If you could look into an eight ball and ask it “Will Matt Hasselbeck be done after this season?” What do you think it would say? Well some fans and analyst believe that he still has 2-3 years left in him and that all Seattle needs to do is get him a great offensive line to protect him. Others will say that this should be his final year, not only in Seattle but in the NFL and that he should retire.

In the end, the Seahawks 2009 season should be and will be his final year in the NFL and with the Seattle Seahawks. Now there are many reason behind all this.

The Seahawks are currently looking around the league to find their long term GM after Tim Ruskell resigned on December 2nd, with only three months left on his five year contract.

Usually when their is new outside GM coming into an organization they always look to put “their fingerprint” on the organization. Ruskell did that, however he took the Matt Millen approach and take what was a great Seahawks organization form 1999-2005 and just dismantle the entire team.

Only five players are left from that 2005 Super Bowl roster. QB Matt Hasselbeck, LT Walter Jones, C Chris Spencer, MLB Lofa Tatupu, OLB Leroy Hill and CB Marucs Trufant. Hasselbeck and Jones are on their last breath and recently Jones has been contemplating retirement from the NFL.

Everyone else is gone and in the last two years the Seahawks have gone 8-19.

Now with a new GM coming in, possibly Mike Holmgren, the team might get a complete face lift starting a QB,RB and LT on offense.

Some people might think if Holmgren becomes the GM that Matt Hasselbeck is a lock to stay. That’s not the case with Holmgren, who prefers youth when taking over as a GM. He released Warren Moon after he became the GM in 1999 for the young Matt Hasselbeck.

Now with two first round picks, whoever is the GM would be in a great position to draft a great QB for the long term.

However its not just been this season that has led to his exit from the NFL. It’s been a steady decline since 2007.

Here is Matt Hasselbeck since the Seahawks Super Bowl run of 2005. He’s missed games in 06,08 and 09 as well as having a injury plagued offense.

2006: 12 games played, 210/371, 56.6 completion percentage, 2,442 yards, 18 TD’s, 15 Int’s, 6.6 avg per play and a 76 QB rating.

2007: 16 games played, 352/562, 62.6 completion percentage, 3,966 yards, 28 TD’s, 12 Int’s, 7.1 avg per play and a 91.4 QB rating.

2008: 7 games played, 109/209, 52.2 completion percentage, 1,216 yards, 5 TD’s, 10 Int’s, 5.8 avg per play and a 57.8 QB rating.

2009 (to date): 10 games played, 208/340, 61.2 completion percentage, 2,153 yards, 13 TD’s, 7 Int’s, 6.3 avg per play and a 83.6 QB rating.

Before the start of the 2006 season Hasselbeck only missed five total games. Since then he’s missed 15 games to date. More than recently his hair is now starting to fit. Then again Matt doesn’t have hair and when you don’t have hair no more on your head then its time to leave the game.

Here is an image of all the injuries Matt Hasselbeck has had in his 11 year career. A lot are more than one in the same place. Three shoulder injuries, two rib injuries, two back injuries, two thigh injuries, and two knee injuries.

A lot of those areas are key for a QB to have success especially shoulder and back.

This season it’s been increasingly obvious that Hasselbeck’s decision making has become a major problem. Not throwing to all his open receivers and instead throwing into double and triple coverage.

Hasselbeck is showing signs that the game has passes him by and it’s time to hang up the cleats and helmet.

Most likely the Seahawks will take one of the highly touted draft prospect QB’s like Jimmy Clausen, Sam Bradford, Tony Pike and depending on his decision the Seahawks might have a shot a Washington’s own Jake Locker which would make many Seahawks fans ecstatic.

So with all that being said these final games again the Houston Texas, Tennessee Titans and Green Bay Packers (ironic) will most likely be the final three of his great and storied NFL Career.

If this is his last season Hasselbeck would finish his career with over 25,000 yards passing, 160 touchdowns, a 60+ completion percentage (depending on the last few games) and playing over 150 games (155 if he stays healthy the rest of the way).

One thing is for sure. If Hasselbeck does decided to leave the game of football, his great number eight will for sure be retired and inducted into the Seahawks ring on honor that wraps around Qwest Field.

If not and he does decided to finish out is contract which doesn’t expire until next off season, he will have another shot at a Super Bowl title if the new GM gets him a new LT and a new RB.