Mark Gastineau: Former Jets pass rusher confronts Brett Favre over controversial NFL sack record grudge

CNN
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Former New York Jets pass rusher Mark Gastineau says Brett Favre “hurt” him after he confronted the Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback over the controversial NFL sack record grudge between the two .

Gastineau set the record for most sacks in a season with 22 in 1984. However, in the final minutes of the final game of the 2001 season, New York Giants star Michael Strahan was credited with breaking the sack record against then-Green Bay Packers QB Favre with 22.5.

It was a controversial moment as Favre appeared to slide to the turf, with only Strahan in front of him as he tried to pass downfield. Credited with the record-breaking sack, Strahan collapsed on the field in celebration and even Favre came over to celebrate with him.

Although Gastineau was present at the time and congratulated Strahan, a video posted to social media by ESPN discussing the network’s upcoming 30 for 30 documentary, “The New York Sack Exchange,” showed the 68-year-old Year-old Favre confronted with the incident at a memorial exhibition in 2023.

“When you fell in love with (Strahan),” Gastineau said to Favre after the Green Bay legend tried to shake his hand and said he recognized Gastineau. “I will get my bag back. I’ll get my sack back, dude.”

“You would probably hurt me,” Favre replied.

“Well, I don’t care,” Gastineau said. “You hurt me. You hurt me! Do you hear me?”

“Yes, I understand you,” Favre said.

“You really hurt me. “You hurt me, Brett,” Gastineau said before Favre was led away by someone at the event.

In the teaser clip, Gastineau further explains his stance, saying, “Everyone will tell you Brett Favre took a leap.”

Shortly after the clip was posted on social media, Favre went off on a thread

“Trying to finish a game and squeeze every last bit of fun out of a hard-fought game,” the Super Bowl XXXI winner wrote. “I got out of a run because I thought it was wide open, saw Strahan standing there and ducked.

“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. In a different game or situation, I would have made greater efforts to avoid the sack or TFL (tackle for loss).

“But at no point did I think about hurting Gastineau. Maybe it occurred to me to help Strahan. I didn’t think it through. That wasn’t my strength back then.”

Favre added that, in retrospect, he understands Gastineau’s stance on the issue and hopes that he will one day join Favre in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“We played a brutal game. “Gastineau played in a time when guys weren’t achieving generational wealth,” Favre said. “Now I see how the role of Sack King would increase his value at card shows, strengthen his case for the Hall of Fame and increase his demand as a public speaker.

“I couldn’t have known that at the time. I am now aware of the potential financial impact because football is far more business-oriented than when I or Mark played.

“There was no malice on my part. Mark was a great player. From what I understand, he’s a great guy and a fun teammate, a guy who played with the kind of joy and passion that I tried to emulate. I understand his frustration, but I am not his enemy.

“A while back he saw me at a card show and let out his frustration. It’s not the kind of moment that should be filmed and released. It was a private moment of frustration between two old football warriors.

“Mark definitely left an indelible mark on the game. I hope this controversy brings attention to how great Mark Gastineau was. He belongs in Canton.”

In 2021, TJ Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers tied Strahan’s record.

Gastineau played his entire 10-year NFL career with the Jets before playing one season with the BC Lions in Canada.

He was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1982 and was a four-time first-team All Pro. He has 107.5 sacks in the NFL.