_JMG_3299_(51555298779)_(cropped).jpg) Sanchez in 2021 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 6, 3 | |||||||||||||||
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| Position | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1986-11-11)November 11, 1986 (age 39) Long Beach, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 232 lb (105 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | |||||||||||||||
| College | USC (2005–2008) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2009: 1st round, 5th overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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Mark Travis John Sanchez (born November 11, 1986) is an American former professionalfootball player who was aquarterback in theNational Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. He playedcollege football for theUSC Trojans and was selected by theNew York Jets in the first round (fifth overall) of the2009 NFL draft.
A backup quarterback during his first three years at theUniversity of Southern California, Sanchez rose to prominence in 2007 due to injuries suffered by starting quarterbackJohn David Booty; he also became popular within the Los Angeles community due to hisMexican-American heritage. Sanchez was named the starter in 2008, and led USC to a 12–1 record and won theRose Bowl againstPenn State. Although USC coachPete Carroll and manyscouts considered him too inexperienced, Sanchez entered the2009 NFL draft and was selected by the Jets in the first round.
Despite a subpar first season, Sanchez led the Jets to theAFC Championship Game, a losing effort to theIndianapolis Colts, becoming the fourth rookie quarterback in NFL history to win his first playoff game and the second to win two playoff games. In his second season, Sanchez again led the Jets to the AFC Championship Game, losing to thePittsburgh Steelers; he joinedBen Roethlisberger as the only two quarterbacks in NFL history to reach the conference championship in their first two seasons in the league.
The next two seasons would be a regression for both the team and Sanchez as they failed to reach the playoffs and he was eventually replaced towards the end of the 2012 season byGreg McElroy. Sanchez suffered a season-ending shoulder injury during the preseason in 2013; he was released after the season concluded and was subsequently signed by thePhiladelphia Eagles. After Eagles starterNick Foles went down with an injury, Sanchez started the second half of the season and set career highs in completion percentage and passer rating. Nevertheless, Sanchez was unable to reestablish himself as a starter and spent one season each as a backup for theDallas Cowboys,Chicago Bears, andWashington Redskins before retiring after the 2018 season.
After his playing career, Sanchez worked as an analyst forESPN from 2019 to 2021 and forFox Sports from 2021 until his firing in 2025.[1]
Mark Travis John Sanchez was born inLong Beach, California, to Nick Sr. and Olga Sanchez.[2] When Sanchez was four, his parents divorced; Sanchez and his brothers, Nick Jr. and Brandon, stayed with their father but their mother remained involved in their upbringing.[3] Sanchez initially lived inWhittier andPico Rivera; when Sanchez was six, his father moved with the children toRancho Santa Margarita, a predominantlywhite city inOrange County.[2][4]
Sanchez's father remarried and raised them strictly, seeking to influence them to become leaders.[3][4] Throughout his childhood and teenage years, Sanchez's father would have him combine athletic and mental training. Mark would have to dribble a basketball without looking at it while recitingmultiplication tables; practice baseball swings in abatting cage while answering questions about theperiodic table and similar combined drills that his father hoped would develop quick thinking and self-confidence that would guide Sanchez in all areas of life and not simply sports.[4]
By the time Sanchez entered the eighth grade, he had developed an interest in football but was unsure of what position to play. Sanchez's father consulted coaches Bill Cunerty, who formerly coached atSaddleback College, and Bob Johnson, the head coach atMission Viejo High School.[2] Both coaches stated Sanchez could be a quarterback if he applied himself and was open to learning the intricacies of the position.[2] Sanchez's father trained him during sessions in their backyard or at the park.[2] Sanchez, who was attendingSanta Margarita High School, joined thefootball team. During his first Varsitypass attempt as a sophomore in a game against El Modena High School, Sanchez threw a 55-yard touchdown to WR Bobby Whithorne on the first play of the fourth quarter to help Santa Margarita win 17–10.[2]
Prior to his junior year of high school, Sanchez transferred to Mission Viejo,[5] where Johnson, who was recognized as a "quarterback guru", having trained professionals likeCarson Palmer, was head coach. Under Johnson's tutelage, Sanchez felt that he would have a better opportunity to become a better player.[2] Johnson tutored Mark on the complexities of the position and in two seasons with the team, Mark led the Diablos to a 27–1 record culminating with theCalifornia Interscholastic Federation Division II championship in 2004.[2]
Sanchez was named football player of the year by several major college recruiting services and was considered the top quarterback in the nation upon the conclusion of his high school football career in 2005.[6]
In July 2004, Sanchez announced his commitment to theUniversity of Southern California.[7]
Being named the nation's top quarterback coming out of high school, Sanchez was well regarded upon his arrival at USC.[8] With upperclassmenMatt Leinart andJohn David Booty returning, he did not play during his freshman year in2005, opting toredshirt to preserve a year of eligibility.[9] During this time, Sanchez participated as the quarterback of USC'sscout team, earning the Trojans' Service Team Offensive Player of the Year Award.[9]
In April 2006, Sanchez was arrested after a female USC student accused him of sexual assault. Sanchez was released from jail the following day and suspended. On June 3, 2006, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office announced no charges would be filed, and Sanchez was reinstated, though he was disciplined by the football team for underage drinking and using false identification on the night he was arrested.[10][11][12]
At the outset of the2006 season, Sanchez competed for the starting quarterback position; once Booty, ajunior, suffered severe back spasms caused by a pre-existing back condition, surgery was required and Sanchez was promoted to run the first-team offense during the spring as Booty recovered.[13] Coaches stated Booty would be considered the starting quarterback when he returned for fall practice.[14] During the2006 season, Sanchez saw limited playing time in games againstArkansas,Stanford andOregon. Through those three games, he completed three of seven pass attempts for 63 yards and an interception.[15] Sanchez also saw additional action againstArizona,Michigan, andNotre Dame, but did not attempt any passes in those contests.[5]
In fall practice, beforeUSC's2007 season, Sanchez broke his right thumb, missing the first game againstIdaho; Sanchez returned the following week and served as the primary backup to Booty.[5] Sanchez earned limited playing time in wins againstNebraska andWashington State.[15] He was named the starting quarterback by head coachPete Carroll against Arizona after Booty suffered a broken finger during a narrow 24–23 loss toStanford.[14]
On October 13, Sanchez led USC to a 20–13 victory, overcoming a wavering performance during the first half of the game in which he threw two interceptions, asArizona went on to tie the game heading into halftime.[16] During the second half, Sanchez was more proficient in passing the ball and ultimately finished the game completing 19-of-31 passes for 130 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions.[16] With Booty still recovering from his injury, USC elected to start Sanchez for a second consecutive week againstNotre Dame; he made significant improvements, completing 21-of-38 passes for 235 yards and four touchdowns during the 38–0 victory.[17]
On October 27, Sanchez started for the final time in place of the injured Booty in a road game againstOregon atAutzen Stadium.[18] USC lost 24–17; Sanchez had two passes intercepted by Oregonsafety Matthew Harper in the second half.[18] The first interception led to a fourth-quarter touchdown that gave Oregon a 14-point lead and the second interception ended USC's final chance for a comeback.[18] In spite of a myriad of mistakes committed by his teammates in addition to his own, Sanchez publicly accepted blame for the loss.[18] The following week, againstOregon State, Booty returned as USC's starting quarterback, with Sanchez resuming his position as Booty's backup.[19] Sanchez did not perform in subsequent games and finished the season with 695 yards, seven touchdowns, and five interceptions.[15][20]
Sanchez entered spring practice after the2008 season as the front-runner to take over the starting quarterback position, but faced strong competition from redshirt freshmanAaron Corp andMitch Mustain, a transfer fromArkansas, where he had been the starting quarterback; Mustain, like Sanchez, was named the top quarterback in the nation upon the conclusion of high school career in 2006.[6][21] By the end of spring practice, Carroll announced Sanchez would be the starting quarterback heading into the fall.[22] During the first week of fall camp, Sanchez dislocated his left kneecap duringwarm-ups prior to practice; trainers immediately put the kneecap back into place.[23] After missing nearly three weeks, Sanchez was cleared to play in the opener againstVirginia.[24] Prior to the opener, he was contacted by USC's previous three quarterbacks—Carson Palmer, Leinart, and Booty—who wished Sanchez well and offered general advice.[25]
In the season-opener at Virginia, Sanchez threw for a career-best 338 yards, completing 26-of-35 passes for three touchdowns and an interception.[26] TheDavey O'Brien Foundation named him the O'Brien Quarterback of the Week and his performance garnered earlyHeisman discussion.[27][28] The Trojans suffered a stunning 27–21 loss againstOregon State on September 25. By the end of the season, the Trojans' lone loss was enough to remove them from contending for theBCS National Title and instead they were to play in theRose Bowl againstPenn State.[29] The Trojans defeated the Nittany Lions 38–24. Sanchez won the 2009 Rose Bowl Most Valuable Player award for his performance on offense; his 413 passing yards ranked second in the history of the Rose Bowl and fourth in Trojan history.[29][30] With Sanchez starting all 13 games, the Trojans ended the season 12–1 and ranked number two in theCoaches' Poll and number three in theAP Poll.[15][31] Sanchez finished the season with 3,207 yards passing, 34 touchdowns (second most in Trojan history, behind Leinart), and 10 interceptions.[20][30]
Upon the conclusion of the Rose Bowl, Sanchez stated it would be "hard to say goodbye to [USC]. I don't think I can do it."[32] However, with the subsequent announcement that other NFL-caliber quarterbacks, such asSam Bradford,Tim Tebow, andColt McCoy had decided to stay in school, rumors arose that Sanchez would use the opportunity to enter the2009 NFL draft.[33] On January 15, Sanchez announced his plans to forgo his final year of college eligibility and enter the 2009 NFL Draft, although he continued as a USC student and completed work on hisdegree in the spring of 2009 while preparing for the draft.[20][34]
Sanchez became the first USC quarterback to leave school early for the NFL sinceTodd Marinovich did so after the 1990 season.[35] During the press conference, head coach Pete Carroll made it clear that he did not agree with Sanchez's decision, and advised him of the low success-rate of quarterbacks who left college early.[20] Despite the public disagreement, the two remained close afterward.[36]
| USC Trojans | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | |||||||||||||
| GP | GS | Att | Cmp | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Y/A | TD | ||||
| 2006 | USC | 3 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 42.9 | 63 | 9.0 | 0 | 1 | 89.9 | 4 | −5 | −1.3 | 1 | ||
| 2007 | USC | 6 | 3 | 114 | 69 | 60.5 | 695 | 6.1 | 7 | 5 | 123.2 | 14 | 22 | 1.6 | 0 | ||
| 2008 | USC | 13 | 13 | 366 | 241 | 65.8 | 3,207 | 8.8 | 34 | 10 | 164.6 | 52 | 16 | 0.3 | 3 | ||
| Total | 22 | 16 | 487 | 313 | 64.3 | 3,965 | 8.1 | 41 | 16 | 153.9 | 70 | 33 | 0.3 | 4 | |||
Sanchez hired his older brother and businesslitigator, Nick Sanchez Jr., to be hisagent alongside David Dunn, who represented Carson Palmer.[37] Sanchez received an invitation to the 2009Scouting Combine, where his performance was well received.[38] He was ranked as one of the top two quarterbacks, behind fellow juniorMatthew Stafford from theUniversity of Georgia.[39] In the final days leading up to the draft, several NFL teams expressed serious interest in Sanchez, including theSeattle Seahawks (fourth overall selection),Cleveland Browns (fifth overall selection),Washington Redskins (13th overall selection), andNew York Jets (17th overall selection).[40]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Wonderlic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft2+1⁄8 in (1.88 m) | 227 lb (103 kg) | 33+1⁄2 in (0.85 m) | 10+1⁄2 in (0.27 m) | 5.00 s | 1.77 s | 2.91 s | 4.21 s | 7.06 s | 32.5 in (0.83 m) | 9 ft 8 in (2.95 m) | 28[41] | |
| All values fromNFL Combine[42][43] | ||||||||||||
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TheNew York Jets drafted Sanchez in the first round as the fifth overall pick in the2009 NFL draft,[44] making him the first quarterback selected by the Jets in the first round sinceChad Pennington went 18th overall in the2000 NFL draft.[45] To select Sanchez, the Jets traded their first and second round selections and three players,Kenyon Coleman,Abram Elam, andBrett Ratliff, to the Browns.[45] At the time, the selection was lauded as good value for both the team and Sanchez.[46]
Sanchez reached an agreement with the team on June 10, 2009, signing a five-year, $50 million contract, with $28 million guaranteed.[47] It is the largest contract the Jets signed a player to in franchise history.[47]
Heading into his rookietraining camp, Sanchez was listed as the second quarterback behind veteranKellen Clemens. Jets head coachRex Ryan viewed the camp as an opportunity for both quarterbacks to compete against each other to determine the eventual starter for the 2009 season.[48] On August 26, 2009, Sanchez was named the starter, becoming the first rookie quarterback to start the season for the team sinceDick Jamieson in 1960.[49]
Sanchez started his first regular season NFL game against theHouston Texans on September 13, 2009, throwing his first touchdown pass, a 30-yard reception, to wide receiverChansi Stuckey.[50] The Jets won by a score of 24–7 with Sanchez throwing for 272 yards, the aforementioned touchdown, and an interception.[50] He was named thePepsi Rookie of the Week for his performance in the game, the first of three consecutive Rookie of the Week awards.[51] Sanchez played his first home game a week later against theNew England Patriots, a 16–9 victory; it was also his firstAFC East division game and his firstrivalry game.[52] It was the Jets' first victory over New England at home since 2000.[52] With a 24–17 victory over theTennessee Titans in Week 3, Sanchez became the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to start and win his first three games of an NFL season.[53] However, his performance began to regress as he had a pass intercepted for a 99-yard touchdown return, and fumbled another attempted pass in the end zone for another touchdown, as the Jets fell to theNew Orleans Saints in Week 4.[54] These two plays were enough to spoil an otherwise strong outing from the Jets's defensive unit as the team dropped to a 3–1 record.[54] Following the loss to New Orleans, Sanchez received criticism in a 16–13 overtime loss to theBuffalo Bills in Week 6 when he threw five interceptions against a lowly Bills defense that previously had only four interceptions all season long.[55] The Jets ended their losing streak in a 38–0 victory against theOakland Raiders in Week 7. Sanchez was criticized after he was seen eating ahot dog on the Jets' bench in the fourth quarter.[56]
In the team's second meeting against the Bills on December 3, 2009, Sanchez suffered asprainedposterior cruciate ligament in the third quarter, prompting the veteran Clemens to take his place.[57] Though there were no setbacks to the injury, head coach Ryan benched Sanchez the following game against theTampa Bay Buccaneers for precautionary reasons, much to Sanchez's dismay.[57] At 7–7, the Jets had a chance to secure a playoff berth if they won the remainder of their games.[58] One such game was against theIndianapolis Colts who had 23 consecutive regular season wins.[58] Sanchez and the Jets engineered a comeback win following Colts head coachJim Caldwell's decision to controversially rest the team starters in the third quarter with a five-point lead.[58] The following week, on January 3, 2010, Sanchez led the team into the playoffs, despite a subpar effort, completing 8 of 16 passes for 63 yards, en route to a 37–0 victory over theCincinnati Bengals, who rested their starters as the team had already clinched theAFC North division title and a playoff berth.[59] The manner of the two wins, which gave the Jets their first playoff berth since 2006, caused many to claim the team had "backed into the playoffs".[60] Sanchez completed his rookie season with 2,444 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions.[61]
In theWild Card Round, which took place on January 9, 2010, atPaul Brown Stadium, Sanchez led the Jets to another victory over the Bengals, 24–14, behind his positive performance where he completed 12 of 15 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown with apasser rating of 139.4.[62] Sanchez became the fourth rookie quarterback in NFL history to win his first postseason contest, and the second to do so on the road.[62] The others wereShaun King (1999 Bucs),Ben Roethlisberger (2004 Steelers), andJoe Flacco (2008 Ravens).[62] On January 17, 2010, Sanchez, with the help of running back and fellow rookieShonn Greene, defeated the heavily favored San Diego Chargers 17–14 to attain the Jets' thirdAFC Championship appearance in franchise history.[63] Sanchez became only the second rookie quarterback to win two consecutive playoff games, behindJoe Flacco.[64] In a rematch of their regular season meeting with the Colts, Sanchez performed well in the first half however, the offense succumbed to the Colts' defense in the second half and the Jets gave up an 11-point lead, losing by a score of 30–17.[65] Sanchez was named toSporting News' All-Rookie team for his performance during the season, becoming the first Jets quarterback to ever receive the award.[66]
On February 17, 2010, Sanchez underwent surgery to repair thepatella ligament in his left knee that he originally injured when he played for USC. The surgery was successful.[67][68] Sanchez was expected to miss early workouts and return in time for training camp however Sanchez made a quick recovery and participated in team drills during Organized Team Activities (OTA).[68][69] The Jets opened the2010 season with a 5–1 record despite the passing game being subpar as Sanchez struggled to accurately throw the football.[70] Sanchez recorded his first career 300-yard passing game in a win over theDetroit Lions on November 7, 2010.[71] He earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his Week 11 game against theHouston Texans.[72] At 10–4, the Jets faced theChicago Bears on December 26, 2010, with a chance to clinch a playoff berth.[73] Though Sanchez injured his shoulder in a victory overPittsburgh the previous week, he started the game completing 24 of 37 passes for a touchdown and an interception.[73] However, the Jets were unable to defend the Bears' offense and subsequently lost the game 38–34 after a comeback drive was halted when Sanchez was intercepted.[73] Fortunately for them, due to a loss by theJacksonville Jaguars that same day, the Jets clinched the playoff berth.[73] Sanchez finished the season with 3,291 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.[74]
The Jets finished the season with an 11–5 record and entered thewild card round facing theIndianapolis Colts in a rematch of their previous encounter in the AFC Championship.[75] Although Sanchez had a subpar performance completing 18 of 31 passes while throwing an interception, he led the team in the final minutes of the game on a comeback drive culminating with kickerNick Folk kicking the game-winning field goal as time expired.[75] The Jets went on to face theNew England Patriots in thedivisional round and upset the heavily favored Patriots, 28–21, as Sanchez completed 16 of 25 passes for 194 yards and three touchdowns.[76] With the win, Sanchez tiedLen Dawson,Roger Staubach,Jake Delhomme, andJoe Flacco for the second most post-season road victories by a quarterback in NFL history.[77] The team traveled to the AFC Championship, for a second consecutive season, to face the Pittsburgh Steelers on January 23, 2011.[78]
Heading into halftime trailing 24–3, the team, led by Sanchez, engineered a comeback following a heartfelt speech given by the quarterback at halftime.[78][79] Although the Jets' defense did not allow Pittsburgh to score in the second half, the team fell short as their final offensive drive was stymied by the Steelers' defense and the Jets lost 24–19.[78]
Prior to the outset of the2011 season, head coach Rex Ryan named Sanchez a team captain.[80] The Jets opened the season with a 2–3 record leading to discontent within the clubhouse. The team had begun to stray from their philosophy of consistently running the ball and began to pass more often; however, the offense struggled with this adjustment.[81] Wide receiversPlaxico Burress,Santonio Holmes, andDerrick Mason approached coach Ryan to question offensive coordinatorBrian Schottenheimer's system as Holmes and Mason averaged only three catches per game and Burress only 2.5 catches through four games.[81] Additionally, Sanchez drew criticism for his difficulties to effectively throw the ball to his receivers.[82] The struggles culminated with Holmes getting into a heated argument with another teammate in the huddle during their final regular season game against theMiami Dolphins. Holmes was benched in the fourth quarter while Sanchez threw three interceptions in the Jets' loss that eliminated the team from playoff contention for the first time in Sanchez's career.[83] Statistically, Sanchez had similar numbers in a comparison toEli Manning when he concluded his third year of football however, there were concerns that Sanchez was simply an ineffective quarterback and therefore expendable.[82][84] During the offseason, Sanchez was criticized by anonymous teammates for his poor work ethic and his inability to improve; these claims were publicly refuted by other teammates.[85] Despite questions surrounding his job security, after New York acquiredTim Tebow,[86] the Jets agreed to a 3-year contract extension with Sanchez on March 9, 2012. The contract included $20 million in guarantees.[87]
The Jets openedtheir 2012 season against theBuffalo Bills with Sanchez completing 19 of 27 passes for 266 yards, 3 touchdowns, and an interception in a 48–28 rout of the Bills.[88] In the subsequent four games, Sanchez became the first quarterback sinceStoney Case in1999 to complete under 50% of his passes in four straight contests as the Jets fell to a 2–3 record.[89] This led to fierce criticism from the media and fans and prompted calls for Sanchez to be benched in favor of Tim Tebow.[89] Sanchez snapped this streak against theIndianapolis Colts on October 14, 2012, completing 11 of 18 passes for 82 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 35–9 victory over Indianapolis.[90]
The following week, the Jets faced theirdivision rivals, thePatriots. Despite a second-half lead by New England, the game was tied at the end of regulation forcing overtime. Following a Patriots field goal, Sanchez had the ball knocked out his hand by linebackerRob Ninkovich who recovered the fumble and sealed the Patriots' victory.[91] This was Sanchez's best overall performance to that point in the season as he completed a career record 68% of his passes when attempting 40 or more passes.[91] Sanchez's struggles continued in the following two games against Miami[92] and Seattle;[93] in Seattle, Sanchez completed 9 of 22 passes for 124 yards while throwing his fourthred zone interception of the year and was the fifth game of the season where he completed under 50% of his pass attempts.[93]
The Jets snapped their losing streak in a 27–13 victory over theSt. Louis Rams in which Sanchez completed 15 of 20 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown.[94] However, his struggles continued in a rematch against New England on Thanksgiving night. Despite completing 26 of 36 of his passes for 301 yards, a touchdown, and an interception, the Jets lost to the Patriots 49–19 and fell to 4–7 as Sanchez turned the ball over twice—each turnover led to Patriots touchdowns. The Jets surrendered 21 points within a 53-second span on 3 turnovers.[95] The play that earned Sanchez the most criticism was a second-quarter fumble where he ran into the backside of linemanBrandon Moore and the Patriots scored on the resulting fumble; this play, becoming widely known as thebutt fumble, was mocked in the media.[96]
Sanchez started the next week, but was benched in the third quarter of the Jets' contest against theArizona Cardinals on December 2, 2012, in favor of third string back-upGreg McElroy.[97] Prior to being benched by Rex Ryan, Sanchez threw three interceptions. McElroy threw a touchdown to tight endJeff Cumberland to score the team's only points in a 7–6 victory over Arizona.[97] Rex Ryan renamed Sanchez the starting quarterback the following Wednesday after seeking out multiple opinions within the organization.[98] Sanchez returned to complete 12 of 19 passes for 111 yards against theJacksonville Jaguars, fumbling once that led to a Jaguars field goal. The Jets won 17–10.[99] In a must-win game against theTennessee Titans to remain in playoff contention, Sanchez struggled; he completed 13 of 28 passes for 131 yards while throwing four interceptions and fumbling the ball in Titans territory in the closing minutes of the Jets' 14–10 defeat.[100] A day later, Ryan named McElroy the starter.[101] Sanchez started the Jets' final game against the Buffalo Bills after McElroy revealed he had been experiencing concussion symptoms in the days preceding.[102] The Jets were defeated 28–9 with Sanchez completing 17 of 35 passes for 205 yards and two turnovers.[103]
Sanchez suffered a shoulder injury on August 24, 2013, in the Jets' third game of the preseason against theNew York Giants after being tackled by nose tackleMarvin Austin.[104] The Jets, who drafted rookie quarterbackGeno Smith in the2013 NFL draft, named Smith the starter on September 4 with Sanchez still recovering from his injury.[105] On September 14, 2013, Sanchez was placed on injured reserve with a designation to return.[106] After undergoing shoulder surgery on October 8, 2013, it was announced he would miss the rest of the season.[107] After much speculation regarding his future in New York,[108] the Jets released Sanchez on March 21, 2014,[109] the same day they signedMichael Vick, the formerAtlanta Falcons andPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback.[110]
Sanchez signed with thePhiladelphia Eagles on March 29, 2014, for a one-year, $2.25 million contract.[111] After spending seven full games asNick Foles' backup, Sanchez filled-in for an injured Foles, in a Week 9 game against theHouston Texans. Throwing for 202 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions, Sanchez led the Eagles to a 31–21 win.[112] After the game, Eagles head coach,Chip Kelly, praised Sanchez, saying, "He's a hell of a quarterback and we're excited that we got him."[113] Foles was later confirmed to be out for 6 to 8 weeks with a broken collarbone, meaning Sanchez would take over as the team's quarterback.[114]
On November 10, 2014, Sanchez started his first game for the Eagles and led them in a 45–21 rout of the visitingCarolina Panthers onMonday Night Football. Even though it was his first start at quarterback since December 2012, Sanchez notched two touchdowns as he threw for 332 yards—the fourth highest total in his NFL career. The victory also marked the first time he had ever thrown for more than 265 yards without an interception.[115] Sanchez followed this with a 53–20 loss against Green Bay, where he threw for 346 yards and two touchdowns, but was also intercepted twice and lost two fumbles.[116] Sanchez came back with two consecutive wins, a 43–24 rout of the Titans where he threw for 300 yards in his third consecutive start, and a 33–10 win against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, where he logged 207 yards and a touchdown as well as 28 rushing yards and a score.[117][118] With the Eagles at a 9–3 record, and his record as a starter at 3–1, the Eagles looked poised to win the NFC East, but after three consecutive losses and playoff elimination, he finished the 2014 season with a 4–4 record as the Eagles starting quarterback. In nine games and eight starts, he threw for 2,418 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions with a 64.0 completion percentage, while rushing for 87 yards and one touchdown, with a career-high 88.4 passer rating.[119][120]
The Eagles re-signed Sanchez to a two-year, $16 million contract on March 8, 2015,[121] but despite his play in the 2014 season, he remained the backup quarterback as Nick Foles was traded forSam Bradford. In Bradford's first several games, he had thrown more interceptions than touchdowns and often had a low completion percentage, but head coach Chip Kelly refused to bench Bradford in favor of Sanchez. Ironically, Sanchez would get his first playing time when Bradford was playing his best football of the season.
On November 15, 2015, Sanchez came into a Week 10 game against the Miami Dolphins in relief of injured starterSam Bradford with the Eagles trailing 20–16 late in the 3rd quarter. Sanchez went 14 of 23 with 156 yards and an interception. The interception was costly as it occurred in the endzone when the Eagles were in field goal range down 20–19, which ended up being the final score of the game.[122]
Sanchez was announced as the starter for the Eagles in the Week 11 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after it was revealed that Bradford suffered a separated shoulder and a concussion. Sanchez's opening drive was excellent, completing 100% of his passes and ending it with a 39-yard touchdown pass toJosh Huff to make the score 7–0. Sanchez continued to play well for the majority of the 1st half, and threw a second touchdown pass toDarren Sproles, but the Buccaneers offense had already scored 21 points. However, after that drive, Sanchez started to crumble, throwing an interception near the end of the second quarter. Sanchez finished the game with three interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, in a humiliating 45–17 blowout. His two touchdown passes were the only points scored by the offense.[123]
Sanchez once again put up the only points for the offense in another humiliating blowout, this time a 45–14 loss to theDetroit Lions. Sanchez played relatively well, avoiding a 3-and-out on the first drive with a 5-yard scramble and managing to tie the game 7–7 with a touchdown pass toBrent Celek, but a defensive meltdown and lack of offensive momentum left the Eagles hopeless, and Sanchez finished his Eagles record with an 0–2 record as starter. Sanchez finished 19 of 27 for 199 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions, with a passer rating of 116.1.[124]
Despite his above average passer rating, Sanchez proceeded to go back to the bench the next week due to his winless record as starter, and he would not throw another pass for the rest of the season.[125]
On March 11, 2016, Sanchez was traded to theDenver Broncos for a 2017 conditional draft pick.[126] Prior to his arrival to the Broncos,Peyton Manning had retired andBrock Osweiler had signed with theHouston Texans. This opened up a competition for the Broncos starting quarterback job between Sanchez, second-year playerTrevor Siemian, and rookiePaxton Lynch.[127] On August 29, Broncos head coachGary Kubiak named Siemian the starting quarterback for the2016 season.[128] On September 3, 2016, Sanchez was released by the team.[129]
On September 3, 2016, hours after the Broncos released him, Sanchez signed a one-year $2 million contract with theDallas Cowboys,[129] who were looking to have a veteran presence behind rookieDak Prescott, who was named the starter at quarterback whileTony Romo recovered from avertebral compression fracture he suffered during the first quarter of the Cowboys' Week 3 preseason game against theSeattle Seahawks.
In the regular-season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles with the Cowboys already having clinched the NFC's #1 seed, Sanchez split time with starter Prescott and backup Romo. Prescott played the first two series of the game, Romo played the third, and Sanchez played the rest of the game. Sanchez completed nine of 17 passes for 85 yards and had two interceptions as the Cowboys lost on the road by a score of 27–13.[130]
On March 23, 2017, Sanchez signed a one-year contract with theChicago Bears.[131] The Bears had noted the "positive influence" Sanchez had as a mentor to rookie quarterbackDak Prescott and looked for him to play a similar role in the development of rookieMitchell Trubisky.[132]
On May 30, 2017, Sanchez suffered a small knee injury in his left knee. He missed the remainder of the team's organized activities and the mini-camp. In response, the Bears rescinded the waiver request toConnor Shaw following the injury to Sanchez.[133] Sanchez made the Bears' final roster third on the quarterback depth chart behind Trubisky andMike Glennon, but did not play at all in 2017.
On April 13, 2018, Sanchez, while still a free agent, was suspended for four games for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy. Sanchez tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs and cited "unknowing supplement contamination" in his statement to the media following the suspension.[134]
On November 19, 2018, Sanchez signed with theWashington Redskins to serve as the backup toColt McCoy, after starterAlex Smith suffered a season-ending leg injury.[135]
Sanchez made his first appearance with the Redskins for an injured McCoy in a 28–13 loss to his former team, thePhiladelphia Eagles. He completed 13 passes from 21 attempts for 100 yards and an interception. Sanchez became the starter after McCoy fractured his fibula in the game.[136] In Week 14, Sanchez was benched at halftime during a 40–16 loss to theNew York Giants in favor forJosh Johnson, after throwing two interceptions and only 38 yards in the first half. The next day, the Redskins named Johnson their starter for the Week 15 game against theJacksonville Jaguars.[137]
Sanchez announced his retirement on July 23, 2019, and subsequently took a position withESPN's college football coverage.[138] In 2021, Sanchez moved from ESPN to Fox, where he called NFL games and appears on FS1 studio shows.[139]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Sacks | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Y/A | TD | Sck | Yds | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2009 | NYJ | 15 | 15 | 8–7 | 196 | 364 | 53.8 | 2,444 | 6.7 | 12 | 20 | 63.0 | 36 | 106 | 2.9 | 3 | 26 | 195 | 10 | 3 |
| 2010 | NYJ | 16 | 16 | 11–5 | 278 | 507 | 54.8 | 3,291 | 6.5 | 17 | 13 | 75.3 | 30 | 105 | 3.5 | 3 | 27 | 171 | 9 | 1 |
| 2011 | NYJ | 16 | 16 | 8–8 | 308 | 543 | 56.7 | 3,474 | 6.4 | 26 | 18 | 78.2 | 37 | 103 | 2.8 | 6 | 39 | 243 | 10 | 8 |
| 2012 | NYJ | 15 | 15 | 6–9 | 246 | 453 | 54.3 | 2,883 | 6.4 | 13 | 18 | 66.9 | 22 | 28 | 1.3 | 0 | 34 | 209 | 14 | 8 |
| 2013 | NYJ | 0 | 0 | – | Did not play due to injury | |||||||||||||||
| 2014 | PHI | 9 | 8 | 4–4 | 198 | 309 | 64.1 | 2,418 | 7.8 | 14 | 11 | 88.4 | 34 | 87 | 2.6 | 1 | 23 | 151 | 7 | 3 |
| 2015 | PHI | 4 | 2 | 0–2 | 59 | 91 | 64.8 | 616 | 6.7 | 4 | 4 | 80.7 | 6 | 22 | 3.7 | 0 | 9 | 54 | 1 | 1 |
| 2016 | DAL | 2 | 0 | – | 10 | 18 | 55.6 | 93 | 5.2 | 0 | 2 | 30.3 | 4 | −2 | −0.5 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | CHI | 0 | 0 | – | DNP | |||||||||||||||
| 2018 | WAS | 2 | 1 | 0–1 | 19 | 35 | 54.3 | 138 | 3.9 | 0 | 3 | 28.0 | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 7 | 42 | 1 | 0 |
| Career | 79 | 73 | 37–36 | 1,314 | 2,320 | 56.6 | 15,357 | 6.6 | 86 | 89 | 73.2 | 170 | 457 | 2.7 | 13 | 168 | 1,090 | 52 | 24 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Sacks | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Y/A | TD | Sck | YdsL | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2009 | NYJ | 3 | 3 | 2–1 | 41 | 68 | 60.3 | 539 | 7.9 | 4 | 2 | 92.7 | 6 | −2 | −0.3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | NYJ | 3 | 3 | 2–1 | 54 | 89 | 60.9 | 616 | 6.9 | 5 | 1 | 97.3 | 5 | 11 | 2.2 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016 | DAL | 0 | 0 | – | DNP | |||||||||||||||
| Career | 6 | 6 | 4–2 | 95 | 157 | 60.5 | 1,155 | 7.36 | 9 | 3 | 94.3 | 11 | 9 | 0.8 | 0 | 4 | 26 | 1 | 0 | |
On October 15, 2020, Sanchez was revealed to have partaken inseason four ofThe Masked Singer as "Baby Alien" who is the show's first costume to incorporate a puppet. AsNick Cannon had a hard time figuring out how to remove Baby Alien's mask upon elimination, he had to receive help from theMen in Black to do the job.[140]
Early in his career, Sanchez was praised for his ability to maintain composure in thepocket amidstdefensive pressure and focus on finding an openreceiver to extend the team'soffensive series.[141] In his first four years, Sanchez had ten fourth quarter comebacks and twelve game winning drives.[142] These characteristics were highlighted byBill Parcells andSam Wyche and garnered comparisons toBen Roethlisberger.[143] Sanchez was also noted for his proficiency in short passing situations[144] and competitive nature; in December 2010, following dismal performances, Rex Ryan threatened to reduce Sanchez's repetitions with the first-team offense during practice which infuriated Sanchez.[145]
In December 2012, following a series of poor performances that eventually led to his benching,[101] a panel of former NFL quarterbacks were questioned about Sanchez's different attributes. It was unanimously agreed upon that his arm strength was "good enough" to succeed in the league and that he could be effective while mobile in the pocket.[146] His regression was mainly attributed to his poor accuracy, a byproduct of his indecisive mentality once the ball issnapped, and the fact the Jets did little to help surround Sanchez with the talent to overcome his shortcomings.[146]Ron Jaworski commented that Sanchez had lost his confidence which contributed to his decline.[146]
While Sanchez has embraced aplayboy lifestyle, drawing comparisons to former JetJoe Namath,[147] he was praised byBrian Schottenheimer for his ability to work with various personalities and build relationships with teammates.[148] After undergoing knee surgery following his rookie season, Sanchez established "Jets West" in 2010, an annual off-season camp located in his home state of California. Sanchez hosts workouts and offers classroom review sessions for his skill-position teammates on offense for one week.[149] During theNFL labor dispute, Sanchez managed to organize private workouts with over forty of his teammates.[150]
Sanchez is an avid fan ofmusical theatre.[151] He was a presenter at the2010 Tony Awards, where he introduced a number from the Broadway musicalMemphis.[151] Sanchez has been involved in multiple charities including theJuvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to help raise awareness forType 1 diabetes andSam's Club'sGiving Made Simple which, helps raise awareness aboutchildhood obesity and how families can prevent it.[152][153] Sanchez has also worked with the Teddy Atlas Foundation through which he met Aiden Binkley, a terminally ill 11-year-old struck withrhabdomyosarcoma. Sanchez developed a bond with Binkley and the two remained close friends until Binkley's death in December 2010.[154]
Sanchez's father is afire captain for theOrange County Fire Authority and a member of the national urban search and rescue team. In college, Nick Sanchez played quarterback forEast Los Angeles College and was later a sergeant in theUnited States Army.[4] His two older brothers both played college football. Nick Jr. attendedYale University, where he played quarterback while Brandon attendedDePauw University, where he played on the offensive line.[3] Nick Jr. went on to attend theUSC Law School and is a business attorney; Brandon became amortgage broker.[4][155]
Sanchez dated model and former wife ofSean Avery,Hilary Rhoda for several years.[156] The two appeared in aGQphoto shoot. On May 28, 2023, Sanchez married actressPerry Mattfeld.[157]
In June 2016, a lawsuit filed byU.S. Securities and Exchange Commission alleged that Sanchez's broker conducted a "ponzi-like scheme" which defrauded Sanchez, as well as former MLB pitcherRoy Oswalt and then active MLB pitcherJake Peavy, out ofUS$30 million.[158]
On October 4, 2025, Sanchez was stabbed during an altercation indowntown Indianapolis at 12:30 a.m. EDT. Reports indicate that he was rushed to a local hospital, where he was reportedly in critical condition.[159] Photos released show a large gash across the cheek of the truck driver Sanchez had an alleged altercation with.[160] Sanchez was later arrested, initially on charges of battery with injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication, all misdemeanors.[161][162] The next day, the battery charge was upgraded to a felony.[163]
According to police reports, Sanchez was harassing a 69-year-old worker disposing restaurant grease into a truck. Though the man pepper sprayed him, Sanchez continued threatening the man, leading to his stabbing. Local news organizations released images of the other man suffering his own injuries in the altercation. Sanchez was in Indianapolis to cover theColts' game against theLas Vegas Raiders for Fox Sports the following day;Brady Quinn, another former NFL quarterback turned college football studio analyst for the network, was brought in to replace him after the incident. In November 2025, Fox confirmed Sanchez was fired.[164][165]
"Some people wanted me to be the Latino quarterback. Some people wanted me to be the USC quarterback who happens to be Latino. [I decided to] just be me and do my best with everything and not try to be something I'm not."
When Sanchez was elevated to prominence at USC, he found himself a symbol of Mexican-American identity and a role model for younger generations.[3][166] Sanchez was placed oncenter stage in Los Angeles, home to more than 4.6 millionHispanics, the majority of whom are of Mexican descent.[167] While there had been previous, successful Mexican-American quarterbacks such asTom Flores,Jim Plunkett,Joe Kapp,Jeff Garcia,Tony Romo, andMarc Bulger, unlike most of his predecessors, Sanchez is a third-generation, full Mexican and none had been embraced to the extent Sanchez was.[2][167] USC fans began playing up Sanchez's ethnicity by wearing items such assarapes,lucha libre masks, and homemade "¡Viva Sanchez!" T-shirts.[167] His rise to fame within the Mexican-American community was compared to that of boxerOscar De La Hoya and baseball pitcherFernando Valenzuela.[2][166]
While starting for an injured John David Booty in 2007, Sanchez wore a custommouthguard that featured the colors of theMexican flag in honor of his heritage.[167][168] It became a prominent issue after a nationally televised game against Notre Dame.[167] The mouthpiece became a symbol for two opposing viewpoints: for Mexican-Americans, it was a symbol of unity—Sanchez accepting his heritage; for critics, the gesture symbolized a radicalpolitical statement.[169] Sanchez, who was born and raised in the United States, receivedhate mail urging him to return to Mexico.[167] Sanchez responded to the controversy stating, "It's not a Mexican power thing or anything like that. It's just a little bit of pride in our heritage. Hopefully, it inspires somebody and it's all for the best."[168] Overwhelmed by the attention and shying away from politics, Sanchez stopped wearing the mouthpiece, but began participating in other efforts to help the Hispanic community.[166]
Sanchez, who knew how to speak some Spanish but was not fluent, began to take Spanish lessons during his junior year at USC so he could have conversations without the use of a translator.[2][3][166] TheUSC band played "El Matador" when Sanchez would come onto the field.[170] Sanchez participated in a fundraiser to help provide school supplies to first-graders in the city of Long Beach and region ofSouth Bay, and helped MayorAntonio Villaraigosa give holiday gifts to impoverished families.[166] By the end of his USC career, he had been hailed as a role model for Hispanic youth.[171] Sanchez serves as the Ambassador to theInner-City Games Los Angeles, an after-school program that provides "at-risk youth" with positive, alternative activities.[172]ESPN Radio came to an agreement with the Jets to broadcast all of the team's regular season games in2011 on710 ESPN Radio in Los Angeles. The agreement came about due to Sanchez's continued popularity in California.[173]
| Award/Honor | Year(s) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Football League | ||||||||
| Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week[51] | 2009 | |||||||
| Sporting News All Rookie Team[66] | ||||||||
| College[174] | ||||||||
| Rose Bowl Champion | 2007, 2008, 2009 | |||||||
| Rose Bowl Offensive Most Valuable Player | 2009 | |||||||
| First-team All-Pac-10 | 2008 | |||||||
| Sports Illustrated andPro Football Weekly All-American Honorable Mention | ||||||||
| High school[174] | ||||||||
| Super Prep All-American Player of the Year | 2004 | |||||||
| Parade All-American Player of the Year | ||||||||
| CIF Division II Champion | ||||||||
| All-CIF Division II Co-Offensive Player of the Year | ||||||||
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