The Big Lead

Mark Gastineau was erased from history and he isn't wrong for being angry about it

Gastineau set the single-season sack record in 1984 and held the record until 2001

By Javon Edmonds

Oct 13, 2013; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets former players Mark Gastineau (99) and Joe Klecko (73) and Marty Lyons serve as honorary captains during the coin toss before the New York Jets faced the Pittsburgh Steelers at MetLife Stadium. The Steelers won the game 19-6. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Oct 13, 2013; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets former players Mark Gastineau (99) and Joe Klecko (73) and Marty Lyons serve as honorary captains during the coin toss before the New York Jets faced the Pittsburgh Steelers at MetLife Stadium. The Steelers won the game 19-6. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
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There aren't many modern NFL fans who knew the name Mark Gastineau before this week. With ESPN debuting its 30 for 30 on the New York Sack Exchange on Friday night, that has changed.

Gastineau was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 1979 NFL Draft and spent all nine years of his career in Gotham Green. Along with Hall of Famer Joe Klecko, Marty Lyons and Abdul Salaam (formerly Larry Faulk), Gastineau anchored the defensive line of a nasty 4-3 defense that was dubbed the New York Sack Exchange.

From 1981-85, Gastineau made five consecutive Pro Bowl appearances, earning All-Pro honors from '81-84 and First Team All-Pro honors from '82-84. He had 19 sacks in '83, 20 in '81 and set the single-season sack record with 22 in '84.

Gastineau was seemingly erased from history in 2001, however, when Michael Strahan broke the record with 22.5, sacking Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre in Week 17.

Favre rolled out on a designed handoff that had the Packers blocking Strahan with a wide receiver on the opposite of the field. When Favre rolled out, Strahan was here waiting for him. Instead of taking the hit, Favre game himself up and was touched down by Strahan, giving the Hall of Famer the single-season sack record.

This is where the common opinion of Gastineau becomes complicated. Gastineau insists Favre robbed him of the record and believes the NFL shouldn't have credited Strahan with the sack.

Is Gastineau overreacting? Yes. But it's understandable for a guy with his accolades feeling cheated by the Pro Football Hall of Fame since he no longer holds the record, especially when Klecko was inducted in 2023 without as many accolades as him.

Speaking of his teammates, it doesn't seem like he was the most liked guy in the Jets' locker room. While they give him credit for paving the way for the NFL's modern sack specialists, they say he was selfish and couldn't care less about stopping the run.

Around the NFL, Gastineau was recently dubbed a dirty player by 1988 MVP quarterback Boomer Esiason.

Gastineau's legacy is complicated, but he has every right to his feelings and should absolutely advocate for himself to be mentioned in the conversation with some of the best pass rushers of all time. With the attention he's stirred up recently and the documentary airing Friday, maybe he'll receive his just due from younger generations.

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