FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The future is now for the new face of the Jets, Mark Sanchez.
Sanchez was selected as the team’s starting quarterback by coach Rex Ryan on Wednesday, making him the first rookie slated to open a season under center for the Jets.
“This comes with a lot of responsibility,” Sanchez said. “As happy as I am, I know that this is just the beginning and I’m just excited.”
The fifth overall draft pick out of Southern California beat out Kellen Clemens for the job and will make his regular-season debut at Houston on Sept. 13.
“This is something I’ve always wanted to do and dreams are coming true now,” Sanchez said.
Bell past weighty issues
METAIRIE, La. — Running back Mike Bell looks back on his last days in Denver with self-loathing. Now trying to save his career with the Saints, Bell described his former self as an egotistical malcontent who gained too much weight and became a cancer in the locker room after the Broncos moved him from running back to fullback.
“I felt like I was betrayed and I felt like I didn’t even want to play anymore,” Bell said. “That’s why I gained all that weight — not only because I was playing fullback, but because I just didn’t care and almost just let myself go.
“I don’t blame them for cutting me; I would’ve cut me too. Nobody wants somebody that’s cancerous to the team with that attitude, someone that’s always complaining and saying that he deserves this or deserves that. In all actuality, I don’t think I deserved anything.”
The 6-foot-1 Bell said he weighs 219 pounds now, down from as much as 233 before he was released by Denver after the 2007 season.
Footnotes.
Bears defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek will undergo arthroscopic surgery Friday on his right knee.
• Bills running back Fred Jackson was breathing much easier knowing his sprained left wrist shouldn’t cause him to miss the start of the regular season.
• Ravens tight end L.J. Smith could miss the rest of the preseason with a pulled hamstring, and defensive tackle Kelly Gregg might also be sidelined for an extended stretch because of a shoulder injury.
• Receiver Anquan Boldin sat out practice with a sore right hamstring and probably will miss Arizona’s game against Green Bay on Friday night.
• Bob Costas will host NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” pregame show from the site of the game starting this season.
