(Photo: Ed Yourdon, Flickr)BY NICK ST. DENIS
Jets coach Rex Ryan said he won't name team captains in 2012. He'll probably reconsider.
Center Nick Mangold stood up to comments made by unnamed Jets players ripping quarterback Mark Sanchez in a New York Daily News story Wednesday, calling the players' take on Sanchez "false."
After voicing his displeasure on Twitter, Mangold went on ESPN 1050 Radio's The Michael Kay Show to defend his quarterback.
"(The quotes were) saying (Sanchez) was lazy, didn’t put the work in, felt complacent, and I think it couldn’t be more further from the truth," Mangold said. "The guy puts in more work and more time, cares more about the team than I think anybody else in that locker room. And for somebody to come out and say that, and not put their name behind it, really bothered me."
Mangold said the offensive line deserved as much, if not more of the blame for the Jets' 8-8 season than Sanchez.
"I know the guy had a rough go about it," Mangold said. "As an offensive line, in our group we did not do the things to put him in a position to win. We did not protect him as well as we should have; we did not run the ball as well as we should have. Unfortunately, he kind of takes the brunt of the criticism, even though we share in that blame. If not as much as him, we should be taking most of it."
Sanchez received a bit more support during the afternoon as the dust settled, and even Mangold earned the respect of a high-profile NFL player.
"I love @nickmangold for sticking up for his QB," Saints quarterback Drew Brees wrote on Twitter.
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