Junior Seau

Legendary Chargers linebacker and Hall of Famer

Tiaina Baul "Junior" Seau Jr. (January 19, 1969 – May 2, 2012) was an American professional football linebacker who played in the NFL for 20 seasons. A member of the San Diego Chargers for most of his career, he is regarded as one of the greatest linebackers of all time.

Quick Facts

Position: Linebacker
Born: 19 January 1969
Birthplace: San Diego, California, U.S.
Died: 2 May 2012
Place of death: Oceanside, California, U.S.
High school: Oceanside
College: USC (1987–1989)
Draft year: 1990

Lore & Background

Seau played college football for the USC Trojans, earning All-American honors and winning Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year in 1989. He was selected fifth overall in the 1990 NFL draft by the Chargers, where he spent his first 13 seasons. During his San Diego tenure, he received 12 consecutive Pro Bowl and six first-team All-Pro selections. Seau also led the league in solo tackles in 1994 en route to the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XXIX.

After being traded from the Chargers, Seau was a member of the Miami Dolphins for three seasons. He played his last four seasons with the New England Patriots, where he was a member of the 2007 team that won all 16 regular season games and appeared in Super Bowl XLII. Three years after his retirement, Seau committed suicide in 2012. Seau was later diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease found in other deceased NFL players, drawing further scrutiny towards the health of football athletes. He was posthumously inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.

Reader's Guide

Seau was born on January 19, 1969, in San Diego, California, the fifth child of Tiaina Seau Sr. and Luisa Mauga Seau of Aunu'u, American Samoa. He attended Oceanside High School, where he lettered in football, basketball, and track and field. He played college football at USC, sitting out his freshman season due to a 690 SAT score. He entered the NFL draft after his junior season and was chosen fifth overall in the 1990 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers. He played 13 seasons for the Chargers, then three for the Miami Dolphins, and four for the New England Patriots. He announced his retirement permanently on January 13, 2010. He committed suicide on May 2, 2012.

Did You Know?

Seau was nicknamed the 'Tasmanian Devil' after the cartoon character.
He recorded 16 tackles in the 1994 AFC Championship Game while playing with a pinched nerve in his neck.
Seau's restaurant, Seau's The Restaurant, closed two weeks after his death.