Almost 23 years have passed, but Mark Gastineau remains resentful about the way Michael Strahan eclipsed his single-season sack record. The controversial play, which occurred during a game between Strahan's Giants and Brett Favre's Packers, continues to be a point of contention for Gastineau.
In the closing minutes of a game where the Packers held a comfortable lead, Favre seemingly took a dive, allowing Strahan to record a sack. This sack pushed Strahan past Gastineau's long-standing record of 22, set in 1984.
Gastineau's enduring bitterness is highlighted in a forthcoming ESPN 30 for 30 documentary. A clip from the documentary showcases a tense encounter between Gastineau and Favre. Gastineau pointedly confronts Favre about the perceived dive, accusing him of deliberately falling to allow Strahan to break the record. Favre attempts to deflect the accusation, but Gastineau is unwavering in his belief. He insists that everyone knows Favre intentionally gave Strahan the sack.
While Strahan's record has since been matched by T.J. Watt, and other players like Justin Houston and Jared Allen have come close, the controversy surrounding the record's acquisition continues to linger, fueled by Gastineau's persistent frustration.
