Hackbart was drafted by the Minnesota franchise in the inaugural 1960 American Football League Draft as a quarterback and "territorial selection." He was drafted in the fifth round of the 1960 NFL draft as a generic "back" by the Packers. As Minnesota would never play in the AFL (the group instead joined the NFL as the Minnesota Vikings), Hackbart joined the Packers. Hackbart would eventually join the Vikings in 1966, by this point solely as a defensive back.