Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975, in Boulder, Colorado) is an American football quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL Draft, and traded to Seattle in 2001. Since becoming the starter in 2003, Hasselbeck has led Seattle to five playoff appearances and a Super Bowl appearance as well as being selected three times for the Pro Bowl.
Biography
Hasselbeck is the son of Betsey and Don Hasselbeck (a former New England Patriots tight end). Matt and younger brothers Tim Hasselbeck and Nathanael grew up in Norfolk, Massachusetts and attended Xaverian Brothers High School in Westwood. He was selected as an honorable mention All-American by USA Today as a senior, and then played college football at nearby Boston College, after spending one semester at the California Maritime Academy in Vallejo, California. He graduated with a degree in marketing and finance [2].
Hasselbeck was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round (187th overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft.
Personal life
Matt married his college sweetheart, Sarah Egnaczyk, on June 17, 2000.[3] The two knew one another since age 17 and both were athletes at Boston College, Matt in football and Sarah in field hockey. Together they have two daughters, Annabelle (2002) and Mallory (2003), and a son, Henry (2005).[4][5]
Professional career
Green Bay Packers
Hasselbeck began his professional career with the Green Bay Packers, where he joined the practice squad in 1998 and then backed-up starter Brett Favre for two seasons, beginning in 1999.
Seattle Seahawks
Hasselbeck joined former head coach Mike Holmgren and the Seattle Seahawks on March 2, 2001. The Packers traded him, along with their first (17th overall) and seventh-round draft picks, to the Seahawks for their first (10th overall) and third-round draft picks.
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 wildcard berth. He also was selected to the Pro Bowl.
In 2004, Hasselbeck won the 2004 NFL Quarterback Challenge. He also led Seattle to their first NFC West title since realignment in 2002. The divisional playoff 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 gonna score!” Minutes later, Hasselbeck threw an interception to Packers defensive back Al Harris which was returned 52 yards for a touchdown. It gave Green Bay a 33-27 overtime victory.
In 2005, Hasselbeck had one of his most productive career performances, earning the highest passer rating in the NFC, and leading the Seahawks to the playoffs for the third consecutive year. He led his team to Super Bowl XL which he lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and was the starting quarterback for the NFC in the 2006 Pro Bowl.
Hasselbeck led the Seahawks to a 4-1 record to start the 2006 season before being seriously injured on Week 7. Minnesota linebacker E.J. Henderson rolled into Hasselbeck’s right leg. The result was a second degree MCL sprain, causing Hasselbeck to miss four games. Hasselbeck contended that Henderson could have avoided injuring him.[6] 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 in overtime, 27–24.
In 2007, Hasselbeck led his team to its fourth consecutive division title and fifth consecutive playoff appearance with 3,966 passing yards, 28 touchdowns (both career highs), 62.6% completion percentage, and a 91.4 quarterback rating. 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 #2 seed Green Bay, losing 42–20 in the snow at Lambeau Field 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.
In 2008, Hasselback 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. Hasselback twisted his back awkwardly in the preseason opener on Aug. 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 Oct. 5. He also received a helmet-to-helmet hit vs. the Arizona Cardinals. These injuries caused Hasselback to miss most of the 2008 NFL season.
In the 2009 season opener, things didn’t start out well for Hasselbeck, who threw 2 picks in the 1st quarter. After that Hasselbeck dominated the rest of the way, completing 25 of 36 passes for 279 yards and 3 touchdowns in their 28–0 win over the St. Louis Rams. During Week 2 of the 2009 NFL season, Matt fractured his rib against the San Francisco 49ers and missed the next two games againest the Bears (Week 3) and the Colts (Week 4). During week 5, playing the Jaguars, Hasselbeck threw 4 touchdown passes in the Seahawk’s 2nd shutout of the season, beating Jacksonville 41-0. In Week 6, Hasselbeck played his career worst, losing to the Arizona Cardinals with 27-3.
During the final week of the season, Hasselbeck won the Seahawks’ prestigious “Steve Largent Award.”[7] The Largent award – and the impressive trophy that goes with it – is presented each season to the player who “best exemplifies the spirit, dedication and integrity of the Seahawks” and the past winners create a Who’s Who of many of the best players in franchise history.
Seattle Seahawks franchise records
Hasselbeck owns several of the Seahawks’ franchise records:
Regular season
- Highest Passer Rating, Career (Min. 200 attempts) - 86.2[8]
- Highest Passer Rating, Season (Min. 200 attempts) - 98.2 (2005)[9]
- Most Pass Attempts, Season - 562 (2007)[9]
- Most Pass Attempts, Game - 55 (at San Francisco, 12/1/02)
- Most Pass Attempts, Career - 3,806 [10]
- Most Pass Completions, Season - 352 (2007)[9]
- Most Pass Completions, Game - 39 (vs Detroit, 11/08/09)
- Most Pass Completions, Career - 2,293 [11]
- Most Passing Yards, Season - 3,966 (2007)[9]
- Most Passing Yards, Game - 449 (at San Diego, 12/29/02)
- Most Passing Yards, Career - 26,433 [12]
- Most 300+ Yard Passing Games, Career - 16[13]
- Most 300+ Yard Passing Games, Season - 4 (2002 and 2003)[13]
- Most 3000 Passing Yard Seasons, Career - 5[9]
- Most Consecutive Seasons, 3,000 Yards Passing - 4 (2002-05)
- Highest Completion %, Career (Min. 200 attempts) - 60.8%[8]
- Most Touchdown Passes, Game - 5 (tie w/5 other players)
- Most Consecutive Attempts Without an Interception - 159 (2005)
- Lowest Interception %, Career (Min. 200 attempts) - 2.7%[8]
- Only Seahawks QB with 13 wins in a season (13-3 in 2005)[9]
Playoffs
- Most Pass Attempts - 325[14]
- Most Pass Completions - 189[14]
- Most Pass Completions, Game - 27 (1/8/05 vs. Rams)[14]
- Most Passing Yards - 2211[14]
- Most Passing Yards, Game - 341 (1/8/05 vs. Rams)[14]
- Most 300+ Yard Passing Games - 2[14]
- Most Touchdown Passes - 11[14]
- Highest Passer Rating - 79.9[14]
- Highest Completion % - 58.2%[14]
- Highest YPA - 6.80[14]
- Most Consecutive Games w/TD Pass - 8 (current)[14]
- Most Passes Intercepted - 8[14]
- Most Consecutive Passes Without Interception - 109 (2004-05)
