A video went viral back in December that featured Mark Gastineau confronting Brett Favre in 2023 over Michael Strahan sacking the Green Bay Packers legend to break Gastineau’s single-season sack record.
Well, the New York Sack Exchange member is now reportedly suing ESPN because of the video.
In the final game of the 2001 season, Favre appeared to fall onto the field before being tackled by Strahan, giving the New York Giants legend the record. (It has since been tied by T.J. Watt.) Gastineau accused Favre of taking a “dive,” and the play remains controversial.
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Defensive end Mark Gastineau, #99, celebrates during an NFL football game circa 1986. Gastineau played for the Jets from 1979-88. (Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Gastineau met Favre at a memorabilia event last year, saying that Favre had “hurt” him and that he was going to “take my sack back” in a heated exchange.
However, according to TMZ, Gastineau is claiming he has “been attacked on social media with ridicule, scorn and contempt” since the video aired. He also says that ESPN “intentionally and maliciously did not publish” the two shaking hands.
The report also says Gastineau never gave ESPN permission to record the moment – which contradicts Favre’s claim from earlier this year that it was a “setup.”
Gastineau is reportedly seeking $25 million in damages.
Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre warms up before the game between the Southern Miss Golden Eagles and the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks at M. M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on Sept. 8, 2018. (Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports)
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Favre took to X shortly after the confrontation went viral in an attempt to “clear the air,” admitting that it “maybe” had “crossed my mind to help Strahan,” but he was not trying to “hurt” Gastineau.
“I booted out of a run thinking it would be wide open, saw Strahan standing there and ducked down. 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 a bigger effort to avoid the sack or TFL. But at no point was I thinking about hurting Gastineau,” Favre pleaded.
Mark Gastineau is still not pleased about Brett Favre taking a “dive” in 2002.
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Favre added that the incident was “not the kind of moment that should be filmed and released.”
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