Jets Coach Rex Ryan decided to put competing QB Mark Sanchez into the game late during the pre-game against the Giants last Saturday night. So what happened? He got pummeled by Giants Marvin Austin and Sanchez was down for the count.
Now what? Sanchez spoke to the media but was tight-lipped on how bad the injury is. The last of the pre-season games is this Thursday against the Philadelphia Eagles and season begins September 8 against Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Read:
On how he is feeling…
A little sore, I have an injured shoulder here, so we’ll just take it day-to-day, keep rehabbing and try and get back as soon as possible.
On getting hurt so late in camp…
I’m obviously not happy that I’m hurt. I felt like I was putting together a good camp, so it’s an unfortunate thing. But there’s no time to gripe about it. (I) just have to rehab as hard as I can. I know we have the best trainers and they’re going to be me in the best position possible (to) try and get back for (the) first week.
On whether he’s planning on being back for Tampa Bay…
That’s in all of our plans. I’m trying to get back as soon as possible and be able to practice as soon as possible.
On being ready for Week One…
That’s the goal, so (we will) just keep our fingers crossed and take it day-to-day.
On what doctors have told him about his shoulder…
I’m not going to go through the details of the shoulder injury. I’m just going to say that I have an injured shoulder and we’ll take it day-to-day. I’m trying to get back for Week One.
On whether he was surprised to go into the game…
Look, I’m a competitor and as a player it’s not your job to worry about when you’re going in, who’s in, whatever, what string, this or that, if they call your number, you have to play and that’s what I do, that’s what I’ve always done. So, that’s not my call. That’s the coach’s decision.
On whether it was part of the pregame plan for him to play…
They said to be ready to play and I was ready to play.
On how his shoulder feels now compared to Sunday…
Things are progressing. Every day it’s getting a little better.
On whether he has been told the details of the injury…
I’m not going to get into the details of the injury.
On when he has to throw to know if he will be ready for Tampa Bay…
I don’t know that. We’re just going to take it day-to-day.
On when he expects to practice again…
As soon as I can, if I can practice tomorrow, I’ll practice tomorrow. But we just have to take it day-to-day.
On how many more tests he has to get on his shoulder…
I’m not going to go through any of the rehab process or any of the details.
On how he felt when he sustained the injury…
Emotionally, you’re just upset, and that’s really where your head’s at. You’re just upset to be hurt. You never want to be hurt. You work too hard to get hurt and it’s just a bummer. So, you just rebound, rehab your butt off and get back as soon as possible.
On whether he felt like he won the starting job before his injury…
I feel like I’ve put together a great camp and it’s been my best camp. That decision is going to be up to the coaches. So, we’ll see.
On his injury and whether the quarterback evaluation is over…
I’m not going to get into any details of the injury, or the evaluation, or the rehab, sorry.
On whether the quarterback competition is still going on…
That’s up to the coaches. I don’t know that.
On whether the quarterback competition will continue…
I don’t know that. That’s (Head Coach) Rex (Ryan)’s call.
On the progression of his injury…
Things are progressing day-to-day and hopefully it’s getting better every day.
On whether his injury felt similar to the one he suffered against Pittsburgh in 2010…
I don’t want to compare the injuries and I don’t want to get into too many details on that.
On how it felt when he got hit by Marvin Austin…
It didn’t feel good.
On whether he was affected by any of the hits earlier in the series…
No, it was that one play.
On whether he was surprised he was told to go in…
No, I’m not here to second-guess the coaches, if they call you to play, you better be ready to play, and I was. So, I warmed up, went in, played, and tried to win.
On when he was told to go in…
We had a TV timeout and they yelled for me, I grabbed my helmet, warmed up and that was it.
On whether he was surprised he was told to play…
They told me to be ready to play, so there was no real surprise.
On whether his warm-up was different than normal…
Normally, I’m starting.
On whether his warm-up was different than other preseason games…
I started them.
On whether his warm-up was different than preseason games his rookie season…
I guess not.
On whether he was told he was supposed to go in before the timeout…
Not yet, but this happens all the time, if you’re on special teams, defense, offense, all the time, “Hey, you’re in.” That’s it. You have to be ready to go, and I was ready.
On whether he feels he can go out there and give it a try soon…
Well, I hope so. I think every morning I’m going to try and do something. As soon as it’s ready to go, I’ll go.
On whether he did anything in practice…
No, I didn’t do anything in practice.
On whether he did anything for rehab…
I can’t get into the details of rehab.
On if he started his rehab…
I can’t get into the details of rehab.
On the possibility of Coach Ryan losing the locker room…
I’m not going to speculate on that. I know he’s our head coach. We play our butts off for him. He knows how to motivate us. He’s doing his very best and that’s what we expect of him, just like he expects out of us. He expects our best.
On how the quarterback decision has not happened yet…
It’s not my call.
On whether he is frustrated about not being able to practice…
I want to practice. I want to play. So that’s the frustrating part, not being able to go out and practice with these guys.
On if he will be ready for Tampa Bay…
That’s the goal.
On if he has been told he will be ready for Tampa Bay…
Every injury is different. It’s all subjective at this point and I’m going to do everything I possibly can. That’s all I can promise.
On whether he has ever experienced a similar injury…
I don’t know. I’ll let you know as we progress. (I am) day-to-day.
On his MRI results…
I’m not going to get into the details of the MRI.
On if there are any broken bones…
I am not going to get into the details of the MRI.
On if his injury it is day to day versus week to week…
That’s what I’ve been told.
On Joe McKnight and Braylon Edwards being released…
It’s tough. You play with guys in this league for a long time. It’s too bad to see guys go. You develop relationships with them, whether it’s just for spring like (Stephen) Peterman or multiple years, during a playoff run. Two of them really with Braylon (Edwards). I mean that’s hard. I know it’s a part of the game. This is the best and worse time of the year. The best, that you’re just getting started on the season, you’re just forming your team. The worst because you got to let good football players go. It’s just too bad. You wish those guys the best and hopefully they land on their feet.
On if his shoulder has full range…
I am not going to get into any details of the injury. I’m sorry.
On Ryan Spadola and Ben Obamanu…
Spadola is playing his butt off. He’s working hard, he’s competed the entire time. It’s encouraging to see a guy like that. (He) works so hard. I mean you saw the support for him. They’ve got signs for the guy in the stands. So I think he’s a fan favorite. He’s kicking butt. So we’ll just keep working him hard, keep rooting him on. Obamanu coming from Seattle, he really knows how to work hard. He runs great routes. He punched it in the end zone the other night from a few yards out. So that was big, we need a good physical guy like that.
On Santonio Holmes…
He looked pretty good, looked pretty good. (He was) running around and catching passes. It’s nice to see him with a helmet on and getting ready to go.
On if he is excited to see what he can do in Coach Morhinweg’s system…
The sky is the limit for Tone in a system like this. Marty will find a way to put him in a position to be successful, get him the football. He knows what to do from there.
On the possibility of losing the starting job due to injury…
We’ll just take it as it comes. I don’t want to speculate too far in the future.