Junior Seau
Career information High school: Oceanside (CA) College: USC NFL Draft: 1990 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5 Debuted in 1990 for the San Diego Chargers Last played in 2009 for the New England Patriots Career history San Diego Chargers (1990–2002) Miami Dolphins (2003–2005) New England Patriots (2006–2009) Career highlights and awards 12× Pro Bowl (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002) 8× First-team All-Pro (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996,1998, 2000) 2× Second-team All-Pro (1997, 1999) NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1992) AFC Player of the Year (1994) 2x AFC Defensive Player of the Year (1992, 1998) 4x NFL Alumni NFL Linebacker of the year (1992, 1993, 1994, 2000) 3x NFLPA AFC Linebacker of the year (1992, 1993, 1994) Walter Payton Man of the Year (1994) NFL 1990s All-Decade Team 2× AFC Champion (1994, 2007) San Diego Chargers #55 retired San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame San Diego Chargers 50th Anniversary Team San Diego Chargers 40th Anniversary Team Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee (2015) Career NFL statistics Tackles 1,849 Sacks 56.5 Interceptions 18 Stats at NFL.com Pro Football Hall of Fame Tiaina Baul "Junior" Seau Jr. (/ˈseɪ.aʊ/; SAY-ow; January 19, 1969 – May 2, 2012) was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). Known for his passionate playing style, he was a 10-time All-Pro, 12-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 at the University of Southern California (USC). He was chosen by the San Diego Chargers as the fifth overall pick of the 1990 NFL Draft. Seau started for 13 seasons for the Chargers before being traded to the Miami Dolphins, where he spent three years before four final ones with the New England Patriots. Seau retired from pro football after the 2009 season. A standout on San Diego's only Super Bowl team, he was later inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame and the team retired his number 55. Seau committed suicide with a gunshot wound to the chest in 2012 at the age of 43. Later studies by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) concluded that Seau suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a type of chronic brain damage that has also been found in other deceased former NFL players.