New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez talks to the media...

New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez talks to the media in front of his locker the day after the team lost the AFC Championship game to the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Jan. 24, 2011) Credit: Newsday / Joe Epstein

GRAPEVINE, Texas - Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez got the news he'd been hoping for a few days ago: He won't need surgery on his throwing shoulder.

Sanchez told reporters Thursday night at a hotel near Dallas, where he traveled for a series of promotional appearances before Super Bowl XLV, that he was told by team physician Ken Montgomery early this week that the injury he initially suffered against the Steelers on Dec. 19 had healed sufficiently and that surgery won't be necessary.

"It's looking good," Sanchez said. " just really pleased with the way things have healed. The swelling and bruising-type stuff are gone, so they're really happy about that."

Asked if he is relieved, Sanchez said, "Oh, absolutely."

Sanchez said he'll be on "active rest" for a few weeks, which means he'll do some stretching and light exercise to continue the rehabilitation process. He'll meet with Montgomery at least once later this month at the team's training facility in Florham Park, N.J.

" it's not going to be just a sit-around-and-see-how-you-feel-until-August-type thing," Sanchez said. "I said, 'Of course not.' I'm committed to the team, No. 1, and I'll do everything I can mentally and physically to be ready to play, and I know I will."

Montgomery sent two MRIs - one taken after the Dec. 19 game against the Steelers and one after the Jets' loss to Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship Game less than two weeks ago - to multiple doctors. All of them indicated the area that initially was injured looked fine and wouldn't require surgery.

Sanchez did some light throwing earlier this week and said he felt fine. He'll throw more regularly later this month and is prepared to work out on his own in the event of a lockout.

Sanchez said he didn't feel an inordinate amount of pain in the games he played after the injury and that he didn't require any pain-killing injections during games.

"On game day, you don't even think about it," Sanchez said. "The hardest part is the week of practice when I don't get to take every rep."

Sanchez said he experienced mixed emotions coming to Dallas, mostly because he'd much rather be playing. The Jets were eliminated by the Steelers.

"It's weird. Just seeing the Super Bowl logo everywhere, seeing the Steelers' logo, it's like, 'Man, we were so close,' " he said. "The thing that really pops out to me is that if we keep progressing, this is the kind of team that needs to win our division and own that No. 1 spot. Do that, get a home game. Looking at the last few games, we were at Pittsburgh, at Chicago, at New England twice, that's tough for anybody. It's really too bad."

Sanchez said he'll spend a good portion of the offseason at his home in Southern California and that he plans to bring several teammates there to train, even in the event of a lockout.

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