An unusual career twist: Bengals rookie Ceyair Wright is turning his back on the NFL while the preseason is still underway to pursue his dream in Hollywood instead. The defensive back was already active as an actor and, among other roles, played LeBron James’ son in “Space Jam: A New Legacy.”

It’s not very common for an undrafted rookie to voluntarily leave an NFL team during the preseason. However, the reason Ceyair Wright is parting ways with the Cincinnati Bengals is anything but ordinary.

Wright is apparently leaving the team to pursue his acting career.

“Two things he’s really passionate about have come into conflict, and he’s decided to take this opportunity,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said Saturday.

“We wish him all the best. He was a great guy to be around, and he fought really hard for us. It was fun to watch him play. I felt like he was always evolving as a player, but obviously he’s decided to go down a different path.”

Wright played the son of LeBron James

The decision certainly didn’t come out of the blue for Wright. The former USC defensive back finished his college career with 109 tackles and three interceptions. At the same time, he had already built up a considerable acting portfolio over the years off the football field.

Since 2014, Wright has appeared in a total of seven films and TV productions. Sports fans are likely to be particularly familiar with his role as the son of NBA legend LeBron James in the 2021 film “Space Jam: A New Legacy.”

It is not yet known how Wright’s acting career will proceed from here. However, the former Bengals player would by no means be the first footballer to successfully make the transition from the field to the screen.