Ex-NFL Player Steve Wright, Model For Walter Payton Man of Year Award, Dead At 82
Steve Wright NFL Man of Year Award Model Dead At 82
Published
Former NFL player Steve Wright -- best-known for being the model for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award -- has died at 82 years old, the Green Bay Packers announced.
The 6'6", 250-pound offensive tackle was a fifth-round pick out of Alabama in 1964 ... and was a member of three Packers championship teams.
Wright was traded to the Giants in 1968 ... and ultimately bounced around the league with short stints in Washington, Chicago and St. Louis before his career ended.
During his time in New York, artist Daniel Bennett Schwartz created the sculpture that would be used for the Man of the Year award ... and Wright was the muse.
The honor would ultimately be renamed after Walter Payton in 1999.
Wright made 101 total appearances in the NFL ... starting over 40 games.
He went on to write a book on his experience in the NFL ... titled, "I'd Rather be Wright: Memoirs of an Itinerant Tackle."
RIP.