No NFL analyst knows Colts quarterback Matt Hasselbeck better than his brother, former NFL quarterback Tim Hasselbeck. And Tim was refreshingly candid today when assessing the news that Matt has to step in and start for the injured Andrew Luck, potentially for up to six weeks.
Tim Hasselbeck said on ESPN this afternoon that he thinks it’s going to be awfully tough for his brother, at 40 years old, to hold up to the pounding of six weeks as a starting quarterback.
“They have a 40-year-old backup that maybe has to play for six weeks, get you all the way to Week 16 of the NFL season before you potentially get Andrew Luck back,” Hasselbeck said. “I know my brother played well in the two games he started this season, but I think anyone can attest . . . it’s one thing when it’s a shorter injury and you have a backup that’s going to play one week, two weeks, three weeks maybe. We’re in a situation where they have a 40-year-old quarterback that’s potentially going to play half of their football games this year. Half of them!”
It’s not impossible to play the quarterback position past age 40: Brett Favre had a very good season at 40, Doug Flutie played pretty well at 41, Warren Moon played pretty well at 42, and Vinny Testaverde was still hanging on at 44. But Tim Hasselbeck is right that those players are the exception, rather than the rule.
The Colts are hoping that Matt Hasselbeck can prove to be another exception. But in case he’s not, they’d better find another backup quarterback. Maybe Tim Hasselbeck is interested.