On Friday, Fox Sports announced that it no longer employed Mark Sanchez as an NFL announcer following an incident in Indianapolis last month, where the former NFL quarterback was arrested and charged with felony battery following an altercation that left him and another man critically wounded.
“We can confirm that Mark Sanchez is no longer with the network,” a Fox Sports spokesperson told TMZ Sports. “There will be no further comment at this time.”
Soon after the news broke, Mark’s brother, Nick Sanchez, released a statement on behalf of the family.
“It’s been a long month for Mark as he continues to recover from serious injuries while also grieving the loss of a close friend,” Nick Sanchez said on behalf of the family. “While the recent news — and its timing — is understandably disappointing, our priority remains his continued healing and recovery. Mark deeply values his time at Fox and the exceptional colleagues he’s had the privilege to work with. Those relationships are meaningful and will endure.”
The close friend mentioned in the statement was former Jets center Nick Mangold, who passed away last week. Sanchez posted a heartfelt tribute to his former teammate on social media.
Brady Quinn and Mark Schlereth had filled Sanchez’s spot in the booth alongside Adam Amin. The network officially introduced Drew Brees as the full-time replacement, following a Tuesday report that he would be taking over. It’s unclear if Fox had already decided to move on from Sanchez before Brees became available, or whether Brees’ hiring accelerated the decision.
Sanchez, who was charged in his hospital bed with one count of Level 5 felony battery resulting in serious bodily injury, plus three misdemeanors: battery with injury, public intoxication, and unlawful entry of a motor vehicle, will have his next court appearance on December 11 when the trial begins.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.