"Being rejected is hard. Matt Hasselbeck got rejected in July.

When the NFL's lockout of its players ended and teams were again allowed to talk to players, the Seattle Seahawks told their quarterback of the past 10 seasons that they no longer wanted his services.

Hasselbeck had led the Seahawks to six playoff appearances, including a berth in Super Bowl XL after the 2005 season, but the organization decided it was time for a change.

"We thank you for everything but see you later," is how Hasselbeck explained it. "That was hard to hear."

It didn't take Hasselbeck much time to start feeling better, however. When the free agency frenzy started he was one of the first players to sign a deal, agreeing to a three-year, $20 million deal with the Tennessee Titans.

Hasselbeck and the Titans (4-3) host the Bengals today at 4:05 p.m. in Nashville at LP Field. The Titans are in second place in the AFC South, one-half game behind Houston (5-3).

Hasselbeck has thrown for 1,742 yards, 11 touchdowns and six interceptions this season. His passer rating of 89.2 is fifth-best in the AFC.

"I just thought it was a good opportunity to come to a team with a good defense, a good offensive line, a good running back," said Hasselbeck. "They were looking for stability at the quarterback position and they were looking for guys they could count on to be professional. It was a good fit and I was excited about the opportunity to work with Jake.""