Mark Sanchez's fashion statement in the September issue of GQ was labeled by Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers as "embarrassing,"but there is nothing to blush over with his current apparel dabble. Earlier this week, the Jets quarterback launched a line of t-shirts to aid The Benefit Fund, which provides assistance to first responders who have been killed in the line of duty.
With a tip of the helmet to the movie Backdraft, the front of the shirt is emblazoned with the firefighting phrase "You Go, We Go." On the back of the shirts is Sanchez's name and his No. 6. White pants not yet available.
He was inspired in part by his father, Nick, who was a firefighter in Orange County, Calif. for 34 years.
"To mark the 10-year anniversary of 9/11, I wanted to launch an FDNY shirt that pays tribute to the brave first responders who, like my father, risk their lives in the line of duty on a regular basis," Sanchez told Yahoo! Sports. "All of the proceeds raised from the sale of the T-shirt benefit the New York Police & Fire Widows' & Children's Benefit Fund. As the member of a firefighter family myself, supporting the widowed families of rescue workers is an important, personal cause of mine."
The launch of the clothing line coincides with the tenth anniversary of the September 11th attacks. The Jets will open against the Cowboys on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium, just miles from the Ground Zero site where the Twin Towers once stood. In deference to the magnitude of the day, Rex Ryan and his brother Rob Ryan, the Cowboys defensive coordinator, have muted their usual smack talk and banter.
Sanchez isn't the only member of the Jets to commemorate the day. On Wednesday and Thursday, Jets head coach Rex Ryan wore FDNY and NYPD hats to commemorate the firefighters and police who lost their lives when the towers collapsed.
Last week, Sanchez said that his father fly out for the game as will his step-mother's daughter's husband who is also a firefighter, Michael Domer. The tenth anniversary provides a poignant base for Sanchez to reflect, especially as the entire team visited the "Ground Zero" site last week to pay their respects.
Sanchez wanted to do something to help the families of the victims of that day.
"Basically, we're selling shirts and all the proceeds are going to the widowed families of these rescue workers and first responders. So, it was a cool idea that Muze kind of came up with," Sanchez said. "The FDNY let us use their logo and saying, 'You Go, We Go'," Sanchez said. "So, I'm happy to be a part of it. It's a cool-looking t-shirt, so I'll be wearing it. Hopefully I'm not the only one."
Kristian R. Dyer can be followed at twitter.com/KristianRDyer
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