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
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,
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.
We thought that maybe we would struggle a little bit more than we did, ... But those guys played great.
When I said that, whenever it was, two years ago, that's how it was, having fun with some good friends. It's just a sign of the friendship. There's a core group of guys when I played here. There was something special about that team.
There are definitely enough resources of people that have been there. Even guys on our team that have been there and played in this game, and I guess you just have to listen and try to learn what you can from those types of people.
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.
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.
When he went down, their guys were excited and our crowd answered back in a great way with kind of an MVP chant. It was good for our offense and we felt we actually had the momentum after that.
What you can learn from this guy is the thing people call intangibles like his leadership style and the way he motivates guys around him. The way he has the ability to intimidate the opponent without saying a word. He's one of a kind.
We weren't worried at all. All year we have had guys step up when players go down.
Throwing mechanics, shoulder posture, my drop ? little things like that. Right now in camp it still feels like I'm confined and working on stuff. My feeling is, hey, these guys know what they're talking about. I'm buying in 100 percent to what they're saying. Don't ask questions. Come September, your mechanics will be better, you'll be a more accurate passer, and because of that your team will be better.
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.
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.
Defensively, they are very well coached. I know we always say that, but it is really true this time. I think these guys are the best in the NFC.