American football player (1969?2012)
"Seau" redirects here. For the American football defensive end, see
Ian Seau
.
American football player
Junior Seau
Seau with the Patriots in 2008
|
|
Position:
| Linebacker
|
---|
|
Born:
| (
1969-01-19
)
January 19, 1969
San Diego
, California, U.S.
|
---|
Died:
| May 2, 2012
(2012-05-02)
(aged 43)
Oceanside, California
, U.S.
|
---|
Height:
| 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
|
---|
Weight:
| 250 lb (113 kg)
|
---|
|
High school:
| Oceanside
|
---|
College:
| USC
(1987?1989)
|
---|
NFL draft:
| 1990
/ Round: 1 / Pick: 5
|
---|
|
|
|
---|
|
|
|
---|
|
|
|
Player stats at
PFR
|
|
|
Tiaina Baul
"
Junior
"
Seau Jr.
(
;
SAY
-ow
; January 19, 1969 ? May 2, 2012) was an American professional
football
linebacker
who played in the
National Football League
(NFL), mostly with the
San Diego Chargers
. Known for his passionate play,
[1]
[2]
he was a six-time first-team
All-Pro
, twelve-time
Pro Bowl
selection, and named to the
NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
. He was elected posthumously to the
Pro Football Hall of Fame
in 2015.
Originally from
San Diego, California
, Seau played
college football
for the
USC Trojans
, earning
All-American
honors in 1989. He was selected by the Chargers with the fifth overall pick of the
1990 NFL draft
. Seau played for the Chargers for 13 seasons and led them to
Super Bowl XXIX
before being traded to the
Miami Dolphins
where he spent three years, and spent his last four seasons with the
New England Patriots
. After his retirement, his No. 55 was
retired by the Chargers
and he was inducted into
their Hall of Fame
.
Seau committed suicide by shooting himself in the chest in 2012 at age 43. Later studies by the
National Institutes of Health
(NIH) concluded that Seau had
chronic traumatic encephalopathy
(CTE), a brain disease that has also been found in
other deceased former NFL players
.
[3]
[4]
It is believed to be caused by repetitive head trauma, and can lead to conditions such as dementia, rage, and depression.
[4]
Early years
[
edit
]
Seau was born on January 19, 1969, in
San Diego, California
,
[5]
the fifth child of Tiaina Seau Sr. and Luisa Mauga Seau of
Aunu'u
,
American Samoa
. Tiaina Sr.'s grandfather was a village chief in
Pago Pago
. Tiaina Sr. worked at a rubber factory and was a school custodian, and Luisa worked at the commissary of
Camp Pendleton
in Southern California and a laundromat.
[6]
After Seau was born, the family moved back to American Samoa for several years before returning to San Diego; Seau did not learn to speak English until he was seven years old.
[7]
At home, Seau and his three brothers had to sleep in the family's one-car garage.
[6]
Seau attended
Oceanside High School
in
Oceanside
, where he
lettered
in football,
basketball
, and
track and field
. As a football player, Seau was a starter at linebacker and
tight end
, and as a senior, he was named the Avocado League offensive MVP and led the 18-member Oceanside Pirates team to the San Diego 2A championship.
Parade
selected Seau to its high school All-American team.
[6]
In basketball, as a senior, he was named the California Interscholastic Federation San Diego Section Player of the Year.
[7]
He helped his team win the 1987 Lt. James Mitchell Tournament and make third place in the Mt. Carmel Invitational.
[8]
In track and field, he was the Avocado League champion in the
shot put
.
[7]
Seau was also named to California's all-academic team with a 3.6
grade-point average
.
[9]
College career
[
edit
]
After graduating from high school, Seau attended the
University of Southern California
(USC). He had to sit out from football in his freshman season due to his 690
SAT
score on the college entrance exam, which was 10 points short of USC's minimum score for freshman eligibility.
Seau told
Sports Illustrated
: "I was labeled a dumb jock. I went from being a four-sport star to an ordinary student at USC. I found out who my true friends were. Nobody stuck up for me?not our relatives, best friends or neighbors. There's a lot of jealousy among
Samoans
, not wanting others to get ahead in life, and my parents got an earful at church: 'We told you he was never going to make it.'" This prompted him to apologize to his coaches, teachers, and principal at Oceanside High.
[6]
Seau
lettered
in his final two seasons with the
USC Trojans
, 1988 and 1989, posting 19 sacks in 1989 en route to a unanimous first-team
All-American
selection.
[7]
Professional career
[
edit
]
San Diego Chargers
[
edit
]
After three years as a Trojan, Seau entered the NFL draft after his junior season and was chosen in the first round of the
1990 NFL draft
by
Bobby Beathard
's
San Diego Chargers
as the fifth overall draft pick.
[10]
Seau quickly became one of the most popular players on the Chargers,
[5]
receiving the nickname "
Tasmanian Devil
", after the wild antics of the cartoon character.
[11]
He became the face of the Chargers franchise and a San Diego sports icon.
[1]
[2]
Seau started 15 of the 16 games he played in during his rookie season, and was named an alternate to the
1991 Pro Bowl
after recording 85 tackles. In
1991
, he picked up 129 tackles and seven sacks and was named to the
1992 Pro Bowl
, the first of 12 consecutive Pro Bowls for Seau.
[12]
In
1992
, he was awarded the
George Halas Trophy
by the
Newspaper Enterprise Association
as the NFL's top defensive player,
[13]
NFL Defensive Player of the Year
by
Football Digest
,
[14]
AFC Defensive Player of the Year
by
United Press International
,
[15]
and the
NFL Players Association
(NFLPA) AFC Linebacker of the Year.
[16]
He also won the NFLPA award in 1993 and 1994.
[17]
[18]
[19]
He started no fewer than 13 games for the Chargers over each of the ensuing 11 seasons, registering a career high with 155 tackles in
1994
, when he led his team to a championship appearance in
Super Bowl XXIX
. In one of the greatest games in his career, he recorded 16 tackles in the
1994 AFC Championship Game
while playing with a pinched nerve in his neck in a 17?13 victory over the
Pittsburgh Steelers
.
[20]
Despite San Diego's 1?15 record in
2000
, the
NFL Alumni Association
named him their Linebacker of the Year.
[21]
[22]
In 2002, his final year with the Chargers, he logged a then-career low 83 tackles and missed his final Pro Bowl due to an ankle injury.
Miami Dolphins
[
edit
]
On April 16, 2003, Seau was traded to the
Miami Dolphins
for a conditional draft choice. He started 15 games that season for the 10-6 Dolphins and was one of their standout defensive players.
[23]
However, in 2004, a torn
pectoral muscle
limited Seau to eight games, 68 tackles, and one sack. He started five of the first seven games he played in with the Dolphins in 2005, but was placed on
injured reserve
on November 24 with an
achilles tendon
injury. On March 6, 2006, Seau was released by the Dolphins.
New England Patriots
[
edit
]
Seau announced his retirement at an emotional
press conference
on August 14, 2006. He called it his "graduation" because he was not going to stop working. He contended that he was merely moving on to the next phase of his life.
[24]
Seau returned to football just four days later, signing with the
New England Patriots
.
[25]
He started 10 of the first 11 games for the Patriots, recording 69 tackles before breaking his right arm while making a tackle in a game against the
Chicago Bears
. He was placed on injured reserve on November 27.
On May 21, 2007, Seau re-signed with the
New England Patriots
for the
2007 season
. In September 2007, Seau was named one of the Patriots' seven captains.
[26]
He was a prominent contributor to the Patriots
undefeated regular season that year
.
[23]
He started four of the 16 games he played in for the Patriots in 2007, and then started the Patriots' two
playoff
games before
Super Bowl XLII
against the
New York Giants
. New England's undefeated streak ended with a Super Bowl loss to the Giants.
After the Patriots had a number of injuries late in the
2008 season
, they re-signed Seau. He started two of four games he played.
[27]
On December 22, 2008, a fan was arrested for trespassing and assault and battery for tackling Seau as he stood on the New England sideline during a home game against the
Arizona Cardinals
. Seau stated that he did not feel threatened by the fan; he thought that the fan was happy and excited and got carried away.
[28]
On October 7, 2009,
NFL Network
reported that the
New England Patriots
had an "agreement in principle" with Seau for a fourth one-year deal; Seau took physicals and worked out with the team.
[29]
He officially signed on October 13.
[30]
He was active for 7 games for the Patriots in
2009
, recording 14 tackles as a reserve linebacker.
Retirement
[
edit
]
Seau announced his intention to retire permanently on the television program
Inside the NFL
on January 13, 2010.
[31]
NFL career statistics
[
edit
]
Year
|
Team
|
GP
|
Tackles
|
Fumbles
|
Interceptions
|
Cmb
|
Solo
|
Ast
|
Sck
|
FF
|
FR
|
Yds
|
Int
|
Yds
|
Avg
|
Lng
|
TD
|
PD
|
1990
|
SD
|
16
|
85
|
61
|
24
|
1.0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0.0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1991
|
SD
|
16
|
129
|
111
|
18
|
7.0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0.0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
1992
|
SD
|
15
|
102
|
79
|
23
|
4.5
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
51
|
25.5
|
29
|
0
|
10
|
1993
|
SD
|
16
|
129
|
110
|
19
|
0.0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
58
|
29.0
|
42
|
0
|
11
|
1994
|
SD
|
16
|
154
|
123
|
31
|
5.5
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0.0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
1995
|
SD
|
16
|
128
|
111
|
17
|
2.0
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
2
|
5
|
2.5
|
3
|
1
|
8
|
1996
|
SD
|
15
|
139
|
111
|
28
|
7.0
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
2
|
18
|
9.0
|
10
|
0
|
7
|
1997
|
SD
|
15
|
97
|
84
|
13
|
7.0
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
33
|
16.5
|
26
|
0
|
6
|
1998
|
SD
|
16
|
114
|
91
|
23
|
3.5
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0.0
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
1999
|
SD
|
14
|
98
|
74
|
24
|
3.5
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
16
|
16.0
|
16
|
0
|
9
|
2000
|
SD
|
16
|
122
|
102
|
20
|
3.5
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
1.0
|
2
|
0
|
11
|
2001
|
SD
|
16
|
94
|
83
|
11
|
1.0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
2.0
|
2
|
0
|
6
|
2002
|
SD
|
13
|
83
|
59
|
24
|
1.5
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
25
|
25.0
|
25
|
0
|
7
|
2003
|
MIA
|
15
|
96
|
66
|
30
|
3.0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0.0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
2004
|
MIA
|
8
|
57
|
31
|
26
|
1.0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0.0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
2005
|
MIA
|
7
|
36
|
18
|
18
|
1.0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0.0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
2006
|
NE
|
11
|
69
|
39
|
30
|
1.0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0.0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
2007
|
NE
|
16
|
74
|
58
|
16
|
3.5
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
28
|
9.3
|
23
|
0
|
4
|
2008
|
NE
|
4
|
22
|
15
|
7
|
0.0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0.0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2009
|
NE
|
7
|
14
|
9
|
5
|
0.0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0.0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Career
[32]
[33]
[34]
|
268
|
1,846
|
1,436
|
410
|
56.5
|
12
|
18
|
0
|
18
|
238
|
13.2
|
42
|
1
|
98
|
His restaurant at
Westfield Mission Valley
in
Mission Valley, California
?Seau's The Restaurant, which opened in 1996?was his most successful business venture.
Seau also had a clothing line, Say Ow Gear.
[35]
[36]
The restaurant was closed on May 16, 2012, just two weeks after
his death
; the trustees of his estate explained that "Without Seau's charismatic leadership, it was felt that the future profitability of the restaurant could be in question."
[37]
Sports Jobs with Junior Seau
premiered on December 2, 2009, on
Versus
. The show followed Seau as he did the jobs that make sports work. Ten episodes aired through January 27, 2010.
Seau was actively involved with community work through Samoan "
sister city
" projects within
San Diego County
.
Junior Seau Foundation
[
edit
]
In 1992, Seau created the Junior Seau Foundation with the mission to educate and empower young people through the support of child abuse prevention, drug and alcohol awareness, recreational opportunities, anti-juvenile delinquency efforts and complementary educational programs.
[38]
The 20th Anniversary Junior Seau Celebrity Golf Classic was held March 10?12, 2012, at the La Costa Resort and Spa.
The Foundation gave out an annual award to the individual who exemplifies the mission statement of the Junior Seau Foundation.
Personal life
[
edit
]
In 1989, Seau's older son, Tyler, was born to Seau's high school sweetheart, Melissa Waldrop.
[39]
[40]
Seau broke up with Waldrop when Tyler was 13 months old.
[41]
He married Gina Deboer in 1991. The couple had three children together, a daughter and two sons,
[7]
before divorcing in 2002.
[6]
[42]
[43]
Seau's son Jake attended
Duke University
where he played lacrosse.
[44]
In 2019, Jake signed with the
Dallas Rattlers
of
Major League Lacrosse
.
[45]
Seau sustained minor injuries in October 2010 when his SUV plunged down a 100-foot cliff in Carlsbad, California only hours after he was arrested for domestic violence following an incident reported to the police by his girlfriend at their home in nearby Oceanside.
[46]
[20]
Seau stated that he fell asleep at the wheel, and was never charged in the domestic incident.
[1]
Seau's nephew,
Ian Seau
, committed to play at
Nevada
,
[47]
and became an undrafted free-agent for the
Los Angeles Rams
in 2016 as a defensive end. Then in 2017, Ian signed with the
Bills
.
[48]
Another nephew, Micah Seau, committed to play at
San Diego State
.
[49]
His cousin was
Pulu Poumele
.
[50]
Death
[
edit
]
On May 2, 2012, Seau was found dead with a gunshot wound to the chest at his home in
Oceanside
.
[51]
Authorities ruled his death a
suicide
.
[52]
He left no
suicide note
, but did leave a piece of paper in the kitchen of his home with lyrics he scribbled from his favorite country song, "Who I Ain't". The song, co-written by his friend Jamie Paulin, describes a man who regrets the person he has become.
[39]
[53]
Seau's death recalled the 2011 suicide of former NFL player
Dave Duerson
, who shot himself in the chest and left a suicide note requesting that his brain be studied for brain trauma.
[54]
[55]
[56]
Seau had no prior reported history of
concussions
,
[51]
[57]
but his ex-wife said he did sustain concussions during his career.
[58]
"He always bounced back and kept on playing," Gina Seau said. "He's a warrior. That didn't stop him."
[59]
Seau had insomnia for at least the last seven years of his life, and he was taking
zolpidem
(Ambien), a prescription drug commonly prescribed for sleep disorders.
[60]
[61]
Seau's autopsy report released later in August 2012 by the
San Diego County
medical examiner indicated that his body contained no illegal drugs or alcohol, but did show traces of zolpidem. No apparent signs of brain damage were found, nor was he determined to have exhibited mood changes and irritability often apparent with concussions and brain damage.
[52]
[61]
[62]
[63]
There was speculation that Seau suffered brain damage due to
CTE
, a condition traced to concussion-related brain damage with depression as a symptom,
[54]
[64]
[65]
[66]
[67]
as dozens of deceased former NFL players were found to have CTE.
[68]
Seau's family donated his brain tissue to the
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
, part of the
NIH
;
[69]
other candidates included the
Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy
and the
Brain Injury Research Institute
.
[66]
[70]
Citing the Seau family's right to privacy, NIH did not intend to release the findings.
[69]
[71]
On January 10, 2013, Seau's family released the NIH's findings that his brain showed definitive signs of CTE. Russell Lonser of the NIH coordinated with three independent
neuropathologists
, giving them unidentified tissue from three brains including Seau's. The three experts along with two government researchers arrived at the same conclusion. The NIH said the findings on Seau were similar to autopsies of people "with exposure to repetitive head injuries."
[68]
[72]
On January 23, 2013, Seau's family sued the NFL over the brain injuries he had over his career.
[73]
In 2014, his family continued to pursue the lawsuit while opting out of the
NFL concussion lawsuit
's proposed settlement, which was initially funded with $765 million.
[74]
The family reached a confidential settlement with the league in 2018. The Seaus' attorney said that they were "pleased" with the resolution.
[75]
Seau is one of at least 345
NFL players to be diagnosed after death with chronic traumatic encephalopathy
(CTE), which is caused by repeated hits to the head.
[76]
[77]
Legacy
[
edit
]
Seau was known for his passionate playing style, including a fist-pumping dance he performed after big plays.
[1]
[2]
Rick Gosselin of
The Dallas Morning News
said Seau "probably was the most dynamic player of his era".
[78]
NFL head coach
Norv Turner
, who coached Seau as well as faced him as an opponent, said, "The No. 1 thing about Junior was that he was such an explosive player he'd defeat one-on-one blocks and he was a great tackler."
[78]
Seau's quickness allowed him to freelance, which sometimes put him out of position. "People say he gambled a bit, but in reality, his insight led him to the ball ... Even when he was wrong, you had to account for him and that created problems for offensive coordinators. You'd better have somebody blocking him," said former NFL coach
Tom Bass
.
[78]
He was praised by teammates for his work ethic and leadership. He would play when hurt, and often refused to leave games.
[2]
"He played the game the way it was meant to be played," said retired Denver Broncos quarterback
John Elway
.
[36]
Bill Belichick
, his coach at New England, praised Seau's leadership and willingness to accept any role.
[27]
He was named to the
Chargers 40th
and
50th
anniversary teams, which honor the top players and coaches in the team's history. He was inducted into the
San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame
on November 27, 2011, as part of Alumni Day ceremonies at a sold-out game against the
Denver Broncos
at
Qualcomm Stadium
. Fellow Chargers Hall of Famer
Dan Fouts
introduced Seau before a crowd of nearly 71,000.
[79]
Chargers President
Dean Spanos
honored Seau after his death as "...An icon in our community. He transcended the game. He wasn't just a football player, he was so much more."
[35]
The
Chargers retired
his No. 55 during his public memorial.
[80]
The
Junior Seau Pier Amphitheatre
and
Junior Seau Beach Community Center
were renamed posthumously in his honor by the city of Oceanside in July 2012.
[81]
[82]
On September 1, 2012, during the University of Southern California's home opener, Seau was honored by the team. On September 16, 2012, the Chargers retired Seau's number 55 during a ceremony at the 2012 regular season home opener against the Tennessee Titans. The
San Diego Hall of Champions
inducted Seau into the Breitbard Hall of Fame on February 25, 2013, forgoing their normal two-year waiting period after an athlete's retirement or death.
[83]
Seau became eligible for election into the
Pro Football Hall of Fame
in 2015. His eligibility was not accelerated due to his death from the standard five-year waiting period after a player's retirement.
[84]
On January 31, 2015, Seau was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
[85]
He wanted his daughter, Sydney, to introduce him if he were ever to be inducted. However, the Hall of Fame cited a five-year policy of not allowing speeches for deceased inductees, denying Sydney the opportunity to introduce her father.
[86]
[87]
[88]
Instead, she was allowed to speak onstage for three minutes uninterrupted on the
NFL Network
, and delivered a pared down version of her full speech, which
The New York Times
published.
[87]
[88]
Seau is the first player of Polynesian and Samoan descent to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
[88]
On September 21, 2018,
ESPN
released
Seau
, a
30 for 30
documentary that highlighted Seau's career, as well as the effects of his injuries on his life, his family, and his post-football endeavors.
[89]
[90]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
d
Williamson, Bill (May 2, 2012).
"Junior Seau was San Diego"
.
ESPN
.
Archived
from the original on May 5, 2012.
- ^
a
b
c
d
Acee, Kevin (May 2, 2012).
"Seau's feats on and off field spoke for themselves"
.
San Diego Union-Tribune S
. Archived from
the original
on February 5, 2013.
- ^
Fainaru-Wada, Mark; Avila, Jim; Fainaru, Steve (January 9, 2013).
"Doctors: Junior Seau's brain had CTE"
.
ESPN
.
Archived
from the original on January 13, 2013.
- ^
a
b
Einbinder, Nicole (September 21, 2017).
"Aaron Hernandez Found To Have Had "Severe" Case of CTE"
.
Frontline
. Public Broadcasting Station.
Archived
from the original on September 26, 2017
. Retrieved
September 21,
2017
.
- ^
a
b
"Junior Seau"
. USC Legends. Archived from
the original
on May 6, 2012
. Retrieved
May 2,
2012
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
Lieber, Jill (September 6, 1993),
"Hard Charger"
,
Sports Illustrated
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"
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The Chargers' Junior Seau was selected AFC linebacker of the year in a vote of the NFL Players Association
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Nevertheless, Seau led the team in tackles for the third straight season; led it in tackles for losses; was named the club's co-MVP, along with defensive end Leslie O'Neal; was named a Pro Bowl starter for the third straight year; was named the NFL Players Association AFC Linebacker of the Year and was picked to the All-Pro team.
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The association recognized one player at each position, and the selection of Seau spoke volumes considering the Chargers finished 1-15 this season.
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Trotter, Jim (October 27, 2003).
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.
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.
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"Dallas Rattlers Looking to Build Chemistry Amid Slow Start"
.
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Martinez, Michael; Pratley, Sara; Botelho, Gerg (October 18, 2010).
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.
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"Junior Seau's Nephew Ian Signs with Buffalo Bills"
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Loh, Stefanie (August 29, 2014).
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Archived
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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"Collective Force of Head Hits, Not Just the Number of Them, Increases Odds of C.T.E. The largest study of chronic traumatic encephalopathy to date found that the cumulative force of head hits absorbed by players in their careers is the best predictor of future brain disease"
.
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.
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"Council names beach amphitheater, rec center for Seau"
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.
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.
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The board of directors at the San Diego Hall of Champions has decided to forego the normal voting process and induct Junior Seau into the Breitbard Hall of Fame on Feb. 25.
- ^
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.
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.
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.
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"Despite Trying To Mend Fences With the NFL, ESPN Is Airing a '30-For-30' on Junior Seau"
.
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'Seau,' new documentary, traces an NFL tragedy"
.
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.
External links
[
edit
]
Junior Seau?awards and honors
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Overall (1975?1982)
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Offensive (1983?present)
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Defensive (1983?present)
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Freshman (1999?2008)
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Freshman Offensive (2009?present)
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Freshman Defensive (2009?present)
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Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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Coaches
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Quarterbacks
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Running backs
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Wide receivers /
ends
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Tight ends
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Offensive
linemen
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Pre-modern era
two-way players
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Defensive
linemen
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Linebackers
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Defensive backs
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Special teams
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Coaches
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Contributors
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Italics
denotes members who have been elected, but not yet inducted.
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