A former Arizona Wildcat could be a βJeopardy!β clue one day.
βThis Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and winner of the Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy was drafted by the NFL, AAF, XFL and USFL.β
βWho is Scooby Wright?β
Earlier this week, Wright β a former Wildcats linebacker β was drafted by the USFL, an eight-team professional football league thatβs set to kick off in April. Wright, who was taken by the Birmingham Stallions, was one of three former Wildcats chosen. Cornerback Lorenzo Burns (Birmingham Stallions) and wide receiver Shawn Poindexter (New Orleans Breakers) were the others. Former UA head coach Kevin Sumlin will lead the Houston Gamblers this season.
Itβs another chance to make it in the pros for Wright. The Cleveland Browns selected Wright in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL Draft, and he played two seasons in the league for both Cleveland and the Arizona Cardinals.
Wright then played in the upstart AAF (Arizona Hotshots) and XFL (DC Defenders) before taking up jiujitsu and becoming a firefighter in Northern Californiaβs Sonoma County.
βIβm in the best shape Iβve ever been in. Iβm healthy and excited,β Wright said.
Wright joined ESPN Tucsonβs βSpears and Aliβ this week to discuss his endless passion for football, how mixed martial arts helped his on-field production, and playing up the road from his former UA coach.
How do you look back on your time as a football player?
A: βIβm going to keep playing as long as Iβm having fun. And Iβm still having fun, so Iβm going to stay after it.β
How did you find out Birmingham drafted you?
A: βI got a phone call from one of their coaches asking if I was still playing or if there were some other things I was doing. He was just making sure if I was playing or not. He said I was their No. 1 guy on their list and that they were going to draft me if I was there. I was there, so Iβm just excited for this opportunity.β
Is it true your mother found out you were drafted before you?
A: βYeah, my mom was watching the tracker on the USFL Twitter (account). My mom was like, βCongrats, youβve been drafted,β so that was kind of funny. My mom found out before me, so that was a cool moment.β
With training for jiujitsu and training to become a firefighter during your post-XFL career, you lost weight; are you putting on weight to play inside linebacker or would you be willing to switch positions?
A: βNo, Iβm still going to play linebacker. About two weeks ago when I was getting ready for a big jiujitsu tournament, I competed at 215 (pounds), so I was already walking around at 215. Iβve just cut back on the cardio a bit more and now Iβm walking around at 220. Iβll probably be playing at either 220 or 225, and just be mobile, fast and explosive. Thatβs how I think Iβm going to be playing.β
It appeared your football career was over considering your other endeavors. β¦ Why do you still want to play?
A: βI always knew that if the opportunity came about, Iβd probably be really interested in it. This is a great opportunity and Iβm in the best shape Iβve ever been in. After talking to the fire captain at the place I volunteer at, he said, βScooby, you can be a firefighter until youβre 57 years old, and if you want to go play football or whatever, itβs not going to matter in the big scheme of things.β And then for the mixed-martial arts, I gotta cut down on that, and thatβs the downside of all this, but I truly believe that made me a better football player. Iβm going to take all the things Iβve picked up during the transition and put it back on the football field and get after it.β
How does MMA help your football career?
A: βJust leverage, learning how to use your hands, learning different angles. You learn how to truly tackle somebody and how to get somebody on the ground.β
Did you stay connected to football?
A: βYeah, there would be times where Iβm watching college football games or pro football with my dad or fiancee and Iβd be calling out plays in my head, βOK, this is whatβs coming.β I always study the game and I canβt just watch the game just to watch it. Iβm always analyzing it, so that side never went away. If anything, Iβve matured more and Iβm in a way better head space than I was a couple years ago. I feel like Iβve found my grown-man strength.β
Which of the previous professional football leagues did you enjoy the most?
A: βProbably the XFL, because they had hard seltzers in the locker room when you won, so that was good. Iβm dead serious, too. Youβd walk into the locker room after winning a game and thereβd be four or five coolers filled with Coors Light or Bud Light. Next thing you know, youβd be shotgunning a drink with your coach.β
Your former coach at Arizona, Rich Rodriguez, is the new head at Jacksonville State, which is about a 90-minute drive from Birmingham; do you plan on reuniting with RichRod?
A: βI was texting him this morning. He said once I get settled in, weβre going to make sure we have dinner down there, so thatβs really cool.β
Does the USFL give you any hope that this league can last longer than the other short-lived professional football leagues?
A: βThatβs the comical part: fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. I donβt know, weβll find out whatβs about to happen the third time. β¦ No regrets, Iβm not trying to look back when Iβm 50 and wish I wouldβve done this or done that. Iβm just going to send it.β