Sometimes, life throws unexpected opportunities our way. Ceyair Wright, a recent undrafted rookie who was picked up by the Cincinnati Bengals, has recently found that out in one of the most unique ways. On Saturday, August 15, the Bengals announced that Wright was leaving the team to "pursue other opportunities."
Wright has reportedly stepped away from his shot at professional football to pursue a lead role in an upcoming movie. As a result, the Bengals are replacing Wright with Matthew McDoom. It's worth noting that Wright already has acting experience, having appeared in a handful of movies, including Space Jam: A New Legacy.
"Two things he has a passion for were colliding," Bengals coach
According to CBS Sports, Wright spent his collegiate football career balancing his commitments to both football and acting. However, with his career now at an inflection point, Wright had to make a call, and clearly, the opportunity to push ahead with making movies ultimately won out.
"While the decision to walk away from the NFL was undoubtedly difficult, Wright probably made the right call," CBS Sports' Bryan DeArdo wrote. "Like all undrafted rookies, he faced an uphill climb to make the Bengals' 53-man roster. And while some undrafted rookies have gone on to enjoy long and successful NFL careers, those stories are few and far between."
Ceyair Wright Has Seven Acting Credits to His Name
Currently, there's no information regarding what movie convinced Wright to walk away from his football dream. It's fair to assume it's a pretty big opportunity, though. Fortunately for Wright, his next gig on a movie set won't come as too much of a reality shock, as he's already got seven acting credits to his name, per IMDB.
Wright's first foray into the acting world came in 2014. He made a single appearance on Instant Mom, where he played Darren Mockler. Three years later, he appeared as himself in 2 Broke Girls, before once again appearing as himself in the TV series Training Day.
It's also worth noting that Wright appeared in 15 episodes of Grown-Ish between 2022 and 2023. So, it's clear that he's been working toward this type of opportunity for years. Still, getting so close to making the NFL, only to walk away, is rare. However, if we start seeing Wright in some major movies in the not-too-distant future, we'll know he made the right call.
