Former Jets QB Mark Sanchez retires from NFL to take commentating job

Sanchez spent four seasons as Jets QB after going 5th overall in '09

7/23/2019, 2:21 PM
New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez looks to pass during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2013, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) / John Minchillo/AP
New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez looks to pass during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2013, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) / John Minchillo/AP

Former Jets QB Mark Sanchez is officially hanging up his cleats and retiring from the NFL. But ESPN announced that he won't be stepping away from the game entirely. 

Sanchez will be wearing a headset instead of a helmet in a new college football analyst role with ABC/ESPN. He will be working alongside Kevin Negandhi and Jon Vilma, replacing Mack Brown in the network's lead studio on Saturdays. He will also join his former head coach in Rex Ryan 

Sanchez began his career with the Jets in 2009 after going fifth overall out of USC. His career started off with a blast, where he led New York to back-to-back AFC Championship games in his first two seasons. From there, though, things didn't go as well, as Jets fans know. 

 

His fourth season in 2012 with Gang Green saw a 6-9 record as well as Sanchez' infamous "butt fumble" moment (something he had some fun with when asked about it last season). From 2014-2018, he bounced around the NFC East with the Eagles, Cowboys and Redskins -- his most recent squad. 

Overall, Sanchez went 33-29 with 68 touchdowns to 69 interceptions in his 62 starts as a Jet. He amassed 12,092 yards with a 55.1 completion percentage as well. 

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