In an age when every opinion has a potentially outraged audience, one never knows what might spawn ridiculous controversy.
On social media over the weekend, Fox Sports NFL analyst Mark Sanchez came under fire for an odd-yet-seemingly-innocuous comment about two black players during Sunday’s game between the Washington Commanders and Seattle Seahawks.
“We’ve got Brown on Brown crime right up top,” the analyst said while describing an instant replay.
Sanchez then proceeded to analyze a play in which Commanders third-year wide receiver Dyami Brown caught a pass after defeating tight coverage from Seahawks third-year cornerback Tre Brown.
Brown on Brown.
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All in all, it looked like a routine NFL play: A quick slant that resulted in a 6-yard completion.
Readers may view the play and hear Sanchez’s commentary here:
— sportsvids99 (@sportsvids991) November 12, 2023
Routine as it looked, some social media users expressed disbelief at Sanchez’s choice of words.
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Of course, the suggestive “racial” element attracted immediate attention. Never mind that the “Brown on Brown” comment came from a man named “Sanchez.”
“Describing two African American football players going head to head as ‘brown on brown crime’ is crazy. I don’t care if both their names are ‘Brown’ that’s just insane,” one social media user wrote.
Describing two African American football players going head to head as “brown on brown crime” is crazy. I don’t care if both their names are “Brown” that’s just insane 🤣🤣🤣 #HTTC https://t.co/PLDIP0JmZM
— Sam Howell 4 MVP (@Cdrizzyy21) November 12, 2023
“Did @Mark_Sanchez really say that?” another user tweeted.
Did @Mark_Sanchez really say that?
— ELLIOT IN THE MORNING (@EITMonline) November 12, 2023
“Pack your bags mark sanchez,” another user tweeted with a laughing emoji.
Pack your bags mark sanchez 😂 pic.twitter.com/9SqCYkEzNh
— FlockRams (@flockrams5) November 13, 2023
One user had a bit of fun with the comment by posting a GIF of the infamous “butt fumble,” the most notoriously hilarious play from Sanchez’s career as quarterback of the New York Jets, which spanned five seasons (2009-13).
In a Thanksgiving night 2012 game against the New England Patriots, Sanchez accidentally ran headfirst into the backside of his own offensive lineman, resulting in a fumble that a New England defender returned for a touchdown.
“Mark Sanchez is as good at commentary as he was an NFL QB,” the GIF-posting X user tweeted.
Mark Sanchez is as good at commentary as he was an NFL QB pic.twitter.com/N1jozpYP4L
— Matt Cones (@FattMatt39) November 13, 2023
Perhaps the most common reaction on social media was one of understated confusion.
“When i heard it I picked my head up,” one user tweeted.
When i heard it I picked my head up 🤔
— Frankie F. Fingers (@FingersFrankie4) November 13, 2023
At worst, Sanchez’s comment might have elicited a mild furrowing or raising of the eyebrows. Indeed, its oddity stemmed from the fact that the play involved nothing comparable to a “crime.”
After all, had one of the two Browns committed a penalty, then Sanchez’s line would have made sense. As a segue into analysis of a rather mundane 6-yard pass play, however, it fell flat.
Still, if Sanchez never commits a more egregious error, then his broadcasting career will have unfolded without blemish.
Meanwhile, for social media users who might have expressed genuine outrage over the remark, we should feel only sympathy. Either their lives are so good that they have no serious complaints yet remain unhappy, or their lives are so miserable that they distract themselves with phony controversies.
Whatever the case might be, Sanchez’s comment did not merit that level of scrutiny.
Sadly, many people have been programmed to react with outrage and assume malicious intent on the part of others. As Christians, we call that a sin against charity.
