Butt Jets

You draft a quarterback high in the NFL draft, the expectation is either to start immediately, or get groomed to take over in a year or two. I call it desperation for the 2009 New York Jets when they got Mark Sanchez in the first round. With his retirement this week and heading into broadcasting, a lot of questions linger in what he could have done better.

It shouldn't be a surprise his first two years were his biggest moments when the Jets made the postseason. To beat San Diego in the 2009 season, knock off Indianapolis and New England in 2010. The New England game in Foxboro. A lot of it was that ground game, which was very strong and a smothering defense. But the decline came when Sanchez got better and was improving his stats and developing a bit better. His best year was 2011, throwing for 26 touchdowns and nearly 3500 yards. I'm not a Jet guy, but it was a step above Brett Favre and the injury prone Chad Pennington.

Of course, there's his regression in 2012, the year of the infamous butt fumble game on Thanksgiving. His year of 2013 being in injury and ousted from the Jets. The next year replacing Nick Foles in Philadelphia after he went down with injury. Both Sanchez and Foles shared similar stats, but it wasn't enough, even with 10 wins, to get into the postseason. Then there is bouncing around the last five years with various teams, usually with negative results whenever he was under center.

Unfortunately, guys that screw up will get remembered just as much as successful ones. Sanchez will never live down his butt fumble gaff. It's a shame, because what he was able to do his first two years shouldn't be forgotten. In that same breath, there leaves a lot to be desired. Who knows if the Jets still thought of him instead of Geno Smith. Maybe things could have changed for that team. I don't know. If you gave him the right offensive scheme and personnel, he could have thrived. Despite the four and four record, his numbers in Philly in 2014 are very good in yards, throwing for 2400.

Dysfunction is all I can say regarding wherever Sanchez went. There's a lot of things that you can say. It's all a what if thing on where he could have stood. He had chances and blew most of those opportunities. Maybe broadcasting will be a lot better, though not to the level of what Romo is doing.