Brett Favre and Mark Gastineau never played in the NFL at the same time, but they both continue to suffer the effects of a violent era of the game. There should then be a sense of mutual respect between two men who could lose years of their lives from playing football. Gastineau holds a grudge against The Gunslinger, though, for what he deems to be a direct attack on his legacy and livelihood.
The New York Jets great and many others believe that Favre intentionally allowed legendary defensive end Michael Strahan to break the single-season sack record in garbage time of the 2001-02 regular season finale. Gastineau, who reigned supreme as a co-sack king with Deacon Jones to that point, is still irate for what transpired on the field all those years ago.
A clip from the upcoming ESPN 30 for 30 film, “The New York Sack Exchange,” which covers Gastineau and the rest of the fabled 1980s Jets defense, shows him confronting Favre at a card show for “taking a dive.” The three-time MVP quarterback was visibly confused by the man's combative tone and eventually walked away to attend to other business. He is now sharing his perspective on the situation, starting with the infamous Strahan sack.
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Brett Favre shares his side of the story
“I want to clear the air on the footage released showing a small dustup between myself and Mark Gastineau,” Favre began in a thread on X. “Back in 2002, when Michael Strahan sacked me at the end of a game that we had wrapped up, I was in no way trying to hurt Mark Gastineau. I was trying to close out a game and squeeze the last bit of fun out of a hard-fought game.”
“I booted out of a run thinking it would be wide open, saw Strahan standing there and ducked down,” he continued. “The game was over. There was no need for me to do anything spectacular. It probably wasn’t Michael’s best sack or tackle for loss…n a different game or situation, I would have made a bigger effort to avoid the sack or TFL. But at no point was I thinking about hurting Gastineau. Maybe it crossed my mind to help Strahan. I didn’t think it through. That wasn’t my forte at the time.”
The Super Bowl 31 champion is not outright admitting that he gift-wrapped a piece of NFL history for the 2001 Defensive Player of the Year, but he is seemingly acknowledging his inclination to help him out. The moniker Sack King was no longer applicable to Gastineau, which cost him potential earnings. Furthermore, the 1982 DPOY and four-time All-Pro thinks that losing the record altered how his overall impact was perceived.
It is important to note that Justin Houston and Jared Allen later equaled Gastineau's 22.0 sacks, and TJ Watt tied Strahan's milestone 22.5 mark in 2021-22. Mark Gastineau would have lost his prestigious title regardless. But maybe an additional 20 years as a co-record-holder would have changed his life, or at the very least his temperament.
Favre advocates for Mark Gastineau
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Brett Favre is acknowledging the role he unintentionally played in the 68-year-old's heartbreak and dissatisfaction.
“I just wanted to have fun and compete,” No. 4 posted. ” In retrospect, I understand how Gastineau feels. We played a brutal game. Gastineau played during an era where guys didn’t make generational wealth… I see now how being the Sack King would elevate his value at card shows, strengthen his case for the Hall of Fame, increase his demand as a public speaker. I had no way of knowing that then. I realize now the potential financial implications because football is far more business-oriented than when me or Mark played.”
Favre concluded his thread by advocating for Gastineau's Canton candidacy, something both he and Michael Strahan boast. The past cannot be changed, but a rousing endorsement might once again shine a light on the noteworthy accolades the ex-Jets DE compiled in his 10-year run.
“Mark definitely left an indelible mark on the game,” Favre said. “I hope this controversy brings attention to just how great Mark Gastineau was.”