New York Jets legend Mark Gastineau is suing ESPN over a viral documentary clip he says was "intentionally and maliciously" edited to portray him in a bad light. The clip, showing Gastineau angrily accusing NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre of "taking a dive" in 2002 so Michael Strahan of the New York Giants could break Gastineau's 1984 single-season sack record, was aired as part of ESPN's 30 For 30: The New York Sack Exchange documentary, released in December. Gastineau is demanding $25 million in damages for breach of contract, arguing ESPN didn't get his permission to use the clip. He also claims he was falsely portrayed, leading to social media attacks, per the New York Post.
Favre has questioned whether the recording was a "setup," per Fox News. Gastineau's suit, filed Tuesday in New York, contradicts that claim. The former defensive end says he was paid $10,000 to appear in the documentary, in which he complained Favre robbed him of his record. But he says ESPN did not have his permission to film the Nov. 18, 2023, encounter with Favre in Chicago. He also claims ESPN purposefully excluded footage of the pair shaking hands. They "intentionally damaged Mark's reputation for ratings for ESPN and we intend to hold them accountable," Gastineau's lawyer tells the Post. The suit names ESPN, the NFL, and NFL Films as defendants, along with documentary co-directors Ken Rodgers and James Weiner, per USA Today. (More NFL stories.)
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