Former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez will not return as a Fox Sports analyst as he faces trial for allegedly assaulting a truck driver last month.
Fox Sports confirmed the move Friday, announcing that Super Bowl champion Drew Brees has been hired to replace Sanchez.
“We can confirm that Mark Sanchez is no longer with the network. There will be no further comment at this time,” a Fox Sports spokesperson said.
Sanchez has been off the air since the October 4 incident at the Westin Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. According to police reports, Sanchez confronted a truck driver outside the hotel before allegedly attacking and injuring him. Sanchez was stabbed in the chest during the altercation and hospitalized for a week. The driver, who claims self-defense and has not been charged, has since filed a civil lawsuit against both Sanchez and Fox Sports.
Sanchez’s trial is currently scheduled for December 11, though prosecutors have indicated that date may change. He faces one felony count of battery resulting in serious bodily injury, along with three misdemeanor charges, including public intoxication. Sanchez, who is free on bond, declined to comment following his October 12 booking, saying only that he was focusing on his recovery.
To fill the vacancy, Fox announced that Drew Brees will join play-by-play announcer Adam Amin and sideline reporter Kristina Pink on the network’s No. 4 NFL broadcast team, beginning Week 11 on November 16.
“I appreciate the opportunity FOX has given me in the booth and with their team,” Brees said in a statement. “I hope my passion for the game is reflected in the knowledge and insights I share with fans each Sunday.”
Brees retired from the NFL after the 2020 season, concluding a 20-year career with the San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints. A future Hall of Fame candidate, he is among the 52 modern-era players under consideration for the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.
Earlier this season, Brees made a guest appearance on Fox NFL Sunday and is also set to serve as an analyst for one of Netflix’s Christmas Day NFL games.
