Commanders president Jason Wright stepping down before planned exit after 2024
Following a full revamp in the Washington Commanders organization, team president Jason Wright is stepping down from his leadership role heading into the 2024 season. Wright will reportedly take on a senior adviser title, according to the Washington Post, as the team searches for a new president. The news of the shakeup comes as reports also reveal that he will exit the organization entirely after the 2024 season.
Wright, who joined the Commanders in 2020, was the first Black team president in the history of the NFL and also the youngest team president in the league. He is also just the fourth former NFL player to become president of a team.
Prior to his time as president of the Commanders, Wright worked for McKinsey & Company’s Washington DC office. He then led the team through their re-branding campaign and the exit of head coach Ron Rivera. Before his step into management, Wright played seven seasons in the NFL as a running back. He played for the Falcons, Browns, and Cardinals before hanging up his cleats after the 2010 season.
On top of hiring a new head coach in Dan Quinn, the Washington Commanders are also under new front office leadership with general manager Adam Peters. Peters joined the Commanders after serving in a variety of senior leadership positions with the San Francisco 49ers.
He was the team’s assistant general manager from 2021 to 2023. Prior to taking the assistant general manager role, Peters spent four seasons with the 49ers as the vice president of player personnel.
Commanders hire former Panthers GM Scott Fitterer
Following his exit as the general manager of the Carolina Panthers, Scott Fitterer has reportedly landed a new job in the NFL this week. The Washington Commanders are adding Fitterer to the personnel team as a personnel executive, according to The Athletic‘s Ben Standig.
The former college scout lost his role as the Panthers general manager in his third season as the team went 2-15. Fitterer spearheaded the team’s decision to trade for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, which they used to select former Alabama star quarterback Bryce Young.
Carolina had to swap their No. 9 overall pick in the first round with the Bears, and also give up their 2024 first-round selection, which happened to be the No. 1 pick, along with wide receiver D.J. Moore, and several other draft picks to get the deal done.
Prior to Fitterer’s firing in Carolina, the Panthers fired head coach Frank Reich before he got through his first season. He went 1-10 in the first 11 games. That was owner David Tepper’s fastest firing yet and the shortest head coaching tenure in the NFL since 1978.
Fitterer took over as the Panthers general manager in January of 2021 after serving as the VP of Football Operations with the Seattle Seahawks in 2020.
He started his career as an area scout for the New York Giants in 1998 before taking on the same role in Seattle in 2001, staying there til 2010. That’s when Fitterer rose through the ranks with roles such as Director of College Scouting and Co-Director of Player Personnel.