Boys will be boys. Jeffrey Wright joined Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos on Live with Kelly and Mark on Monday to discuss his new series, The Agency. However, before he dished on the new espionage thriller, Wright and Consuelos found themselves talking football after Ripa brought up his favorite team, the Washington Commanders.
“We were [in Palm Springs] having dinner one night, and Mark, very gallantly, let me sit next to the heater,” she recalled. “We were eating outside, and he said, ‘You sit here because it’s near the heater and you’ll be warm.’”
After Wright praised Consuelos’ “gracious” offer, Ripa exposed her husband’s real motive: to “watch the Washington Commanders football game, which was behind [her].”
Wright, a D.C. native, shared that he “grew up at R.F.K. Stadium.”
“My mom had season tickets to the ‘formally known as’ from 1970,” he continued. “So I mean, from the time I was, like, five, six years old, I was attending games.”
Consuelos chimed in, “I know you had a setback this past week, but you guys are having a great season.”
Wright gushed that they are “back,” noting, “it’s been incredible.” He also delved into the visible “change in culture” that the team has seen with owner Josh Harris’ leadership, as he “has only had his team for two seasons,” though “this is really the first season that it has been entirely his organization.”
“The thing that people need to appreciate about that team, and it’s something rare in Washington, D.C.,” he said. “It is the only unifying force in that city. It doesn’t matter who you voted for. On Sunday, you gather around that team, and you’re all one.”
Consuelos asked Wright if he has time to tune in to games while abroad for work, to which he replied that he “just got back from London” for shooting The Agency.
“But I had to come back from time to time for family matters… and an occasional football game,” he teased. “So I was actually there when they beat the Bears on that Hail Mary pass. The stadium just elevated. We drifted back down to the earth eventually, and I got on a plane that night to go back to London.”
Despite the jet lag, Wright said he “was up for two days straight” and was “buzzing” with excitement. He continued to praise the team, particularly quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Ripa eventually sought her way into the conversation.
“Guys, I hate to jump in here,” she quipped, prompting Consuelos to ask, “Is this ESPN?”
Though Ripa teased that she did not want to interrupt their “deep sports analysis,” Wright jokingly pleaded, “Kelly, it’s been two decades since I could talk about this team!”
Ripa added, “But I would also like to mention some of your career!”
Though the three got a good chuckle out of it, Ripa made sure to “circle back” to the Commanders at the end of their interview.
“Also, I hope your Commanders go all the way this year,” she told Wright. “Whatever that means.”
Live with Kelly and Mark airs on weekdays. Check out their website for your local listings.
