Matt Hasselbeck
Matt Hasselbeck
Matthew Michael Hasselbeck is a former American football quarterback and current analyst for ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown. He 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 and a Super Bowl. He was selected to three Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro in...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionFootball Player
Date of Birth25 September 1975
CityBoulder, CO
CountryUnited States of America
Obviously, when those guys are playing well, it makes my job easier. The system that we have here, it's just able to click when those guys are doing their jobs.
I know where Mike's coming from. He really wanted me to focus on what I could control. But the simple fact is those guys are very different, and I haven't played with them.
I think every team I have been on you have a group of guys that are really helping pull the team in the right direction. Then you have a couple guys that are pulling it in a wrong direction. Everybody else is sort of on the fence,
It really starts from the top, that is just the message we've been given. The veteran guys on our team would just sort of repeat the message from above, and we'd just try to live it out. Everyone is saying the goals of this team are more important. If you've really got chemistry and camaraderie, those things happen.
That was fun n a little sloppy at times, but some of the most exciting plays I've seen all year. Coach Fox promised, by the end of the week, 'We'll put a smile on your face.' All the Seattle guys were smiling.
They could have brought in a bunch of different guys in 2001, (but) they chose me. I don't take that lightly.
It's a great feeling in our locker room right now, because we did come together. There is something a little bit more special about fighting through adversity and hanging in there in a tough game against a really good defense. Guys get hurt. Pork Chop Womack filled in at left tackle for Walter Jones for a couple of plays. He said something like, 'Did I make you nervous in there when Walt was out?' I told him no.
His speech was about the practice-squad guys on our team, and what they've meant to our team. These guys don't get to go out there and play, and yet they have busted their butt for a chance for us to be successful.
I wouldn't say we didn't miss a beat, it's not the same with those guys out. But we all had confidence in those guys that they would play well ... and those guys played great.
Coaches coach guys on the field. I get to spend time with practice squad receivers and tight ends or a young center who's always inactive on Sundays... I feel really good about having an impact on those guys and their careers.
I don't know if we have talked to those guys as much as we see how they conduct themselves. Joe has just been going about his business like he has all year. ... You just continue to be professional.
I'm sure some of the coaches are aware of it, or the people who have been in the building for a long time are aware of it. But a lot of our guys are young. They don't remember, and they don't really care. What we do care about is this team, this year and what we can do.
All those guys were trying to win the MVP. Somebody must have told them they had a shot on defense, and they were going for it.
I don't think anyone was really that surprised, at least in our locker room. I don't think anyone was really surprised how some of those guys did.