Former longtime Seattle Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright is moving up the coaching ranks with a promotion from one of Seattle’s biggest rivals.

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Wright, who was a starter on Seattle’s famed Legion of Boom defenses, has been promoted to linebackers coach for the San Francisco 49ers. He’s entering his third season on San Francisco’s coaching staff, having spent the past two seasons as the 49ers’ defensive quality control coach.

There had been some thought that Wright might follow former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh to Tennessee, where Saleh was recently named the Titans’ head coach.

But according to ESPN 49ers reporter Nick Wagoner, Saleh said Wright had been made “off limits” by San Francisco.

“It was an understanding from the beginning,” Saleh said, according to a social media post from Wagoner.

Saleh also said he envisions the 36-year-old Wright making a rapid rise up the coaching ranks, similar to Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans’ trajectory. Ryans spent time as the 49ers’ defensive quality control and linebackers coaches before becoming San Francisco’s defensive coordinator in 2021 and Houston’s head coach in 2023.

“He’s going to be a coordinator really quick,” Saleh said. “I could see him easily progressing the way DeMeco did. He’s got the same mindset. He’s got the same respect from his players. K.J.’s going to be really good.”

A fourth-round draft pick by Seattle, Wright started 140 games at linebacker over his 10 seasons with the Seahawks from 2011-20. During his time with Seattle, he racked up 941 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 66 tackles for loss, six interceptions and 11 forced fumbles. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 2016, when he posted a career-high 4.0 sacks and 12 tackles for loss.

Wright then capped his 11-year NFL career with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021.

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