With footage rising of former Jets defensive finish Mark Gastineau accosting former Packers quarterback Brett Favre for taking a dive to assist former Giants defensive finish Michael Strahan set the single-season sack document in 2001, Favre has taken to Twitter to inform his facet of the story.
In so doing, Favre says he wasn’t making an attempt to harm Gastineau. Favre admits, nonetheless, that “possibly it crossed my thoughts” to assist Strahan through the closing sport of the 2001 season, which ended with Strahan getting a record-setting gimme sack from Favre..
Favre additionally takes challenge with the choice to document and publicize the 2023 interplay between Gastineau and Favre.
Favre’s full Twitter thread, through which he begins by calling the incident a “small dustup,” seems beneath.
“Back in 2002, when Michael Strahan sacked me on the finish of a sport that we had wrapped up, I used to be under no circumstances making an attempt to harm Mark Gastineau,” Favre wrote. “I used to be making an attempt to shut out a sport and squeeze the final little bit of enjoyable out of a hard-fought sport. . . . I booted out of a run considering it will be broad open, noticed Strahan standing there and ducked down. The sport was over. There was no want for me to do something spectacular. It most likely wasn’t Michael’s greatest sack or sort out for loss.
“In a unique sport or scenario, I might have made a much bigger effort to keep away from the sack or TFL. But at no level was I serious about hurting Gastineau. Maybe it crossed my thoughts to assist Strahan. I didn’t assume it via. That wasn’t my forte on the time. I simply needed to have enjoyable and compete. In retrospect, I perceive how Gastineau feels. We performed a brutal sport. Gastineau performed throughout an period the place guys didn’t make generational wealth.
“I see now how being the Sack King would elevate his worth at card reveals, strengthen his case for the Hall of Fame, improve his demand as a public speaker. I had no means of figuring out that then. I notice now the potential monetary implications as a result of soccer is much extra business-oriented than when me or Mark performed.
“There was no malice on my half. Mark was an ideal participant. My understanding is he’s an ideal man and a enjoyable teammate, a man who performed with the type of pleasure and keenness I attempted to imitate. I perceive his frustration, however I’m not his enemy. Some time again, he noticed me at a card present and received his frustration off his chest. It’s not the type of second that needs to be filmed and launched. It was a personal second of frustration between two outdated soccer warriors.
“I’ve an excessive amount of respect for Mark. I hope someday he joins me within the Hall of Fame. He earned it. Look at his numbers. He eclipsed 20 sacks twice and had 19 in one other yr!
“Mark undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the sport. I hope this controversy brings consideration to simply how nice Mark Gastineau was. He belongs in Canton.”
Favre form of admits he was serving to Strahan. Still, Favre insists he by no means thought of the influence it may need on Gastineau. It’s straightforward to simply accept Favre’s place that he simply wasn’t serious about it that means.
Favre was clearly respectful and pleasant to Gastineau of their encounter. Gastineau was decided to present Favre a chunk of his thoughts, after holding it for greater than twenty years. And he did.
Bottom line? There’s no place in soccer for serving to somebody obtain a statistical milestone. The participant both earns it or he doesn’t. What Favre did for Strahan is not any totally different than a Giants defender intentionally whiffing on a Week 18 sort out as Eagles operating again Saquon Barkley tries to set the single-season dashing document.
Conduct like that tarnishes the achievement, and it makes everybody concerned look unhealthy. Deep down, Favre is aware of it. Strahan most likely does, too.
