Mark Sanchez probably won't start another game for the New York Jets ever again, but that doesn't mean his career's over. Jets coach Rex Ryan is tired of people talking about Sanchez in the past tense.
"We're acting like he's dead. Mark Sanchez is not dead," Ryan said, via USA Today. "Sanchez is going to be 100 percent healthy, guys. It's not like his career's over."
Sanchez had season-ending surgery on a torn labrum in his right shoulder on Tuesday.
Although Ryan doesn't believe Sanchez's career is over, don't look for the 26-year-old quarterback to continue his career in New York. Ryan played coy when asked on Wednesday if Sanchez will return next season.
"I don't want to get into that. I think he's going to come back 100 percent, that seems to be how the doctors feel," Ryan said. "And I know for a fact that this organization will do everything in its power to see that that's a possibility, that he can come back and be 100 percent. Whether he is here or whatever, our thing is on doing what's best for Mark, and that's to get him healthy."
In his first two seasons with the team, Sanchez led the Jets to consecutive AFC Championship games, however, it's been downhill since then. Actually, it's been kind of downhill the whole time, but the Jets had a No. 1 ranked defense in 2009 and No. 3 ranked defense in 2010 that helped prop up the offense.
With rookie Geno Smith running the show and the Jets at 3-2, the question isn't 'Will Sanchez be back,' it's more like 'when the Jets finally cut ties with him.'
