Is it really a coincidence that the Jets decided to sign a huge contract extension with Mark Sanchez on the same day Mayor Bloomberg revealed his eternal devotion to the Broadway-loving quarterback? Yes, it probably is—but is it really a coincidence that the Jets decided to put all their eggs in the Sanchize basket on the same day that ESPN says it became apparent that Peyton Manning "had no intention of signing with the Jets?"

There seems to be at least a little truth to that—after a season of total disarray, highlighted by locker room bickering and woeful losses, Jets fans and prominent (if anonymous) Jets players have been pleading for the team to bring in Manning. One player previously told the dallies about Sanchez: “They see him with a sense of entitlement. He’s been given all this and hasn’t done anything. They call him ‘San-chise.’ They make him the face of the organization. They gave him the captain tag. He’s not a captain. He should have never been a captain.”

And considering the current state of the team, the Daily News thinks it makes sense that Manning didn't want to join that circus: "[GM Mike] Tannenbaum can use his old standby line that he was doing his due diligence, but Manning surely did his due diligence on the Jets, too. Manning being Manning, he couldn’t have liked what he found."

So after a season in which the Jets publically said they were displeased with Sanchez's development, the team made him one of the richest quarterbacks in the league, giving Sanchez a three-year-extension worth $40.5 million, bringing his total over five years to $58.25 million (plus another $10 million in extensions). The Post thinks it heard a noise shortly after the deal was made: "That sound you just heard was Santonio Holmes ripping his hair out." But Bill Simmons put it best: "Smart move by the Jets extending Sanchez for three years, $4 million. (Listening.) Wait, WHAT???"

Sanchez says he doesn't hold a grudge against the organization for flirting with Manning: "The best part about it is, they chose to stick with me," he told reporters last night. "I'm going to be their starting quarterback for the next few years here and that's exciting. I'm the leader of this team and I'm excited to get back." We hope we're wrong, but we foresee a whole lot of spilled Tonka trucks for Jets fans: