Junior Seau Patriots Linebacker Found Dead

Junior Seau, a 12-time NFL Pro Bowl linebacker, was found dead today in his home, the result of a gunshot wound, police confirmed.

Police are currently investigating the shooting at the Oceanside, Calif., residence of the former New England Patriot and San Diego Charger’s football star as a suicide. The police confirmed that Seau was found by his girlfriend at his beachfront home with a gunshot wound to his chest.

The Chargers released a statement on Seau’s death:

“Everyone at the Chargers is in complete shock and disbelief right now. We ask everyone to stop what they’re doing and send their prayers to Junior and his family.”

“He was a local hero — he certainly gave back to the community and to the youth through his Junior Seau Foundation,” Oceanside Mayor Jim Wood told the North County Times. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.”

Seau’s death, by gunshot wound to the chest, is similar to the way former Chicago Bears defensive back Dave Duerson committed suicide. Duerson shot himself in the chest on Feb. 17 — a method used so that his brain could be examined for symptoms of CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), a trauma-induced disease common to NFL players and others who have received repeated blows to the head.

Seau’s All-Pro NFL career spanned 19 seasons. He was drafted No. 5 overall in the 1990 draft out of the University of Southern California, and played 12 stellar seasons for the San Diego Chargers. He was named an all-pro 10 times and to the Pro Bowl all 12 years he was with the Chargers. In 1994, he was named the AFC Player of the Year.

In October 2010, problems in Seau’s personal life surfaced when he drove his SUV off an embankment in Carlsbad, Calif., and was hospitalized with minor injuries.

Seau told police he fell asleep hours after he was arrested on a felony domestic violence allegation and released.

In 2003, Seau was traded to the Miami Dolphins, but was released in March 2006. He was limited in his time with the Dolphins because of torn pectoral muscle.

Seau announced his retirement from football in 2006, but then days later was picked up by the Patriots. He went on to start 10 of 11 games played in the 2006 season before breaking his arm.

Seau, whose full name is Tiaina Baul Seau Jr., last played for the Patriots in 2009. He announced his intention to retire again in 2010.

In his career, he tallied 1,849 tackles and 56.5 sacks. Seau becomes the eighth member of the 1994 San Diego Chargers, the team that lost Super Bowl XXIX to the 49ers, to die at a young age. The other ’94 Charger players that have died: Chris Mims, David Griggs, Rodney Culver, Lewis Bush, Curtis Whitley, Shawn Lee, and Doug Miller.