Coaching/Front Office Notes: Wright, Seahawks, Titans

Following a decade-plus playing career that saw him win a Super Bowl and earn a spot among the top-50 players in Seahawks history, K.J. Wright quickly decided to enter the coaching ranks. He caught on with the rival 49ers as a quality control coach, and after two years in that role, he was promoted to linebackers coach this past offseason.

Wright’s rise through San Francisco’s coaching hierarchy has him dreaming big when it comes to his future. While the 36-year-old currently seems content on Kyle Shanahan‘s staff, it sounds like Wright eventually envisions himself leading his own defense…or even more.

“I do want to be a really good linebackers coach, and I do know I want to be a defensive coordinator,” Wright told Matt Barrows of The Athletic. “I for sure know that. And so I’m working toward that. And we’ll see. We’ll see once it gets past that point. Ask me again once I become defensive coordinator.”

As Barrows notes, Wright’s current path isn’t entirely dissimilar to that of DeMeco Ryans. After his own playing career came to an end, Ryans caught on with the 49ers as a quality control coach before earning a promotion to LBs coach. He parlayed that gig into the DC job in San Francisco, and after two years in that role, he was named the head coach of the Texans.

Before Wright garners any interest for coordinator gigs, he’ll first have to show that he’s capable of guiding a linebackers corps. But with a group headlined by Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, it’s not hard to envision Wright having success in his new gig.

More coaching/front office notes from around the NFL…

• The Seahawks have added a familiar face to their front office, as Eric Stokes has been named a West Coast area scout, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston. Stokes brings more than two decades of experience to Seattle. The executive started his off-field career as a scout with the Seahawks before being named the Buccaneers director of college scouting. He later took an assistant GM role with the Dolphins before serving as the Panthers director of college scouting for three years. He most recently was with the Commanders, where he served as senior director of player personnel between 2021 and 2023.
• The Titans made a notable addition to their front office, hiring Bennie Contrino to serve as their new Director of Strategy and Analytics (per the team’s website). This role was previously held by Sarah Bailey, who left the organization shortly following Chad Brinker‘s ouster. Contrino spent seven years with the Panthers organization, most recently as their Football Analytics Manager.