Sanchez to GQ: I wanted to fight Rex

HOUSTON -- Mark Sanchez didn't really want to go toe-to-toe with Rex Ryan last December, the quarterback said Monday night, although he definitely was ticked off that his coach considered benching him.

Sanchez was mired in a two-game slump heading into the Jets' 2010 stretch run. His 17-for-44, one-interception, six-sack outing in a 10-6 loss to the Dolphins came on the heels of that 17-of-33, three-interception showing in the Jets' numbing 45-3 loss to the Patriots a week earlier.

Ryan openly admitted to reporters that he truly pondered giving Sanchez the hook, something that bothered Sanchez quite a bit, he told GQ magazine.

"Rex is super-honest," Sanchez told the magazine. "I wish he wasn't that honest at times, especially to say that . . . I wanted to fight him. I was really mad."

Sanchez also was peeved during the following week in practice, when Ryan seriously contemplated giving more first-team reps to backup quarterback Mark Brunell. That didn't sit well with Sanchez at all, especially when offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer informed him of Ryan's intent.

"I was like, 'He can come tell me," Sanchez said. "And is like, 'Come on, man, don't do that.' "

After the Jets' 20-16 preseason loss to the Texans at Reliant Stadium Monday night, Sanchez clarified his remarks, explaining why he was so passionate about Ryan's thoughts about yanking him.

"That was a point in the season where I wasn't playing well and Rex had talked about benching me," Sanchez said. "You get two competitive people with each other -- look at Steve Young and George Seifert, Phil Simms and Bill Parcells. Part of the reason Rex drafted me is because I value this job and it's my life. If someone wanted to take that away from me, that's personal.

"Was I going to fight Rex? Obviously not. That would be like [Oscar] de la Hoya against George Foreman. He's out of my weight class. He'd probably kick my butt."

Ryan also had fun with Sanchez's comments, brushing them off in his typical fashion.

"I heard he wanted to fight me and things, but that's a long line," Ryan said. "I think he's still behind Channing Crowder. But you know what? That's what you want. You want that guy that's competitive. We're both competitive guys and all we want is what's best for our team, and at that time, I wanted to send a message that 'hey, listen, we can bench anybody on this team, with the exception of [Darrelle] Revis, obviously.

"But seriously, it's one of those things where it's like, 'C'mon, kid. I know you've got more to give.' And of course, I know how competitive he is and that that's how he's going to respond. He knows what's best for our team is for him to be out there, and so sometimes you butt heads with each other a little bit."