Overview

• The Green Bay Packers announced on June 3 that Wright died on June 1 at the age of 82.
• Wright spent four seasons with the Packers from 1964 to 1967, contributing to three straight NFL titles under coach Vince Lombardi.
• He bounced between the New York Giants, Washington, Chicago Bears and St. Louis Cardinals during the final five years of his career.
• In 1969 the Giants volunteered Wright as the model for the original Gladiator Award trophy, with Bart Starr as its first recipient.
• The award was renamed the NFL Man of the Year Award in 1970 and became the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Trophy in 1999 to honor players for community service and on-field excellence.