Former NFL tight end Don Hasselbeck, a Super Bowl champion during his nine-year career and father to two NFL quarterbacks, passed away on Monday at the age of 70. His son, Matt, shared that Don died after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home.
Matt Hasselbeck posted on social media, honoring his father as “a great husband, father, grandfather, friend, coach, player, coworker, artist, mentor, and storyteller.” He added, “Despite being an All-American at Colorado and a Super Bowl Champion with the Raiders, what we are most proud of is the leader he was for our family.”
Hasselbeck was drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 1977 NFL Draft after a stellar college career at Colorado. He played six full seasons with the Patriots, leading the team in receptions in 1981 with 46, along with 808 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
In 1983, he was traded to the Raiders, where he played a key role in their victory in Super Bowl XVIII. Hasselbeck caught two touchdowns during the regular season and blocked an extra point in the Super Bowl’s 38-9 win over Washington.
He later played one season with the Minnesota Vikings before finishing his career with the New York Giants in 1985, where he caught a touchdown pass in a playoff victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
Over the course of his career, Hasselbeck recorded 107 catches, 1,542 receiving yards, and 18 touchdowns in 123 regular-season games.
Don’s legacy continued through his sons, Matt and Tim, both of whom played quarterback in the NFL. Matt earned three Pro Bowl selections and started in a Super Bowl for the Seattle Seahawks in 2005, while Tim mostly served as a backup quarterback.