Broadcasting live sports can lead to some humorous moments, and former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez provided one during Sunday’s Fox broadcast of the Vikings and Seahawks game. Partnered with play-by-play announcer Adam Amin, Sanchez accidentally referenced a rival network’s rules analyst, creating an amusing and slightly awkward exchange.
The Setup
The moment unfolded while Sanchez and Amin were analyzing a crucial close spot on a run by Vikings running back Aaron Jones. The play required the chain gang to measure whether the ball had crossed the marker for a first down, and it was determined to be just enough.
As Amin commented on the tight measurement, referencing the thin margin, he quipped, “Not by much, maybe by an index card. That’s a first down.”
That’s when Sanchez chimed in, name-dropping CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore. “Where is Gene Steratore when you need him?” Sanchez said, referencing a famous moment from Steratore’s career as an NFL referee.
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The Reaction
Amin, quick on his feet, responded in good humor while steering the conversation back to Fox’s own rules analysts. “I’ll take Pereira and Blandino,” Amin said, referring to Fox’s Mike Pereira and Dean Blandino, who are prominently featured in the network’s NFL broadcasts.
Realizing his misstep, Sanchez quickly apologized. “Oh yeah, sorry,” he said, laughing as Amin reassured him, “We respect all networks here, you know that.”
The exchange drew chuckles from both broadcasters, but what Amin seemingly missed was the specific historical reference Sanchez was making with his shoutout to Steratore.
The Infamous Index Card Incident
The Steratore comment harkened back to a memorable moment in football lore from 2017. During a game between the Dallas Cowboys and the then-Oakland Raiders, Steratore, still an active NFL referee at the time, used an index card to measure the distance between the tip of the football and the first down marker.
The decision, which confirmed a Cowboys first down, became a viral sensation and a topic of debate among fans and analysts alike. Steratore later explained to a pool reporter that the index card was merely used to reaffirm his visual assessment of the play.
“The ball was touching the pole,” Steratore said at the time, according to ESPN. “I put the card in there, and as soon as it touched, it was nothing more than a reaffirmation. The decision was made based on my visual from the top looking down and the ball touching the front of the pole.”
A Lighthearted Moment
While Sanchez’s reference may have been missed by some viewers and even his broadcast partner, it added a layer of humor to the moment. The exchange served as a reminder of how the quirks of live sports broadcasting and football history can lead to amusing, unscripted moments.
For Sanchez, it was a small slip-up in what has otherwise been a smooth transition from the field to the broadcast booth.
For fans, it was a chance to revisit a bizarre but iconic moment in NFL officiating. And for Amin, it was an opportunity to keep things lighthearted and reinforce network loyalty—while sharing a laugh on live TV.
