Mark Sanchez vs. Rex Ryan? Not quite. The Jets quarterback knows it would be a mismatch anyway.
Sanchez told GQ magazine for its September issue he “wanted to fight” Ryan after the coach considered benching him following a poor stretch. The two laughed off the comments after the Jets’ 20-16 loss to the Texans in Houston on Monday night.
“Was I going to fight Rex? Obviously not,” Sanchez told reporters. “That would be like (Oscar) De La Hoya and George Foreman. Way out of my weight class and he’d probably kick my butt.”
Ryan said Sanchez’s comments were exactly what he wanted to hear.
“You want that guy that is competitive,” Ryan said. “We’re both competitive guys and all we want is what’s best for our team.”
• Offensive lineman Robert Turner has a broken right leg. A prognosis will be available after surgery.
Lions lineman Fairley walking, but in boot
ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Lions rookie defensive lineman Nick Fairley is making progress as he recovers from surgery on his left foot.
Fairley was walking with a protective boot on the injured foot. The defensive tackle missed the Lions’ first preseason game last week, but at least now he’s able to move around and be with the team out on the field during practice.
“He got the cast off of his foot. Now he’s in the walking boot, so now he can walk around,” coach Jim Schwartz said. “You can’t have a guy that’s on crutches that can’t walk around out there.”
Fairley didn’t have much to say about his injury, but he’s clearly putting in the effort to stay involved in team activities.
“Right now I’m taking it day by day. I’m in the treatment room, trying to get back as fast as I can,” said Fairley, a first-round draft pick. “I just use this time more to be in the film room, getting my mental reps.”
Hall of Famer Pihos dies
PHILADELPHIA — Pete Pihos, a Hall of Fame receiver who helped the Eagles win two straight NFL championships in the 1940s, died at a nursing home in Winston-Salem, N.C., after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 87.
Pihos finished his nine-year career with 373 catches for 6,519 yards and 61 touchdowns. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970.
Footnotes.
The Colts signed former University of Colorado defensive end Tyler Brayton, who has 229 tackles, 15 1/2 sacks and one interception in eight NFL seasons.
• One week after retiring, former Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder said he still plans to sit out this season because his wife is about to have a baby, but he’ll likely return to the NFL in 2012 or 2013.
• Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor underwent surgery to repair his broken left thumb and anticipates returning before the season opener at Baltimore on Sept. 11.
• The Bengals released defensive tackle Tank Johnson, who missed nine games last season with a knee injury.
• Packers defensive end Mike Neal injured his left knee and was scheduled to undergo an MRI today.
• The NFL supplemental draft originally scheduled for today has been postponed.
Denver Post wire services
