44 Facts About Mark Gastineau

Marcus Dell Gastineau was born on November 20,1956 and is an American former football player who was a defensive end for the New York Jets from 1979 to 1988.

Mark Gastineau was ranked the 8th greatest pass rusher in National Football League history on NFL Network's Top 10 Pass Rushers.

Mark Gastineau was born in Ardmore, Oklahoma, and moved to Springerville, Arizona at the age of seven, when his parents, Ernie and Lou, bought a ranch.

Mark Gastineau broke his leg as a child in such a horrific manner that he was told by doctors that he would never walk again.

Ernie built his son a rodeo ring and Mark Gastineau began entering team-roping events at 12.

At Round Valley High School, Mark Gastineau needed urging from his father to play football.

Mark Gastineau showed promise, but not enough to attract attention from major colleges.

Mark Gastineau entered Eastern Arizona Junior College in 1975 and earned All-America honors in his first season.

Mark Gastineau transferred to Arizona State University, and spent just one season playing defensive end there before finally settling upon East Central Oklahoma State University, now East Central University, in Ada, Oklahoma.

Mark Gastineau had 27 quarterback sacks in his college career, and earned Outstanding Defensive Lineman honors for the North in the 1979 Senior Bowl.

Mark Gastineau became ECU's first-ever draft pick when the New York Jets selected him in the second round of the 1979 NFL Draft.

Mark Gastineau was projected to be an eighth round draft pick at the time, but due to his performance in the Senior Bowl and other pre-draft processes, the Jets selected him in the second round.

Mark Gastineau was among the most talented and honored defensive linemen of his era.

Mark Gastineau made the Pro Bowl five straight seasons and finished his ten-year career with 74 sacks.

In New York, Mark Gastineau was a key part of the famed "New York Sack Exchange," the Jets defensive line that included Joe Klecko, Marty Lyons and Abdul Salaam.

Mark Gastineau was Second-team All-Pro in 1981 as well as being consensus All-AFC.

Mark Gastineau was nationally famous for doing his signature "Sack Dance" after sacking an opposing quarterback.

Mark Gastineau had his best individual season with an NFL record 22 sacks, 69 tackles and one fumble recovery for a touchdown in 1984.

Mark Gastineau was voted the UPI AFC Defensive Player of the Year, and was named MVP of that season's Pro Bowl after tallying four sacks and a safety in that game.

Mark Gastineau shifted from left defensive end to right defensive end, although he did move him around to allow for mismatches.

The play had originally resulted in an incomplete pass by Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar so instead of having a 3rd-and-24 situation, the 15-yard penalty on Mark Gastineau gave the Browns a first down at their own 33.

In 1987, Mark Gastineau was the only Jet regular to immediately cross the picket line in that year's players' strike, citing his need to pay alimony.

Mark Gastineau got into a fight with backup center Guy Bingham when he drove into the Jets complex early in the strike.

Mark Gastineau was later joined in crossing the picket line by teammates Marty Lyons and Joe Klecko, further undermining the players' strike.

Mark Gastineau led the AFC in sacks seven weeks into the 1988 season.

At the time of his retirement, Mark Gastineau was the NFL's all-time leader in sacks.

Mark Gastineau attempted a comeback with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League in 1990, but was released after only four games.

Mark Gastineau was inducted into the New York Jets Ring of Honor on October 8,2012.

In 1991, Mark Gastineau began a career in boxing, lasting five years.

TV newsmagazine show 60 Minutes interviewed several others that fought Mark Gastineau and were told to take dives to make Mark Gastineau look good.

Mark Gastineau's career ended in 1996 when he lost to another former football player, Alonzo Highsmith.

Mark Gastineau has a son with actress Brigitte Nielsen, Killian Marcus.

Shortly after his release from prison in 2001, Mark Gastineau claimed he had put his turbulent past behind him after he had a religious conversion to faith in Jesus Christ.

Mark Gastineau has appeared on programs such as The 700 Club to speak of his experience.

Mark Gastineau is a member of the choir at Times Square Church, where he married third wife JoAnn in 2007.

In 1984, Mark Gastineau was found guilty of assaulting a patron at Studio 54.

Mark Gastineau was sentenced to 90 hours of community service, teaching football to inmates at Rikers Island.

In 1991, Mark Gastineau was arrested for picking up a package of amphetamine pills at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.

Mark Gastineau was sentenced to three years probation in 1993.

In September, 2000, Mark Gastineau was sentenced to 18 months in jail after failing to complete an anger management course after hitting his second wife, Patricia.

In 2016, Mark Gastineau was diagnosed with dementia, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease.

Mark Gastineau said he believed the illnesses could be traced back to football, stating he wanted to continue to teach younger football players how to play the game safely.

Mark Gastineau blames the brain diseases on poor tackling technique.

In March 2019, Mark Gastineau revealed that he had been battling colon cancer.