Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is sidelined two to four weeks because of a strained ligament in his right knee.
Hasselbeck, 31, strained the medial collateral ligament on the opening drive of the second half in Sunday's 31-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at Qwest Field.
Trainers attend to Matt Hasselbeck in Sunday's 31-13 Seahawks loss.
(Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
"There are three levels [of ligament damage]," Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren said. "He is right in the middle.
"He is on crutches for a few days. It could have been worse."
The injury occurred when Hasselbeck fell backwards as his right leg was pinned by the torso of linebacker E.J. Henderson on a third-down pass play.
An MRI later confirmed the strain.
"I was falling to the ground and [Seahawks fullback] Mack Strong kind of pushed me," Henderson recalled. "I definitely didn't mean to do it.
"It was definitely an accident. I hope he gets back soon."
"I don't think it was unavoidable," Hasselbeck countered. "But only he would know.
"I am sure he didn't try to put me out for a long period of time. But they didn't want me to finish the game, either."
Hasselbeck limped off the field and was replaced by Seneca Wallace, who will make his first NFL start when the Seahawks visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday (1 p.m. ET).
"I welcome all challenges," Wallace said. "This is what my job is."
Hasselbeck is a 58.6 per cent passer in six starts this season, having completed 103-of-176 pass attempts for 1,249 yards and 10 touchdowns with seven interceptions.
The two-time Pro Bowler has completed 1,445 of 2,381 passes (60.6%) for 17,174 yards and 106 touchdowns with 64 interceptions in 113 games (74 starts) over eight NFL seasons for the Green Bay Packers and Seahawks.
Hasselbeck was drafted out of Boston College in the sixth round (187th overall) by Green Bay in 1998.
With files from the Associated Press
