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Matt Cassel Profile |
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Birth Date: May 17, 1982
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Birth Place: Northridge, California, USA
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Birth Name: Matthew Brennan Cassel
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Height: 6'4"
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Biography |
Matt Cassel is an American football quarterback and current
starter for the New England Patriots of the NFL.
Cassel was the starting first baseman on the Northridge,
California baseball team that reached the finals of the 1994
Little League World Series.
Cassel attended Chatsworth High School and was a letterman,
an all-city selection, and a standout in both football and
baseball. As a senior, he was ranked as the number eight
quarterback and number 53 overall of the top high school
players in the nation according to ESPN's Tom Lemming's Top
100. Lemming called Cassel a "pro-style pocket passer with a
very strong, accurate delivery."
Cassel spent his entire career at USC as a backup behind
Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer (who was also Cassel's
roommate) and Matt Leinart. Cassel was the backup for Palmer
during his Heisman-winning 2002 season. In the fall, Cassel
lost the battle for the starting position to the previous
third-string quarterback in Leinart. As a result of
Leinart's success, Cassel spent time at tight end, even
making his lone collegiate start at that position. During
his four seasons at USC, Cassel completed 19 of 33 passes
for 192 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception.
His older brother, Jack, is a pitcher for the Houston
Astros. Cassel's younger brother, Justin, is a pitcher for
the Birmingham Barons, a AA baseball affiliate of the
Chicago White Sox.
In a strange coincidence on September 7, 2008, Cassel
replaced injured teammate Tom Brady in the first quarter of
the season-opening game vs Kansas City only hours before
Jack replaced injured teammate Wandy Rodriguez in the first
inning at Colorado. Cassel played one season of baseball for
USC in 2004, and was selected by the Oakland Athletics in
the 36th round of the 2004 MLB Draft.
Cassel, a communication major at USC, married his longtime
girlfriend Lauren Killian, a former USC volleyball player,
in February 2007. |
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Other Information |
7th round pick by the New England Patriots in the 2005 NFL
draft out of USC. Was the back-up to Carson Palmer and Matt
Leinart.
His wife is a member of USC's 2002 NCAA Champion women's
volleyball team.
Son of Gregory Cassel. |
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since November 25, 2008