Colts sign Matt Hasselbeck for 2 years, $8 million

Mike Garafolo and Jim Wyatt, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay started his Tuesday morning with an early tweet from Phoenix that announced the signing of quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.

The 10:12 a.m. tweet read, "New signing," with a link to a brief Colts.com story timed four minutes earlier. The addition of a 14-year NFL veteran to back up Luck had been reported Monday by USA TODAY Sports. Hasselbeck had been released by Tennessee for cap reasons earlier in the day.

While the Colts' deal with Hasselbeck wasn't finalized by late Monday night, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told USA TODAY Sports' Bob Kravitz that it was expected to be completed Tuesday. The person said the deal is for two years and $8 million. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity, because the terms were not to be made public.

Hasselbeck, who turns 38 in September, has passed for 34,517 yards, including a Seattle franchise record 29,434. He owns most Seahawks passing marks, is a three-time Pro Bowl selection and led the team to Super Bowl XL. He has a 80-72 record as an NFL starter.

Hasselbeck was scheduled to count $7.5 million against the salary cap in the final year of a contract with the Titans, and the price was too steep to pay Jake Locker's backup. A contract restructuring couldn't be agreed upon, and Hasselbeck was released.

The Colts lost reserve quarterback Drew Stanton to free agency and the only quarterback on the roster other than Luck was Chandler Harnish, who finished his rookie year on the practice squad.

Hasselbeck is joining his fourth NFL team. Green Bay selected him in the sixth round of the 1998 draft. A practice-squad player as a rookie, he made his Packers debut in 1999.

When Packers coach Mike Holmgren went to Seattle, he traded for Hasselbeck in 2001. He was with the Seahawks through 2010, then signed a three-year deal with the Tennessee Titans in 2011.

Hasselbeck was 2-3 as a Titans starter for an injured Locker last season. One of those games was a 19-13 overtime loss at home to the Colts on Oct. 28. He completed 22-of-29 passes for 236 yards with one touchdown pass.



