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Today in Patriots History
Don Hasselbeck
Don Hasselbeck
Happy 70th birthday to Don Hasselbeck
Born April 1, 1955 in Cincinnati
Patriot tight end, 1977-1983; uniform #80
Selected in the 2nd round (52nd overall) of the 1977 draft, from Colorado
Pats résumé: 7 seasons, 86 games (30 starts); 99 receptions for 1,444 yards (14.6 ypc) with 15 touchdowns; '77 All-Rookie Team; 1 TD in 2 playoff games
With Russ Francis already on the roster, Don Hasselbeck was not prominent in the passing game when he joined the Patriots. Initially he was utilized more as an additional lineman to block in the running game. At 6'7 he did make for a compelling red zone target though; Hasselbeck had four touchdown receptions his rookie season on just nine receptions.
After the end of the 1980 season, Francis suddenly retired at the age of 27, fed up with the Sullivan's cheapness. Russ had been named to the Pro Bowl but did not play due to an injury - and the miserly organization used that as an excuse to not pay him a bonus in his contract for being a Pro Bowler. More egregious was how Francis witnessed the team treat Darryl Stingley after he was paralyzed, attempting to cancel Stingley's life insurance.
Hasselbeck entered the void created by Francis' sudden departure and became the starting tight end in 1981. Despite missing two games with a knee injury, he caught 46 passes, which was just one off of the franchise single season record for a TE at that time. Hasselbeck had 808 yards receiving in '81, setting a team record for a TE. In addition his 17.6 yards per catch was best in the NFL by a tight end that year, and ranked fifth best by any receiver in the league that season.
In the strike shortened 1982 season, Ron Meyer split playing time at tight end between Hasselbeck and Lin Dawson, an '81 draft pick. The following year the Pats added Derrick Ramsey and Brooks Williams to the position, and there was a surplus of youth at the tight end position. Seven-year veteran Hasselbeck was shipped off to Oakland - where he won a super bowl ring with the Raiders. He spent one season each with the Raiders, Vikings and Giants, before retiring after the 1985 season.
Don Hasselbeck had 18 touchdowns in 123 NFL games, averaging 14.4 yards on 107 receptions. He played in 86 games with 30 starts while with the Patriots, with 99 receptions for 1,444 yards. Hasselbeck scored 15 touchdowns for the Patriots and averaged 14.6 yards per reception with the club.
2004 Cincinnati High School Sports Hall of Fame
Without question, Don Hasselbeck is the finest all-around athlete in La Salle High School history. He earned 13 varsity letters with the Lancers and was inducted in 1995 as a charter member of the school's Hall of Fame.
Don, who graduated from grade school at 6-foot-4, went on to become a Parade High School All-American in football, a collegiate All-American at the University of Colorado, and enjoyed nine seasons in the National Football League with New England, the Super Bowl champion Oakland Raiders, Minnesota and the New York Giants.
Hasselbeck was a two-way starter as tight end and defensive tackle at La Salle where he started for four straight seasons. Only partial statistics could be discovered on Hasselbeck, but he was an all-city selection in both football and basketball as both as junior and senior. He set a school record for 32 receptions for 416 yards as a junior at La Salle. Don was also a four-year starter in track. As an indication of his outstanding athletic ability, as a 6-foot-7 sophomore, he actually won the Greater Cincinnati League high jump title!
New England Patriots Alumni - Don Hasselbeck
Growing up in football-crazed Ohio, Don had three brothers (and two sisters) and all four boys played. By the time he was in eighth grade, Don was already 6-4 and Dad, a brewery builder, already had thoughts of his boy going to a football powerhouse like Ohio State, Michigan or Notre Dame.
“After I chose Colorado, I don’t think we talked for a year,” recalled Don.
“After I chose Colorado, I don’t think we talked for a year,” recalled Don.
They eventually made up and Don went on to have a fantastic career as a Buffalo tight end while majoring in Fine Arts/Design. He was drafted by New England in the second round in 1977, where he found himself backing up “All World” tight end Russ Francis.
Adjusting to the pros and New England wasn’t that simple for Hasselbeck. There wasn’t much in the way of guidance from the team level back then to help players make the jump from college to the pros. Then, there was the conditions of Schaeffer Stadium. Hasselbeck went from a first class program in Colorado to a place where “the weight room was smaller than a one-car garage.”
Eventually, Hasselbeck made the adjustment, enough so that he was elect a player representative, addressing collective bargaining issues with the team’s management.
Once football was finished, Don decided to put his education to use and he opened up an architectural design company and also earned his real estate license. He did well with his career choice, but over time, he wasn’t quite getting the enjoyment out of it he would have liked.
After reading the book, “What Color Is Your Parachute,” Don decided he needed to somehow get back into working with the game once again.
At the time Reebok was the No. 2 shoe manufacturer behind Nike, and Don saw an opportunity for them to tap into the football market. Reebok gave him a shot and he got a meeting set up with Lou Holtz at Notre Dame. Since then, things have worked out pretty well for Hasselbeck; he is now in charge of Reebok North, serving Maine across to Alaska with 26 sales reps all under his direction.
Don has also done well as a dad. His three sons, Tim, Matt and Nathaneal, all grew up loving and playing football. Tim and Matt played quarterback at Boston College and in the NFL and Nathaneal is currently a cornerback with Boston College.
Don Hasselbeck (2024) - CU Athletic Hall of Fame - University of Colorado Athletics
University of Colorado Athletics
cubuffs.com
Hasselbeck legacy of family and football continues at Xaverian
The Hasselbecks have a long and special relationship with Xaverian Brothers High School Football and this season there were three Hasselbecks involved with the Hawks.
www.boston25news.com
The most notable father-son stars in NFL history
There have been some notable father-son duos who have enjoyed sustained NFL success over the years. Here's our rankings of the 20 best.
www.yardbarker.com
Don Hasselbeck Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com
Checkout the latest stats for Don Hasselbeck. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.
www.pro-football-reference.com
