It wasn’t too long ago that Mark Sanchez found himself in a similar position to the one Sam Darnold is currently in.
Despite leading the Jets to consecutive AFC Championship games in his first two seasons in the NFL, Sanchez’s time in New York lasted only four years after being the fifth pick in the 2009 NFL draft. Darnold has not achieved anything close to the success Sanchez tasted with Gang Green, but he is on the verge of losing his starting spot only three years after being picked third in the 2018 NFL draft.
The circumstances throughout Sanchez’s tenure with the Jets were vastly different than Darnold’s. Sanchez joined a team ready to contend, while Darnold has not been surrounded with an up to snuff supporting cast. However, while appearing on the New York Post’s “Gang’s All Here” podcast, Sanchez related to the pressures Darnold has faced as a young quarterback in New York.
He also suggested it might be time for Darnold to get out of dodge while he still can.
“Because of the way things have transpired, he’s got to make some serious decisions about the longevity of his career and whether or not playing the rest of this year is even worth it,” Sanchez said of the injured Darnold. “If it’s in his best interest. If this season is at a loss, which it looks like already. It’s not like they’re going to turn around and make a playoff run. Now you get into these tough decisions as a competitor thinking, ‘Man, maybe my time’s up here and that’s okay. Maybe it’s best for both sides to move on.’”
In three seasons as New York’s starting quarterback, Darnold has posted an 11-21 record. The Jets are currently the favorites to land the No. 1 pick in the upcoming 2021 NFL draft, which is all but certain to be used on coveted Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. That would spell the end of Darnold’s stint as New York’s starting quarterback — even though he stepped into a less than ideal situation from day one.
“Part of it is that there’s just nothing working in their favor right now, right?” Sanchez said. “It’s not a real veteran group, it’s not guys who played together for a long time and there isn’t just a star-studded cast that can figure it out or just use their talent and make plays. So it’s really the triple-threat in the wrong direction.
“There’s just so much uncertainty that it’s almost impossible for a quarterback to have success with all those circumstances. I feel for him.”