Former Jets quarterback Christian Hackenberg attempting a comeback — as a pitcher

Joe Rivera

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Former Jets quarterback Christian Hackenberg attempting a comeback — as a pitcher image

Hack is back.

Christian Hackenberg, the former second-round draft pick of the New York Jets, is attempting a comeback — not as an NFL quarterback, but as a pitcher.

"As simple as I can put it, I just want to compete, man," Hackenberg said. "I've had my trials and tribulations with the NFL and had success and had that roller-coaster ride. 

"At the end of the day, I'm sitting here at 25, and for me, like I said, I feel like I got a lot left in the tank."

Known for his big arm and prototypical size at the QB position more than his accuracy, Hackenberg seems to have some life and heat left in his right arm, topping 90 mph in this video:

The former Penn State Nittany Lion scorched backpage headlines in 2016 when the Jets selected him with pick No. 51 in the NFL Draft. Hackenberg would never see the field with the Jets, being released after the 2017 season.

He would try and latch on with the Raiders, Eagles and Bengals, but couldn't stick, seeing time only as a camp body during those stays.

He spent some time in the AAF in 2019 as the quarterback of the Memphis Express.

Hackenberg was a highly touted quarterback recruit coming out of high school and played some high school baseball, striking out 30 in 47 games and hitting .378 across three years of hardball.

Hackenberg, though, would see massive struggles in the pro game, never seeing regular-season action in the NFL amidst serious accuracy issues. While he has no recorded regular-season stats, Hackenberg reportedly once pelted a New York Jets beat writer along the sideline with an errant pass on at least one occasion.

Well, with no set timetable for the return of MLB, Hackenberg has plenty of time to get into the best shape of his life.

Joe Rivera

Joe Rivera Photo

Joe Rivera is in his seventh year with The Sporting News, handling NFL, MLB and some things pro wrestling. A proud-ish Rutgers University graduate, Rivera combines a new-school flair with an old-school soul. He loves dingers, wrestling, comic books, movies, music and really bad puns. He is also a card-carrying BBWAA member and teaches Multimedia Sports Reporting at his alma mater.

You can find him and tweet him @JoeRiveraSN, if you're into that sort of thing.