Tag: Michael Strahan

Mark Gastineau confronted Brett Favre after Favre’s Michael Strahan ‘dive’ in new video

Brett Favre confronted for crappy thing he did. No, not that one. Or that one.

23 years ago, Michael Strahan broke the NFL’s single-season sack record with 22.5. It was not without controversy.

In the final minutes of the New York Giants’ season-ending loss to the Green Bay Packers, Brett Favre faked a handoff, rolled to his right and stared down a free-rushing Strahan without a blocker to help him out. Rather than take a big hit in what was effectively a meaningless game (the 12-4 Packers had no chance of catching the Chicago Bears for an NFC North title or playoff bye), Favre was resigned to his fate. He slid to the turf, allowing Strahan to set the record with the easiest sack of his season.

It was a play that fueled talk radio for a few weeks. But for New York Jets defensive end Mark Gastineau, the former single-season sack leader, it sparked a fire that has burned inside him for more than two decades.

“I’m gonna get my sack back,” Gastineau told an uncomfortable Favre at a memorabilia expo.

“You probably would hurt me,” Favre sighed.

“I don’t care,” continued Gastineau. “You hurt me. You hurt me. You hear me? You really hurt me.”

Officials then whisked Favre away to another obligation, ending a short, awkward confrontation.

This footage came out as part of a new ESPN 30 For 30 documentary on the vaunted Jets defenses of the 1980s — namely the New York Sack Exchange for which Gastineau was a star. Gastineau also reflected on the fact he’s not in the NFL Hall of Fame despite averaging more than 13 sacks per season. His unofficial 107.5 (Gastineau played part of his career before sacks were an official statistic) ranks 44th in NFL history, ahead of enshrined defenders like Warren Sapp, Charles Haley, Howie Long and Steve McMichael.

Would holding the single-season sack record an extra 25 years have changed that? Gastineau’s peak came and went quickly, lasting six seasons from 1980 to 1985. He also failed to generate the postseason success many of his gold-jacketed peers did; the Jets had only two playoff wins over that six-year stretch.

Ultimately, the Strahan sack was one of Favre’s more benign controversies. He was going to get hit anyway and Gastineau had several chances for Hall of Fame election before his record fell anyway. In the end, Favre was lucky to get off with an awkward exchange about falling down rather than, say, a robust discussion over allegedly funneling money meant for Mississippi’s poorest families into a volleyball facility for his daughter.

Giants legend Michael Strahan rips Azeez Al-Shaair for Trevor Lawrence hit

New York Giants legend Michael Strahan ripped Houston Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair for his dirty hit on Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence.

During Sunday’s matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair knocked quarterback Trevor Lawrence out of the game with a concussion.

Only…it wasn’t quite that straightforward.

Al-Shaair hit a sliding Lawrence with one of the dirtiest hits you’ll see in the NFL this season. It led to his ejection and will also likely come with a fine and a suspension.

The hit sparked multiple on-field melees and led to widespread criticism, including from New York Giants legend Michael Strahan, who lit into Al-Shaair during the FOX Sports halftime show.

“I think he threw himself out of the game,” Strahan said, via the New York Post. “I personally think he did that because he realized if he had stayed in that game, he was not going to be protected for that game because what he did — everybody knows as a defensive player — you don’t do that.

“They’re just getting Trevor Lawrence back. Out two games with a shoulder injury. You hate to see that happen to him on something that’s just so unnecessary because regardless of offense and defense and how you feel, you do protect your players. You protect your guys. We have a lot of respect for each other out there on the field, even when you’re competing. That was uncalled for.”

Al-Shaair expressed no remorse immediately after the hit, ripping his helmet off while flexing and threatening to fight multiple players and fans.

Lawrence was eventually carted to the locker room and diagnosed with a concussion, his second in less than a calendar year. After the game, he left the stadium with his wife, Marissa, and posted an encouraging update on X.

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NFL Hall of Famer Strahan to drive Indy 500 pace car

Super Bowl XKII winner, NFL Hall of Famer, and NFL on FOX analyst Michael Strahan will drive the 1064hp Corvette ZR1 pace car at the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500. The announcement was made during the FOX NFL pre-game show on Sunday morning. …

Super Bowl XKII winner, NFL Hall of Famer, and NFL on FOX analyst Michael Strahan will drive the 1064hp Corvette ZR1 pace car at the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500. The announcement was made during the FOX NFL pre-game show on Sunday morning.

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“Michael is an impressive addition to the lineup of all-star athletes and celebrities to serve as honorary pace car driver for the Indianapolis 500,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “From the gridiron to the broadcast studio, Michael is no stranger to leading a fast-paced field. As we kick off a new era of IndyCar and the Indy 500 on FOX, Michael will have one of the best seats in the house for the start of the world’s greatest race.”

FOX will air the race, along with the entire NTT IndyCar Series season, as part of a new multi-year deal.

Michael Strahan makes emotional case for Tom Coughlin’s HOF bid

New York Giants legend Michael Strahan penned an emotional letter in support of Tom Coughlin’s Pro Football Hall of Fame bid.

Once upon a time, New York Giants legend Michael Strahan considered retirement because the alternative was playing another season under hard-nosed head coach Tom Coughlin.

Strahan ultimately returned to find that Coughlin was a new man. On the advice of his late wife, Judy, the disciplinarian showed a softer side and his players responded in kind.

Coughlin was still very much an old-school head coach who demanded greatness and accountability from the men he led, but there was a personal bond that formed and a respect that was shared.

What occurred after that is a matter of history. The Giants went on to win two Super Bowl championships — both over the dynasty New England Patriots — and Coughlin now finds himself just a few short steps away from a well-deserved destination: the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Strahan, who is a member of that illustrious group, believes deep in his soul that Coughlin is worthy of joining him, which he expressed in an emotional letter penned for People magazine late last week.

“He quickly went from the coach I didn’t want to play for to the only coach I would ever play for. All the little things that he asked of me made me a better player and ultimately a better man, because guess what: The details matter. Whether you’re setting up a blitz, or setting up an interview, or setting up a cancer treatment plan for your daughter,” Strahan wrote.

“Coughlin didn’t just build teams, he built a culture. He made us responsible to and for each other. He made us completely dedicated to a single goal and that was to play for each other. It sounds so easy, but when you take a bunch of guys with a lot of big egos and ask them to win, it is anything but.”

Despite all of his on-field accomplishments, awards, recognitions, and titles, it’s what Coughlin has done away from the field that means the most to him. It’s also what means the most to those who played for him.

“Coach always says that God isn’t going to ask him about the Super Bowl rings on his fingers, but rather the impact he has had on the lives of others,” Strahan added. “Watching him and his late wife Judy work so tirelessly for families tackling pediatric cancer in New York, New Jersey, and Jacksonville, Fla., has not been lost on me or any of my teammates. He has inspired many of us to pursue similar paths in how we give back and that’s because he is a leader, a role model, and has our respect.

“Coach, I am so grateful to call you a mentor and a friend. You have made me a better person. There is no doubt in my mind that you belong in the Hall of Fame, but until you get that gold jacket and that bust to talk to the other busts late at night in Canton, please know you are already a Hall of Famer to so many you’ve touched on and off the field.”

Perhaps no one deserves the Hall of Fame more than Tom Coughlin and that has a lot more to do with his shaping of lives, both on the field and through the Jay Fund Foundation, than anything else he’s ever accomplished. He’s not just a champion head coach but a champion human being.

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Michael Strahan addresses national anthem ‘controversy’ with heartfelt video and explanation

This should clear it all up if wasn’t clear before.

Michael Strahan made it clear, even though it’s been clear from the start that he meant exactly zero disrespect when he didn’t put his hand over his heart and that he’s a former “Army brat” who of course respects the armed forces.

The Hall of Famer took to Instagram to explain what happened.

“I was caught up in the moment,” he said, saying how incredible it was to see the sailors around him giving up their lives for our freedom. He panicked when he realized he hadn’t put his hand over his heart during the national anthem and saw his Fox NFL Sunday colleagues doing so. But it was because he was thinking about those around him at the Navy base in San Diego.

Watch the whole video below:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DCS74WZxOr2/?hl=en

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Jay Glazer fiercely defends Michael Strahan from national anthem ‘controversy’ with long post

Jay Glazer really nailed it with the silly Michael Strahan controversy.

Jay Glazer made sure to defend Michael Strahan from the absurd criticism of the Hall of Famer and fellow Fox NFL Sunday star after the son of an Army major who grew up on a base in Germany didn’t put his hand over his heart during the national anthem on Sunday.

“Let me tell you this, I don’t know if I have a friend who is more proud of his military roots than Michael, growing up on an army base constantly talking about what he learned from his dad Major Gene Strahan and how his time there shaped him. I heard it CONSTANTLY, still do!” Glazer wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

MORE: Why the Michael Strahan “controversy” isn’t one at all

He went on to say that people should “ASK him if he’s protesting something,” and he’s right, while also pointing out Strahan’s work with veterans.

Glazer really nailed it.

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Why the Michael Strahan national anthem ‘controversy’ isn’t one at all

This isn’t a controversy AT ALL.

Are we really doing this?

There’s a ton of social media attention being given to Hall of Famer Michael Strahan, who was seen not putting his hand over his heart on Sunday when the United States national anthem was played on FOX NFL Sunday pregame show at Naval Base San Diego.

This is ridiculous for so many reasons, but the biggest one? Strahan’s late father was Major Gene W. Strahan, Sr., whom the younger Strahan said served 23 years in the army “and was a proud member of the 82nd Airborne Division.”

What’s more: Strahan grew up in Germany on an Army base where his dad was stationed. Per NFL.com: “Michael proudly works with a military nonprofit called Merging Vets and Players, which takes retired veteran military members and connects them with retired athletes to help with their transitions.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DCOqk6VR0k7/?hl=en&img_index=1

So, can we please stop with this “unpatriotic” stuff? If there’s anyone who respects his country and the armed forces, it’s Strahan.

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Aidan Hutchinson sets the longest sack streak in Lions franchise history

Aidan Hutchinson sets the longest sack streak in Lions franchise history during Detroit’s win over Arizona in Week 3

After two strong seasons in Detroit, it appears that the best is yet to come for Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. Coming into the season, he had 21 career sacks but through 3 games this season, he’s already up to 6.5 total sacks this season.

https://x.com/RussNFLDraft/status/1837994093663666598

Looking at the video above, Hutchinson used a nasty chop-spin move to bring Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray down for his first and only sack in the game against Arizona.

That sack gave him his fifth-straight game with one sack or more. That is a franchise record-long streak for the Lions. Over the next four weeks, the Lions will play the Seahawks, Cowboys, Vikings and Titans. All four teams have given up 8 sacks or more this season through 3 games played.

The Titans have given up the 2nd most sacks in the NFL with 15 so that could be another multi-sack performance for Hutchinson. Up to 6.5 total sacks this season, there’s a lot of football left to be played. The only question to ask now is if Hutchinson breaks the single season sack record of 22.5 sacks set by Michael Strahan (2001) and T.J. Watt (2021)?

Ben Roethlisberger shares great story about Michael Strahan

Ben Roethlisberger shares a great story about New York Giants legend Michael Strahan and what he liked to do to torture opposing QBs.

The NFL has changed drastically over the years. Between rule tweaks and trends, the game is not the same as it was just five years ago, let alone 17 years ago — the last time retired New York Giants defensive end and Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan was on the field.

The league has made a strong push toward player safety. Even just this season, you see the drastic changes to the kickoff rules to enhance player protection.

The NFL has also changed how they protect the quarterback. The rules of today would make it more difficult for Strahan to dominate the way he once did.

Strahan was one of the more feared pass rushers in the league during his time and was aggressive in getting to the quarter. And then more aggressive once he did.

Recently, former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger shared a funny story about Strahan and what he liked to do to opposing quarterbacks during his era.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAGuQiLxM_L/

“I was with Michael Strahan this week and he was talking about how soft the quarterbacks are (today),” Roethlisberger said. “He literally said, ‘My favorite thing to do was hit a quarterback and then land on them.’ Not drive them into the ground but land on them. And he goes, ‘You’d hear them go ehhhhhh.’ And he said, ‘I literally felt like the life just left their body.’

“And he says it with the big Michael Strahan smile and the happiness.”

Strahan was never considered a dirty player during his career. However, naturally, hitting the quarterback was his job so it’s no surprise that Strahan found enjoyment in doing a little extra damage.

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Lawrence Taylor named the best player in Giants history

The New York Giants have completed their list of the top 100 players in team history and Lawrence Taylor stands tall as No. 1.

As part of their 100th-anniversary celebration, the New York Giants have been releasing the list of their top 100 players in franchise history.

That effort was completed on Tuesday with the revelation of the final 10 names:

  • 10. Andy Robustelli
  • 9. Sam Huff
  • 8. Eli Manning
  • 7. Harry Carson
  • 6. Emlen Tunnell
  • 5. Michael Strahan
  • 4. Frank Gifford
  • 3. Mel Hein
  • 2. Roosevelt Brown
  • 1. Lawrence Taylor

All players’ names above are members of the Giants’ Ring of Honor and all but Manning are enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Manning will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2025.

Hein (7), Manning (10), Gifford (16), Taylor (56), and Strahan (92) have had their jersey numbers retired by the team.

The committee of voters who compiled the list was chaired by Giants longtime radio play-by-play announcer Bob Papa and consisted of other journalists and interested parties who have covered the Giants and the NFL over the years.

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