Hasselback Says Back is "A-OK"

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck missed more than half of last season because of a bulging disk in his back,which caused nerve issues down his leg, the most he'd been out since becoming the Seattle Seahawks' starting quarterback for good in 2002.

With Hasselbeck out, the Seahawks had an abnormally down season and missed the playoffs for the first time in five seasons, with the down seasons comes the teams highest selection since 1997, when it drafted cornerback Shawn Springs third overall.

With the 4th overall pick, many are suggesting that the Seahawks select their next "Franchise Quarterback", either Georgia's Matt Stafford, or USC's Mark Sanchez. Hasselbeck says if his Seahawks want to draft a quarterback, they should provide a seat for the rookie on the bench.

"They can do whatever they want to do," Hasselbeck said after his first practice day since early December. "But I'm not going anywhere."

Hasselbeck's season was ended following a crunching hit from Dallas' DeMarcus Ware on Thanksgiving Day. Doctors told him his rested body should heal itself by the end of January and it apparently did, as Hasselbeck did not need surgery, but missed nine games.

He is entering the fifth year of a six-year, $47 million contract with $16 million in guarantees. His cap number is to be about $9.5 million in 2009, leading to speculation the Seahawks may cut him for financial reasons, or at least seek to renegotiate his base salaries of $5.25 million and $5.75 million for each of the final two years of his deal.

When Hasselbeck was asked for a prognosis of his health, he responded, "I'm not a doctor but is A-Ok a prognosis, I'm A-Ok!"

Hasselbeck is happy with his progress and is hoping this weeks Mini-camp will help them to decide to hold-off on drafting his replacement.

"I mean, you could do that, that's your prerogative," Hasselbeck said of drafting a hot shot quarterback. "It won't change anything I do. I'm getting ready to play football this year. I am going to play football this year. I'm not concerned at all (about my back). It's always been a joke for me. I don't feel good about first rounders ... because I was a sixth-round pick. I don't watch the draft on Saturday. I watch the draft on Sunday."

Hasselbeck wasn't done with his rant against the draft. He is still stung at not even being invited to the NFL combine while coming out of Boston College, before he became a compensatory pick by Green Bay in 1998.

"What's his name, Mel Kiper?" Hasselbeck said. "Yeah, when I was picked, with pick 187, I think his exact words were something like, 'That's a waste of a pick.' "

If he wants to sway the Seahawks decision to hold-off on drafting his replacement, he needs to get to work, he looked really rusty throwing, but was far more fluid than while coming back in November for three losses before he stayed out for good. He believes exercises to strengthen his torso have made him a stronger thrower.

Some of those exercises came in work with noted physiotherapist Rick Celebrini. A former Canadian national and professional soccer player, Celebrini was recruited by two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash early in the fellow Canadian's basketball career to help Nash with his ailing back related to a congenital back condition, spondylolisthesis.

The 11-year pro found 2008 even more frustrating because of the way the team treated his health situation. Doctors told him in October that if nothing more happened to his back he could avoid surgery. Hasselbeck says now he should have just been shut down for the end of an already lost season that ended with a 4-12 record, instead of the week-to-week wait and see game he had to go through.

A career 60.1% passer, Hasselbeck has amassed 23,549 yards, with 147 TD's and 94 Int's, along with 960 rushing yards and 5 TD's