Matt Hasselbeck spent 17 years in the NFL as a quarterback. A good number of them ranking among the best in the business. He went to three Pro Bowls and led his team to a Super Bowl appearance in 2005. He also spent most of the twilight of his career as a backup. Few understand the highs and lows of professional football like him. Few also understand the true value of quarterback mentoring like he does, which is why he was a huge supporter when the Bears signed Mark Sanchez a few months back.
While fans everywhere groaned at the idea of signing the man responsible for the Butt Fumble, Hasselbeck knew Sanchez personally and professionally. He understood exactly what the veteran QB brought to the table and what he could do for the Bears after they drafted Mitch Trubisky in April.
GM Ryan Pace said Sanchez brought so much to the table with his experience, intelligence and team-first mentality. He was just the sort of mentor they wanted to help Trubisky acclimate to the NFL lifestyle as quickly as possible. Hasselbeck explained what he meant using a story of his own.
Matt Hasselbeck thinks Mark Sanchez invaluable to Trubisky
Back in 2002 Hasselbeck had recently become the starter. The Seahawks went into Kansas City against the Chiefs and he was booed mercilessly during warm-ups. It was difficult to deal with. Longtime veteran and renowned head case Jeff George noticed something was wrong and came up to talk to him.
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“He was like, ‘What’s wrong, man?’ ” Hasselbeck recalled. “I just told him, ‘You wouldn’t believe some of the stuff people just said to me out there.’ He was like, ‘Oh man, that’s nothing.’ ”
George told Hasselbeck a story from early in his long career.
“There’s a fight up in the stands, and all the guys on the sideline are like, ‘Hey, it’s a fight. Check it out,’ ” Hasselbeck recalled. “He looks up, and it’s his family just throwing haymakers to all the people sitting around them.”
That little exchange seemed innocent at the time, but it calmed the young QB down and he went on to have a big game, which Seattle won. That’s why to this day he’s a big proponent of teams signing older veterans with lots of starting experience, good or bad. The benefits can never be fully appreciated.
“I don’t think people around the league are thinking, Jeff George, quarterback mentor,” Hasselbeck said. “But Jeff George was a huge quarterback mentor for me.”
And that’s why Hasselbeck is a fan of the Bears’ decision to sign and keep Sanchez around.
“I actually love that they’re over-investing in the quarterback position,” he said.
It’s this and more that Sanchez is doing for Trubisky. He has no right to complain either. Despite not being active on Sundays the Bears are still paying him $1 million. This to basically be a tutor. There are worse jobs to have on this planet.
