Seahawks Snag Favre's Backup
Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren was reunited with Matt Hasselbeck when Seattle acquired the former Green Bay Packers backup quarterback on Friday.
Hasselbeck will become Seattle's starting quarterback next season, Holmgren said. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Hasselbeck was Brett Favre's backup the past two seasons and has thrown only 29 passes in NFL regular-season games.
But Holmgren, also Seattle's general manager, apparently likes his potential. The Seahawks exchanged first-round draft choices with the Packers for Hasselbeck and also sent their third-round pick to Green Bay.
Seattle gave up its 10th selection for Green Bay's 17th pick. The Seahawks also will draft seventh in the first round of the April 21-22 NFL draft.
"He was right at the top of our list," Holmgren said of Hasselbeck, whom he drafted in 1998 when he was coach of the Packers. "If it didn't happen early in the trade process, we were prepared to go in another direction.
"I'm planning on him to come in and be our starter."
The Seahawks also were interested in free agent quarterback Elvis Grbac, who was released by Kansas City.
"Signing Matt sets the table for me just a little bit," said Holmgren, whose Seahawks finished 6-10 in 2000, his second season as coach. "Now things have kind of laid out in front of me.
"For a lot of reasons, this was the right move to make."
Hasselbeck, speaking by telephone, said he hoped to help turn around the Seahawks' fortunes.
"This team's given up a lot to acquire me, and I've got a lot of responsibility not to let them down," Hasselbeck said.
"If I was going to be a backup anywhere, I would have stayed in Green Bay," he said. "The only reason I'm going anywhere is to be the starter."
Hasselbeck, 25, was drafted in the sixth round in 1998 out of Boston College.
In his three years in Green Bay, including his rookie season on the practice squad, Hasselbeck saw limited action because of Favre's durability. Favre has started an NFL record 141 consecutive regular season games.
The Seahawks were in search of a starting quarterback because Holmgren let his starting quarterback of the past two seasons, Jon Kitna, go as a free agent.
Last season, Hasselbeck completed 10 of 19 passes for 104 yards and one touchdown without an interception.
He also was the sure-handed holder for kicker Ryan Longwell on all the Packers' field goal and extra point attempts the past two seasons.
Hasselbeck's career statistics are 13-for-29 for 145 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. His career quarterback rating is 83.3.
Hasselbeck is familiar with Holmgren's West Coast offense, which relies on short crossing routes.
He has played in 32 games primarily on special teams as a holder on the field goal unit.
In exhibition games for Green Bay, Hasselbeck completed 79 of 127 pass attempts for 1,124 yards and 14 touchdowns with four interceptions for a 114.4 rating.
With Kitna and backup Brock Huard starting for Seattle at quarterback last year, the Seahawks had a disappointing season. But offense wasn't the only problem; Seattle's defense ranked last in the league.
Holmgren's record in two seasons in Seattle is 15-17.
He coached the Packers to two Super Bowls and coached the Seahawks into the playoffs in 1999, their first trip to the playoffs since 1988.
Hasselbeck is scheduled to be in Seattle on Monday for a news conference.
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