Mark Gastineau Confronts Brett Favre Over 23-Year-Old Sack Grudge

Mark Gastineau is still pissed all these years later over what happened at Giants Stadium in 2002 when Brett Favre appeared to take a dive for Michael Strahan so he could set a new NFL sack record. 

In a new ESPN 30 for 30, "The New York Sack Exchange," Gastineau confronts Favre at a 2023 sports memorabilia show for "taking his [sack] record," in the Week 17 game. 

To add insult to injury, the record-breaking sack came with 2:46 on the clock and the Packers winning by nine. There was no need for Favre, who was friends with Strahan, to roll out in that situation and Gastineau, who was there that night in New Jersey just months after getting out of jail for violating probation stemming from assaulting his wife, won't let it go. 

Mark Gastineau in 1986. Gastineau played for the Jets from 1979-88. / Focus on Sport/Getty Images

Strahan ended the season with 22 ½ sacks. Gastineau's record was 22. 

Fast-forward to 2023 with 30 for 30 cameras rolling. Gastineau approaches Favre, who mentions that they had met once before. 

"Yeah, right -- when you fell down for him," Gastineau fired back, clearly meaning the night when Strahan set the record. "I'm going to get my sack back. I'm going to get my sack back, dude."

"You probably would hurt me," Favre replies. 

"Well, I don't care," Gastineau fired back. "You hurt me. You hurt me! You hear me?"

"Yeah, I hear you," Favre said.

"You really hurt me," Gastineau added while Favre's handler tries to defuse the situation. "You really hurt me, Brett."

Why did Mark Gastineau confront Brett Favre in 2023 over something from 2002?

The Jets legend told ESPN it was the first chance he had to give the Gunslinger a piece of his mind. "I've been wanting to do that for a long time -- many, many years," Gastineau added. "I've only got one more guy to go to," Mark told the network, while setting his sights on Strahan. 

Favre's own teammates weren't fans of what transpired that night at Giants Stadium. 

After the game, Packers center Mike Flanagan was asked about the play. "That's not something I'm talking about. Go ask Brett," an irritated Flanagan told reporters. 

Jets DE Mark Gastineau in the Jets locker room circa 1983. / Focus on Sport/Getty Images

Time moves on and typically people will move on. 

Not Gastineau. 

"The NFL should've stopped that," a defiant Gastineau says in the new 30 for 30. "…and said, listen, no…no…no…that's not a sack. You took my record away from me.

"Anybody will tell you Brett Favre took a dive. Everybody knows it." 

Mark clearly hasn't moved on.