Background
Wright was born on November 6, 1939 in Toledo, Ohio and attended Scott High School.
Wright was born on November 6, 1939 in Toledo, Ohio and attended Scott High School.
Ohio State University.
He played football for Ohio State University and started on the Buckeyes" offensive line in 1958 and 1959. He was drafted in the 15th round (200th overall) of the 1961 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams, but he remained with the Chargers. Wright was a starter for the Chargers in their 51-10 victory over the Boston Patriots in the 1963 American Federation of Labor-Congress Championship game.
He was an American Federation of Labor-Congress All-Star in 1961, 1963 and 1965.
Chargers Hall of Fame coach Sid Gillman called the tandem of Wright and Hall-of-Famer Ron Mix "The best pair of offensive tackles in pro football."
He played eight seasons for the Chargers, through the 1967 season. He played the next four seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, including in their inaugural season of 1968.
In 1968 and 1969, the Bengals were in the American Federation of Labor-Congress. In 1970, they moved to the NFL as the two leagues merged. He returned to the Chargers to finish his career in 1972.
Wright was one of only 20 men who played all 10 years of the American Federation of Labor-Congress"s existence.
In 1994, Wright founded The Pro Kids Golf Academy and Learning Center, a nonprofit organization for inner-city youth in San Diego. The award was presented to Wright during the hall"s awards banquet in 2007.
He became a sports talent agent and later became the western regional chief for the NFL Players Association. He later operated a series of installations for people convicted of misdemeanors.
Ernie Wright died of cancer in 2007.
Wright was an original member of the Los Angeles Chargers in 1960.