Brett Favre has turned to Twitter to share his side of the story after video surfaced showing former Jets defensive end Mark Gastineau harassing former Packers quarterback Brett Favre for diving to assist former Giants defensive end Michael Strahan in setting the single-season sack record in 2001.
Favre claims he wasn’t attempting to harm Gastineau in doing so. However, Favre acknowledges that “perhaps it crossed my mind” to assist Strahan in the season-ending game of 2001, which resulted in Strahan receiving a record-breaking freebie sack from Favre.
Favre also objects to the choice to film and broadcast the 2023 exchange between Favre and Gastineau.
Below is Favre’s whole Twitter post, where he begins by referring to the event as a “small dustup.”
“I had no intention of hurting Mark Gastineau when Michael Strahan fired me in 2002 after we had finished a game,” Favre wrote. “I was attempting to finish a game and salvage the last enjoyment from a fiercely contested match…. I thought it would be wide open as I booted out of a run, but Strahan was standing there, so I ducked.
The match was over. I didn’t have to do anything extraordinary. Michael most likely wasn’t his finest tackle for loss or sack.
“I would have worked harder to stay out of the sack or TFL in a different game or circumstance. However, I never considered harming Gastineau. Perhaps I thought of helping Strahan. I didn’t give it much thought.
At the time, I wasn’t very good at it. All I wanted to do was compete and have fun. Looking back, I can appreciate Gastineau’s feelings. We engaged in a violent game. Guys didn’t create generational riches in the time when Gastineau played.
I can now understand how becoming the Sack King would improve his standing at card events, bolster his candidacy for the Hall of Fame, and boost his popularity as a speaker. I couldn’t have known that back then. Compared to when Mark and I played, football is much more business-oriented, so I am now aware of the possible financial ramifications.
I didn’t have any malicious intent. Mark was a fantastic athlete. According to what I hear, he is a wonderful man and an enjoyable teammate who played with the same enthusiasm and fervor that I attempted to emulate.
Although I sympathize with his frustration, I am not his adversary. He let out his fury when he spotted me at a card show some time ago. This is not the type of situation that ought to be captured on camera and made public. Two veteran football players were having a private argument.
“I hold Mark in the highest regard. I’m hoping he’ll be in the Hall of Fame with me someday. He merited it. Take a look at his stats. Twice, he exceeded 20 sacks, and in another year, he got 19!
“Mark undoubtedly had a lasting impression on the game. I hope that this dispute highlights Mark Gastineau’s greatness. Canton is where he belongs.
Favre acknowledges in a way that he was assisting Strahan. Favre maintains, however, that he never gave any thought to how it would affect Gastineau. Accepting Favre’s assertion that he just wasn’t considering it that way is simple.
During their interaction, Favre was obviously kind and courteous to Gastineau. After keeping it to himself for almost twenty years, Gastineau was determined to let Favre know what he thought. And he did.
The bottom line? Helping someone reach a statistical milestone has no place in football. Either the player gets it or he doesn’t. Favre’s treatment of Strahan is comparable to a Giants defender purposefully missing a tackle in Week 18 as Eagles running back Saquon Barkley attempts to break the single-season rushing record.
Such behavior ruins the accomplishment and casts a negative light on all those concerned. Favre understands it in his heart. Strahan very likely does as well.
