WFT's Jason Wright Apologizes for 'Short Notice' of Sean Taylor Jersey Retirement

Washington Football Team president Jason Wright apologized for the franchise's rollout of the decision to retire Sean Taylor's No. 21 jersey.

The organization announced Thursday it will hold a ceremony during Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Wright apologized because "the short notice does not properly reflect the impact Sean had."

Taylor was a two-time Pro Bowler in his four years with Washington. He died at the age of 24 when he was shot in his home during a burglary.

The Florida native remains a beloved figure among the fanbase, so retiring his jersey is a natural step in cementing his legacy.

However, the timing of Thursday's announcement left some surprised.

In the case of Bobby Mitchell, more than a year passed between the announcement of his jersey retirement in June 2020 and his official ceremony in September. With Taylor, on the other hand, fans are getting less than a week to prepare.

Whether intentional or not, the retirement ceremony comes at a time when the Washington Football Team is in need of good news.

Washington is off to a 2-3 start and ranks last in attendance, averaging 51,002 fans per game through three home contests. Ownership is facing renewed scrutiny regarding the NFL's investigation into allegations of a toxic work environment at WFT's offices as well.

The racist, homophobic and misogynistic emails that resulted in former Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden's resignation were unearthed as part of that investigation. Former WFT president Bruce Allen was among the people Gruden wrote to when he used the offending language.

The Washington Post's Will Hobson also reported Wednesday that attorneys for the Washington Football Team had offered money to former female team employees in exchange for them to refrain from speaking about their experiences with the team.

This isn't the first time WFT has received criticism for a perception that it's using the goodwill toward Taylor to benefit its bottom line. On the 11th anniversary of Taylor's death in 2018, Deadspin's Dave McKenna noted the team was selling a plush doll with his likeness. The doll was subsequently removed from the online store.