Matt Hasselbeck Obtained a Impolite Awakening When He Entered the NFL, however It Led to His Invitation to an Unique Seahawks Membership
Few Seattle Seahawks gamers evoke as a lot emotion from the crew’s followers as Matt Hasselbeck. The ESPN analyst spent most of his NFL profession in Seattle and loved loads of success. The highway wasn’t straightforward, although.
Hasselbeck needed to study a harsh lesson to even make a profession out of soccer. It didn’t take lengthy for him to appreciate what it took to be an NFL participant.
ESPN’s Matt Hasselbeck displays on his Welcome to the NFL second
The Green Bay Packers chosen Matt Hasselbeck within the sixth spherical of the 1998 NFL Draft out of Boston Faculty. Regardless of a mean few seasons in faculty, the Packers’ entrance workplace determined to take an opportunity on the Westwood, Massachusetts native.
Inexperienced Bay didn’t anticipate Hasselbeck to be a starter immediately. That’s what they’d Brett Favre for. Nevertheless, the Seattle Seahawks noticed one thing in Hasselbeck.
Seattle acquired the signal-caller from the Packers after the 2000 season in alternate for a primary and third-round choose in 2001. The entrance workplace introduced Hasselbeck in to change into the quarterback of the longer term.
What the younger quarterback didn’t understand, although, was that instantaneous success within the NFL is difficult to come back by. Hasselbeck revealed that he anticipated to hit the bottom working with the Seahawks.
“I in all probability thought an excessive amount of was potential, if I’m being vital of myself,” stated Hasselbeck per Sports Illustrated.
“I received to Inexperienced Bay, and so they have been coming off of their second consecutive Tremendous Bowl. Brett Favre had his third consecutive MVP, I believe it was. It was the identical offense. I had performed very well within the preseason, and I assumed, oh, the preseason is strictly the identical because the common season. Nicely, that simply wasn’t the way it was.”
Matt Hasselbeck, who earned the nickname Mr. August, shortly realized that he needed to put in additional work to construct a sustainable NFL profession.
Hasselbeck spent 10 seasons with the Seahawks
Matt Hasselbeck made 12 begins in his first season with the Seahawks. He skilled some early struggles as he tried to transition his mindset to that of knowledgeable quarterback.
The Boston Faculty product threw extra interceptions than touchdowns in 2001. In his debut with the brand new crew, he tossed two interceptions and nil touchdowns.
Mike Holmgren, who was the top coach for the Packers once they drafted Hasselbeck, helped deliver the 26-year-old to Seattle. Holmgren benched him in favor of Trent Dilfer, however later returned to Hasselbeck.
After gaining higher familiarity with the Seahawks’ offensive system, Hasselbeck began to discover a rhythm. He handed for 29,434 yards and 174 touchdowns in his ten seasons in Seattle.
The Seahawks reached the postseason six instances with Hasselbeck below middle. They superior to Tremendous Bowl XL however misplaced to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Nonetheless, Matt Hasselbeck left an enduring mark on the Seahawks group and town of Seattle.
The Seahawks QB and Mike Holmgren are becoming a member of an unique membership
Though Mike Holmgren was onerous on Matt Hasselbeck early in his tenure in Seattle, the 46-year-old former quarterback appreciates all the pieces his outdated coach did for him.
“There have been some issues I wanted to study and a few humbling that in all probability wanted to occur. Studying to be much more coachable wanted to occur,” stated Hasselbeck.
“It meant lots and to undergo that journey with him the place it wasn’t at all times straightforward, however we weathered the storms, stayed the course, and acquired into his message, and we have been in a position to do some particular issues and set a basis for future success.”
Hasselback and Holmgren will enter an unique Seahawks membership collectively in 2021. The group is inducting the quarterback-coach duo into its Ring of Honor. The three-time Professional Bowler joins the membership at halftime of the crew’s Week 7 Monday Night time Soccer sport towards the New Orleans Saints.
Simply 12 people have entered the Seahawks’ Ring of Honor via the franchise’s 46-season existence. Essentially the most notable honorees are Walter Jones, Cortez Kennedy, Steve Largent, and longtime proprietor Paul Allen.
Matt Hasselbeck feels honored to be inducted the identical 12 months because the coach who helped him change into a greater participant.
“The truth that he’s getting in and I’m getting in the identical 12 months the place I do know that would have simply been another mixture of some gamers and coaches. I’m very grateful.”
All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference.
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