Ex-NFL Quarterback Mark Sanchez Facing Serious Charges After Stabbing Incident

Mark Sanchez has been a presence in the football world for close to two decades now. The Long Beach, California native was a phenomenal college player in his one year as a starting quarterback.

At USC, Sanchez threw for over 3,000 yards and 34 touchdowns in 2008, leading the program to a dominant Rose Bowl victory, while being named First-team All-Pac-10.

The then-22-year-old was selected by the New York Jets with the No. 5 pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. Despite some uneven play during the regular season, Sanchez was the starting quarterback on two straight playoff teams, leading this franchise to two AFC Championship Game appearances.

The Jets haven’t made the postseason since. Sanchez ultimately went onto become a backup with four franchises before eventually retiring in 2018.

Since his playing career ended, Mark has provided color commentary for ESPN’s college football coverage before going on to call NFL games for Fox.

Sanchez’s commentary career has been on a continuous upswing, but unfortunately, the former quarterback was just involved in a terrifying incident that saw him hospitalized.

On Saturday, October 4, in downtown Indianapolis around midnight, the now-38-year-old was stabbed during an altercation with a truck driver. Sanchez and the driver were both hospitalized with serious injuries, with Mark reportedly being in critical condition at one point.

Sanchez has already been released from the hospital. However, with the latest details on this incident, he will not be able to put this behind him anytime soon. In fact, with details that have emerged so far, it looks like the current TV analyst was the perpetrator.

Mark Sanchez is facing serious charges after a stabbing incident

Mark Sanchez was arrested in Indianapolis for his involvement in a dispute over a parking space. Sanchez was originally charged with three misdemeanors: battery with injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle, and public intoxication.

However, according to Marion County, Indiana prosecutor Ryan Mears, the former NFL quarterback could now face up to six years in prison for his new charge: felony battery involving serious bodily injury.

Sanchez was in the area to call the Indianapolis Colts– Las Vegas Raiders game that Sunday. According to local police, Mark approached a 69-year-old truck driver’s vehicle in a hotel loading dock area.

The Fox Sports analyst then allegedly followed this man around his truck, eventually grabbing and throwing him at a wall. The truck driver then pepper sprayed Sanchez as he continued to attack him before pulling out a knife and stabbing Mark multiple times.

The driver reportedly feared for his life during this encounter, and suffered a laceration to his cheek. Sanchez, on the other hand, told a detective that he could barely remember the altercation or how it came about.

Mark was subsequently taken to jail on Sunday, October 5, posting bail on a $300 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.

This incident shocked the NFL world. When the news came out, multiple news outlets and social media accounts, including the New York Jets Twitter page, provides statements on Mark’s hospitalization.

And the way that the altercation was initially reported, it appeared that Sanchez was the victim of this altercation. However, based on initial surveillance footage and eyewitness accounts, he is seemingly the perpetrator.

The investigation is ongoing, and the medical records will go a long way toward determining how this case proceeds over the coming weeks.

Ryan Mears summarized this incident to CBS News, emphasizing how the outcome should’ve never happened in the first place. Fox has ultimately not made a decision on Sanchez’s future with the company.