Matt Hasselbeck facts for kids
Hasselbeck with the Seattle Seahawks in 2007
|
|||||||||||||
| No. 8, 11 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | September 25, 1975 Boulder, Colorado, U.S. |
||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 235 lb (107 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Xaverian Brothers (Westwood, Massachusetts) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Boston College (1994–1997) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1998 / Round: 6 / Pick: 187 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is a former American football quarterback. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. He is best known for his time with the Seattle Seahawks.
Hasselbeck played college football for the Boston College Eagles. The Green Bay Packers picked him in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL draft. After a few years with the Packers, he joined the Seattle Seahawks in 2001.
He led the Seahawks to six playoff appearances. This included the team's first ever Super Bowl appearance in the 2005 season. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl three times. Hasselbeck also played for the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts. After retiring, he became a sports analyst for ESPN.
Contents
Early Life and High School Years
Matt Hasselbeck's dad, Don Hasselbeck, was also a professional football player. He played as a tight end for the New England Patriots. Matt grew up in Norfolk, Massachusetts, with his two younger brothers, Tim and Nathanael.
He went to Xaverian Brothers High School in Westwood. When he was a senior in high school, USA Today named him an honorable mention All-American. This means he was one of the best high school players in the country.
College Football Career
Hasselbeck went to Boston College, which was close to his family's home. He played for the Boston College Eagles football team from 1994 to 1997. His younger brother Tim also played on the team for two of those years.
Matt became the starting quarterback for the Eagles. He earned a degree in marketing from Boston College.
Playing in the NFL
Green Bay Packers Years
The Green Bay Packers drafted Matt Hasselbeck in 1998. He was the 187th player chosen overall. In his first year, 1998, he was on the team's practice squad. For the next two seasons (1999 and 2000), he was the backup quarterback for the famous player Brett Favre.
Seattle Seahawks Era
On March 2, 2001, Hasselbeck moved to the Seattle Seahawks. He joined his former Packers coach, Mike Holmgren, who was now coaching the Seahawks. The Packers traded Hasselbeck and a draft pick to Seattle.
In his first years in Seattle, he competed for the starting job with Trent Dilfer. But after playing very well in 2002, Hasselbeck became the clear starting quarterback in 2003. He started all 16 games that year. He led Seattle to a 10–6 record, which was their best since 1988. They also made it to the playoffs. He was even chosen for the Pro Bowl.
In a playoff game against the Green Bay Packers in 2003, the game went into overtime. At the coin toss, Hasselbeck famously said, "we want the ball and we're going to score!" However, he threw an interception that the Packers returned for a game-winning touchdown.
In 2004, Hasselbeck won the NFL Quarterback Challenge. He also led Seattle to win their first NFC West division title since 2002.
The 2005 season was one of Hasselbeck's best. He had the highest passer rating in the NFC. He led the Seahawks to the playoffs for the third year in a row. They even reached Super Bowl XL, but they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was the starting quarterback for the NFC in the 2006 Pro Bowl.
In 2006, Hasselbeck started strong, but he got injured in Week 7. He missed four games because of a knee injury. When he came back, he broke fingers on his non-throwing hand. Despite these injuries, he led his team to a 9–7 record and another playoff spot. They beat the Dallas Cowboys in the wild card round, but then lost to the Chicago Bears in overtime.
In 2007, Hasselbeck led his team to win their division for the fourth year in a row. This was their fifth straight playoff appearance. He had career highs in passing yards (3,966) and touchdowns (28). He played well in the playoffs, but the Seahawks lost to the Green Bay Packers. He was chosen for his third Pro Bowl after this season.
Hasselbeck faced many injuries in 2008 and 2009. These injuries caused him to miss many games. In 2009, he won the Seahawks' "Steve Largent Award," which is given to a player who best represents the spirit, dedication, and integrity of the Seahawks.
In 2010, Hasselbeck led his team to a 4–2 start. Even though injuries caused him to miss two games, the Seahawks still made the playoffs. They won their fifth NFC West division championship.
Seattle became the first team with a losing record to host a playoff game. They played against the defending Super Bowl champions, the New Orleans Saints. Hasselbeck had one of his most memorable games, throwing for 272 yards and four touchdowns. This led the Seahawks to a surprising victory. However, Seattle lost their next playoff game to the Chicago Bears. This was Hasselbeck's last game playing at Qwest Field in Seattle.
Leaving Seattle
Hasselbeck's departure from the Seahawks was a surprise to many fans. He wanted to retire in Seattle, but the team decided to move in a different direction. The Seahawks thanked Hasselbeck and his family in a full-page newspaper ad.
Tennessee Titans Chapter
On July 29, 2011, Hasselbeck signed a three-year contract with the Tennessee Titans. He was brought in to be a veteran quarterback. His job was to help the team win and also to mentor a young draft pick named Jake Locker. The Titans finished the 2011 season with a 9–7 record, just missing the playoffs.
In 2012, Hasselbeck played when Jake Locker was injured. He won two of his four starts. On March 18, 2013, the Titans released Hasselbeck.
Indianapolis Colts Years
On March 19, 2013, the Indianapolis Colts signed Hasselbeck. He became the backup quarterback for Andrew Luck. Hasselbeck didn't play much in his first two years, but he helped mentor Luck.
In the 2015 season, Hasselbeck got to start several games because Luck was injured. He led the Colts to an overtime win against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He became only the second 40-year-old NFL quarterback to win back-to-back games. He led the Colts to a 4–0 record as a starter at age 40, which was a first in NFL history. Injuries eventually caught up to him, but he was responsible for five of the Colts' eight wins that season.
Retirement from Football
On March 9, 2016, Matt Hasselbeck announced he was retiring from professional football. He then joined his brother Tim as an analyst for ESPN. Hasselbeck signed a special one-day contract with the Seattle Seahawks. This allowed him to officially retire as a member of the Seahawks team.
In 2023, it was reported that Hasselbeck would no longer be an analyst for ESPN.
Seahawks Franchise Records
Matt Hasselbeck holds several records for the Seattle Seahawks:
- Most wins by a starting quarterback in a season (tied with Russell Wilson): 13 wins in 2005.
- Most pass completions in a single game: 39 against Detroit on November 8, 2009.
- Most passing touchdowns in a single game (tied with three other players): 5 touchdowns.
- Most 4th quarter comeback wins in a single season (tied with Russell Wilson and Dave Krieg): 4 wins in 2006.
- Most game-winning drives in a single season (tied with Russell Wilson and Dave Krieg): 5 drives in 2006.
Playoff Records
- Most consecutive passes without an interception: 109 passes (2004–05 playoffs).
- Most touchdown passes in a single playoff game: 4 against the New Orleans Saints on January 8, 2011.
Personal Life
Matt Hasselbeck is married to Sarah Egnaczyk. They met when they were 17 years old. Sarah was also an athlete at Boston College, playing field hockey.
Matt and Sarah live in Weston, Massachusetts. They have two daughters, Annabelle (born 2001) and Mallory (born 2003), and one son, Henry (born 2005). Both Annabelle and Mallory play women's lacrosse at Boston College. Henry is a quarterback who started at UCLA in 2024.
Interestingly, both Matt and his wife have been struck by lightning. Matt was struck in 1996.
He is a Christian and participates in online Bible studies with former and current football players.
Matt's sister-in-law is the television personality Elisabeth Hasselbeck. She is married to his younger brother, Tim, who also played quarterback in college and the NFL. Tim now works for ESPN.
On October 25, 2021, Matt Hasselbeck was honored by being inducted into the Seattle Seahawks Ring of Honor.
See also
In Spanish: Matt Hasselbeck para niños
