Steve Wright (1997) - Hall of Fame

Steve Wright

Induction:
1997
Class:
1981

The young man who was noted in the 1978, 1979 and 1980 University of Northern Iowa football media guides as the "possibly the strongest player on the squad" went on to prove that strength against some of the biggest and best in the nation.

Steve Wright played 13 years in the National Football League, spending his tenure with the Dallas Cowboys (1981-82), the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts (1983-85) and the Los Angeles Raiders (1987-94).

While at UNI, the health major was a four-year letter winner as an offensive lineman his sophomore and junior years and a tight end his freshman and senior seasons. A graduate of Wayzata (Minn.) High School, he played four years of football, two of basketball and three years of track and field. He was the school record holder and all-American in both the shot put and discus as a senior. He also lettered in hockey as a defenseman. He went on to earn all-league honors as a senior blocker and pass catcher at UNI, and was tabbed as "an imposing 6-5 figure in a football uniform" in the 1979 media guide. He received his bachelor's degree in 1981.

In his NFL career, Wright was just one of three free agents out of 110 in the league, making the 1981 Dallas Cowboys team. He played in all 25 regular-season games with the Cowboys in 1981 and in the strike-shortened 1982 season, and in the 1981 and 1982 NFC title games. He was traded to Baltimore in the pre-season 1983, and played in all of the Colts' league games that year. He was active with the Colts organization until 1985, and played with the Oakland Invaders of the United States Football League in the spring of 1985. He also played in three championship games and received the Ed Block Courage Award in 1990. One of the highlights of Wright's professional football career occurred during his rookie season of 1981. As a right guard for the Dallas Cowboys against his hometown team, the Minnesota Vikings, Wright sprang running back Tony Dorsett loose for a 99-1/2 yard run (the longest run in the history of the National Football League).