New York Jets’ owner, Woody Johnson shrugs aside criticism on Mark Sanchez – NFL News Update
New York Jets’ Mark Sanchez has found further solace after owner Woody Johnson took to his support on a TV programme.
The much needed support comes a day after some other players said they were confident of their quarterback, amid loads of criticism by fans and angry comments by anonymous players.
Criticism is something which is not new for the quarterback. Ever since the humiliating loss to Philadelphia Eagles, the Jets QB has come under hoards of criticism by angry fans.
The criticism increased in intensity after the Jets lost to the New York Giants, with several questioning Sanchez as being the long term answer to Jets' problems.
Another victim of criticism, the Jets’ offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer just left the team, thus leaving the ground open to criticism on Sanchez. The critics were emboldened with Brian’s departure.
Once Sanchez failed to deliver in the season’s finale against the Miami Dolphins, critics could no longer wait. They have wanted Sanchez to be replaced with Peyton Manning since that loss.
This controversy took a new turn as NYDailyNews reported anonymous players saying they wanted Sanchez replaced and quoted one player as saying that Sanchez was “lazy”.
That had put a serious doubt over the quarterback’s future with the Jets but now it seems that the critics will only have to wait as Johnson jumped to defend his quarterback.
Referring to the quote that Sanchez was lazy, Johnson said that he had never heard anything like that.
Johnson pointed out how hard working Sanchez is.
The Jets' owner commented:
"He's the first guy in the building every morning and the last guy to leave, so lazy is the last thing he is. He's an NFL quarterback. I mean, that's what you expect of an NFL quarterback."
However, the owner did agree that frustration on part of the fans was justified since their team was eliminated from the playoffs.
“New Yorkers don’t like losers. They want a winner. And there is frustration”, Johnson said.
The much needed support that Sanchez was in dire need of has finally come.
Sanchez had already received the vote of confidence from Coach Rex Ryan who maintained that he had confidence in his quarterback.
Recently, some other teammates also came forward to defend Sanchez and expressed their confidence in him. Three such players were guard, Matt Slauson, tight end, Dustin Keller, and centre, Nick Mangold.
As for calls to bring in Peyton Manning, Ryan had already dispelled that notion, saying that he would prefer Sanchez to the likes of Peyton Manning.
The coach said:
"I recognize Peyton Manning is an unbelievable quarterback. But do I think it's even a consideration for us? No, I don't.”
With the coach and owner out there to support him, as well as the players coming forward to announce their support, the $10 million-a-year quarterback may have succeeded in silencing the critics for some time.
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