Gastineau, "Mark" (Marcus D.)
Football
b. Nov. 20, 1956, Ardmore, OK
Chosen out of East Central Oklahoma University by the New York Jets in the second round of the 1979 NFL draft of college players, Gastineau became one of the most feared defensive ends of the early 1980s, teaming with Joe Klecko to lead a line nicknamed the "New York Sack Exchange."
The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Gastineau used a combination of strength and quickness to get to quarterbacks before they could release the ball. He was named American Football Conference defensive player of the year in 1984, when he had 22 sacks, the NFL record until Michael Strahan broke it in 2001.
Gastineau is generally credited with inventing the "sack dance," a celebratory ritual that had a brief period of popularity among NFL defensive linemen until the league instituted a fine for the practice in 1984.
Gastineau fell out of favor with his teammates in 1987 when he was pelted with eggs while crossing the players' association picket line during a mid-season strike. He abruptly announced his retirement during the 1988 season, saying he wanted to offer support to his woman-friend, model/actress Brigitte Nielsen because, he said, he was afraid she had uterine cancer.
He later admitted that the main reason for his sudden retirement was that he wanted to avoid a drug test that would have revealed his use of anabolic steroids.
Gastineau attempted a comeback with the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League in 1990, but was released after four games. He then became a professional boxer, knocking out his first nine opponents and compiling a 15-2 record. There were reports that some of the fights were fixed to pad Gastineau's record.
Off the field and outside the ring, Gastineau was in trouble with the law on several occasions. In October of 1993, he was found guilt of misdemeanor assault and sentenced to 90 days probation after a brawl in a disco. Ten years later, he was convicted of drug possession, and in 1999 he was sentenced to three years probation for beating his girlfriend. Gastineau later spent 11 months in prison on Rikers Island for repeated parole violations.