New Mexico State University will be without offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tyler Wright for this weekend’s heated rivalry game against the University of New Mexico. Wright has been suspended indefinitely as the university launches an investigation into a series of offensive and insensitive posts he made on social media, some dating back over a decade.
The posts in question, which were first brought to light by Las Cruces Sun News reporter Nick Coppola, contained highly derogatory language directed at multiple marginalized groups, including African Americans, Hispanics, women, and the LGBTQ+ community. Coppola’s report uncovered more than 150 social media posts by Wright that were flagged for being racist, sexist, or homophobic. These posts were made primarily between 2011 and 2014, during a period when Wright was a wide receiver at Tarleton State University.
Among the disturbing content highlighted by Coppola were a series of posts about Joseph Kony, the African warlord who gained notoriety for his brutal tactics in recruiting child soldiers. Wright posted about Kony more than 60 times, making vile jokes about his actions. In one particularly egregious post, Wright suggested that Kony “should be a college coach” because he “got thousands of black kids to do what he said,” and called him “the most influential person of the last 20 years.” In another post, Wright tastelessly quipped that Kony was “knockin’ Africans down like bowling pins.”
Wright’s problematic language extended beyond his comments on Africa. He also made several derogatory remarks aimed at Hispanics and Latinos. In one post, he described a group of Mexican people as a “Comanche town hall,” and in another, referred to himself as the “Whitest Mexican.” Further posts showed him making inappropriate jokes about his skin color, writing that he was “oiled up and dark! lookin’ like a Mexican.”
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The offensive language didn’t stop there. Wright frequently used homophobic slurs on social media, using the word “gay” 73 times over a three-year period. He also made degrading comments about transgender women and body parts, further contributing to his pattern of offensive behavior.
Wright’s posts about women were equally disturbing. In one post, he suggested that women “who can’t make a sandwich” should improve their skills in the bedroom instead. He also shared a Halloween joke about dressing up as laundry, reasoning that “women love laundry.” In another instance, he proudly shared a post that referred to women’s sports as a “joke.”
The racist undertones in Wright’s posts were impossible to ignore. He didn’t shy away from using racial slurs, reposting a message that included a taboo word for African Americans, and using it himself in a separate post to describe a vacation to Jamaica. In another post, he described a group of high school girls as “ghetto,” further adding to his long list of offensive comments.
The sheer volume of troubling content on Wright’s social media is alarming. It appears that in the wake of the investigation, Wright has attempted to scrub many of the posts. However, as the Las Cruces Sun News reported, the damage had already been done.
Initially, New Mexico State athletic director Mario Moccia claimed he was unaware of any issues that would warrant action against Wright. However, after reviewing the situation more closely, Moccia quickly reversed his stance and announced that Wright would “not be with the team” while the investigation is underway.
Despite multiple requests for comment from reporter Nick Coppola, Wright has not responded. Head football coach Tony Sanchez also declined to comment directly, deferring to the university’s handling of the situation.
Interestingly, in contrast to his offensive posts from the past, Wright has more recently made efforts to project a different image. In 2020, he posted about unity and equality, writing that “humans are humans regardless of skin color or background and deserve to be treated as such.” He also participated in “Blackout Tuesday,” an international social media protest against racism and police brutality. These posts, however, came six years after his problematic comments and raised questions about whether his views had truly changed.
As of now, New Mexico State University continues its internal investigation, which will determine whether Wright will remain on the coaching staff.
The results of the inquiry are expected to be revealed after the weekend, with the future of Wright’s coaching career hanging in the balance.
