Remember Matt Cassel? He’s had one of the most curious careers of any quarterback in recent memory. He didn’t start a single game in college, but took over for Tom Brady for one season with the New England Patriots. He then bounced around the NFL for 14 seasons.
Where are former Patriots now? | QB Matt Cassel (2005-2008)
These days, the 43-year-old Cassel lives around Nashville, Tennessee and works multiple media gigs. He currently works for NFL Network and is the co-host of the podcast, “Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt Cassel.”
Cassel has also worked as an analyst for college football games on NBC and Peacock, covering the Big Ten and Notre Dame. He previously worked as an analyst for NBC Sports Boston.
Cassel played four seasons at USC, but never started a game at quarterback for the Trojans. During that time, he served as a backup behind two Heisman Trophy winners, Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart.
Still, the Patriots took a flyer on him in the 2005 NFL Draft, taking him in the seventh round.
For three seasons, Cassel sat behind Brady as a backup in New England. Then in 2008, everything changed when Brady suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Cassel suddenly found himself inserted into the starting quarterback role. While he wasn’t as prolific as Brady, he still managed to navigate New England to a winning season. The Patriots finished 11-5 that year. But due to a weird quirk of the standings, the team did not make the playoffs.
In 2009, with Brady back from injury, the Patriots traded Cassel (plus linebacker and future head coach Mike Vrabel) to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Cassel spent four seasons in Kansas City. He was the team’s primary starter for three seasons, making the Pro Bowl in 2010. By 2012, he’d fallen out of favor and was released after the season.
Cassel then bounced around the league as a journeyman quarterback, providing a stable bridge quarterback or veteran backup to various teams.
Cassel went on to play for the Vikings, Bills, Cowboys, Titans and finally the Lions in 2018.
Despite being overshadowed at USC, Cassel wound up carving out a long and successful NFL career — especially when comparing him to the quarterbacks who played over him with the Trojans.
Cassel and Palmer (a No. 1 overall pick) both played 14 seasons in the NFL. Meanwhile, Leinart (a top 10 overall pick), flamed out seven seasons after being drafted.
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