Sigler just friends with sports star sanchez

American footballer Mark Sanchez has played down reports he's dating former Sopranos star Jamie-Lynn Sigler, insisting the actress "could do much better" than have him as a suitor.

Sigler, who split from her Entourage co-star Jerry Ferrara in December (09), was alleged to have struck up a relationship with the New York Jets quarterback after meeting at a recent movie event in the Big Apple.

The pair has also been spotted catching Broadway play Race together - but Sanchez is adamant they are just friends.

He says, "I met her at an event at the Tribeca Film Festival and we... both happened to be in the same place...

"She's a sweetheart, we've hung out across New York. She's a great girl, but I mean, she could probably do much better than me."