Jalen Hurts‘ versatility places stress on defenses in multiple ways, and the Kansas City Chiefs will have to be at their best to slow Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles‘ potent rushing attack in Super Bowl LVII, Matt Cassel and Marty Mornhinweg say.
Matt Cassel
Pro Bowl Quarterback
Matt Cassel is a former NFL quarterback who played with seven teams in his NFL career, most notably the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys.
He rose to prominence in 2008 after entering the opening game for an injured Tom Brady. He led the Patriots to an 11-5 record and became the first quarterback in NFL history with 10 wins, 325 completions, a 63% completion mark, 3,600 passing yards, 20 touchdown passes, 11 or fewer interceptions, and 250 rushing yards in a single season.
Cassel was traded to the Chiefs following that season and guided them to their first divisional title in five years in 2010. He also made the Pro Bowl as an alternate—coincidentally replacing an injured Brady.
A seventh-round draft pick out of USC, he spent his entire career as a backup to quarterbacks Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart – both Heisman Trophy winners. His only start was at H-back, and he finished his career at Southern California completing a mere 20 of 33 pass attempts over four years. In spite of that limited playing time, Cassel was drafted ahead of several more-accomplished college quarterbacks.
A starter in the NFL 81 times, Cassel finished his NFL career with 17,508 yards, 1,578 completions on 2,683 attempts (58.8 percent) and 104 touchdowns.
A native of Los Angeles, Cassel graduated from Chatsworth Charter High School, where he was a multisport star (football, basketball, baseball). As a senior, he was ranked among the top quarterbacks in the country, but also had early success in baseball. He was the starting first baseman of the 2014 Northridge team that made the Little League World Series. Two of Cassel’s siblings, Jack and Justin, were professional pitchers, with Jack having a brief stint in the majors.
Cassel is married and lives in Missouri. He is also an analyst for NBC Sports Boston.
NFL Conspiracy Theories: Brady’s 49ers vs. Rodgers’ Jets in 2024 Super Bowl
Could Tom Brady’s 49ers end up facing off with Aaron Rodgers‘ New York Jets in Super Bowl LVIII? Marty Mornhinweg and Matt Cassel discuss this wild NFL conspiracy theory and whether or not it could become a reality.
Bill O’Brien Perfect Coordinator for Mac Jones, Patriots
The New England Patriots brought back Bill O’Brien as the team’s new offensive coordinator this week. An offensive assistant and coordinator for the Patriots from 2007-2011, O’Brien is the perfect hire for the team, not just because of his familiarity with the franchise, but with third-year quarterback Mac Jones in particular. Already using the same […]
Nick ‘Pipes’ Sirianni Perfect Man to Lead Eagles to Super Bowl
Matt Cassel has known Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni longer than most, dating back to their days together in Kansas City in 2009. Looking back on their experiences together and Sirianni’s rise to the Eagles’ coaching job, Cassel explains the reasons why “Pipes” was going to be successful as an NFL head coach, and […]
If Defense Wins Championships, Chiefs and Bengals Might Be in Trouble
The Chiefs and Bengals have explosive offenses, but neither might be enough to combat the two best defenses in the NFL — the Eagles and 49ers. Matt Cassel and Marty Mornhinweg discuss whether the old mantra of “defense wins championships” remains true.
Will Philadelphia Eagles Be Too Much for Brock Purdy?
Matt Cassel and Marty Mornhinweg commend 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy on his early career success but acknowledge that a road playoff game in Philadelphia is a tall task for any quarterback … especially a rookie.
To Win Divisional Rematch, Giants Must Prep as if Hurts Fully Healthy
Jalen Hurts missed Weeks 16 and 17 with a shoulder injury, but he returned in the Eagles’ Week 18 win over the New York Giants. Hurts likely is less than 100 percent despite coming off the team’s injury report earlier this week. His ability to take over games and dominate as a passer and a […]
NFL QB Power Rankings: NFC East Takes Major Leaps
Former NFL quarterback Matt Cassel provides his weekly QB rankings. These are his rankings of the eight quarterbacks left standing in the playoffs (all stats include regular season and playoffs): Divisional Round QB Rankings 1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs Team Record: 14-3 | QBR: 77.6 | Pass TD: 41 | Last Week’s Rank: 1 […]
Would You Take Josh Allen or Joe Burrow Over Next 3 Years?
Matt Cassel breaks down why he flipped Josh Allen and Joe Burrow in his weekly quarterback rankings. Of the two AFC studs, which would Cassel choose if he were an offensive coordinator? The ability to make something out of nothing is a deciding factor.
Giants QB Daniel Jones Can Make Every Throw He’ll Need
Much has been made of a franchise quarterback’s need for elite “arm talent” in the modern NFL. Matt Cassel explains why Daniel Jones is a perfect example of a QB who can make plays and get the job done, even without a rocket arm like Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen.