Fox Sports has dismissed former New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, a month after he was involved in a near-fatal altercation in Indianapolis while preparing to call an NFL game for the network.
“We can confirm that Mark Sanchez is no longer with the network. There will be no further comment at this time,” a Fox Sports spokesman told The Associated Press on Friday.
The AP also reported that Sanchez is being replaced by New Orleans Saints great Drew Brees.
Mark Sanchez Attacked Delivery Driver, Nearly Died, Police Say
Sanchez has been off the air since being stabbed during a confrontation with a truck driver outside an Indianapolis hotel on Oct. 4. He was in Indianapolis to cover Fox’s broadcast of the Oct. 5 game between the Colts and the Las Vegas Raiders.
Prosecutors say the altercation stemmed from a dispute over parking, during which Sanchez allegedly attacked 69-year-old delivery driver Perry Tole, prompting Tole to stab Sanchez in self-defense, nearly killing him.
Just hours after the incident, Sanchez was arrested while still hospitalized, critically wounded with at least one stab wound to his upper torso.
Sanchez now faces four charges: one count of felony battery and three misdemeanors, which carry the possibility of several years in prison if he is convicted. An Indianapolis judge scheduled his trial to begin on Dec. 11. Both Sanchez and Fox Sports are also named in a civil lawsuit filed by Tole.
Sanchez had brief remarks after being released from the hospital.
“I’m focused on my recovery,” he said, adding that he wanted to thank the doctors and surgeons for “saving my life.”
On Friday, Sanchez’s brother, Nick Sanchez Jr., on behalf of the Sanchez family, told TMZ Sports: “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. 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.”
Drew Brees Continues Trying Broadcasting
The former Jets quarterback, still recovering from his injuries, has not been on the air since the October 4 incident. In his absence, Brady Quinn and Mark Schlereth have filled in.
On Friday, FOX Sports announced that Drew Brees will join as an NFL analyst, replacing Sanchez on Fox’s No. 4 NFL crew. Brees will team up with play-by-play announcer Adam Amin and sideline reporter Kristina Pink, with his first game scheduled for Nov. 16.
GettyNEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – FEBRUARY 06: Drew Brees speaks on SiriusXM at Super Bowl LIX on February 06, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
Brees retired following the 2020 season after a 20-year career with the San Diego Chargers and Saints, during which he led New Orleans to their only Super Bowl title in the 2009 season. He will be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame next year.
He joined NBC in 2021 as an analyst for Notre Dame college football games and appeared in the studio most Sundays on “Football Night in America.” Brees called a wild-card game between the Raiders and Cincinnati Bengals but struggled during the broadcast, and he and NBC parted ways a few months later.
Earlier this season, Brees made a studio appearance on “Fox NFL Sunday” and is scheduled to serve as an analyst again for one of Netflix’s two Christmas Day games.
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