GRAPEVINE, Texas -- Mark Sanchez won't need surgery on his injured right shoulder.
The New York Jets quarterback said Thursday that doctors told him rest and mild rehabilitation would be enough to return his throwing shoulder to full strength.
Sanchez was injured when the Jets won at Pittsburgh on Dec. 19, but the shoulder wasn't a factor in New York's run to the AFC Championship Game. The Jets lost the title game to the Steelers, who play the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Sanchez said a second MRI soon after the playoff loss showed swelling and bruising in the shoulder had improved enough for him to avoid a second surgery in two offseasons. He had knee surgery last year.
"They were just really pleased with the way things healed," Sanchez said before a promotional appearance in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb of Grapevine.
The second-year pro said team physician Dr. Kenneth Montgomery was the only doctor he visited. However, Montgomery sought opinions from several others.
Sanchez said he will continue some of the exercises he used to stay on the field during the season and will visit Montgomery again before the labor agreement expires March 3. Sanchez said he would probably start throwing again "soon."
The injury didn't affect Sanchez's playoff performance. He threw for 616 yards and five touchdowns and only one interception for a 95.5 passer rating.
The Jets won road playoff games at Indianapolis and Green Bay, and Sanchez already has tied the NFL record with four postseason road wins in his first two seasons.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
