Former Denver Broncos defensive lineman Harald Hasselbach, who won two Super Bowls with the team in the ’90s, has passed away..the team announced. He was 56.
Hasselbach died six months after being diagnosed with metastatic mucinous adenocarcinoma, a rare type of cancer.
Hasselbach’s family confirmed the news, and said Hasselbach died “free of pain” and “in the comfort of his home,” in a statement provided to ABC News.
“We’d like to make it known that he passed from cancer peacefully in the comfort of his home, free of pain,” Hasselbach’s family said in a statement. “He’s had an overwhelming amount of support over the last week, including past teammates, coaches and family that’ve flown in from around the world.
“… We learned he had the illness less than 6 months ago and he fought as hard any human possibly could, with incredible strength.”
Hasselbach joined the Broncos in 1994 and spent his entire NFL career with the team. Over seven years in the league, Hasselbach never missed a game. He played in 112 out of 112 possible regular-season contests, and appeared in all nine of the team’s postseason games during his career.
Hasselbach played in all four playoff games during the Broncos’ Super Bowl run in 1997. He recorded six tackles across those games. The Broncos went on to defeat the Green Bay Packers 31-24 in the Super Bowl.
The following year, Hasselbach started all three of the team’s postseason games. He recorded two tackles in the 1998 Super Bowl, which the Broncos won 34-19 over the Atlanta Falcons.
Prior to joining the Broncos, Hasselbach, who was born in the Netherlands, played for the Calgary Stampeders in the CFL. He won a Grey Cup with the team, and is one of at least 10 players to win a Grey Cup and a Super Bowl.
