As we previously reported, former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez was hospitalized over the weekend after being stabbed on Friday night.
Sanchez was transported directly from the hospital to a nearby jail, where he was charged with felony assault after details of the incident emerged.
Police now believe that the 69-year-old delivery driver who stabbed Sanchez was acting in self-defense.
Sanchez stabbing part of bizarre night in Indianapolis
According to a report from the New York Post, the narrative police pieced together based on witness statements goes something like this:
Sanchez was in Indianapolis as part of the Fox broadcast team for Sunday’s Colts vs. Las Vegas Raiders game.
The 38-year-old was allegedly “running sprints” in an empty hotel parking lot after midnight on Friday night when he became enraged at the delivery driver whose car was blocking his path.
The allegedly intoxicated Sanchez shouted at the driver, who says he had removed his hearing aids and did not hear the verbal abuse.
The driver, whose identity has not been made public, told police that he thought, “This guy is trying to kill me,” before taking out his knife and stabbing Sanchez once.
Indianapolis police hold press conference, explain charges against Sanchez
At a Monday morning press conference, Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears announced that Sanchez is facing a Level 5 Felony battery charge, which carries a sentence of one to six years behind bars.
Indianapolis police chief Chris Bailey noted Sanchez won’t get any special treatment due to his celebrity status, saying:
“I don’t care who you are, I don’t care what you do for a living, I don’t care where you live — if you come into our city, commit violence, we will use all the tools at our disposal to hold you accountable.”
Dispelling any doubts about the seriousness of the incident, Bailey remarked, “We’re lucky that no one’s dead right now.”
Sanchez has not yet spoken publicly about the incident.
The former first-round draft pick began his NFL career with the New York Jets, leading the team to two consecutive AFC Championship game appearances in his first two years in the league and earning the nickname “the Sanchize.”
He later played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Commanders (then the Redskins) before stepping away from the field to focus on his broadcasting career.
A fixture on the New York social scene, Sanchez had high-profile relationships with Kate Upton and Eva Longoria before marrying actress Perry Mattfeld in 2023.
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.