Former NFL Quarterback and Fox Sports Analyst, Mark Sanchez was stabbed and arrested in Indianapolis, Ind., on Saturday, Oct. 4. Sanchez, 38, was stabbed numerous times in the middle of the night on Saturday after engaging in a drunken altercation with an unidentified 69-year-old man. It is believed that Sanchez was heavily intoxicated when confronting the truck driver over his parking spot at the loading dock of the Westin Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. Sanchez has since been charged with battery resulting in injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication.
Sanchez first rose to prominence as the starting quarterback for the USC Trojans in 2008, leading the team to a 12-1 record and winning the Rose Bowl. The following year, he was drafted 5th overall in the NFL Draft by the New York Jets. After playing for six different teams in the span of a decade, Sanchez decided to retire from the NFL in 2019 and pursue a career in sports broadcasting. He was in Indianapolis to call the Las Vegas Raiders vs. the Indianapolis Colts game the following day; however, the incident left him hospitalized and unable to broadcast the game.
Initially, reports flooded news outlets by stating that Sanchez was hospitalized and in stable condition after getting stabbed in the middle of the night. However, as the day progressed, shocking new details emerged. Local authorities had arrested Sanchez for his actions the previous night.
According to the New York Times, at around 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sanchez approached the man, telling him that he did not have permission to park in the loading dock at the hotel. Allegedly, the man was at the scene to have the hotel’s fryer oil replaced, yet Sanchez claimed the hotel did not want it replaced. He then proceeded to attempt to break into the man’s truck. The 69-year-old tried to stop him and pepper-sprayed the former NFL quarterback. Sanchez continued to try and break into the man’s car. Fearing for his safety, the man pulled out a knife and stabbed Sanchez.
Fox Sports, the media outlet Sanchez works for, made a statement on the incident, saying, “We are deeply grateful to the medical team for their exceptional care and support. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mark, and we ask that everyone please respect his and his family’s privacy during this time.” Sanchez and his team have made no public comment at this time. While new details are still emerging and no court date has been issued, this kind of felony could result in a one to six-year prison sentence for the former quarterback and color commentator.
