Junior Seau: A career in pictures
As new details about his death are released, look back at the 20-year career of the late NFL great Junior Seau.
NFL great Junior Seau was found dead last May of a gunshot wound in his California home, and a new report suggests he had the brain disease CTE when he committed suicide. Here's a look back at his 20-year career.
NFL great Junior Seau was found dead last May of a gunshot wound in his California home, and a new report suggests he had the brain disease CTE when he committed suicide. Here's a look back at his 20-year career.
After three years at the University of Southern California, Seau was chosen in the first round of the 1990 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers.
He quickly became one of the team's most popular players, receiving the nickname "Tasmanian Devil." Here he sacks Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway in 1998.
In 2003, Seau was traded to the Miami Dolphins for a conditional draft choice. He started 15 games that year, but was limited in 2004 by a torn pectoral muscle.
He started five of the first seven games in 2005, but was placed on injured reserve with an achilles tendon injury. In 2006, Seau was released by Miami.
Seau announced his first retirement at an emotional press conference on Aug. 14, 2006, after signing a one-day contract with the Chargers. He called it his "graduation."
Just four days later, Seau returned to football and signed with the New England Patriots.
He re-signed with the team in 2007 and led the Patriots to an AFC Championship and a Super Bowl appearance against the New York Giants. The Patriots fell to the Giants 17-14.
Seau announced his intention to retire for a second time on "Inside the NFL" in January 2010, although he had not officially retired from professional football before his death.
Including Seau, eight members of the Chargers' 1994 Super Bowl team are now dead in what some call the San Diego sports curse.
