National Football League
Buzz: LT says Sanchez done as starter
National Football League

Buzz: LT says Sanchez done as starter

Published Sep. 4, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

The New York Jets finally announced their Week 1 starting quarterback, and much to the delight of Jets fans everywhere, his name is not Mark Sanchez.

There’s a thought that Sanchez's career with the Jets is now over after Rex Ryan named Geno Smith the starter Wednesday. Sanchez, who may miss several weeks or even end up on IR because of an injured shoulder, according to FOX Sports Insider Mike Garafolo, and Ryan would both be run out of MetLife Stadium if Ryan looks back now. But does Sanchez getting the hook also mean the end of his starting career, period?

According to one former teammate, it may.

Retired former Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson appeared Tuesday on SiriusXM's Mad Dog Sports Radio, and during his appearance he painted a grim picture of Sanchez’s future in the league.

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"I don't think Mark will be a starter again in the NFL," Tomlinson said. "I think there's certainly potential for him to be a backup and then get a starting job for half the year or what have you that way. But I think his days as a full-time starter are pretty much over.

"You’ve got to realize in football, for a quarterback, you’re going to get three-to-five years in an organization to prove that you’re the franchise guy," Tomlinson continued. "I mean, that’s just what it is. And if you don’t do it in that time frame then they’re going to move on to somebody else and then your position now will become a backup.”

Tomlinson played alongside Sanchez for two seasons in New York. He also spent time playing with Doug Flutie, Drew Brees and Philip Rivers as his quarterback. So LT knows NFL star power when he sees it, and it’s clear why doesn’t see it in Sanchez.

Some will point to guys like Blaine Gabbert and Terrelle Pryor as evidence that there’s still hope for a subpar quarterback like Sanchez to pop up as a starter somewhere else. But if you can’t even start for the lowly Jets, then where, exactly, can you start?

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