By Sean McDevitt
FightingIllini.com

As we near the dedication of the Henry Dale and Betty Smith Football Center, the DIA is acknowledging and celebrating all those donors who made the project possible with special gifts to the many amenities the building offers Fighting Illini football players.

In this story, we honor the gift from former Illinois football letterwinners John Wright, Sr. and John Wright II, who will name the Football Academic All-American Wall and Wide Receivers Position Room.

Maybe your family tradition is to pick out a Christmas tree each year or maybe it's going out on the first day of hunting season. For a lot of families, attending Opening Day of the Major League Baseball season is a tradition. For the Wright family, their tradition is Illinois football.

John Wright, Sr., his father, Bob Wright, and his son, John Wright II are the only three-generation Illini football family, while Wright, Sr. and Wright II are the only father-son duo to earn Academic All-American honors.

That's a tradition unlike any other.

"Illinois was the best school."
John Wright, Sr. was raised in Wheaton, Illinois in a family where both grades and athletics were equally important. As a state champion and state record holder in the 180-yard low hurdles and a football player, many schools came calling. Still, it wasn't hard for him to choose.

"I came to the University of Illinois every year with my father when he came down to the state track meet," said Wright, Sr. "So, it came down to three schools. It came down to Stanford, Michigan, and Illinois. But, because Illinois was the best school at the time, certainly in football, and certainly as good a school as Stanford and Michigan academically and because of my father, I came to Illinois. Of course, I didn't have any idea that my father would become the head track coach and my track coach when I was a sophomore here at Illinois."

John Wright II had a different path to Illinois.

"I had some schools that were interested, but not the caliber of education of an Illinois," said Wright II. "Here was this last minute class of about 13 athletes in 1988 after Mike White was fired. And I was on the bubble. Was I going to get a scholarship? Was I not? I mean I was mainly a preferred walk-on type student-athlete."

John Mackovic came in as head coach and the stars aligned. Wright II joined the legacy of his father and grandfather at Illinois.

"I didn't feel a lot of undue pressure due to my grandpa and father playing in Illinois. I mean, they were always, in my mind, a different caliber of athlete than I was. They were both world-class fast. I got to be a part of five bowl games and a Big Ten Championship. And I got to play with so many people that played on Sundays and the number one draft pick, the number two draft pick, the number three draft pick. And to get a world class education on top of it. My communications degree from Illinois has served me well. My professor of communications at the University of Illinois is one of my main strategic advisors."

"We learn how to persevere."
The University meant everything to Wright, Sr.

"When I came here, we were ranked fifth in the nation," Wright Sr. said. "We were one of the top schools in the nation with Butkus and Grabowski, and I followed those guys. So, I came to Illinois and flat fell in love with my bride here, had a great career here, and went on to the NFL."

Wright Sr. was selected in the second round of the 1968 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons and was traded to the Detroit Lions during his rookie season. He became a starter with the Lions in his second year playing in 14 games and catching 12 passes for two touchdowns. He sustained a career-ending injury, a severed Achilles tendon, during his third season.

As a student-athlete, NFL player, and CEO and former Managing Partner of the Wright Financial Group, Inc., Wright Sr. said the key to his success was confidence and perseverance.

"I was blessed to be raised by a father who was a coach. He gave me the gift of confidence. If we don't have confidence, we're not going anywhere. He helped me become a great athlete primarily because I was really good mentally. I think any athlete, any high-level athlete, has established a habit of perseverance. They've stuck with it. I don't think there's anything more important in life then sticking with whatever it is you decided that you want to do, sticking with your marriage, sticking with being a great parent, sticking with your career and keep fighting and fighting and fighting to persevere. I think that's what we learn as an athlete. We learn how to persevere."

"Dreams shouldn't have boundaries."
Recognition of the Wright family tradition is what brought both father and son to generously provide a gift towards the Football Academic All-American Wall and Wide Receivers Position Room inside The Henry Dale and Betty Smith Football Center.

"Giving back is important," said Wright II. "Illinois has given me a great education. They've given me lifelong relationships and five years being a Fighting Illini varsity athlete. I'm very grateful to the Smith family. For us to be just a small part of this amazing legacy they're creating and for our family, and my grandpa, and my dad and myself to be a part of this wide receiver legacy is meaningful."

Wright Sr. said, "Someday, I want my great grandchildren, or great, great grandchildren, standing at that plaque and looking at their great, great, great, great grandfather and their great grandfather and their grandfather and say, 'Wow, you guys made an impact on the world.'"

Having state-of-the-art facilities is important and Wright Sr. sees what the Smith Center brings to the table.

"We have to attract world-class athletes," Wright Sr. said. "Dreams shouldn't have boundaries, and I think that's what has been done with the facilities. It certainly helps to paint that picture and attract world-class athletes. We should make an impact. That's Josh's goal. That's Lovie's goal."