Matt Hasselbeck life and biography

The Bald Eagle develops its signature white head at the age of five. By this time, the bird has also honed its fierce predatory instincts. By contrast, Matt Hasselbeck did not embrace his chrome dome until he reached adulthood. But like America's most iconic symbol of national pride, Seattle's follicly challenged Seahawk has never lacked for confidence. The son of an NFL tight end, Matt learned early on that it takes more than talent to succeed in pro football. True, his cocky attitude rubs some the wrong way. But for fans in the Pacific Northwest, Matt has shown that brash—and bald—can indeed be beautiful.

GROWING UP

Matt Hasselbeck was born on September 25, 1975 in Norfolk, Massachussetts. At the time, his father, Don, was a star tight end at the University of Colorado. Two years later, he was drafted in the second round by the Patriots. Don would spend seven seasons in New England, mostly as a backup to Russ Francis. His best year was 1981 when he caught 46 passes for 808 yards and six touchdowns.

The Pats let Don go after the 1982 campaign, but he hooked on with the Los Angeles Raiders. In the right place at the right time, Don earned a championship ring when the Silver & Black beat the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII. Cut loose again that spring, he logged two more seasons, with the Minnesota Vikings and then the New York Giants.

The Hasselbeck family followed Don wherever his career took him. For Matt and his brothers, Tim and Nathanael, it was a wonderful life. All three were huge sports fans who remained loyal to their hometown Boston teams no matter where their mail was delivered. Matt got his first taste of life in the NFL as a ball boy for the Patriots. Rubbing elbows with his sports heroes, including quarterback Steve Grogan, was a dream come true. It also gave him insight into the attitude professional athletes needed to bring to the field every day to be successful.

Like his two younger siblings, Matt was an excellent athlete. But Don and his wife, Betsy, discouraged their sons from playing was football. They knew how punishing the game could be, especially at the pro level, and didn’t want their sons exposed its violence and injuries. Of course, it was hard to convince any of the Hasselbeck boys of the gridiron’s downside when all they seemed to experience was upside.

The biggest shock of Matt’s young life came when the family moved to southern California after Don joined the Raiders. The youngster hated leaving Boston, despite the beautiful weather in Redondo Beach. When his dad won the Super Bowl, however, Matt changed his tune.

But just as quickly, the family was headed for Minnesota. There, Matt became buddies with two other pro QBs in waiting, Peyton and Eli Manning. Their father, Archie, was in his final NFL go-round with the Vikings. Matt passed much of his time in Minneapolis playing in pick-up football games against the Mannings.

Matt, however, wasn’t allowed to strap on the pads until after his dad retired in 1985. For years, the Hasselbeck brothers had begged their parents to let them play contact football. On the same day Don told coach Bill Parcells he wouldn’t be returning to the Giants, the elder Hasselbeck relented and turned his sons loose in Pop Warner. The family moved back to Massachusetts, and Matt became a local star.

Though it was his first time in organized football, Matt was light years ahead of teammates and opponents. He and his brothers had developed their own audible system, and his mechanics were excellent thanks to advice he had received from pro quarterbacks during his dad’s playing days.

By the time Matt entered Xaverian Brothers High School, he was an accomplished three-sport athlete. Tall and agile, he appeared to have as bright of a future in baseball and basketball as he did in football. But Matt had his sights set on the gridiron. An honorable mention All-American selection by USA Today as a senior, he completed 90 of 120 passes for 1,490 yards and seven touchdowns, and also ran for 400 yards and three scores during his final season. Matt led the Hawks to the championship in the highly competitive Catholic Conference title before losing in the state Division 1-A Super Bowl.

ON THE RISE

One of the top recruits in Massachusetts, Matt accepted a scholarship to Boston College, which he hoped would serve as a stepping stone to the NFL. As a freshman, he saw little action, getting garbage time in five games. Matt showed enough, however, to become the backup as a sophomore. In 11 games, including one start, he threw for 280 yards and two TDs.

Matt entered his junior year fully expecting to be the starting quarterback for the Eagles. When Dan Henning bypassed him, he exploded. ''You should wear big red shoes and a big red nose because you are a clown!,” Matt screamed at his coach.

All was forgiven a few weeks later when Matt came off the bench to rally BC to a dramatic victory over Hawaii. That performance earned him the starting nod, but he didn’t always produce sparkling results. In all, Matt hit on 171 of 330 passes for 1,990 yards, nine touchdowns and nine interceptions. A separated his right shoulder kept him out of season finale against Miami.

It was more of the same for Matt in his senior year. A good game was often followed by a bad one. His highlights included a school-record 14 consecutive completions against Notre Dame and a career-high 393 yards and three touchdowns in his final collegiate game, a victory over Army. But his overall numbers—188 of 305 attempts for 2,239 yards, 11 TDs and 10 INTs—didn’t attract much attention from pro scouts.

When the NFL didn’t invite Matt to the combine in Indianapolis, he wasn’t sure if his dream of playing in the pros was over. But Green Bay was mildly interested in Matt and dispatched quarterbacks coach Andy Reid to give him a private workout in Boston. Though Matt stood 6-4, he was a scrawny 185 pounds with an average arm and average speed. Still, Reid liked what he saw and recommended to head coach Mike Holmgren that the Packers use a draft pick on Matt. They took him in the sixth round.

Matt’s first three NFL seasons were unremarkable to say the least. He threw a grand total of 29 passes, completing 13 for 145 yards and two scores. Matt made his biggest impression off the field in his first year when he planted fishing worms in Brett Favre's tobacco tin. The prank got a huge laugh in the locker room, astounding veterans who wondered who this cocky kid was.

Their curiosity was well founded. Even though Matt outplayed David Klingler during his first training camp in 1998, he began the campaign on the practice squad after the Packers signed Rick Mirer to be their #3 quarterback behind Favre and Doug Pederson. The move infuriated Matt, who was further annoyed when Green Bay chose not to activate him after Pederson broke his jaw.

Looking for a better opportunity, Matt considered a contract offer from the Chicago Bears with four games left in the season. But Reid refused to let him walk away, convincing the Packers to up his salary. Matt remained with Green Bay for two more years. He learned everything he could from Favre, but wasn't as fortunate with the team’s quarterback gurus. Both left in 1999— Holmgren for Seattle and Reid for Philadelphia.

By the spring of 2001, with Favre still playing like a Pro Bowler, Matt knew the writing was on the wall. If he wanted to be a starter—and he did desperately—he would have to find a new home. The Packers also realized this and dealt him to Seattle, where Holmgren was in the midst of a rebuilding program. The coach felt Matt could be an important part of this effort.

Holmgren inserted Matt into the starting lineup, but the first-year Seahawk seemed intent on doing whatever was necessary to lose the job. During quarterbacks meetings, he would space, inventing his own plays and scribbling them on the chalkboard. During practices, he would do his best impersonation of Favre, forgetting what was called in the huddle and trying to create on his own. Jim Zorn, Seattle's quarterbacks coach, asked Matt to knock it off. He refused.

When Matt pulled a groin muscle in October, Trent Dilfer stepped in and led the Seahawks to two straight wins. Teammates liked Dilfer’s style. He was more low-key than Matt, and he got the job done. Dilfer earned two more starts late in the year and produced two more victories. Matt’s record, meanwhile, was just 5-7, and his stats (2,023 yards passing, seven TDs, and a 70.9 rating) didn’t suggest he was destined for anything better.

Dilfer was the favorite on the field and in the media as the 2002 campaign opened. When he hurt his knee in an exhibition game, Holmgren berated his offensive line, telling them they had just ruined a promising season.

Dilfer returned to the lineup in September, but ripped his Achilles' tendon against Dallas in late October. Matt entered the game against the Cowboys and assured his teammates they were going to win. When he proved good to his word, the Seahawks knew they had their man at quarterback. Seattle won four of its last six with Matt at the helm to finish 7-9. In 16 games, he threw for more than 3,000 yards and 15 TDs. His completion percentage (63.7) was tops in the NFC and his passer rating (87.8) was the conference’s second best. Under Matt's guidance, the Seattle offense averaged an NFL-high 476 yards per game over the season's final six weeks.

After the season, Matt gave a lot of the credit for his breakthrough to Dilfer. The veteran served as a sounding board and talked him through tough situations. When the Seahawks dealt Dilfer to Cleveland in the off-season, Matt was one of many sorry to see him go.

MAKING HIS MARK

More composed but still cocky, Matt came into his own during the 2003 season. He showed his grit early in the year when he rallied the Seahawks with two late touchdowns to beat the Ram in St. Louis, 24-23. Matt got better as the campaign progressed, and so did Seattle. In November, he passed for 11 touchdowns against only two interceptions, as the Seahawks won all three of their games at Qwest Field. Homefield advantage, in fact, was becoming a major story in Seattle. The team would go the entire year without dropping one in its backyard.

Matt was a big reason for Seattle’s improved play. He finished the campaign second in the NFC with a franchise-record 3,841 passing yards and 26 touchdowns. Matt also tied Warren Moon’s single-season club record for completions with 313 and matched his own mark for 300-yard games with four. His outstanding performance earned him his first trip to the Pro Bowl.

Matt led the Seahawks into frosty Green Bay for a first-round playoff tilt against his old club. Feeling right at home in Lambeau Field, he played a great game, hitting on 25 of 45 passes for 305 yards. But Matt’s emotions got the best of him at the contest moved into overtime. When the Seahawks won the coin toss, he leaned over and shouted into the ref’s microphone that Seattle would take the ball and win the game. Matt’s first pass of the extra period was then picked off by Al Harris, who returned it all the way for six points. For one of the few times in his life, Matt was left speechless.

The Seahawks rebounded from their disappointing loss by capturing the NFC West title in 2004. Though they posted a record of just 9-7, it was good enough to finish ahead of the Rams, who went 8-8. But St. Louis had the last laugh in the playoffs, beating the Seahawks in Seattle, 27-20. Matt actually had his team in position to tie the game in the final seconds by Bobby Engram dropped a pass in the end zone.

Matt, however, could still look back on the campaign with pride. Though injuries kept him out of two games, he managed to put together another great year, with 3,382 yards and 22 touchdowns through the air. In the process, he joined Dave Krieg as the only other Seattle quarterback in club history to pass for 20 or more TDs in consecutive seasons. Matt was at his best in December when he was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month. Two months later, he played in his second straight Pro Bowl.

The 2005 season featured more record-setting performances in Seattle, though this time it was Shawn Alexander who stole the spotlight. The All-Pro running back rushed for 1,880 yards and 27 touchdowns and walked away with the league MVP. The Seahawks rode Alexander to a record of 13-3, tops in the NFC. With homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, they were the favorite to represent the conference in the Super Bowl.

Matt enjoyed another Pro Bowl season, too. He paced the NFC with 24 TD tosses and established club mark with a passer rating of 98.2. Again, Matt heated up as the campaign moved into December. His 135.5 rating was the fourth-best in NFL history for the month.

Seattle rolled into the post-season and readied for a matchup against the Redskins. When Alexander left the game with a concussion, Holmgren challenged Matt to take control. He did as he was told, completing eight of 10 passes for 110 yards in the second half and running six yards for a score that put the Seahawks comfortably ahead.

In the NFC Championship Game against the Panthers, Holmgren turned to Alexander, who ran for 132 yards and two TDs. Matt also had his way against the Carolina defense, throwing for 219 yards and a pair of scores. The Seahawks won easily, 34-14, but their run ended in Super Bowl XL, as the Steelers claimed their fifth title. Pittsburgh controlled the game on the ground and made big defensive stops when they were needed.

The 2006 campaign has been a bit of a roller coaster ride for Matt and the Seahawks. A knee injury landed him on the sidelines for three weeks, while Alexander also missed significant time. Seattle, meanwhile, has struggled to maintain any sort of consistency and is fighting to sew up a playoff spot.

But don’t think for a second that anything Matt has experienced in the NFL has humbled him. Granted, he understands that outsiders can sometimes misinterpret his cockiness. Teammates, however, have come to realize that Matt needs an emotional edge to give them an edge on the field. He might be without hair, but he'll never be without bravado.

MATT THE PLAYER

It’s not likely that anyone will confuse Matt with the league’s glamour quarterbacks. He has a good arm, but not a great one. He moves well in the pocket and can buy himself more time if need be, but he is hardly a classic scrambler. Matt’s strengths are his ability to read defenses and the accuracy of his throws.

Skinny in college, Matt has bulked up since his Boston College day and now weighs in at a solid 230 pounds. This helps him stay healthy, especially for a QB. His knee injury in 2006 wasn’t the result of wear and tear, but rather an unfortunate tackle at the knees.

In his own huddle and on the opposing sideline, Matt is looked at as a winner. Mike Holmgren has done a lot to bring him along, but Matt deserves credit for his hard work off the field to understand his coach’s complex offense. Sure, Matt is cocky. But his teammates like him and believe in him, and he normally plays well when the pressure is on.

EXTRA

# When the Hasselbecks moved to California in the 1980s, they lived on Pier 56, a popular site among TV producers and directors. Among the shows filmed there were "Riptide" and "Knight Rider" starring David Hasselhoff.
# As a high school senior, Matt earned All-East honors from Blue Chip Illustrated and All-New England honors from SuperPrep.
# In 1998 at Boston College, Matt was the co-winner of the “Thomas F. Scanlon Award” as the school’s outstanding senior scholar-athlete.
# Six quarterbacks were chosen ahead of Matt in the 1999 draft: Peyton Manning, Ryan Leaf, Charlie Batch, Jonathan Quinn, Brian Griese and John Dutton.
# In 2002, Matt became the second quarterback in Seattle history to throw for 300 yards in back-to-back games, joining Jim Zorn who did it twice (1979 & 1981). He was also the first Seahawks quarterback to throw for multiple 300-yard games in the same season since Dave Krieg in 1985.
# In 2003, Matt finished first in the CBS “NFL Quarterback Challenge.”
# I n the 2004 playoffs, Matt joined Dan Fouts and Marc Bulger as the third quarterback in NFL history to begin his postseason career with two 300-plus passing games.
# Matt scored a 29 out of 50 on the NFL's Wonderlic intelligence test, 10 points above the league average
# Matt has a huge fan in John T. Capps III, founder of Bald-Headed Men of America. ''I like him because he doesn't hide his baldness," he says. "When you see him in interviews, he's right out there, in your face, letting it shine.''
# Matt knows how to reward his offensive line for a job well done. He once bought a few hundred pounds of meat for them to say thanks.
# Don Hasselbeck and Archie Manning have become close friends over the yeas. In 2004, when Peyton and the Indianpolis Colts played in the AFC Championship Game in New England, the Mannings sat with the Hasselbecks in Reebok's luxury box. Don is Reebok's senior director for sales for the East region.
# Matt talks regularly to his brother, Tim. When Tim played at Boston College, he sometimes found as many as 17 cellphone messages from Matt offering encouragement and critiques.
# Matt enjoys late-night TV and is a fan of Jay Leno.
# Matt is known as one of the league's worst dressers. "It's embarrassing the clothes he wears," says teammate Robbie Tobeck.
# At Boston College, Matt dated a field hockey player named Sarah Egnaczyk. He later introduced Tim to a softball player named Elisabeth Filarski. Both couples are now married. Matt and Sarah have three children: Annabelle, Mallory and Henry. Tim and Elisabeth have a daughter, Grace. A former ''Survivor'' contestant, Elisabeth is a host on the talk show ,''The View."
# Matt has a B.S. Degree in Marketing and Finance.

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