The news that former Jets QB and current Fox Sports analyst Mark Sanchez was stabbed late Friday night in Indianapolis sent shockwaves throughout the NFL. What came next was completely bizarre.
In the eyes of the law, Sanchez is not being considered the victim. The 38-year-old was allegedly the aggressor in an incident that sent a 69-year-old man to the hospital, with the older man claiming he stabbed Sanchez in self-defense. Marion County's prosecutor agrees, as Sanchez was the only one charged in the incident.
Sanchez was booked and released on Sunday not long after the NFL game he was in Indianapolis to call wrapped up. The legal troubles Sanchez is facing have some wondering whether he will call another game for Fox Sports.
Here's what you need to know about Sanchez's future as a broadcaster.
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Will Fox fire Mark Sanchez?
Sanchez did not call Sunday's game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Indianapolis Colts while recovering from the stabbing that initially left him in critical condition, but there is no word on his future with the network.
The former Jets quarterback was set to call Sunday's game alongside Myers rather than usual partner Adam Amin because Amin was in Seattle to call the ALDS between the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners. Chris Myers filled in for Amin, while Sanchez was replaced by Brady Quinn.
Fox's comments on Sanchez since his hospitalization and arrest have been brief. The network initially released a statement Saturday confirming Sanchez was stable and recovering after being stabbed. On Sunday, Sanchez's incident was quickly addressed on Fox's NFL pregame show when host Curt Menefee acknowledged his colleague "was involved in an incident that, to be honest, we’re all trying to wrap our heads around."
Myers, meanwhile, said near the start of Sunday's broadcast in Indianapolis, "We send out our thoughts and prayers to Mark and those involved in Friday’s incident."
Fox is only slated to broadcast five NFL games in Week 6, so the network would likely be able to keep Sanchez off the air without needing to find a replacement.
MORE: What to know about the charges Mark Sanchez is facing from stabbing incident
Mark Sanchez Fox contract
The details of Sanchez's contract at Fox Sports are unknown, but he joined the network in 2021 after spending the first two years of his post-playing career as a college football analyst for ESPN.
Sanchez initially worked with play-by-play broadcaster Kevin Kugler before shuffling over to work with Amin in 2024. It isn't clear whether Amin is in Fox Sports' broadcast plans for Week 6 of the NFL season.
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Mark Sanchez net worth
Sanchez has an estimated net worth of $40 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. He spent parts of 10 years in the NFL, making a total of $74.2 million in career earnings.
Sanchez jumped into broadcasting as soon as he officially retired in 2019, and he has been an NFL analyst at Fox Sports since 2021. Sanchez is also married to actress Perry Mattfield, who played a recurring role in the popular Showtime series "Shameless."
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Mark Sanchez arrest details
Sanchez was arrested Saturday while still hospitalized, less than 24 hours after he was stabbed multiple times in the area of the chest and torso.
Citing surveillance footage, prosecutors allege Sanchez confronted and assaulted a 69-year-old driver who had parked in an alley to take used cooking oil from a restaurant. At some point during the interaction, Sanchez is alleged to have gotten into the man's vehicle.
The man told police he pepper-sprayed Sanchez after the former quarterback became aggressive and resorted to stabbing Sanchez when that didn't work. The older man was hospitalized with what appeared to be multiple injuries, including a severe laceration on his face, as shown in pictures released by his family.
Mark Sanchez charges
Sanchez is facing three charges in Marion County: felony battery involving serious bodily injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication. Sanchez was initially charged with misdemeanor battery with injury, but that charge was upgraded to a felony on Monday. The remaining two charges are both misdemeanors.
Sanchez was released on $300 bond immediately after being booked on Sunday night.
The sentence for felony battery involving serious bodily injury could be 1-6 years in prison, according to Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears.
In addition to criminal charges, Sanchez is facing a lawsuit from the victim, 69-year-old Perry Tole, for assault and battery. Tole is also suing Fox Sports for negligent hiring, retention and supervision, claiming Fox should have known Sanchez had a "propensity for drinking and/or harmful conduct."