After a decade playing in the Emerald City, former Seattle Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright is beginning to build a new legacy by earning his first promotion with the rival San Francisco 49ers.
Wright was hired by the 49ers in 2023 to serve as their assistant linebackers and defensive quality control coach, a title he’s held for the last two years. Now in his third year with the Bay Area-based franchise, Wright will serve as the team’s linebackers coach for the 2026 season.
While there were rumors that
former Seahawks assistant Robert Saleh was trying to poach Wright and bring him to Tennessee, it seems he’ll be staying with the 49ers for at least the next year.
A long-time fan favorite during his time with the Seahawks, Wright was a staple of the franchise’s front-7 alongside Bobby Wagner during the Legion of Boom era. He helped Seattle claim their first Super Bowl in 2014, earned his only Pro Bowl honor in 2016 and finished his career with over 900 tackles and 11 forced fumbles in his time with the Seahawks.
Despite Wright playing his last season with the Las Vegas Raiders, the Mississippi State grad would return to Seattle to sign a one-day contract to retire a Seahawk. While Wright’s playing career ended with the team that drafted him in the fourth round of the 2011 draft, his next journey will depend on beating the team wearing the same blue and action green jerseys he once donned.
