Matt Hasselbeck announces retirement; will join ESPN as analyst
Matt Hasselbeck announced his retirement from the NFL after 18 seasons on Wednesday and confirmed he is set to join ESPN as a TV analyst.
"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," said Hasselbeck in a press release by ESPN. "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 will be part of "Sunday NFL Countdown" and "Monday Night Countdown" next season.
The 40-year-old was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 1998 NFL Draft, and is the third and final active member of that class to hang up his cleats, following the retirements of Peyton Manning and Charles Woodson.
Hasselbeck found the greatest success of his career after being traded to the Seattle Seahawks in 2001, spending 10 seasons with the team and leading them to Super Bowl XL in 2005, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He spent the twilight of his career backing up Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, and was forced into action this season with Luck sidelined, leading the team to a 5-3 record as a starter.
However, Hasselbeck's body appeared to break down as the season wore on, and he was unable to start the last game of the season after suffering neck, shoulder, and rib injuries.
Hasselbeck did indicate he wanted to return for one more year, but will now take his talents to TV, which he expressed his excitement about.
"The exceptional opportunity presented to me by ESPN accelerated my decision to retire from playing football," said Hasselbeck. "I'm excited for the chance to give everything I have to this new endeavor and share the knowledge I have with our viewers."
Hasselbeck finishes his career with 36,638 passing yards and 212 touchdowns.