Hasselbeck attended Boston College near his family's hometown. He played for the Boston College Eagles football team from 1994 through 1997, including two years with his younger brother Tim.[3] Hasselbeck finished his college career as the starting quarterback (a position his brother Tim would later hold with the Eagles). He graduated with a degree in marketing.[4]
Hasselbeck was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round (187th overall) of the 1998 NFL draft.[6] He joined the team's practice squad in 1998 and was the backup for starting quarterback Brett Favre for the 1999 and 2000 NFL seasons.
Seattle Seahawks
Hasselbeck joined former Packers head coach Mike Holmgren and the Seattle Seahawks on March 2, 2001. The Packers traded him, along with their first draft pick (17th overall), to the Seahawks for their first (10th overall) and third-round draft picks (72nd overall).[7]
In his early years in Seattle, he battled for playing time with Trent Dilfer. However, after a strong finish in 2002, Hasselbeck entered 2003 as the unquestioned starter. Hasselbeck started all 16 games, leading Seattle to a 10–6 record for the first time since 1988 and a Wild Card berth. He also was selected to the Pro Bowl.[8][9] The 2003 NFC Wild Card Game against the Green Bay Packers went into overtime where, at the overtime coin toss, Hasselbeck famously said "we want the ball and we're going to score!"[10][11] During the second overtime possession for the Seahawks, Hasselbeck threw an interception to Packers defensive back Al Harris which was returned 52 yards down the sideline for a touchdown. It gave Green Bay a 33–27 overtime victory.[11]
In 2005, Hasselbeck had one of his most productive career performances, earning the highest passer rating in the NFC,[12] and leading the Seahawks to the playoffs for the third consecutive year while clinching the NFC's top seed. He led the Seahawks to Super Bowl XL, in which they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and was the starting quarterback for the NFC in the 2006 Pro Bowl.[13]
Hasselbeck led the Seahawks to a 4–1 record to start the 2006 season before being seriously injured on Week 7. Minnesota VikingslinebackerE. J. Henderson rolled into Hasselbeck's right leg. The result was a second degree MCLsprain, causing Hasselbeck to miss four games. Hasselbeck contended that Henderson could have avoided injuring him.[14] Upon returning he subsequently broke fingers on his non-throwing hand, but continued to lead his team to a 9–7 record and the divisional round of the post-season. The fourth-seeded Seahawks defeated the Dallas Cowboys 21–20 in the wild card round in Seattle, then lost to the top-seeded Chicago Bears in overtime, 27–24.
In 2007, Hasselbeck led his team to its fourth consecutive division title[15][16] and fifth consecutive playoff appearance. He had 3,966 passing yards, 28 touchdowns (both career highs), 62.6% completion percentage, and a 91.4 passer rating.[8][9] He threw for 229 yards in a 35–14 NFC wild card victory over the Washington Redskins. The third-seeded Seahawks lost in the divisional round to the NFC's No. 2 seed Green Bay Packers, losing 42–20 in the snow at Lambeau Field[17] despite an early 14–0 lead.
Hasselbeck set career highs in yards, attempts, and touchdown passes in the 2007 season and was elected to his third Pro Bowl.[8][9]
In 2008, Hasselbeck suffered from a back injury that affected a nerve in his lower back, creating a weakness in his leg that brought on a knee injury. Hasselbeck twisted his back awkwardly in the preseason opener on August 8 at Minnesota and missed the rest of the preseason. His bulging disk was diagnosed and treated with injections and he opened the regular season as the starter, but he hurt his knee after a hit early in the Seahawks' loss to the New York Giants on October 5. He also received a helmet-to-helmet hit against the Arizona Cardinals. These injuries caused Hasselbeck to miss most of the 2008 NFL season.
In the 2009 season opener, things did not start out well for Hasselbeck, who threw two interceptions in the first quarter. After that Hasselbeck dominated the rest of the way, completing 25 of 36 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns in their 28–0 win over the St. Louis Rams. During Week 2 of the season, Hasselbeck fractured his rib against the San Francisco 49ers and missed the next two games against the Chicago Bears (Week 3) and the Indianapolis Colts (Week 4). During Week 5, playing the Jacksonville Jaguars, Hasselbeck threw four touchdown passes in the Seahawks' second shutout of the season, beating Jacksonville 41–0. In Week 6, Hasselbeck played his career-worst, losing to the Arizona Cardinals 27–3.
During the final week of the season, Hasselbeck won the Seahawks' "Steve Largent Award."[18]
In 2010, the season started off strong for Hasselbeck, leading his team to a 4–2 record and victories over the Chicago Bears and San Diego Chargers. But the degree of Hasselbeck's health would prove to be inconsistent, with injuries leading him to sit out two games during the season, and leading the Seahawks to lose seven of their last ten. Nevertheless, Seattle would make the playoffs with their fifth NFC West division championship.
Seattle became the first team with a losing record to host a playoff game, taking on the defending Super Bowl XLIV champion New Orleans Saints during wild card weekend.[19] Despite being 11 point underdogs, Hasselbeck had one of the most memorable and clutch performances of his career. He threw for 272 yards, four touchdowns (a franchise postseason record) with one interception coming from a tipped ball, and a 113.03 passer rating, leading the Seahawks to victory over the Saints.[20] However, Seattle would go on to lose 35–24 in the divisional playoffs against the Chicago Bears. Hasselbeck still played well, however, with over 250 yards passing and three touchdowns.
Playoff career
Hasselbeck's 11 postseason starts as a quarterback rank 16th all-time in NFL history, leading the Seahawks to five postseasons in a row under Mike Holmgren at one point.[21]
In 2003, his first playoff appearance, Hasselbeck pronounced, "we want the ball and we're going to score" at the coin flip of overtime with the Green Bay Packers.[22] Hasselbeck was intercepted by Al Harris in overtime, who returned the pass for a game-winning touchdown.[23] After that season, Hasselbeck would go on to lead Seattle to six playoff appearances in eight years.
In 2005, Hasselbeck led the Seahawks to Super Bowl XL, where they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a game remembered for its poor officiating.[24] The NFL Network called it one of the 10 most controversial games in NFL history. Head referee Bill Leavy later apologized to Hasselbeck at a Seahawks offseason practice in 2010, publicly saying he would "go to his grave for kicking several calls in the fourth quarter that affected the outcome of the game."[25]
In 2006, Hasselbeck rallied the Seahawks in the fourth quarter and threw the game-winning touchdown at Qwest Field to beat the Dallas Cowboys 21–20, but that occurred before Tony Romo's infamous dropped snap.[26]
In 2010, Hasselbeck led the Seahawks to a surprising playoff upset when he beat the New Orleans Saints, who were the defending Super Bowl XLIV champions and 11-point favorites. Although the game would be remembered for Marshawn Lynch's Beast Quake run, Hasselbeck was an integral part in the win with 272 yards and four touchdowns.[27] The game was called "Hasselbeck's finest hour" by ESPN, and turned out to be his final game at Qwest Field in Seattle leading Seattle to a 41–36 upset of the New Orleans Saints.[28]
Departure from Seattle
Hasselbeck's departure from the Seahawks was largely a surprise, given his status with the Seattle fan base. At the conclusion of the 2010 season Pete Carroll announced re-signing Hasselbeck was the Seahawks "number one offseason priority",[29] with Hasselbeck emphasizing his desire to retire in Seattle. However, the two sides had trouble reaching an agreement as Hasselbeck reportedly turned down a one-year offer before the NFL lockout began, asking for two years.[30] When Hasselbeck was rumored to be "Plan A" for the Tennessee Titans and rumors surfaced the Seahawks were pursuing Tarvaris Jackson instead of Hasselbeck, Seattle fans began a web and social media campaign at the end of the NFL lockout in 2011 to "Bring Back Matt", with a website www.bringbackmatt.com.[31] Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider called Hasselbeck after the lockout to let them know they were "moving on." Hasselbeck described the call as "worse than breaking up with an old girlfriend." The Seahawks took out a full-page ad in The Seattle Times the following day to salute Hasselbeck and his family for their work.[32]
Tennessee Titans
Hasselbeck with U.S. soldiers prior to kickoff at a game in November 2011.
On July 29, 2011, Hasselbeck signed a three-year, $21 million deal to play for the Tennessee Titans.[33] He was recruited by Mike Reinfeldt, the former vice president of football administration for the Seahawks and current executive vice president and the chief operating officer for the Titans, who was part of the team for four of Hasselbeck's five NFC West division championships and Super Bowl appearance. Hasselbeck was targeted by the Titans, who were looking for a veteran quarterback to help lead the team to wins while also mentoring first-round draft pick Jake Locker. The Titans finished 2011 with a 9–7 record, narrowly missing out on the final playoff berth due to losing to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9.[34][35]
Hasselbeck's first action in the 2012 season came in Week 1 against the New England Patriots after Locker left early in the game with a shoulder injury.[36] Hasselbeck started the next four weeks while Locker healed, finishing 2–2 in those starts; his victories were at home against Pittsburgh (the first Titans win over Pittsburgh since 2008) and at Buffalo, winning on a last-minute touchdown to Nate Washington.[37] The Titans went 6–10 on the season.[38]
On March 18, 2013, Hasselbeck was released by the Titans.[39]
Indianapolis Colts
On March 19, 2013, the Indianapolis Colts signed Hasselbeck to a two-year deal worth up to $7.25 million. He beat Chandler Harnish to win the backup job for the 2013 season.[40] Backing up Andrew Luck, Hasselbeck saw little playing time during his first two years but mentored the budding star.[41] In 2013, Hasselbeck attempted only 12 passes, completing seven for 130 yards and one interception.[42] The following season, Hasselbeck appeared in only four games but led two touchdown drives, one during a blowout loss against the Dallas Cowboys and another during garbage time in the season finale against division rival (and former team) the Tennessee Titans.[43][44]
2015 season
Hasselbeck in 2014
On February 26, 2015, Hasselbeck signed a one-year contract to remain with the Colts.[45]
Hasselbeck made his first start with the Colts on October 4, 2015, filling in for the injured Luck. He led the Colts to an overtime win, defeating the Jacksonville Jaguars, 16–13.[46] After a short week that included Hasselbeck being ill from a bacterial infection and having virtually no practice time, he was once again called upon to play for Luck. He became only the second 40-year-old NFL quarterback to win back-to-back games, when he engineered a 27–20 win over the Houston Texans on October 8, 2015.[47] Over those two starts, he completed 48 of 76 passes for three touchdowns and no turnovers, compiling a 2–0 record as starter.
On November 22, 2015, Hasselbeck started his third game for the Colts, as Luck suffered a kidney injury that would ultimately take him out for the remainder of the season. He passed for 213 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in a come-from-behind win over the Atlanta Falcons.[48] The win kept Indianapolis in the lead of the AFC South division and improved them to a 5–5 record. The following week, the Colts took on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who were on a four-game winning streak. Hasselbeck led the team to a 25–12 win, passing for 315 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, which led to a passer rating of 100.8.[49][50] Hasselbeck led the Colts to a 6–5 record with a 4–0 record as starter at the age of 40, and was the first quarterback in NFL history to do so. However, injuries began to take their toll on the aging quarterback, and Hasselbeck's play would begin to deteriorate as the Colts lost three straight games. Hasselbeck won the final start of his career, an 18–12 win over the Miami Dolphins, thanks in large part to Frank Gore's two rushing touchdowns.[51] He and backup Charlie Whitehurst were unable to play the season finale due to injury; to take their place the Colts signed Josh Freeman and Ryan Lindley, who subsequently split time in a 30–24 win over the Titans.[52] Overall, Hasselbeck was responsible for five of the Colts' eight wins over the season, despite only starting eight games.
Retirement
On February 28, 2016, it was reported that Hasselbeck would not return to the Colts.[53] On March 9, 2016, Hasselbeck announced his retirement from professional football, and that he would join his brother Tim and become an analyst for ESPN, replacing Mike Ditka on Sunday NFL Countdown.[54][55] Hasselbeck signed a one-day contract with the Seattle Seahawks to officially retire as part of their organization.[56]
On July 30, 2023, it was reported that Hasselbeck along with other ESPN analysts would be laid off.
Most wins by a starting quarterback, season (tied with Russell Wilson) – 13 (13–3 in 2005)[57]
Most pass attempts, game – 55 (at San Francisco, 12/1/02)[58]
Most pass completions, game – 39 (vs Detroit, 11/08/09)[59]
Most passing touchdowns, game (tied with three players): 5[60]
Most 4th quarter comeback wins in a single season – 4 (2006) (tied with Russell Wilson and Dave Krieg)
Most game-winning drives in a single season – 5 (2006) (tied with Russell Wilson and Dave Krieg)
Playoffs
Most consecutive passes without an interception – 109 (2004–05)
Most touchdown passes in a single game – 4 (1/8/11 vs. Saints)
Personal life
Hasselbeck is married to Sarah Egnaczyk.[61] They met at age 17. Sarah was an athlete at Boston College, playing with the field hockey team. Together they live in Weston, Massachusetts, and have two daughters, Annabelle (born 2001) and Mallory (born 2003), and one son, Henry (born 2005).[62][63] Annabelle and Mallory both play women's lacrosse at Boston College, while Henry is a quarterback who enrolled in UCLA in 2024.[64][65][66]
Matt and his wife have both been struck by lightning. Matt was struck in 1996.[67][68]
He is a born again Christian and participates in online Bible studies with former teammates and current players.[69]
He is the brother-in-law of television personality Elisabeth Hasselbeck, who is married to his younger brother Tim. Tim also played quarterback at Boston College and in the NFL. He now works for ESPN.
Super Bowl XL was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Seattle Seahawks and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2005 season. The Steelers defeated the Seahawks by the score of 21–10. The game was played on February 5, 2006, at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. It is the most recent Super Bowl broadcast on ABC who lost the rights to broadcast Super Bowl games in the next NFL television contract and the first where all aspects of the game itself were aired in HD. This was the last of 10 straight Super Bowls to feature a team seeking its first win.
Shaun Edward Alexander is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins. He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, earning first-team All-American honors in 1999. He was selected by the Seahawks 19th overall in the 2000 NFL draft. In 2011, he was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.
Trent Farris Dilfer is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the head coach for the UAB Blazers football team. Dilfer previously played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. He achieved his greatest professional success as the starting quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens during their Super Bowl-winning season in 2000.
Seneca Sinclair Wallace is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Iowa State Cyclones and was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL draft. Wallace was also a member of the Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers, and Green Bay Packers. He became a coach after his playing career.
Tarvaris D'Andre Jackson was an American professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL). Jackson played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Alabama State Hornets. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft.
Charles David Whitehurst Jr., is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Clemson Tigers, and was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the third round of the 2006 NFL draft. Nicknamed "Clipboard Jesus", Whitehurst also played for the Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts and Cleveland Browns.
The 2005 Seattle Seahawks season was the franchise's 30th season in the National Football League (NFL), their fourth playing their home games at Qwest Field and their seventh season under head coach Mike Holmgren. They won the National Football Conference (NFC) Championship Game and played in Super Bowl XL, which they lost 21–10 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Seahawks compiled a 13–3 record in the regular season, easily winning the NFC West and earning the NFC top seed, thus clinching home field advantage in the NFC playoffs for the first time in franchise history. There, they beat the Washington Redskins and Carolina Panthers to win the George Halas Trophy, and advance to their first ever Super Bowl. Combining the regular season and postseason, the Seahawks finished with a perfect 10–0 record at Qwest Field. The 2005 team was widely considered the best team in club history until the Super Bowl XLVIII championship. The 2005 season was also the team's 30th anniversary season in the NFL. The Seahawks were the only NFC team from the 2004 playoffs to qualify for the 2005 playoffs.
Matthew Thomas Ryan is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the Atlanta Falcons. Nicknamed "Matty Ice", Ryan holds the Falcons franchise records for passing yards, passing touchdowns, attempts, completions, passer rating, and wins. He played college football for the Boston College Eagles, winning the Manning and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Awards as a senior, and was selected by the Falcons third overall in the 2008 NFL draft.
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team organized in 1976 and based in Seattle, Washington, US, that plays in the National Football League. This article details the history of the Seattle Seahawks American football club.
NFL Classics is a series of videotaped rebroadcasts of National Football League games that air on the NFL Network. The show airs weekly during the offseason and also occasionally during the NFL season. As of the 2010, the series airs on Monday night while Super Bowl Classics airs on Friday night.
The National Football League playoffs for the 2007 season began on January 5, 2008. The postseason tournament concluded with the New York Giants defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, 17–14, on February 3, at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
The 2005 San Francisco 49ers season was the 60th year for the team overall, and their 56th season in the National Football League (NFL). They improved their two-win 2004 season by two games.
Joshua Tyler Freeman is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Kansas State Wildcats, and was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft. Freeman became the starter for Tampa Bay in his rookie year and went on to break numerous franchise passing records. However, he was released partway through his fifth year with the team.
Jared Alan Cook is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the South Carolina Gamecocks and was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the third round of the 2009 NFL draft. He also played for the St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers, Oakland Raiders, New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers.
The 2009 Seattle Seahawks season was the franchise's 34th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 8th playing their home games at Qwest Field and the first and only season under head coach Jim Mora. The Seahawks slightly improved from their 4–12 record and a third-place finish in what was Mike Holmgren's final season coaching the team in 2008 and finished with a 5–11 record. However, Mora was fired January 8, 2010.
Russell Carrington Wilson is an American professional football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played 10 seasons for the Seattle Seahawks and two seasons for the Denver Broncos. With the Seahawks, Wilson was named to the Pro Bowl nine times and helped Seattle win their first Super Bowl championship in Super Bowl XLVIII. He is regarded as one of the greatest dual-threat quarterbacks of all time.
The 2010 season was the Seattle Seahawks' 35th in the National Football League (NFL), their ninth playing their home games at Qwest Field and their first under head coach Pete Carroll after Jim Mora was fired on January 8, 2010. The team exceeded their win total from 2009 and won the NFC West with a 7–9 record, and made the playoffs for the first time since 2007. They became the first team in a full season to finish with a sub-.500 record and make the playoffs, a berth which was by virtue of winning the division. The 2010 Seahawks also became the first sub-.500 team to win a playoff game with their home win against the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints remembered as the Beast Quake game, but then had their season ended by the second-seeded Chicago Bears in the divisional round.
DeForest George Buckner is an American professional football defensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oregon Ducks, and was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft. With the 49ers, Buckner made a Pro Bowl and was a second-team All-Pro selection in 2019. With the Colts, he was selected to the first-team All Pro in 2020 and made the Pro Bowl in 2021 and 2023.
The Packers–Seahawks rivalry is an American football rivalry between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks. The Packers entered the National Football League (NFL) in 1921 and saw significant periods of sustained success under Curly Lambeau in the 1930s and 1940s, as well as in the 1960s under Vince Lombardi. However, the Packers entered the 1970s in a sustained slump. They only made the playoffs once from 1968 to 1975. The Seahawks entered the NFL in 1976 as part of an agreement to expand the league after the AFL–NFL merger. The Packers and Seahawks played their first game during the 1976 NFL season, with the Packers winning 27–20 at Milwaukee County Stadium. During the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, the two teams only played each other intermittently, as they were in different conferences. However, this changed in 2002 when the Seahawks were moved from the American Football Conference (AFC) to the National Football Conference (NFC). Teams playing in the same conference compete against each other in the regular season at least every three years and may meet more often if they share common positions in their respective division or are paired in the playoffs.
The 2003 NFC Wild Card playoff game was a National Football League (NFL) playoff game between the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers on January 4, 2004. The game, which was contested at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, became notable after Seahawks' quarterback Matt Hasselbeck proclaimed "we want the ball and we're going to score!" when the Seahawks won the coin toss before the start of the overtime period. Hasselbeck's comment was picked up on the referee's microphone and was broadcast to the stadium and the television audiences. Hasselbeck subsequently threw an interception that was returned for a game-winning touchdown by Packers' cornerback Al Harris. The score was the first defensive touchdown to win an overtime playoff game in NFL history and has been ranked as one of the best plays in NFL history. The dramatic finish advanced the Packers to the Divisional Round of the playoffs where they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the 4th and 26 game.
1 2 3 "Matt Hasselbeck". Database Football. Archived from the original on January 14, 2009. Retrieved January 13, 2008. - Matt Hasselbeck Past Stats, Statistics, History, and Awards - databaseFootball.com
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
