New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez is coming off arguably his worst season of his career.
Sanchez completed just 54-percent of his passes with just 13 touchdowns and 18 interceptions last season. Sanchez also fumbled 14 times with eight lost to the opposing team. While he has delivered two trips to the AFC Championship game, he’s far from lived up his Top 10 draft pick status in the 2009 NFL Draft.
Yet former Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren still sees some potential in the beleaguered Jets’ quarterback.
Holmgren joined the Dave “Softy” Mahler show on 950 KJR-AM in Seattle last week and discussed what he foresees from Sanchez this season.
“I think actually he’s going to have a fine year,” Holmgren said.
Jets offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg played quarterback for Holmgren in high school and later served as an assistant coach alongside Holmgren with the Green Bay Packers. Holmgren was high on Sanchez coming out of college at USC and he believes Mornhinweg be the guy that can get Sanchez to take advantage of his passing mechanics.
“I just liked his mechanics coming out of college. I really liked his mechanics,” Holmgren said. “He would be one of those guys - I know he’s taken a lot of flack and a lot of heat - but he would have been one of those guys if I was still coaching I would really like to coach.”
From the shadow of Tim Tebow, to the Butt Fumble and the video of Sanchez baring his backside last week, the past year will be one Sanchez will want to quickly put behind him. With some of the distractions no longer in place, Holmgren thinks Sanchez can produce for the Jets.
"(Last year) was like the perfect storm. I just think he’s a better player than that,” Holmgren.