Eric Wright

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Wright made a key defensive play in the NFC Championship game on January 10, 1982, against the Dallas Cowboys. On the Cowboys' last possession in the final minute, after Dwight Clark had made The Catch, Wright made a touchdown-saving horse-collar tackle on Cowboy wide receiver Drew Pearson. The Cowboys fumbled on the next play and the 49ers recovered to preserve the win and propel them into their first Super Bowl. Wright's peak performance year was during the 1983 season when he intercepted 7 passes for 164 yards and 2 touchdowns. He intercepted passes in Super Bowl XVI and Super Bowl XIX. Wright missed a majority of the 1986 and 1987 seasons with a deep groin pull and chipped bone in the area, missing all but 4 games during the two-year stretch. But he returned as a starter in 1988 and was on the 49ers-back-to-back Super Bowl-winning teams.

In Their Own Story

January 10, 1982. NFC Championship. The Dallas Cowboys had the ball in the final minute, driving for a potential winning score. Dwight Clark had just made The Catch to put the 49ers ahead, but the game wasn't over. On the Cowboys' last possession, wide receiver Drew Pearson broke free down the sideline. Eric Wright, the second-year cornerback, closed the gap and made a touchdown-saving horse-collar tackle, dragging Pearson down from behind. The very next play, the Cowboys fumbled, and the 49ers recovered. Wright's tackle preserved the win and sent San Francisco to their first Super Bowl. It was the kind of play that defined his career—not flashy, but absolutely critical, and it came from a player who would go on to intercept passes in both Super Bowl XVI and Super Bowl XIX.

Reader's Guide

Eric Wright played in ten NFL seasons, from 1981 to 1990, all for the San Francisco 49ers. A two-time Pro Bowler, his peak performance year was during the 1983 season when he intercepted 7 passes for 164 yards and 2 touchdowns. He started on four Super Bowl-winning teams. After missing a majority of the 1986 and 1987 seasons with a deep groin pull and chipped bone in the area—missing all but 4 games during the two-year stretch—he returned as a starter in 1988 and was on the 49ers-back-to-back Super Bowl-winning teams. Wright is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He is currently an alumni coordinator for the 49ers.

Did You Know?

• Eric Wright was selected by the 49ers in the second round of the 1981 NFL draft.
• He shares the Missouri record for the most pass interceptions in a game (three vs. San Diego State in 1979).
• Wright made a touchdown-saving horse-collar tackle on Drew Pearson in the 1982 NFC Championship game.
• He intercepted passes in Super Bowl XVI and Super Bowl XIX.
• Wright is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and currently works as an alumni coordinator for the 49ers.