The New York Jets announced late Tuesday that Mark Sanchez has had surgery on his throwing shoulder. The operation will end his season and possibly the quarterback’s career, ESPNĀ reports. Sanchez postponed the surgery for several weeks in hopes that he could rehabilitate the torn labrum in his right shoulder.
“After over seven weeks of hard work and intense rehab, I’ve been advised by Dr. Andrews and other doctors that my shoulder injury clearly needs to be addressed surgically,” the 26-year-old quarterback said in a statement posted to the Jets’ website. “The injury was recovering at an encouraging rate early on, and I avoided surgery as long as I could, but ultimately I was counseled by the doctors that they simply would have to repair my shoulder.”
Sanchez injured his shoulder when he was sacked by Giants tackle Marvin Austin in a week three preseason game. Fans questioned why coach Rex Ryan even put Sanchez in the game when first-year quarterback Matt Simms had been warming up to take the field and Sanchez had not. Ryan defended his choice saying, “That was my decision. That was a coach’s decision all the way.”
On Monday, Sanchez’s replacement, rookie Geno Smith, led the Jets to a 30-28 upset against the Atlanta Falcons.
[ESPN]