Instead of hearing a crowd go wild after an interception or touchdown, rookie Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Ceyair Wright will hear quiet on set this NFL season.
After just one preseason game, Wright, who went undrafted, decided to hang up his helmet temporarily for a major acting opportunity he couldn’t give up, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC-TV in Houston. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor confirmed the news to Cleveland reporters, acknowledging that Wright’s decision was probably one of the hardest because two of his dreams “were colliding.”
According to Cleveland.com, Taylor wished the rookie well, saying, “He was fun to be around. He really competed hard for us. It was fun watching him play.” Filming for the unnamed production will wrap up in October, with Wright expected to return to the team.
The 23-year-old spent his college career playing for the USC Trojans and Nebraska Cornhuskers, while also building his acting resume. Wright is best known for playing LeBron James’s son Darius James in Space Jam: A New Legacy. Fans of Black-ish spinoff Grown-ish know Ceyair as Zeke, Junior’s friend, who appeared in 15 episodes of the series.
He also had parts in American Skin, 2 Broke Girls, and the CBS crime thriller Training Day.
When Hollywood and the NFL call, why not answer both?
I think the cornerback made the right decision by accepting the lead role instead of staying with the team for the rest of preseason and part of the regular season. With only 53 roster spots available, the NFL is highly competitive. I’m not saying he wouldn’t have made the team or the practice squad since head coach Taylor said he was ascending as a player, but the movie role was offered, so it was more of a guarantee.
Plus, he’s not giving up on football and has a chance to come back to the game he loves. This situation proves that actively working toward multiple dreams increases the chances of one, or many, coming true. Imagine if Wright had stopped acting to focus solely on football, or vice versa; it’s important to have something to fall back on.
Many athletes have different jobs
I see a lot of people voicing opinions on this topic, but it’s not uncommon for an athlete to have different passions and pursue different careers at the same time. For example, WNBA star Angel Reese has a podcast, is a model, a founder, and has had acting roles. They’re humans with many interests; just because we see them on the court or field doesn’t mean that’s where they should only stay.
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