A lot is resting on the shoulders of Jets rookie Mark Sanchez. And a lot of it goes beyond football. PHOTO BY BILL MENZEL / LSV

NEW YORK – The New York Jets made rookie quarterback and third-generation Mexican-American Mark Sanchez available to the Spanish media Wednesday in a very tell-all conference call.

Sanchez spoke candidly about everything from his upbringing to Gang Green’s recent trade for wide receiver Braylon Edwards. The conference call was held in English, but Sanchez continues to improve on his Spanish-speaking skills. He has conducted several interviews in Spanish of late, including one TV spot. He said he hopes to improve to the point that he could do both equally as well.

Sanchez' charismatic persona could fuel the National Football League's efforts to boost its Hispanic fan base, estimated at 25 million people. Born in Long Beach, Calif., Sanchez never thought much about being Mexican, except when he ate enchiladas at family barbecues, he said. His father had grown up in a black neighborhood and his mother had been one of the few Mexican-Americans in a mostly Jewish part of East LA. The two divorced when Mark was 4-years-old.  Nick Sanchez raised his sons in a white neighborhood in Orange County. Olga, a day-care worker in Whittier, made three-hour bus trips to stay involved in her sons' lives. 

Those efforts shaped the younger Sanchez tremendously, he said. “I’m very fortunate. I had a very good upbringing.”

The Jets rookie QB follows a growing line of Mexican quarterbacks in the NFL. Well-traveled veteran Jeff Garcia and Dallas Pro Bowler Tony Romo are two other Mexican-Americans playing the position in the league. The first Mexican-American to play QB in the league was Joe Kapp. He was drafted in 1959 by the Washington Redskins but initially played in the Canadian Football League. He played in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings from 1967-69. One of the most famous Mexican QBs was Jim Plunkett of Raider fame.  The former Heisman winner led the Raiders to two Super Bowl victories.

Although Sanchez is not the first Mexican QB in the NFL, he may end up being the most important. The league's diversity initiatives to attract Latino followers have included promoting stars like Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez, playing a regular-season game in Mexico City and may soon include more with Sanchez. The NFL will debut a Spanish-language commercial with English subtitles featuring Sanchez during tonight’s Monday night game with the Miami Dolphins.

The Dolphins, along with the NFL and ESPN, culminated the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month with a number of major initiatives, festivities and community outreach programs, ending with a grand fiesta at the Jets-Dolphins game tonight.

“It’s an exciting opportunity for the NFL,” Sanchez said. “They have a chance to branch out to a different market. I’m very proud to be part of it.”

Sanchez said it’s important to him to connect with his heritage of fans from his country, adding, “I really appreciate the support. It would be exciting to play a game in Mexico City. It would be a dream come true.”  

For Sanchez, New York has been dreamy, too. The Jets are off to an impressive 3-1 start and have now acquired controversial, but talented playmaker Braylon Edwards. The No. 1 caliber wide receiver could become another top target for Sanchez in the passing game.  About the only downside of the trade for Sanchez is the departure of friend Chansi Stuckey. The Jets wide receiver was moved in the deal for Edwards.

“I wish him the best,” Sanchez said of Stuckey. “I threw my first pro TD to him and he played an important part of my early success in the NFL. At the same time, I’m very excited about having Braylon here. He’s very talented.”

Sanchez’ smooth transition to the NFL is quiet impressive for a 22-year-old who could easily still be under center for USC this season. He credits his family, particularly his older brothers for taken care of many of the “little things,” allowing him to focus solely on football.

That focus might allow Sanchez to make an even greater impact on the gridiron than his predecessors and contemporaries.  From the Mexican-American teenagers who proudly wear his USC No. 6 jersey in Los Angeles to the thousands of Latino fans on the rookie’s bandwagon in New York, Sanchez represents so much more than any publicized QB in Big Apple history, because of his heritage.

Simply put, Sanchez has the chance to break down barriers one touchdown at a time.

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