Fox Sports has officially announced the departure of broadcaster Mark Sanchez, a former NFL quarterback, as confirmed by sources close to the decision. A spokesperson for Fox stated, “We can confirm that Mark Sanchez is no longer with the network,” but no further comments were provided regarding his exit.
With Sanchez’s departure, the spotlight now shifts to Drew Brees, who will serve as an analyst for the remainder of the year and is committed to calling games through at least the next season. Brees joins a roster of prominent analysts for Fox’s NFL Sunday game schedule, which includes top talents such as Tom Brady and Greg Olsen, forming a notable trio.
Brees, who retired in 2020, initially joined NBC but parted ways with the network after just one season following a lackluster playoff performance. However, he has expressed confidence in his potential as a game analyst, despite taking a back seat since his exit from NBC. He has contributed to studio shows for Fox and ESPN and even called the international feed for Netflix’s Christmas Day NFL game last year. This holiday season, Brees will be elevated to the domestic broadcast on Netflix.
He is expected to partner with play-by-play announcer Adam Amin, who previously worked alongside Sanchez. Meanwhile, Sanchez has not been on air for the past month after his involvement in a late-night brawl in Indianapolis earlier this October, which resulted in felony battery charges. After the incident, Sanchez faced hospitalization from being stabbed and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Fox Sports expressed a keen interest in Brees following his breakup with NBC. Before Tom Brady signed a lucrative 10-year, $375 million deal, Fox considered Brees for the No. 2 analyst role behind Olsen. Even after Brady’s entrance into the booth and Olsen’s reassignment to the second team, Fox Sports executive producer Brad Zager maintained discussions to foster a relationship with Brees.
Now, with the opportunity to return to regular broadcasting, Brees has a chance to solidify his status as one of the top analysts in the field and prove he can thrive alongside strong colleagues in the high-profile world of NFL commentary. This move not only revamps Fox’s analysis team but also signals a promising future for Brees in sports broadcasting.