Why Are Mark Gastineau and Brett Favre at Odds? The Story Behind the Controversial 2002 Sack That Sparked a Years-Long Feud

Why Are Mark Gastineau and Brett Favre at Odds? The Story Behind the Controversial 2002 Sack That Sparked a Years-Long Feud

The tension between former NFL stars Mark Gastineau and Brett Favre has roots dating back to 2002.

Gastineau, once a standout player for the New York Jets, held the NFL single-season sack record from 1984 until 2001—a milestone he believed would secure his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That changed in January 2002, when Michael Strahan of the New York Giants broke his record by notching 22.5 sacks in a season, with the final one coming during a game against Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers.

While Gastineau initially praised Strahan’s achievement, he later voiced suspicions that Favre intentionally allowed the sack to happen, helping Strahan surpass his record in the final game of the regular season.

Gastineau shared his side of the story in ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentary The New York Sack Exchange, which aired in December 2023. In it, he alleges that Favre “took a dive” to make Strahan’s record-breaking sack easier.

The feud intensified when Gastineau confronted Favre face-to-face at a sports memorabilia event in Chicago. “I’m gonna get my sack back,” Gastineau told him in a clip from the documentary. “You hurt me, Brett.”

This long-standing controversy is also explored in the Netflix documentary Untold: The Fall of Favre, which premiered on May 20, 2025.

So, what exactly happened all those years ago—and why is it still a hot topic today? Here’s a closer look at the infamous sack that ignited a decades-long grudge between two NFL legends.