New Eagles quarterback Mark Sanchez said he’s not looking to create any controversy, but he is not happy just being a backup.
“I’m always going to want to start,” Sanchez told reporters in Philadephia at his introductory press conference. “It doesn’t matter where you are, you want to play. There’s nothing wrong with having that drive. I’ll keep that fire going and try to help this team the best I can.”
Sanchez, 27, joined the Eagles officially Friday, one week after the Jets released their former first-round pick. He signed a one-year, $2.25 million contract that can go up to $4 million through incentives, according to a source. Sanchez will be Nick Foles’ backup, and he praised Foles’ ability.
It may seem odd Sanchez would go to the Eagles where it looks like he won’t have a chance to start, but Sanchez sounds like he fell in love with the offense of Eagles coach Chip Kelly.
“I think it’s the best fit,” Sanchez said. “Offensively, it’s the best fit, with the kind of leaders they have on this team. … This is one of the most explosive teams around the league.”
After years of playing for the defensive-minded Jets, Sanchez sounded excited about playing for a head coach whose background is in offense. He said Kelly — who coached at Oregon when Sanchez played in the same conference at USC — is on ”the cutting edge of the NFL.”
“I’ve said many times that we will always look to add quality players at the quarterback position,” Kelly said in a statement released by the team. “We consider it a key position in this game, so having the chance to add Mark to that group was a no-brainer for us.
“Mark has started 68 games in his career and has taken his teams deep into the playoffs multiple times, so we really like what he brings to the table from an experience standpoint. I also had the chance to see Mark play in college and have always had respect for his game and athletic ability.”
Sanchez was asked whether he had spoken with Michael Vick, the former Eagles quarterback the Jets signed last week.
“I think we passed each other on the train, gave each other a high-five [and said] ‘Good luck,'” Sanchez joked.
Sanchez, who spent five seasons with the Jets, did not take any shots at his former team. He opened his news conference by praising members of the Jets, including coach Rex Ryan, former general manager Mike Tannenbaum and current GM John Idzik.
“Most importantly, I have nothing but good things to say about the New York Jets,” Sanchez said. “All I can remember are the great things. Was everything perfect? Absolutely not. It’s not going to be perfect here. But I’m just excited about moving forward. I’m excited about everything we’ve accomplished in the past. (It’s) amazing.”