Matt Hasselbeck is getting set to enter his 17th season on an NFL roster. If he has any say in the matter, it won’t be his last.
After 11 seasons serving as a starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans, Hasselbeck has been relegated to mostly backup duties over the last two seasons. After passing the reins to Jake Locker in Tennessee, Hasselbeck is now the backup quarterback to Andrew Luck in Indianapolis.
Hasselbeck is in the final year of his contract with the Colts and hopes to remain with the franchise beyond the 2014 season.
“Ideally, that would be a dream come true,” Hasselbeck said, via Kevin Bowen of the team’s official website.
Hasselbeck only appeared in three games for the Colts last season. He completed 7 of 12 passes for 130 yards with an interception in his limited duty.
Luck is entering the third year of his rookie contract, meaning he will be able to renegotiate a new contract with the Colts after this season. While keeping a more expensive backup on the roster is easy to do when the starter isn’t making top dollar, if Luck cashes in for a new mega-deal next offseason, Hasselbeck’s veteran salary may become too much for the Colts to carry.