Lombardi Trophy (Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
Don Hasselbeck, a former NFL star tight end and father of quarterbacks Matt and Tim Hasselbeck, has sadly passed away.
Matt Hasselbeck announced on X/Twitter that his father passed away on Monday after suffering cardiac arrest at his home. Matt thanked his parents’ neighbors and the medical professionals who came to their father’s aid.
Don Hasselbeck celebrated his 70th birthday on April 1.
A standout tight end at Colorado, Hasselbeck was drafted in the second round (52nd overall) by the New England Patriots in 1997. The 6-foot-7, 245-pound Hasselbeck spent his first six full NFL seasons there before landing with the Los Angeles Raiders in 1983.
Hasselbeck helped the Raiders upset Washington 38-9 in Super Bowl 18 to deny the NFC club of a repeat. In that game, Don Hasselbeck blocked Mark Moseley’s only extra point attempt following a John Riggins rushing touchdown in the third quarter.
Don and his wife, Betsy, had three sons: Matt, Tim and Nathanael. Matt was a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, leading them to the franchise’s first Super Bowl appearance in the 2005 season.
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Tim Hasselbeck had a brief career as a backup QB, making five starts for Washington in the 2003 season. Both Matt and Tim went on to have successful tenures as NFL analysts at ESPN.
Our thoughts are with the Hasselbeck family and Don’s friends during this difficult time.
Don Hasselbeck Had His Best Season In 1981
Don Hasselbeck (Photo via Raiders.com)
Hasselbeck’s best statistical season came in 1981 as a member of the Patriots, when he hauled in a team-leading 46 receptions for 808 yards and six touchdowns (tied with Stanley Morgan for the team lead).
Over his nine NFL seasons (Hasselbeck also played for the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings), he compiled 107 receptions for 1,542 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Raiders Superstar Maxx Crosby Lands Major College Football Job
Maxx Crosby (Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)
Las Vegas Raiders superstar Maxx Crosby is getting an awfully early head start on a potential front office position following his playing career.
Per ESPN’s Ryan McFadden, the Eastern Michigan Eagles football program announced that Maxx Crosby has been hired as their assistant general manager. The 27-year-old spent his four college seasons at Eastern Michigan before the Raiders selected him in the fourth round (106th overall) in 2019.
McFadden pointed out that Crosby is the first active NFL player to hold an assistant GM position. It was also noted that the Raiders star will help the Eagles evaluate prospects, manage their name, likeness, image (NIL) budget and work with the alumni relations and fundraising departments while lending his hand to student-athlete support.
Now, Maxx Crosby is obviously in the midst of his prime and just agreed to a three-year contract extension worth $106.5 million. But if his assistant GM job goes well, he’ll have already strengthened his resume to work an NFL front office gig whenever he walks away from the game.
The Eagles finished 5-7 last season, dropping their final five games after a promising 5-2 start. They’ll kick off their 2025 season on the road against the Texas State Bobcats on Aug. 30.
Maxx Crosby & Raiders Look To Turn A Corner In 2025
Maxx Crosby (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
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One year after finishing 8-9, the Raiders entered 2024 with much higher expectations. But nothing went right for a team that limped to a 4-13 finish, dead-last in an AFC West division that sent three teams to the postseason.
The team brought in future Hall of Famer and longtime Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll to fix the culture of the losing team. They also acquired ex-Seahawks Pro Bowl quarterback Geno Smith to provide more stability at the game’s most important position.
With two notable changes there, Maxx Crosby and the Raiders should be much better in 2025. We’ll see if it culminates in a return to the plaoffs.
