page_title: Matt Hasselbeck
section_title: Seattle Seahawks
hierarchical_section_title: Matt Hasselbeck / Professional career / Seattle Seahawks
caption_attribution_description: Matt Hasselbeck of the Seattle Seahawks
context_page_description: Matthew Michael Hasselbeck is a former American football quarterback and current analyst for ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown. He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. After a season on the practice squad and two seasons backing up Brett Favre, he was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in 2001. Hasselbeck led Seattle to six playoff appearances, including a Super Bowl loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2005 season. He was selected to three Pro Bowls in his career. Hasselbeck also played for the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts.
context_section_description: Hasselbeck joined former 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).
  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. 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 gonna score." 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.
  In 2004, Hasselbeck won the 2004 NFL Quarterback Challenge. He also led Seattle to their first NFC West title since realignment in 2002.
  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 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.
  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. 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 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. 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, 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, 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 vs. 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 2009 NFL season, Hasselbeck fractured his rib against the San Francisco 49ers and missed the next two games against the Bears (Week 3) and the Colts (Week 4). During Week 5, playing the 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 with 27–3.
  D
caption: Hasselbeck was 45-19 at Seattle's Qwest Field.
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