Matt Hasselbeck Advocates for Heart Health Awareness
Former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who had a distinguished 18-year career, is now focusing on maintaining his cholesterol levels after the sudden loss of his father, Don, to cardiac arrest at the age of 70. This personal tragedy prompted his mother to urge him and his brothers to undergo heart-related tests, which left Hasselbeck feeling quite alarmed by the results.
“We have three boys in our family, and it was really my mom who said, ‘I want you all to get your heart calcium checked, your blood pressure, your LDL cholesterol, all these tests,'” he shared in a recent conversation with the Family Heart Foundation.
Initially, he had a bit of skepticism regarding the importance of cholesterol testing. “To be honest, we rolled our eyes at the cholesterol thing because we thought that was just for sick people, you know, those who I admire in Peloton,” he admitted.
However, the results were a bit of a wake-up call for him. “A lot of my other scores were fine, but my cholesterol numbers were alarmingly high, which honestly shocked me,” he reflected. Hasselbeck acknowledged that this experience also turned out to be beneficial for him and his kids, stating, “I just happened to help myself quite a bit and, probably, my kids as well. It was an eye-opener.”
He’s now involved with the Family Heart Foundation’s “Tackling Cholesterol: Entering the LDL Safety Zone” campaign. As someone who had to navigate visible injuries during his playing days, he emphasized how cholesterol-related issues are often invisible. “When you’re a football player, a lot of the injuries you have are visible. You can see the sprains and injuries. But things like LDL cholesterol, you can’t see them,” he noted. This invisible threat can potentially lead to serious health issues.
With a family history of cardiovascular disease, Hasselbeck is advocating for both his family and fans to get tested. He hopes people will visit CholesterolConnect.org for more information and to request a complimentary at-home cholesterol test.
“It’s really the easiest thing ever. Just get tested, know your numbers, learn what they mean, and you’ll understand how to reduce your risk,” he emphasized.
During his NFL career, Hasselbeck played with four teams: ten seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, three with the Indianapolis Colts, two with the Green Bay Packers, and two with the Tennessee Titans. He participated in 209 games, completing over 60% of his passes for a total of 36,638 yards, along with 212 touchdowns and 153 interceptions.
