, and I confess, I am not innocent. Wright’s disrespect for Dallas (or any other NFL franchise) revealed he, too, needs to step up and raise the bar in his leadership.

I know Ron Rivera is not Wright’s boss, but it is my hope Rivera will have the courage to speak the truth to both Dan Snyder and Jason Wright, that they both need to be part of the culture change and lead in a better direction.

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