Former New York Jets quarterback and current Fox Sports analyst Mark Sanchez was charged by police on Saturday following a late-night altercation outside a downtown Indianapolis pub that left him hospitalized with stab wounds.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) confirmed they arrested Sanchez, 38, on preliminary charges of battery with injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle, and public intoxication. The confrontation took place just after midnight near Loughmiller’s Pub & Eatery and involved a 69-year-old food delivery driver.
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According to police and reports from The New York Post, the incident began when Sanchez confronted the elderly driver and demanded he move his car. When the driver reportedly attempted to deescalate the situation, he deployed pepper spray. Seeing that the spray had “no effect,” the driver then allegedly stabbed Sanchez in the chest.
IMPD officers initially responded to a reported stabbing incident around 12:30 a.m. Saturday. They reported two adult men were involved, with one sustaining lacerations and the other receiving stab wounds.
Both men received medical treatment, with Sanchez, who sustained the stab wounds, remaining hospitalized in stable condition. He has not yet been booked due to his hospitalization, and police noted the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office will ultimately decide on formal charges after reviewing the case and surveillance footage.
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Sanchez, who led the New York Jets to back-to-back AFC Championship games and holds multiple franchise playoff records, was in Indianapolis to call Sunday’s Colts–Raiders game for Fox Sports. He joined the network in 2021 as a game analyst after a 10-year NFL career.
Fox Sports issued a statement confirming Sanchez’s hospitalization. “We are deeply grateful to the medical team for their exceptional care and support,” the statement read. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Mark, and we ask that everyone please respect his and his family’s privacy during this time.”
Sanchez was drafted fifth overall in the 2009 NFL Draft and retired in 2019 after stints with the Eagles, Cowboys, and Washington.
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