Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Hasselbeck advocates for cholesterol screening after father's cardiac arrest death

Three-time Pro Bowl backmost Matt Hasselbeck made definite to debar defenders erstwhile throwing passes successful his 18-year NFL career, but present helium makes definite that helium keeps his cholesterin down successful his post-playing days.

Hasselbeck’s father, Don Hasselbeck, passed distant abruptly astatine property 70 from cardiac arrest. Following his death, Hasselbeck’s parent urged him to get screened, and helium was humbled by his results.

"It was truly my ma who said to, you know, there's 3 boys successful our household and said, 'Boys, I privation you to get screened for everything, you know, calcium people successful your heart, humor pressure, LDL cholesterol,'" Hasselbeck told Fox News Digital successful a caller interrogation with the Family Heart Foundation.

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Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (8) of the Seattle Seahawks throws a walk successful the 2nd 4th against the Chicago Bears successful the 2011 NFC divisional playoff crippled astatine Soldier Field successful Chicago, Illinois, connected Jan. 16, 2011. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

"And we benignant of similar to beryllium honorable benignant of rolled my eyes astatine the cholesterin one, due to the fact that I was like, ‘Oh, that's for radical that are retired of shape, the radical that I crush connected the Peloton.’"

"I was humbled truly erstwhile my scores came back. A batch of my different scores were great, fantastic, and the cholesterin happening was excessively high, and I was shocked to beryllium honest, and I can't instrumentality recognition for taking ownership. I conscionable was trying to grant my ma benignant of successful a pugnacious clip for her and done the process accidentally astir apt helped myself rather a spot and astir apt helped my kids. It was eye-opening."

Hasselbeck has partnered with the Family Heart Foundation for their "Tackle Cholesterol: Get into the LDL Safe Zone" campaign. As a shot player, Hasselbeck said helium ever knew if helium was injured, but with cholesterol, the menace is invisible.

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(Left) Matt Hasselbeck, (middle) Don Hasselbeck, and (right) Tim Hasselbeck each airs for a photo.  (Courtesy of Matt Hasselbeck)

"When you're a shot player, a batch of the injuries that you have, you tin spot them. It's a shoulder, it's a knee, it's a precocious ankle sprain. It's similar orthopedic. With things similar LDL cholesterol, it's invisible. And you tin workout each you privation oregon devour arsenic large arsenic you want, but if you aren't successful that harmless portion of wherever you request to beryllium cholesterol-wise, it tin pb to each kinds of antithetic issues, and cardiac apprehension is 1 of them," Hasselbeck said.

Hasselbeck, who has a household past of cardiovascular disease, urges families and fans to get screened. Hasselbeck hopes radical will visit CholesterolConnect.org for much accusation oregon to bid a free, one-time at-home cholesterin screening.

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Former Seattle Seahawks backmost Matt Hasselbeck greets fans earlier the NFC Championship crippled against the Los Angeles Rams astatine Lumen Field successful Seattle, Washington, connected Jan. 25, 2026. (Jane Gershovich/Getty Images)

"I'm truly passionate astir trying to archer everyone it's the easiest happening ever to get screened. Get screened, find retired what your numbers are, find retired what those numbers mean, and past you'll cognize however to little your risk," Hasselbeck said.

Hasselbeck played for 4 antithetic teams successful his 18-year career: 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, 3 with the Indianapolis Colts, 2 with the Green Bay Packers, and 2 with the Tennessee Titans. In 209 games, helium completed 60.5% of his passes for 36,638 yards with 212 touchdowns and 153 interceptions.

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