Jets legend Mark Gastineau has decided to take legal action against ESPN, following its promotion and airing of a confrontation between him and former quarterback Brett Favre during the 2023 Chicago Sports Spectacular. This moment, which has now gained considerable online attention, was featured in the “30 For 30: The New York Sack Exchange” documentary.
In the infamous clip, Gastineau is seen confronting Favre over an incident from 2002. At that time, Giants star Michael Strahan surpassed Gastineau’s single-season sack record, a feat Gastineau claims was aided by Favre’s “dive.” His lawsuit seeks $25 million in damages, asserting that ESPN portrayed him in a “maliciously false” light.
As per the lawsuit viewed by The Post, Gastineau argues that ESPN aired the incident without his knowledge or approval, leading to a wave of criticism and mockery directed at him on social media. His attorney, Christopher J. Cassar, emphasized this point, highlighting the harm to Gastineau’s reputation for the sake of boosting ESPN’s ratings.
The suit additionally claims that ESPN excluded a significant portion of the exchange with Favre. According to Gastineau, the interaction, which occurred on November 18, 2023, began with a handshake between the two men, a detail omitted from the aired clip.
The edited footage, as shown in the documentary’s promotion and the documentary itself, paints a frosty encounter, beginning with Favre’s attempted handshake. Throughout, the visibly frustrated Gastineau repeatedly told Favre, “you hurt me,” before a handler discreetly ushered the football star away.
The Post reached out to ESPN for a comment, but they declined to provide one. Cassar mentioned that Gastineau had been unaware of the filming and subsequent use of the footage in either promotional materials or the documentary’s final version.
Earlier in January 2024, Gastineau had signed onto the documentary under the impression that he would have a say on any edits or changes, a point he claims was overlooked with the inclusion of this unscripted encounter.
In the aftermath of the video’s release, Favre publicly supported Gastineau, acknowledging his perspective. He described the encounter as a “private moment of frustration” and expressed his view that such personal interactions should neither be filmed nor broadcast.
