In the world of football, certain rivalries stand out, and one such intense feud involves former New York Jets All-Pro defensive lineman Mark Gastineau and quarterback Brett Favre. A photo by Al Bello/Getty Images captures a significant moment in this ongoing saga. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Grudge on Display

Former New York Jets defensive end Mark Gastineau's long-standing 20-plus-year grudge against Brett Favre is vividly showcased in an upcoming ESPN documentary titled "The New York Sack Exchange." This documentary focuses on the dominant defensive line of the 1980s, which included Gastineau, Marty Lyons, Joe Klecko, and the late Abdul Salaam. In the documentary, Gastineau is seen confronting Favre at a Chicago sports memorabilia show last year. He accuses Favre of giving New York Giants pass rusher Michael Strahan an easy sack in January 2002, thus breaking Gastineau's single-season NFL record.The two men initially shook hands, with Favre mentioning their past meetings. However, Gastineau's words cut deep as he said, "Yeah, right — when you fell down for [Strahan]. I'm going to get my sack back. I'm going to get my sack back, dude." A stunned Favre replied, "You probably would hurt me," to which Gastineau shot back, "Well, I don't care. You hurt me. You hurt me! You hear me?" Favre simply said, "Yeah, I hear you." Gastineau continued, "You really hurt me. You really hurt me, Brett." As Favre was led away by one of his handlers, the tension between them was palpable.Gastineau's feelings about the sack record took a turn in 2020. He came onto the field at Giants Stadium in 2002 to congratulate Strahan for breaking the record. But in February 2020, he admitted to ESPN's Rich Cimini that he wasn't happy with what he believed was Favre taking a dive that day. "It's my record, and I want it to be known that it's my record," Gastineau said nearly five years ago. "I'm not going to say, 'I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings.' It's my record. … Being nice and being a good sport, that's good, but it's not real. In fact, I'm kind of a liar in a way. I feel like there's just something wrong."Responding to accusations that he gave Strahan an easy sack, Favre said after that game in 2002, "We didn't lay down for him." But Gastineau insists in the documentary, "Anybody will tell you that Brett Favre took a dive." Recently, Gastineau told Cimini that he had been waiting a long time to confront Favre and that he believes Strahan and Favre conspired together. "I wanted to let him know it was a trash sack," Gastineau said. "I've been wanting to do that for a long time — many, many years. I've only got one more guy to go to."Since Strahan recorded his 22 1/2 sacks to pass Gastineau, the record has been matched by T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021. Jared Allen (2011) and Justin Houston (2014) have each tied Gastineau with 22 sacks in a single season. Gastineau's frustration with how he lost the sack record nearly 23 years ago could be related to his not being in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Despite being the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year in 1982, a four-time First-Team All-Pro, five-time Pro Bowler, and two-time NFL sack leader, with 107.5 sacks in his career, Gastineau has never reached the semifinal stage in Hall of Fame voting.