On Tuesday night, there was a report that Matt Hasselbeck would draw the curtain on his NFL career and follow in the footsteps of many others by trading in his NFL job for one covering the NFL for ESPN.
Hasselbeck confirmed it on Wednesday. In a statement released by his new employers, Hasselbeck announced that his playing days are done and that he will now be part of the Sunday NFL Countdown andMonday Night Countdown teams.
“As a kid, playing in the NFL was always my dream and it turned out to be way more fun than I could’ve ever imagined,” Hasselbeck said. “Throughout 18 incredible seasons, I had the chance to forge many relationships with teammates, coaches and staff that I will cherish forever. Those relationships made my playing career all the more memorable. With the support of my family, we’ve made the decision to embark on the next chapter. I’m extremely thankful for the opportunity to have represented the NFL and so many great teams.”
Hasselbeck spent the majority of his career as the starter for the Seahawks and took them to the first Super Bowl appearance in team history in 2005. He threw for 36,638 yards in his career, good for 22nd in league in history, and his 212 touchdown passes leave him in a tie with Terry Bradshaw at No. 31 all-time.