30 NFL quarterbacks who got better after leaving their first team
By Dan Parzych
13. Matt Hasselbeck
Deep down, Matt Hasselbeck knew he was never going to be the starting quarterback as a member of the Green Bay Packers early on in his career. Brett Favre wasn’t going anywhere, as he was considered one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
After the Packers traded their former backup quarterback to the Seattle Seahawks prior to the 2001 season, it took Hasselbeck about two years to finally look comfortable as a starter.
During the 2003 season, Hasselbeck would lead the Seahawks to the playoffs before losing to the Green Bay Packers opening weekend. He even earned a trip to the Pro Bowl, which was the first of three over the next five years for the Seattle starter.
Of course, it was difficult to top the 2005 campaign that Hasselbeck put together. He helped the Seahawks earn a trip to Super Bowl XL, which unfortunately resulted in a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
One would think all of those trips to the postseason during his time in Seattle would have at least resulted in one Super Bowl title for Hasselbeck. At least from an overall perspective, the quarterback’s time with the Seahawks over 10 years were great to remember.