Fox Sports Fires Mark Sanchez

Fox Sports has  fired NFL analyst Mark Sanchez after he was stabbed in a drunken Indianapolis alley brawl on Oct. 4, 2025, leading to felony battery charges and his immediate removal from the broadcast booth.

The network confirmed the termination Frisday, stating, “Mark Sanchez is no longer with Fox Sports,” and named Super Bowl-winning QB Drew Brees as his permanent replacement alongside play-by-play voice Adam Amin.

Sanchez stab wounding

Surveillance footage shows a heavily intoxicated Sanchez, 38, aggressively pursuing 69-year-old truck driver Perry Tole outside the Westin hotel at 12:30 a.m. After grabbing and slamming Tole into a wall, Sanchez was pepper-sprayed—then stabbed two to three times in the torso when he charged again. 

He was heard yelling, “This guy is trying to kill me!”

Arrested in his hospital bed, Sanchez faces one count of felony battery resulting in serious bodily injury (possible 1–6 years in prison). Tole, who suffered a deep facial laceration, has filed a civil lawsuit against Sanchez and Fox Corp.

Sanchez has not appeared on air since the incident. Interim analysts Brady Quinn and Mark Schlereth covered his games. Trial is set for Dec. 11, 2025.

Key facts:

• Sanchez joined Fox in 2021 after a 10-year NFL career.
• Brees makes his debut in Week 11 (Chiefs vs. Bills).
• No charges filed against Tole—video supports self-defense.

From USC star to NFL bust to rising broadcaster, Sanchez’s career ends in scandal—capped by a stabbing and a pink slip.