Mark Sanchez remains as optimistic as ever about his New York Jets career.
The injured quarterback took time from volunteer work at a New Jersey soup kitchen Tuesday to speak with reporters for the first time since undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery.
Sanchez expressed confidence in his recovery process, joking that his arm will be "bionic" in a way similar to the movie "Rookie of the Year." He also spoke of his desire to play out the rest of his Jets contract, which runs through the 2016 season.
"There's no doubt about that," Sanchez said, via ESPN.com. "It's been a dream come true to play here and I don't want to go anywhere else, that's for sure. I know I have (three) years left, and I don't ever want that to end. I love being a Jet and I plan on being here."
In reality, it's extremely unlikely Sanchez will play another down for the team that selected him with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. Sanchez has a $13.1 million salary-cap charge in 2014, and the franchise appears to have moved on. He's due a $2 million bonus in March, meaning he likely will be released or traded by that time.
Sanchez hasn't had any discussions with the Jets about his future and has tried to block out fan and media speculation.
"I know I've heard a lot of stuff on the outside about me not being here and stuff like that," he said. "I don't know if that's necessarily the case in the building. Hopefully not. Hopefully, I'm a Jet. That's where I am, (and) that's where I want to be."
Sanchez is saying the right things, but a parting of ways probably is best for both player and team. We're sure Sanchez knows this, but these are not the topics you expound upon in a soup kitchen.
*The latest "Around The League Podcast" broke down Patriots-Broncos and every Week 12 game. *
