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Ex-Eagles quarterback Mark Sanchez signs with Redskins

After a two-year stint with the Eagles, Sanchez moved on to the Broncos, the Cowboys and then the Bears. Now, he's back in the NFC East.

Mark Sanchez is back in the NFC East.
Mark Sanchez is back in the NFC East.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer

He's back.

Mark Sanchez will suit up for his sixth NFL team this week when he officially joins the Washington Redskins as a backup to Colt McCoy, who was thrust into the starting job after Alex Smith broke two bones in his leg in a gruesome injury Sunday.

Sanchez comes to Washington two weeks before the Eagles face their NFC rivals for the first time this season on Monday Night Football on Dec. 3.

The 32-year-old was one of a number of quarterbacks to try out for the Redskins on Monday, including EJ Manuel and T.J. Yates.

Sanchez joined the Eagles in 2014 after sitting out all of 2013 because of a shoulder injury and after being released by the Jets, who drafted him in 2009 out of Southern Cal.

He spent two seasons playing under Chip Kelly, making his debut in Week 9 when Nick Foles was knocked out with a broken clavicle. He appeared in nine games — starting eight — and helped the Eagles finish 10-6 after they began the season 6-2 with Foles as the starter. He finished with an 88.4 passer rating, the best mark of his career.

In 2015, Kelly traded Foles for Sam Bradford and the Eagles awarded Sanchez a two-year deal to be his backup. He started two games in place of an injured Bradford in November.

In March 2016, the Eagles traded Sanchez to the Broncos for a conditional pick in the 2017 draft. He spent training camp in a three-way battle for the starting spot and was released in September when he lost it to Trevor Siemian. The Cowboys signed him on the same day to back up Dak Prescott, then a rookie, who was starting in place of injured Tony Romo. Sanchez appeared in just two games, one of which was a loss to the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in the regular-season finale.

After his one-year deal with the Cowboys ended, he signed another contract, this time with the Bears. He didn't play in 2017, and, while still a free agent this year, was suspended four games for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy.

Washington marks the third NFC East team for which Sanchez will suit up. And if he plays for the Redskins this week, his debut will come on the sixth anniversary of the play he's most famous for: the butt fumble.