Mike Wright life and biography

Mike Wright is an American football defensive lineman for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. Mike Wright was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New England Patriots on April 29, 2005 ... Placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury (1/6/06) ... Placed on injured reserve with a foot injury (12/13/07) ... Re-signed by the Patriots (3/16/09).

Career Highlights

* Wright has played in 69 games with 16 starts over five seasons since joining the Patriots as an undrafted rookie free agent prior to the 2005 season.
* In his first five NFL seasons, Wright has totaled 156 tackles (95 solo), nine sacks, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and nine special teams tackles.
* Set a career-high in 2009 with nine starting assignments and 5.0 sacks.
* Wright has proven to be a versatile presence on the defensive line, starting at defensive end, defensive tackle and nose tackle in his career.
* Wright was the only undrafted rookie free agent to make the Patriots' opening-day roster in 2005 and played in 13 games as a reserve that season.
* Wright recorded a blocked field goal against Miami on Oct. 8, 2006, reaching up to swat away a 40-yard Olindo Mare attempt.

2010 (9/4)
* Raised his season sack total to 5.5, dropping Ben Roethlisberger for a 10-yard loss on third-and-11 from the Pittsburgh 28-yard line in the fourth quarter and combining with Shawn Crable for a sack on third-and-30 in the first quarter (11/14).
* Started at right defensive end, making two tackles against Cleveland (11/7).
* Sacked Tarvaris Jackson for a loss of 10 yards against the Vikings, marking his fourth game in a row with a sack(10/31). Recorded two tackles.
* Recorded his third straight game with a sack when he dropped Philip Rivers for a five-yard loss in the fourth quarter. Also contributed three tackles against San Diego (10/24).
* Sacked Joe Flacco for a 3-yard loss on third-and-4 in the first quarter, finishing a three-and-out for the Patriots defense and forcing Baltimore to punt on the next play (10/17). Also recorded two tackles.
* Started at nose tackle before moving to defensive end against the Dolphins, contributing three tackles and one sack (10/4).
* Played in a reserve role against the Bills, making one tackle (9/26).
* Registered a quarterback hit in each of the first two games of the season.
* Started at right end in the season opener against the Bengals (9/12).

2009 (16/9, 1/0)
* Played in all 16 games while setting a career-high with nine starts.
* Also set career highs in tackles (48), sacks (5.0) and passed defensed (2).
* Set a single-game career-high with a two-sack performance vs. Baltimore (10/4), taking down Joe Flacco on a nine-yard sack and an eight-yard sack.
* Recovered a botched snap from center vs. Tennessee (10/18), helping set up a Patriots touchdown on the ensuing drive.
* Started at Buffalo (12/20) and led the team with a season-high 10 tackles, including his fifth sack of the season when he hauled down Ryan Fitzpatrick for a four-yard loss in the first quarter.
* Played in a reserve role in the Patriots postseason game vs. Baltimore (1/10) and finished with four tackles.

2008 (16/2)
* Played in all 16 games and recorded two starts.
* Started at left end in place of an injured Ty Warren against the N.Y. Jets (11/13) and Pittsburgh (11/30).
* Finished the season with 33 tackles (17 solo) and had a then career-high 2.5 sacks, a total that ranked fourth on the team.
* Finished fourth on the club with eight quarterback hits and tied for the team lead with two forced fumbles.
* Notched two tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and a quarterback hit against Denver (10/20).
* Made his first start of the season and posted a season-high eight tackles (5 solo) against the N.Y. Jets (11/13).
* Started at defensive end while playing in his 50th career game against Pittsburgh (11/30) and made seven tackles.
* Tallied his second sack of the season with a 16-yard strip sack of JaMarcus Russell at Oakland (12/14).
* Tallied a single-game career high four quarterback hits, including a half sack, against Arizona (12/21).

2007 (9/1, 0/0)
* Played in nine games and made one start before being placed on injured reserve with a foot injury (12/13).
* Saw his first action of the season and registered his first tackle along with one special teams tackle at Cincinnati (10/1).
* Made his first start of the season at defensive end at Dallas (10/14).
* Tallied a season-high four tackles at Indianapolis (11/4).
* Registered four tackles, including a half sack while dropping Ben Roethlisberger for a nine-yard loss vs. Pittsburgh (12/9).

2006 (16/4, 3/0)
* Played in all 16 games, starting three contests at nose tackle and one at defensive tackle.
* Made his first career NFL start at defensive tackle against the N.Y. Jets (9/17).
* Got his hand up and blocked an Olindo Mare 40-yard field goal against Miami (10/8).
* Saw significant action on the defensive front and registered two solo tackles and a forced fumble against Buffalo (10/22).
* Played in a reserve role on the defensive front and notched four solo tackles and a fumble recovery at Green Bay (11/19).
* Deflected a punt and notched a solo tackle during special teams duty against Chicago (11/26).
* Against Detroit (12/3), pounced on a Jon Kitna fumble that was forced by a Rosevelt Colvin strip-sack.
* Started at nose tackle against Houston (12/17) and notched six tackles (3 solo) and a sack.
* Led the team with a career-high 12 tackles (9 solo) while making the start at nose tackle at Tennessee (12/31).

2005 (13/0, 0/0)
* Played in 13 games as a rookie and collected 16 tackles (10 solo) while serving as a backup along the defensive line.
* Placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury (1/6/06) and missed the playoffs.
* Made his NFL debut and saw action on the kickoff return unit against Carolina (9/18).
* Registered four tackles (2 solo) against the Colts (11/7).
* Saw significant action on the defensive front and collected five tackles (4 solo) in the season finale against Miami (1/1).

College

* As a senior at Cincinnati in 2004, led all defensive tackles with 42 stops, while recording six tackles for loss.
* Tallied a career-high eight tackles against Army.
* Blocked a PAT against Miami (Ohio) which was returned for a defensive score.
* Played in nine games, making six starts on the defensive line for the Bearcats in 2003 and finished the season with 32 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss.
* Named Cincinnati's newcomer of the year on defense.
* Missed the entire 2002 campaign with a knee injury in the preseason.
* Joined the Bearcats as a walk-on in 2001 and was redshirted after transferring from Ashland University.
* In 2000, played on special teams in seven games in his only season at Ashland.

Personal

* Mike Wright was born the son of Gary and Chris Wright on March 1, 1982 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
* All-state honoree as a senior at Purcell Marian High, playing for coach Tom Stickley.
* Named to the all-city team after helping lead the team to a league title his senior year.
* Participated in the 2008 Salvation Army Holiday Party at Gillette Stadium with nearly 250 children from the Boston and Providence Salvation Army centers.
* Majored in criminal justice at Cincinnati.

Extra
* Coming out of high school, Mike's only offer to play football was at Division II Ashland University. After transferring to the University of Cincinnati as a freshman, he decided to walk on to the football team after walking by a spring practice.
* Mike went to Purcell Marian High School in Cincinnati, the same school attended by Pro Football Hall of Famer Roger Staubach.