Hayden Panettiere Tells Us: I'm Not Dating Mark Sanchez!

USMagazine, Friday, June 3, 2011, 6:50am (PDT)

Hayden Panettiere hasn't exactly rebounded from her split with heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko.

Though she was recently spotted out with New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, the 21-year-old "Scream 4" actress tells Us Weekly the two are simply good friends.

"I swear I'm not dating him at all. Honestly. I'm a huge Jets fan and became very good friends with him and his buddies," she told Us Thursday at the Vans Custom Culture Event in New York. "There's genuinely, absolutely nothing going on. I've always been that girl who has a lot of dude friends. I'm into sports so we have a lot in common, but no, definitely 100% not dating."

The actress added that she and Sanchez, 24, have shared a few laughs over the recent relationship rumors.

"Every person that I stand next to in this industry is a guy I'm going to be linked to -- that's just inevitably the way it goes," she explained. "When it's a long-term friendship like that, sometimes it starts getting a little bit frustrating for certain people. You don't want to put fuel into the fire but you don't want to stop living your life and doing what you want to do."

Panettiere promises that when she does find love again, her fans will be the first to know.

"It's too much energy most of the time to keep it hidden. So when I say we're just friends, I mean it!" she told Us. "Time will tell if I'm lying, but I'm 100% not! He's a great dude and he's a great football player and he's Jet player, which I love."

MORE ON WONDERWALL:

Romance Report for June 2: Into the Wilde

Is Hayden Having a Rebound Romance?

Hayden Panettiere splits from boxer boyfriend

MORE FROM USWEEKLY:

PHOTOS: Hottest Hollywood rebounds

PHOTOS: Stars who've romanced athletes

PHOTOS: The All-Star Cast of 'Scream 4'