April 15 (UPI) — Former New England Patriots tight end Don Hasselbeck — the father of two former NFL quarterbacks — who won a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Raiders in 1984, has died, his family announced. He was 70.
Hasselbeck’s oldest son, Matt, said his dad died Monday after going into cardiac arrest.
“It is with deep sorrow that we share the passing of our father, Don Hasselbeck, who suffered cardiac arrest and passed away [Monday],” Matt wrote on X and Instagram. “We want to thank our parents’ neighbors and all the medical professionals who came to his aid.
“He was a great husband, father, grandfather, friend, coach, player, coworker, artist, mentor, and storyteller. Despite being an All-American at Colorado and a Super Bowl Champion with the Raiders, what we are most proud of is the leader he was for our family.”
Hasselbeck, a Cincinnati native, spent four years at Colorado. He went on to become a second-round pick by the Patriots in the 1977 NFL Draft. Hasselbeck went on to appear in 86 games for the Patriots. He totaled 99 catches for 1,444 yards and 15 scores during that span. The Patriots traded the tight end to the Raiders in 1983.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Matt Hasselbeck (@hasselbeck)
Hasselbeck appeared in three games for the Raiders that postseason. He failed to make a catch in the Raiders’ Super Bowl XVIII appearance, but blocked an extra point in the 38-9 win over the Washington Redskins.
The nine-year veteran went on to spent his final two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants. He appeared in 123 games during his NFL career. Hasselbeck totaled 107 catches for 1,542 yards and 18 scores.
He is survived by his wife, Betsy, and sons Matt, a 17-year NFL veteran who spent the majority of his career as a quarterback with the Seattle Seahawks, Tim, who was a backup quarterback for several franchises during a seven-year NFL tenure, and Nathanael; and several grandchildren.
“He helped set our feet on solid ground,” Matt wrote on social media. “Married to and in love with our mom, Betsy, for 50 years, they built their house on the rock of Jesus Christ. Our dad’s prayer journals, in his meticulous handwriting and in a rainbow of pen colors, hold each of our names and needs.
“Many of you who have known our father, have been thoughtfully prayed for in the pages of his journals. There is a 6-foot-7 hole in our hearts. He will be so missed by so many. We are beyond grateful that he was our dad and look forward to Heaven and being all together again.”
