Another ESPN analyst is making the transition to Fox Sports.
This time, it’s former Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, who joins Tom Rinaldi, Emmanuel Acho, Adam Amin, and Jonathan Vilma at the network.
Following two years at ESPN, the 34-year-old will transition to the booth, serving as an NFL game analyst. Fox has made a concerted effort to bring in recent retirees for color commentator positions.
Earlier this offseason, legendary Panthers tight end Greg Olsen was hired to partner with Kevin Burkhardt next season. Vilma, a former star linebacker with the Jets and Saints, called games alongside play-by-play legend Kenny Albert in 2020. Now, Sanchez will partner with Kevin Kugler as he looks to continue to build a career in broadcasting.
The USC product took the Jets to back-to-back AFC Championship Games, but in retrospect, failed to live up to expectations as a first-round pick in 2009.
During his playing career, Sanchez struggled mightily with ball control, and after four seasons in New York, he was released. He then served as a backup for five teams over the course of five seasons, before retiring in 2019.
On the bright side, Sanchez has certainly used his playing career to create a professional path for years to come.
It will be interesting to see what sort of insight he can provide on Sundays, especially when one considers the success that another former quarterback Tony Romo has had, broadcasting at CBS.
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Good. I really like Sanchez as an analyst. Appreciated his film study and interview of Justin Fields and Ryan Day when Dan “I run out of the end zone” Orlovsky and Chris “I was a draft bust” Simms were spewing their BS.
I have always loved the sound of a screaming crowd. In the old days the crowd noise of games was not muffled and stifled as it is today on television and especially radio. Now I watch a game with the sound off because I don’t need to hear an analyst tell me what I just saw.
As I recall Sanchez never lived up to his potential as a NY Jet because the crappy line let him get eaten alive. The only line that is worse is at USC where the players barely know where to stand.
Frankly, I don’t know why Sanchez didn’t make it in the NFL.
After the Jets, he tried to make it as a clipboard holder with Philadelphia, Denver, Dallas, Chicago and Washington. Finally — in week 14 of 2018, Sanchez was benched for good at half in a 40–16 loss to the Giants after throwing two picks, and for only 38 yards.
I’ll never forget the aggravated look on Pete Carroll’s face when Sanchez declared he was NFL bound in 2009 after a short USC starter career, for all the public to see.
Sanchez was promoed on Colin Cowherd yesterday. He comes off as an engaging guy who can tell a good yarn. He shared some interesting tidbits about his experience with the Jets.
When talking about a big TD throw he made against Brady and the Patriots, he joked, “Every once in a while a trash can gets a steak.” Cracked me up as I hadn’t heard that one before.