Fox Sports broadcaster Mark Sanchez in Trouble After an Incident Involving Public Intoxication

Fox Sports broadcaster March Sanchez is in police custody after an incident took place on Saturday in Indianapolis, Indiana. Read the shocking details below.

Mark Sanchez, Fox Sports broadcaster; CC Share Alike 2.0

Mark Sanchez's History in the NFL

Mark Sanchez is a former NFL quarterback who played ten seasons in the league before transitioning to broadcasting with Fox Sports in 2021. He rose to prominence at the University of Southern California (USC), where he led the Trojans to a 12–1 season and a Rose Bowl victory over Penn State in 2008. Despite limited starting experience, Sanchez entered the 2009 NFL Draft and was selected fifth overall by the New York Jets. He made an immediate impact, becoming only the second quarterback in NFL history to reach the AFC Championship Game in each of his first two seasons (2009 and 2010). Sanchez was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2009 and earned First-Team All-Pac-10 honors during his final college season. 

Over his NFL career, he also played for the Eagles, Cowboys, Bears, Broncos, and Washington, accumulating over 15,000 passing yards and 86 touchdowns. Though his career had ups and downs—including the infamous “Butt Fumble” moment—his early playoff success and leadership under pressure remain standout achievements.

A Serious Incident Happened Leading to his Arrest

On October 4, Mark Sanchez was in Indianapolis, Indiana to broadcast the Indianapolis Colts vs. the Las Vegas Raiders game for Fox Sports. Around 12:30 a.m. he became involved in a heated altercation with a 69-year-old delivery driver near Loughmiller’s Pub & Eatery. 

The dispute reportedly began over a parking situation and escalated quickly.

FOX59 released graphic images of the bloodied 69-year-old man receiving care in the hospital after the altercation. The 69-year-old man was working between the Westin Hotel and the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown. His job was to collect used cooking oil used by businesses.

FOX59 reported a struggle near a dumpster before the 69-year-old man used pepper spray to defend himself. The man told FOX59 that "this guy is trying to kill me," and pulled a knife out and "stabbed Mark Sanchez several times in self defense."

Sanchez then went to Loughmiller's Pub & Eatery following the incident where he interacted with a bartender. 

FOX59 spoke to the bartender Scott Bennett closing up Loughmiller's Pub & Eatery that provided medical aid to Mark Sanchez following the incident. The bartender allegedly did not know what had just transpired prior to giving medical treatment to Sanchez 

Scott Bennett told FOX59:

“As I was closing, somebody was beating on the window, just a random person,” Bennett said. “I looked and saw that the person needed help and went outside and the person had blood on him, and he said that he’d been shot.

“Brought him inside and laid him down, and we called 911 and put towels over the injuries that he had.”

Bennett continued:

“There was blood, definitely, it wasn’t shooting out or anything like that, but there was definitely blood,” Bennett said. “Some from the chest and some from the abdomen and crotch region, there was blood on his pants. I was trying to talk to him a little bit, tried to get his name, couldn’t really understand what he was saying. I didn’t recognize him at all.”

Police and court documents report the following:

• Sanchez appeared intoxicated and allegedly unlawfully entered the man’s box truck.
• The two men began recording each other on their phones before the situation turned physical.
• The older man, claiming self-defense, used pepper spray and then stabbed Sanchez in the upper torso.
• Sanchez was hospitalized in critical condition but later upgraded to stable.

As a result, Mark Sanchez was charged with battery resulting in injury, public intoxication, and unlawful entry of a motor vehicle.

Sanchez was hospitalized following the incident, and authorities have confirmed that the case is under review for formal charging decisions. Once he's released and processed, a court date will likely be set and made public.

According to a FOX59 report, the 69-year-old man involved in the altercation is suing Fox Corporation and Mark Sanchez, alleging the following:

They “knew or should have known about Defendant, Sanchez’s unfitness as an employee, propensity for drinking and/or harmful conduct.”

According to the plaintiff, “Despite the use of pepper spray, Defendant, Sanchez continued to advance toward Plaintiff,” reads the lawsuit, “resulting in a physical altercation which resulted in Plaintiff…suffering significant injuries to his head, jaw and neck.”

Fox Sports in Response to the Incident

Fox Sports issued a statement expressing gratitude to the medical team and asked for privacy for Sanchez and his family. He was replaced in the broadcast booth for that weekend’s game.

This incident drew widespread media attention, not only because of Sanchez’s public profile but also due to the unusual and violent nature of the confrontation.