Biography

Call 1.800.966.1380 to contact Mark Gastineau booking agent, publicist, manager, pr firm, representative and management company for booking Mark Gastineau speaker appearances, autograph signing, endorsement deals or hiring Mark Gastineau as a keynote speaker for your next event. Find Mark Gastineau official website information, speaker fees, booking fees, costs and schedule. Retired Football player, Mark Gastineau, was born November 20, 1956. Gastineau played defensive end for the New York Jets from 1979 to 1988. A five-time Pro Bowler, his 100.5 quarterback sacks in only his first hundred starts in the NFL made him one of the quickest and most-feared pass-rushers of his generation. In 1984 Gastineau set the record for most sacks in a single season (22) which stood for seventeen years until Michael Strahan broke it in 2001.

Gastineau was among the most talented and honored defensive linemen of his era. He was 2nd Team All-Pro in 1981 as well as being consensus All-AFC. He was a First Team All-Pro in 1982, 83, 84, and 85 and was consensus All-AFC in each of those years.
when teammates Marty Lyons and Joe Klecko joined him later that season in breaking the players' strike.

Gastineau was nationally famous for doing his signature "Sack Dance" after sacking an opposing quarterback. However, he had to stop when the NFL declared it "unsportsman like taunting" in March 1984 and began fining players for it. The ban on the Sack Dance stemmed from a 1983 game against the Los Angeles Rams, when Gastineau and Rams Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive tackle Jackie Slater got into a fight following a Gastineau sack of Rams quarterback Vince Ferragamo.

Gastineau seemed poised to return to his old self, leading the AFC in sacks seven weeks into the 1988 season. However, he shocked the football world by announcing his retirement to spend more time with Brigette Nielsen, to whom he had previously announced his engagement, even though he was still married to his first wife, Lisa Gastineau. He and Nielsen later had a son. At the time of his retirement, Gastineau was the NFL's all-time leader in sacks.

Gastineau tried a comeback, in the Canadian Football League in 1990. He signed a two-year contract with the British Columbia Lions, but got injured and was released after only four games.

In 1991, Gastineau began a career in boxing, compiling a 15-2 record before retiring in 1996. His first fight against Derrick Dukes produced a first-round knockout. Dukes, a professional wrestler, later admitted he took a dive. TV newsmagazine show 60 Minutes interviewed several others that fought Gastineau and were told to take dives to make Gastineau look good. His career ended in 1996 when he lost to another former football player, Alonzo Highsmith. His record in boxing was fifteen wins, two losses, and one no-contest.

Mark Gastineau has maintained a low profile around his former team and participates in off-season and in-season fan events. Gastineau is also known for strolling inconspicuously along the training camp sidelines in and around Giants Stadium in The Meadowlands during the times when the Jets are training during the year.

PFP Sports & Celebrity Talent PFP is a speakers bureau and booking agency providing Mark Gastineau speaker, personal appearance and endorsement information. Booking Mark Gastineau for appearances, as a motivational speaker, keynote speaker, for a fundraising event, grand opening, television or radio commercial, PR campaign or trade show is easy through our agency. For more info, contact Mark Gastineau through PFP Sports & Celebrity Talent at 1.800.966.1380.