Player Info

Matt Cassel

Quarterback, Kansas City Chiefs

Career Highlights: Matt Cassel had a major career breakthrough at quarterback last season when started the final 15 games for the New England Patriots following a season-ending knee injury to reigning NFL MVP Tom Brady in the first quarter of the 2008 season opener against Kansas City…Ironically, during the offseason, the Patriots traded Cassel to the Chiefs…Last season for the Patriots, Cassel completed 327-of-516 passes (63.4 pct.) for 3,693 yards, 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, compiling a passer rating of 89.4…His 63.4 percent completion rate was the third-highest in franchise history and his completion total and passer rating ranked sixth in single-season franchise annals…Cassel’s passing yardage total placed eighth in team history and his 21 touchdowns were the most by a Patriots quarterback in his first year as a full-time starter since Tony Eason had 23 touchdown passes in 1984…Cassel threw for 400 or more yards in back to back games (Nov. 13 and Nov. 23), becoming just the fifth quarterback in NFL history to have 400 or more passing yards in consecutive games… For the season, Cassel rushed for 270 yards and two touchdowns, recording the fifth-highest rushing total for a quarterback in Patriots history… Cassel was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week on two occasions in 2008 …His contributions helped the Patriots offense average 365.4 total net yards per game – the third highest total for any season in franchise history …Cassel helped the Patriots produce three games with 47 or more points, and New England’s 356 first downs led the NFL and stand as the second highest total in team history…In his first three seasons in New England (2005-07), Cassel played in 14 games with no starts and completed 22-of-39 passes (56.4 percent) for 253 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. In his four-year career, Cassel played in 30 games with 15 starts and completed 349-of-555 passes (62.9 percent) for 3,946 yards, 23 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, compiling a career passer rating of 85.9. …Cassel was selected by the Patriots in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft out of the University of Southern California…Cassel spent his entire USC career as a backup behind Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart…He played in 25 games, completing 20 of 33 pass attempts for 192 yards…Cassel is the only known quarterback in NFL history to start an NFL game as quarterback without ever starting at quarterback in college.

Updated: May 2009
Courtesy NBC

Player Bios & Photos >>