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Matt Hasselbeck: New Seahawks QB Sam Darnold is 'a lot like me'

When it comes to the hierarchy of quarterbacks in Seattle Seahawks history, Matt Hasselbeck certainly ranks near the top of the list.

Huard: Watch Darnold’s center with Vikings as a Seattle Seahawks target

Hasselbeck led the Seahawks to five NFC West titles and their first-ever Super Bowl appearance during the 2005 season, and is second in franchise history in passing yards (29,434) and third in passing TDs (174). But things didn’t click right away at the NFL level for Hasselbeck, who spent his first three seasons in the league as a backup for Brett Favre with the Green Bay Packers.

When he came to the Seahawks in a 2001 trade to join his former coach in Green Bay, Mike Holmgren, Hasselbeck took over the starting role. However, the results weren’t great early. He threw more interceptions (eight) than touchdowns (seven) and completed just 54.8% of his passes in 13 games during his first season as the starter.

Fast forward 24 years later, and the Seahawks are set to enter a new era at quarterback with Sam Darnold, who also had his share of struggles early in his pro career.

During a conversation with Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Wednesday, Hasselbeck described why he sees a lot of himself in Darnold.

“I think Sam Darnold’s a lot like me,” Hasselbeck said. “Played way before he was ready to play (as an NFL starting quarterback), didn’t do very well, had to kind of humble himself (and) take a step back to take two steps forward.”

‘He was handled poorly’

Darnold was drafted out of USC with the No. 3 overall pick of the 2018 draft by the New York Jets. He was just 21 years old at the time, yet he was immediately thrust into the starting role for a team that had just went 5-11 and ranked in the bottom third of the league in sacks allowed.

In that first season, Darnold completed just 57.7% of his passes and had nearly as many interceptions (15) as touchdowns (17). Those numbers were better than Hasselbeck’s were in 2001, but the NFL has become a much more pass-friendly league over the 17 years between their first seasons as starters.

Hasselbeck started to turn the corner in his second season as a starter and really broke through the following year in 2003 when he made his first Pro Bowl in his age-28 season. Darnold, who was a three-year starter with the Jets and spent another year as the starter for the Carolina Panthers, had quite a bit more regular-season run by the time he experienced a career resurgence and earned a Pro Bowl nod with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024. However, he was still just 27 years old.

“Some guys just need more time. I was 17 as a freshman in college. I bloomed a little bit later than I should have,” Hasselbeck said. “I think Sam Darnold, if I’m remembering correctly, when he was coming out in that draft he was much younger. So for the Jets to throw him out there instead of letting him sit behind Josh McCown, I thought the Jets – surprise, surprise – did him a huge disservice.

“So that was a terrible place to go. He was handled poorly, he fell on his face.”

Related: Which version of Darnold are Seattle Seahawks getting?

Co-host Mike Salk asked Hasselbeck about what quarterbacks can learn from early struggles like he and Darnold had.

“You learn from all of it,” Hasselbeck said. “… He probably won’t say I was ‘seeing ghosts,’ at the press conference anymore. He’ll remember going up against certain defensive coordinators, like, ‘Oh hey, don’t fall for that trap again.’ He’s just weathered all these storms. He’s learned how to be a better leader.”

Hasselbeck compared Darnold’s learning experience and development in the NFL to that of former Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith, another Jets draft pick who was pressed straight into a starting role and considered to be a bust following early struggles in New York.

“(Daronld’s) been around people like Josh McCown, like (San Francisco head coach) Kyle Shanahan. You grab bits and pieces from their game and make it your own, and I would say much the same way that Geno Smith did,” Hasselbeck said. “Geno Smith fell on his face when he first came into the NFL, and then to see throughout the course of his career, he took bits and pieces of all these great quarterbacks that he was around, whether it was a Eli Manning or Phillip Rivers or even a Russell Wilson.

“I just think Sam Darnold’s done an amazing job of that. I think he’s ready to lead and I think Seattle is a great fit.”

Something left to prove

Hasselbeck was impressed with the season Darnold put together in Minnesota last season. The USC product set career bests in every significant category, from completion percentage (66.2%), to passing yards (4,319), to passing TDs (35).

Couldn't have asked for a better start.#ProBowlVote Sam Darnold Jordan Addison

📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/HDIHBNN843

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 22, 2024

But Darnold did struggle in Minnesota’s final regular season contest and lone playoff game, which leaves the quarterback with something to prove moving forward.

“I think the thing that he’s gonna have to prove is just kind of that clutch gene, just making those plays that need to be made in playoff games or just like in big games. That’s gonna be the thing,” Hasselbeck said. “ I equate it to … when I coach quarterbacks. There’s a lot of quarterbacks that can make that throw, just like there’s a lot of golfers that could make that putt. But the difference between good and great – the guys who do it consistently for a long time– are the guys that make the putt on the first try when the putt needs to be made.

“It’s the same thing for a quarterback. You make the throw (on) the one opportunity when it arises.”

Hear the full conversation at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Listen to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.