Life as an NFL quarterback is never easy. While there are certainly moments of glory each QB will attain at times during his career, the physical, mental and emotional toll the position takes on each player is perhaps unrivaled in professional sports. Legendary players including Joe Montana, Johnny Unitas, John Elway and Otto Graham were guys who made the job look easy while current superstars such as Tom Brady and Peyton Manning continue to excel at the position even though the overall defensive talent in the NFL continues to rise on a yearly basis.
For New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, the downs have outweighed the ups in recent years and with news breaking that the much-maligned signal caller may need major surgery to repair an injured shoulder, Sanchez's future as an every-down playmaker in the Big Apple is in serious doubt. The 26-year-old led the Jets to consecutive AFC Championship games in 2009 and 2010 and although New York wasn't able to come out victorious in either contest, the former University of Southern California's professional future seemed bright. That would change, however, in the coming years.
Sanchez endured on-field struggles in 2011 and 2012 while the Jets missed the playoffs, and heading into the 2013 season there was no guarantee that No. 6 would be the opening week starter. After the Jets selected West Virginia product Geno Smith in the second round of the NFL Draft, an open competition began in camp between Sanchez, Smith, former Alabama quarterback Greg McIlroy and Matt Simms, the son of former New York Giants great Phil Simms. While Sanchez was believed to be the leader in the clubhouse, the California native suffered a shoulder injury in a preseason game against the Giants. Sanchez was inexplicably brought in to play with third and fourth string offensive linemen and ultimately paid the price in a meaningless game.
Due to the injury, head coach Rex Ryan -- who was foolish enough to put his multi-million dollar quarterback in harm's way to begin with -- named Smith the opening week starter while Sanchez could only watch from the sideline and mull over whether or not he needed to undergo a surgical procedure to repair the injury.
According to USA Today, a period of rehabilitation is now out of the question since Mark Sanchez will require surgery on his right shoulder. The news also means that Sanchez is very likely to miss the remainder of the 2013-2014 season even though members of the Jets organization would like to take a different road to recovery.
"No, we're not looking at that," Jets GM John Idzik said about Sanchez having surgery to repair the labral tear. "We're looking at Mark continuing to rehab. We said it's day-to-day. It's very unpredictable sometimes. Mark knows his body better than anybody else. He's working very hard and so hopefully we'll get him back here soon."
Despite rumors that he will undergo a surgical procedure, Sanchez told reporters that if he really thought an under-the-knife treatment was necessary, he would've had it done immediately.
"If I needed surgery right now, I never would have left [Dr. James] Andrews' office," Sanchez said. "I would've stayed and got the surgery."
It is extremely possible that Sanchez misses the remainder of the 2013 season, surgery or not. The fact that the Jets organization felt it necessary to select Geno Smith in the second round of the recent draft with Mark Sanchez still on the roster indicated that his run in New York was coming to an end.
Smith wasn't spectacular in his first NFL start, but nonetheless the Jets defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to start the season 1-0. If Smith plays well, don't expect to see Mark Sanchez under center for the Jets ever again. It would make very little sense to bring him back next season anyway, especially if the rookie Smith proves he can handle the everyday duties of an NFL quarterback.
RELATED: LaDainian Tomlinson, Former New York Jets RB, Says Mark Sanchez Starting Career Is Over
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