Junior Seau
Encyclopedia
Tiaina Baul "Junior" Seau (icon; born January 19, 1969) is a former American football
linebacker
. He was drafted fifth overall by the San Diego Chargers
during the 1990 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at the University of Southern California and was the progenitor of the "NFL-USC linebacker".
A ten-time All-Pro
and 12-time Pro Bowl
selection, Seau was a member of the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
. He has also been a member of the Miami Dolphins
and New England Patriots
.
, American Samoa
. Tianina's grandfather was a village chief in Pago Pago. Tianina worked at a rubber factory and was a school custodian, and Luisa worked at the commissary of Camp Pendleton and a laundromat. After Junior Seau was born, the Seau family returned to American Samoa for several years before returning to San Diego; Junior Seau spoke English only from age seven. At home, Junior and his three brothers had to sleep in the family's one-car garage. Seau attended Oceanside High School
and was a letterman 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. In basketball, as a senior, he was named the California Interscholastic Federation San Diego Section Player of the Year. He helped his team win the 1987 Lt. James Mitchell Tournament and make third place in the Mt. Carmel Invitational. In track and field, he was the Avocado League champion in the shot put
.
. He had to sit out his freshman season because he got only a 690 on his SAT
, 10 points short of the minimum 700 requirement 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.'" Thus, he apologized to his coaches, teachers, and principal at Oceanside High. He lettered
in his final two seasons, 1988 and 1989, posting 19 sacks in 1989 en route to a unanimous first-team All-America
n selection.
At USC, Seau wore jersey number 55, a number also worn by other USC linebackers, including player and NFL coach Jack Del Rio
, Chris Claiborne
, Willie McGinest
, and most recently, USC linebacker Keith Rivers
. Like USC jersey number 58 (worn by Lofa Tatupu
and Rey Maualuga
), USC jersey number 55 is celebrated by the USC team and Trojan fans (and studied by NFL scouts) -- it means membership in the exclusive USC linebacker group widely known as "Club 55" and connotes "future NFL linebacker star". Though not a "retired" jersey number, it carries a tradition and a wearing-player's obligation to excel, and, thus, is issued to incoming rookie linebacker players on a very thoughtful and selective basis by the USC coaching staff.
Seau is considered the progenitor of the "NFL-USC linebacker". In the decades that followed Seau, the USC football program has mentored a widely-recognized linebacker development program ("USC Linebacker U."). Noteworthy NFL-USC linebacker alumni include three-season All-American and NFL player Richard Wood, Seau, Del Rio, McGinest, Claiborne, Tatupu, Thomas Williams
, Oscar Lua
, Dallas Sartz
, Rivers, Brian Cushing
, Kaluka Maiava
, Clay Matthews III
and Rey Maualuga
.
by Bobby Beathard
's San Diego Chargers
as the fifth overall draft selection. Seau quickly became one of the most popular players on the Chargers, receiving the nickname
"Tasmanian Devil
".
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. 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
. That year, Seau assisted his team to a championship appearance in Super Bowl XXIX
and logged 19 tackles in the AFC Championship Game. In 2002, his final year with the Chargers, he logged a then-career low 84 tackles and missed his final Pro Bowl with an ankle injury.
for a conditional draft choice. He started 15 games that season for the Dolphins, making 133 tackles on the year. 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.
", because he was not going to stop working. He contended that he was merely moving on to the next phase of his life.
. 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. He would go on to start 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
. The Patriots, who had not lost a game in the season to that point, fell to the Giants in the game, with Seau's first Super Bowl ring
still eluding him.
Seau re-signed with the Patriots on December 5, 2008, replacing linebacker Adalius Thomas
, who was placed on injured reserve earlier in the season. 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 has stated that he did not feel threatened by the fan; he thought that the fan was happy and excited and got carried away.
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. He officially signed on October 13. He was active for 7 games for the Patriots in 2009
, recording 14 tackles as a reserve linebacker.
on January 13, 2010, although he has not officially retired from professional football.
, San Diego.
Seau married Gina Deboer in 1991 and divorced in 2002. He had three children with Deboer: daughter Sydney Beau (born 1993) and sons Jake Ryan (1995) and Hunter Tiaina (2000).
Sports Jobs with Junior Seau
premiered on December 2, 2009 on Versus. The show follows Seau as he does the jobs that make sports work. Ten episodes aired during the first season, with finale airing on January 27, 2010. As of March 3, 2010 the show has not been renewed for a second season.
On October 18, 2010, Seau was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence and drove his SUV over a cliff following his release, suffering minor cuts and bruises. He later told authorities that he had fallen asleep while driving.
On October 22, 2010, the San Diego County district attorney announced there would be no charges filed against Seau relating to the domestic violence complaint.
On January 31, 2011, Seau's nephew, Ian Seau, committed to play at Kansas State, and another nephew, Micah Seau, committed to play for San Diego State University.
The Foundation gives out an annual award to the individual who exemplifies the mission statement of the Junior Seau Foundation.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
. He was drafted fifth overall by the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
during the 1990 NFL Draft
1990 NFL Draft
The 1990 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 22–23, 1990...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Southern California and was the progenitor of the "NFL-USC linebacker".
A ten-time All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
and 12-time Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection, Seau was a member of the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
The NFL 1990s All-Decade Team was chosen by voters of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The team was composed of outstanding performers in the National Football League in the 1990s....
. He has also been a member of the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
.
Early years
Tianina Baul Seau Jr. was the fifth child of Tianina Seau, Sr. and Luisa Mauga Seau of Aunu'uAunu'u
Aunu'u is a small volcanic island off the southeastern shore of Tutuila in American Samoa. It has a land area of and a 2000 census population of 476 persons. Politically it is a part of the Eastern District, one of the primary divisions of American Samoa....
, American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
. Tianina's grandfather was a village chief in Pago Pago. Tianina worked at a rubber factory and was a school custodian, and Luisa worked at the commissary of Camp Pendleton and a laundromat. After Junior Seau was born, the Seau family returned to American Samoa for several years before returning to San Diego; Junior Seau spoke English only from age seven. At home, Junior and his three brothers had to sleep in the family's one-car garage. Seau attended Oceanside High School
Oceanside High School
-Campus:Oceanside High School rests between the beach and Interstate 5. The remodeled campus includes many palm trees and new sport fields. There is a three-story Science & technology building and Senior Hall...
and was a letterman in football, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. As a football player, Seau was a starter at linebacker and tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
, 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
Parade (magazine)
Parade is an American nationwide Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 500 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications. The most widely read magazine in the U.S., Parade has a circulation of 32.2 million and a readership of nearly 70...
selected Seau to its high school All-American team. In basketball, as a senior, he was named the California Interscholastic Federation San Diego Section Player of the Year. He helped his team win the 1987 Lt. James Mitchell Tournament and make third place in the Mt. Carmel Invitational. In track and field, he was the Avocado League champion in the shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
.
College career
After graduating from high school, Seau attended the University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. He had to sit out his freshman season because he got only a 690 on his SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
, 10 points short of the minimum 700 requirement for freshman eligibility. Seau told Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
: "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.'" Thus, he apologized to his coaches, teachers, and principal at Oceanside High. He lettered
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
in his final two seasons, 1988 and 1989, posting 19 sacks in 1989 en route to a unanimous first-team All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n selection.
At USC, Seau wore jersey number 55, a number also worn by other USC linebackers, including player and NFL coach Jack Del Rio
Jack Del Rio
Jack Del Rio is an American football coach and former player. Del Rio played both football and baseball for the University of Southern California Trojans, and then spent eleven years playing linebacker in the National Football League . He retired from playing in 1996 and went into coaching,...
, Chris Claiborne
Chris Claiborne
Christopher Ashone Claiborne is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent.-High school career:...
, Willie McGinest
Willie McGinest
William Lee "Willie" McGinest, Jr. is a retired American football linebacker in the National Football League.-Early life and career:...
, and most recently, USC linebacker Keith Rivers
Keith Rivers
Keith Rivers is an American football linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bengals ninth overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Southern California.-Early life:Rivers was a highly decorated letterman in football at Lake...
. Like USC jersey number 58 (worn by Lofa Tatupu
Lofa Tatupu
-Seattle Seahawks:Tatupu quickly established himself as one of the top defensive players in the league as a rookie in 2005, in which he was named to the Pro Bowl, while leading the NFC Champion Seahawks in tackles, with 104, en route to their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history...
and Rey Maualuga
Rey Maualuga
Rey Maualuga is an American football linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bengals in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
), USC jersey number 55 is celebrated by the USC team and Trojan fans (and studied by NFL scouts) -- it means membership in the exclusive USC linebacker group widely known as "Club 55" and connotes "future NFL linebacker star". Though not a "retired" jersey number, it carries a tradition and a wearing-player's obligation to excel, and, thus, is issued to incoming rookie linebacker players on a very thoughtful and selective basis by the USC coaching staff.
Seau is considered the progenitor of the "NFL-USC linebacker". In the decades that followed Seau, the USC football program has mentored a widely-recognized linebacker development program ("USC Linebacker U."). Noteworthy NFL-USC linebacker alumni include three-season All-American and NFL player Richard Wood, Seau, Del Rio, McGinest, Claiborne, Tatupu, Thomas Williams
Thomas Williams (American football)
Thomas Washington Williams is an American football linebacker for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
, Oscar Lua
Oscar Lua
Oscar Lua is former American football linebacker. He was originally drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Southern California.-Early years:...
, Dallas Sartz
Dallas Sartz
Dallas Sartz is a former American football linebacker who is currently an assistant coach for the UC Davis football team. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
, Rivers, Brian Cushing
Brian Cushing
-Houston Texans:Cushing was drafted with the 15th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans.He scored his first career points on October 4, 2009 when he recorded a safety against the Oakland Raiders. The safety was the first recorded by a Texan since the 2002 season.Cushing was...
, Kaluka Maiava
Kaluka Maiava
-Personal:Maiava's stepfather, Scott Mahoney, attended and played football for Kamehameha Schools and the University of Colorado as an offensive lineman. His mother, Kathryn, works for an airline, which allowed the family the ability to take free trips to the mainland during Maiava's high school...
, Clay Matthews III
Clay Matthews III
William Clay Matthews III is an American football linebacker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Packers 26th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Southern California.-Early years:Matthews was born in the Los...
and Rey Maualuga
Rey Maualuga
Rey Maualuga is an American football linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bengals in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
.
San Diego Chargers
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 Draft1990 NFL Draft
The 1990 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 22–23, 1990...
by Bobby Beathard
Bobby Beathard
Bobby Beathard is a former general manager in the National Football League. Over the course of his 38 years in the NFL, his teams competed in seven Super Bowls , beginning with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1966, Miami Dolphins in 1972 and 1973, Washington Redskins in 1982, 1983, and 1987, and the San...
's San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as the fifth overall draft selection. Seau quickly became one of the most popular players on the Chargers, receiving the nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
"Tasmanian Devil
Tasmanian Devil (Looney Tunes)
The Tasmanian Devil, often referred to as Taz, is an animated cartoon character featured in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes series of cartoons. The character appeared in only five shorts before Warner Bros...
".
Seau started 15 of the 16 games he played in during his rookie season, and was named an alternate to the 1991 Pro Bowl
1991 Pro Bowl
The 1991 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 3, 1991 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final Score was AFC 23, NFC 21. There were 50,345 people in attendance. Jim Kelly of the Buffalo Bills was the game's MVP. The referee was Gordon McCarter....
after recording 85 tackles. In 1991
1991 San Diego Chargers season
The 1991 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 6–10 record in 1990. It was Dan Henning's final season as the team's head coach. It equaled their worst season in 15 years.-Staff:-Schedule:-See also:*1991 NFL season...
, he picked up 129 tackles and seven sacks and was named to the 1992 Pro Bowl
1992 Pro Bowl
The 1992 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 2, 1992 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final Score was NFC 21, AFC 15. Michael Irvin of the Dallas Cowboys was the game's MVP....
, the first of 12 consecutive Pro Bowls for Seau. 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
1994 San Diego Chargers season
-Schedule:-Playoffs:-References:...
. That year, Seau assisted his team to a championship appearance in Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX was an American football game played on January 29, 1995 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1994 regular season...
and logged 19 tackles in the AFC Championship Game. In 2002, his final year with the Chargers, he logged a then-career low 84 tackles and missed his final Pro Bowl with an ankle injury.
Miami Dolphins
On April 16, 2003, Seau was traded to the Miami DolphinsMiami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for a conditional draft choice. He started 15 games that season for the Dolphins, making 133 tackles on the year. 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
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
on November 24 with an achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
injury. On March 6, 2006, Seau was released by the Dolphins.
First retirement
Seau announced his retirement at an emotional press conference on August 14, 2006, after signing a one-day contract with the San Diego Chargers. He called it his "graduationGraduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
", because he was not going to stop working. He contended that he was merely moving on to the next phase of his life.
New England Patriots
Seau returned to football just four days later, signing with the New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
. 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
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was placed on injured reserve on November 27.
On May 21, 2007, Seau re-signed with the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
for the 2007
2007 New England Patriots season
The 2007 New England Patriots season was the 38th season for the team in the National Football League and 48th season overall. They finished with a perfect 16–0 regular season record but lost to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII....
season. In September 2007 Seau was named one of the Patriots' seven captains. He would go on to start 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
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The Patriots, who had not lost a game in the season to that point, fell to the Giants in the game, with Seau's first Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
still eluding him.
Seau re-signed with the Patriots on December 5, 2008, replacing linebacker Adalius Thomas
Adalius Thomas
Adalius Donquail Thomas is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Southern Mississippi.-Early years:...
, who was placed on injured reserve earlier in the season. 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
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Seau has stated that he did not feel threatened by the fan; he thought that the fan was happy and excited and got carried away.
On October 7, 2009, NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
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. He officially signed on October 13. He was active for 7 games for the Patriots in 2009
2009 New England Patriots season
The 2009 New England Patriots season was the 40th season for the team in the National Football League and 50th season overall. They finished with a 10–6 record and a division title before losing to the Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs....
, recording 14 tackles as a reserve linebacker.
Second retirement
Seau announced his intention to retire for a second time on the television program Inside the NFLInside the NFL
Inside the NFL is a weekly cable television sports show that focuses on the National Football League. It originally aired on HBO from 1977 through 2008...
on January 13, 2010, although he has not officially retired from professional football.
Post Retirement Recognition
Junior Seau was inducted into the San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame on November 27, 2011 as part of Alumni Day ceremonies in Sunday's sold-out game against the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium. In front of a crowd of nearly 71,000 fellow Chargers Hall of Famer Dan Fouts introduced the 42-year-old.Personal
Seau is actively involved with community work through his foundation as well as Samoan day events called "sister city" within San Diego county. Seau owns a clothing line, Say-Ow, as well as Seau's The Restaurant in Mission ValleyMission Valley, California
Mission Valley is a wide river valley trending east-west in San Diego, California, through which the San Diego River flows to the Pacific Ocean...
, San Diego.
Seau married Gina Deboer in 1991 and divorced in 2002. He had three children with Deboer: daughter Sydney Beau (born 1993) and sons Jake Ryan (1995) and Hunter Tiaina (2000).
Sports Jobs with Junior Seau
Sports Jobs with Junior Seau
Sports Jobs with Junior Seau premiered on December 2, 2009 on Versus at 10:00 PM. The show, produced by Mandt Bros. Productions, follows former San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots football player Junior Seau as he does the jobs that make sports work. Ten episodes aired during the first...
premiered on December 2, 2009 on Versus. The show follows Seau as he does the jobs that make sports work. Ten episodes aired during the first season, with finale airing on January 27, 2010. As of March 3, 2010 the show has not been renewed for a second season.
On October 18, 2010, Seau was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence and drove his SUV over a cliff following his release, suffering minor cuts and bruises. He later told authorities that he had fallen asleep while driving.
On October 22, 2010, the San Diego County district attorney announced there would be no charges filed against Seau relating to the domestic violence complaint.
On January 31, 2011, Seau's nephew, Ian Seau, committed to play at Kansas State, and another nephew, Micah Seau, committed to play for San Diego State University.
Junior Seau Foundation
In 1991, Seau created the Seau Foundation, which raises money for drug awareness, child abuse prevention, and college scholarships.The Foundation gives out an annual award to the individual who exemplifies the mission statement of the Junior Seau Foundation.
- 2000–– Legend of the Year — Sid Brooks
- 2001–– Legend of the Year — Lance AlworthLance AlworthLance Dwight Alworth is a former American collegiate and Professional Football wide receiver. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
- 2002–– Legend of the Year — Sid GillmanSid GillmanSidney "Sid" Gillman was an American football player, coach, executive, and innovator. Gillman's insistence on stretching the football field by throwing deep downfield passes, instead of short passes to running backs or wide receivers at the sides of the line of scrimmage, was instrumental in...
- 2003–– Legend of the Year — Don CoryellDon CoryellDonald David Coryell was an American football coach, who coached in the NFL first with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1973–1977 and then the San Diego Chargers from 1978-1986. He was well known for his innovations to football's passing offense. Coryell's offense was commonly known as "Air Coryell"...
- 2004–– Legend of the Year — Marcus AllenMarcus AllenMarcus LeMarr Allen is a former American football player and, until recently, was affiliated with CBS as a game analyst. As a professional, Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,412 yards during his career for both the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1982 to 1997...
- 2005–– Legend of the Year — Deacon JonesDeacon JonesDavid D. "Deacon" Jones is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers, and the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980.Jones specialized in quarterback sacks, a term attributed to him...
- 2006–– Legend of the Year — Bobby RossBobby RossRobert Joseph Ross is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at The Citadel , the University of Maryland, College Park , the Georgia Institute of Technology , and the United States Military Academy , compiling a career college football record of 103–101–2...
- 2007–– Legend of the Year — Warren MoonWarren MoonHarold Warren Moon is a former American professional gridiron football quarterback who played for the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos and the National Football League's Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs...
- 2008–– Legend of the Year — Marshall FaulkMarshall FaulkMarshall William Faulk is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League. He is currently an analyst for NFL Total Access, Thursday Night Football, and NFL GameDay Morning on the NFL Network...
- 2009–– Legend of the Year — Charlie JoinerCharlie JoinerCharles B. Joiner Jr. is a former American football player who starred in professional football for eighteen seasons, virtually exclusively at the position of wide receiver. He retired with the most career receptions, receiving yards, and games played of any wide receiver in NFL history. He was...