The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT Jan. 8, 2011

Regardless of what happens later today in Seattle, fans could be witnessing the end of an era at the quarterback position.

Much like the transition from Hall of Famer Warren Moon to Jon Kitna, Matt Hasselbeck could be playing for the final time as the starting quarterback of the hometown Seahawks.

WHEN COACH Mike Holmgren took a chance on Brett Favre's backup in 2002, chances were either Holmgren was crazy or the move was going to take the Seahawks somewhere they hadn't been in a long time.

It took some time, but eventually things began to take a turn for the better, with four straight playoff appearances between 2004 and 2007.

And the man behind center on those teams was Hasselbeck, who after being benched for Trent Dilfer, returned to the starting lineup and looked like the quarterback that Holmgren told fans he'd develop into on the day of the trade.

Seattle was good enough to win 11 straight games in 2005 and earn home field advantage, but it appeared like the hopes had taken a hit when league MVP Shaun Alexander went down to a concussion midway through the second quarter of their divisional playoff game vs. the Washington Redskins.

Struggling on offense without their best player, Hasselbeck stepped up and put the Seahawks in the NFC title game. The following week, he led the team to its first Super Bowl.

While they didn't win that evening at Ford Field in Detroit, it wasn't from a lack of effort from the Seattle quarterback.

SEATTLE MADE two other appearances in the playoffs before the run came to an end. With injuries to Hasselbeck, the team went into a tailspin and eventually finished third in the NFC West in two consecutive season.

When Pete Carroll became the head coach of the Seahawks at this time last year, he stressed that everyone will compete for their starting job.

As added pressure, he traded for Charlie Whitehurst, creating a quarterback controversy that lasted through the preseason.

Hasselbeck continued to compete through a broken wrist, concussions and eventually being benched yet again in a couple late-season games.

While Hasselbeck could have returned for last Sunday’s pivotal game against the St. Louis Rams, it was Whitehurst that wound up leading Seattle to a win, while Hasselbeck was forced to watch on the sidelines.

Whether this is Hasselbeck’s final game as the Seahawks starter remains to be seen.

Anyone that has watched him in the playoffs knows that he will compete like crazy until the game ends.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via e-mail at jelliott@cdapress.com.