The Official Site Of The Seattle Seahawks' Sea Hawkers Booster Club

2002 Most Improved Player - Matt Hasselbeck
Article By: Will Harrison

Last summer Matt Hasselbeck was the forgotten man. Overshadowed by new starter Trent Dilfer, forgotten after a disappointing first season, many had all but written off the young signal caller from Boston College. Now, with the Seahawks perhaps on the brink of the success that has eluded them for so long, Hasselbeck is no longer an afterthought but the most vital piece of the puzzle.

In 2002 Seahawk fans were witness to the resurrection of Matt Hasselbeck’s career. Coming into the Dallas game on October 27 after the season-ending injury to Trent Dilfer, Hasselbeck led a gutsy comeback effort and won a game nobody wanted Seattle to win. Sadly, it was not enough to rescue a season already lost, but it was a start, and by all accounts it was the moment that Matt Hasselbeck became the leader of this team.

As the weeks passed and injuries mounted with each loss, it looked like the Seahawks were finished. Then, when former division rival Kansas City came to town, Mike Holmgren let Hasselbeck off the leash. What followed was six weeks of the most prolific offensive performance in team history. Matt Hasselbeck broke Seattle’s 19-year old record for most yards passing in a game, then broke it again four weeks later. He led Seattle to wins in four of their final six games, beating such teams as the playoff-bound Falcons and the St. Louis Rams. More to the point, he found ways to win, he carried this team on his back when necessary, and he gave Seahawk fans hope that the quarterback they had sought for years had finally arrived.

Matt Hasselbeck received the Sea Hawkers Most Improved Player award for 2002, and with good reason. The progression in Hasselbeck’s game is apparent even to the most hardened skeptic. His accuracy has improved, his decision making has improved, his command of the game has improved and, most importantly, his leadership skills have improved. This team now believes in Matt Hasselbeck. Less than a year after most had given up on him, Hasselbeck now has a chance to bring this team back to greatness. Most Improved Player, indeed.