When KJ Wright goes back home to Olive Branch, he usually makes two stops. The first is Dodge’s Chicken, a gas station food spot that Wright, a former Mississippi State football player, claims is the best in the business.
The second is his old stomping grounds, Olive Branch High School. Wright, who was an all-state football player, is one of the most revered athletes to come out of his hometown. Both his football and basketball jerseys are retired. After winning a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks in 2014, Wright received a key to the city upon his return home.
“It is just overwhelming the love and support they give me,” Wright told The Dispatch in a recent phone call. “When you give back in life, people give back to you as well. That is what it’s all about.”
Last year, Wright held an alumni charity basketball game at the school, which raised $10,000 for the school’s athletic programs.
On June 23, Wright is bringing the event back to Olive Branch, with bigger and brighter aspirations.
“We are getting both men and women, going back to the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s to come back and showcase their skills, and just get the community together,” Wright said. “We will have food trucks, alumni dances and cheerleaders, all to raise money for the school.”
Through higher ticket prices — which can be purchased here — and community grants and donations, Wright hopes to raise double the amount raised last year.
“The support I received, it was the first time we all could get together (as alumni) and just celebrate Olive Branch tradition,” Wright said.”(Olive Branch) is a small town and community, so people love getting together to just celebrate, have fun, eat and reminisce of the good days.”
Along with the men’s alumni basketball game, Wright said this year’s event will feature a women’s game, dunk contest and three-point contest
“I’ve been gone from Olive Branch for 15 years,” he said. “I love my city. It taught me so much and I still want to have a presence in my community. When you make it, it is important to go back, show your face and help people get to where I am now.”
Wright says he is confident is Zach Arnett
Before moving on to the NFL, where he was selected in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks, Wright made his name in Starkville with a successful four-year career with the Bulldogs.
From 2007-10, Wright played in 47 games for MSU, tallying 259 total tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries, growing into one of MSU’s defensive leaders at linebacker.
Knowing what it takes to play defense in the Southeastern Conference, Wright is confident in the direction of MSU’s program under the leadership of Zach Arnett.
“Just watching him over these years as defensive coordinator, I could see his passion, his football IQ is high,” Wright said. “The guys love playing for him and I am really happy and excited they made him the new head coach.”
Arnett, who served as MSU’s defensive coordinator since 2020, was named the program’s new head coach in December after the death of Mike Leach.
Wright, along with a handful of other former Bulldogs, got their first look of Arnett’s program during April’s spring game during Super Bulldog Weekend, and his initial view felt promising.
“He (Arnett) is going to recruit well, make sure the defense is on point and the guys look good,” Wright said.
Led by fourth-year quarterback Will Rogers, MSU’s offense is going through a transition phase this fall, moving away from the air-raid offense under first-year offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay.
Though the offense will feature more running and pro-style sets, Wright doesn’t expect that group to be any less dynamic as they have in the past.
“They are going to be fun to watch this year and will make a lot more noise than we did last year,” Wright said. “It is a new regime with new energy and coach is going to get these guys fired up.”
Wright has advice for MSU’s draft picks
At MSU’s spring game, Wright had a chance to talk with former star cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr., who was preparing for the NFL Draft at the time.
What Wright found was a confident cornerback who wanted to make an immediate impact with whatever team selected him. Forbes ended up being drafted by the Washington Commanders with the 16th overall pick in this year’s draft.
Though Wright expects Forbes to have rookie-year growing pains, just as he did with the Seahawks, he doesn’t see why the young cornerback won’t be able to play at a high level right away.
“He made plays his entire career at Mississippi State,” Wright said of Forbes. “For him to go in that division with Michael Gallup (Dallas Cowboys) and AJ Brown (Philadelphia Eagles), they are going to test to see how physical and strong he can be. They will also test him in the run game to see if he can tackle. He will have his hands full and will have a lot of learning as a rookie, but it is nothing he can’t handle.”
Forbes was one of two Bulldogs to get selected in this year’s draft, joined by defensive lineman Cameron Young, who was picked by the Seahawks in the fourth round.
Wright spent the first 10 years of his NFL career in Seattle where he was named a Pro Bowler in 2016 and won the 2014 Super Bowl over Peyton Manning’s Denver Broncos, before playing one year with the Raiders.
Based on that experience, Wright had some advice for Young, too.
“He is going to love coach (Pete) Carroll, the culture and the environment,” Wright said. “He will have the opportunity to play early because they (Seattle) are thin at defensive line. For him, it’s about competing, running to the football and making a name for yourself.”
Justin Frommer is the Mississippi State sports reporter for The Dispatch.
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