KJ Wright: From Player to Coach in Niners

0:00It's March 31st. You're listening to NFL News today. AI-powered football coverage. I'm Cory with the story. The San Francisco 49ers just promoted KJ Wright to Linebacker's coach for the 2026 season. After 11 years as a pro-Linebacker, he spent his first two coaching years with the team as defensive quality control coach. That's a quick jump up the ladder. Robert Salah, the former Niners defensive coordinator now head coach of the Tennessee Titans, made it clear at owner's meetings that Wright was off, limits for his new staff. Salah wouldn't even try poaching him. Salah had high praise, saying Wright has the mindset and player respect to Wright's fast, just like Domeco Ryan's did under him. Ryan's went from quality control to coordinator in two years before landing the Texans head job. Wright's path of mirrors Ryan's almost perfectly. Both played around a decade in the league, then shot up at the short stints in quality control. Salah himself climbed from Linebacker's coach to coordinator, back in the day.

1:00With Raheem Morris locked in as defensive coordinator, the Niners could soon need a replacement if he gets another head coaching shot. Wright looks like their next homegrown star, ready to step up.