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In New England, Junior Seau was one of a kind, both on and off the field 05.02.12 at 3:50 pm ET
By

Junior Seau (AP)

As a writer who has covered the Patriots over the last decade, it has become easy to instantly identify who players are as individuals by what they bring into the locker room. When he was in New England, Lonie Paxton, the gonzo long snapper with a sleeve of tattoos down his arm, had a fridge full of Red Bull. Tom Brady has pictures of his children. Logan Mankins has a pair of mud-stained hunting boots.

When it came to Junior Seau, he had a guitar (occasionally augmented with a ukulele), and could often be seen strumming away softly in the corner of the locker room. Seau’s guitar playing stuck out for several reasons, not the least of which is that it’s odd to see anyone doing anything quiet in an NFL locker room.

But Junior could pull it off. He was a unique spirit, and the Patriots — both the coaching staff and his teammates — regarded him as such, both on and off the field. After all, it took a special sort of individual to be the player who wore No. 55 immediately after Willie McGinest left. Seau not only wore the number (thanks in large part to his USC connection to McGinest), but also wore it with distinction. He also got Willie’s locker, a sign of respect that didn’t go unnoticed by teammates or the media.

Seau had a rare set of attributes. He was a physical freak, but he combined that with an unmatched zeal. (As strange as that sounds, it’s rare combination in the league.) I remember speaking with him over the course of a week in 2008 — when he had come back for another go-round with the Patriots — and coming away amazed. No one loves anything as much as Junior Seau loves football, I remember thinking.

“I haven’t coached too many that are any more passionate than Junior is,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said in October 2009 after the Patriots signed him for a third time.

Watching him at a podium that morning in the fall of 2009 when he returned, Seau was a preacher for the church of football. He was a relentless advocate for the game, and his press conference remains the stuff of legend. He handled it with the same fervor he always did — like someone caught up in the throes of a Red Bull binge. “One thing I know is that you can’t coach courage. You can’t,” he thundered from the podium. “You give me an A, B gap, I’m going through there, until I break glass. I will go through the A and B gap until I break glass. And that’s what I do.”

As far as the physical, he did things that will never be seen again. Ever. How many 40-year-old linebackers do you see in the league? Who else could sign with the franchise on three different occasions, twice jumping in in the middle of the season? (He did it again in 2009.) The most memorable example I can recall of Seau’s remarkable physicality was when he had his arm snapped in half in a game against the Bears in November 2006. It would have sent players 10 years his younger reeling from the game, but he would come back the next year and play 16 games for a team that went 18-1 … at the age of 37.

Seau is almost certainly a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and when people will speak of him, they’ll recall his tenacity, his spirit, his high motor and all-out intensity that people will talk of the most. But I have a hard time believing we’ll see another guitar-playing, 40-year-old linebacker who loved the game of football so fiercely ever again.

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  • Tazblzr8

    so sad to see someone like Junior check out in such a way.. rest in peace my friend! u will forever be remembered as 1 of the greats !

  • Paauweeric

    junior u were a legend and always will be ur my role modle 

  • mikepatriot

    I will always recall the joy and amusement i felt whenever Junior made a particularly big tackle. He had a reaction that was almost spastic, the whole body would jerk and convulse, a bit hotdoggish, but i loved it. This is another one of the few i felt really bad for, coming so close to the brass ring, never acquiring it and being more deserving than so many others who just fell into it with no great effort thier rookie years because of the team around them, mainly. Seau was a consummate nfl pro; a player’s player and a fan icon. Rest in  peace, happy warrior. I hope that his family heals.

  • Hubsportsman

    :( R.I.P Junior S sad day for the nfl and Patriots Nation

  • Anonymous

    Did the mans dieded of aids?

  • Digarcia04

    God bless we loved your beautiful spirit on and off the field. Rest in peace…

  • Thepaxproject

    Not only am I sad to hear of the passing of hall of famer Junior Seau but I am also saddened by the discourteous manner in which the Glen Ordway and Michael Holley show discredited Junior’s gameplay as a hall of fame linebacker and it was so incredulous and irresponsible that Junior and his family deserve an apology. To say that Junior’s stats were inflated. LOOK AT THE DAMN FILM! HOW DARE YOU GUYS! 

  • Nanjmil

    I am very sad to learn of Junior Seau’s passing. I was shocked to learn of his sudden death.  He was a phenomenal and amazing football player with a very warm and generous personality. My deepest condolences go out to his family.  Rest in Peace, my friend.

  • mikepatriot

    yeah. i agree with you about the two donut lifting athletes. As an aside, this is part of the group that will bum kiss for Steve Deossie’s  two faced,shabby treatment of the fans.

  • Dave M

    I am sad about the loss of Seau, partly because he was a hero to many patriots and football fans, and because of his apparent decision to check out of the big game early.

    He was an amazing athlete, a musical spirit and a father. As a father, I can’t imagine leaving my children behind by choice. Clearly there was something going on beyond the headlines, and when our Heros are hurting inside, often they’re alone with those feelings. My heart goes out to his family, and to Junior who gave his all to the teams he played for. May you find peace Junior, you will be remembered by your many fans!

  • Isak1122

    Junior ur a legend allways will be thnx for evrything u did on sd miami especialy in ne thank you r.e.p u will be missed by us the pats fans

  • Brian Masinick

    I really loved watching Junior play.  First, I admired him on the Chargers, then, when I saw him on the Dolphins, I thought, “Oh boy, what do we have to deal with here”?  But when I was able to enjoy him on the Patriots, that was the best of all, with Tedy and Junior setting an example for the other young linebackers to learn from and follow.  Jerod Mayo certainly soaked it in.

    What really disappoints me about Junior, though, is with all of the “buddies” that he had – teammates, management, and even opponents admired him, why couldn’t he reach out to them, to his family, or to professional help if there were problems that plagued his life?  It’s an awful, desperate thing to take your life, and it makes me really sad that other options weren’t explored.

    I’ve had times in my life where I was pretty despondent, maybe even a few times wishing that I wasn’t alive, but I was never driven to the point of trying to snuff out either my life or someone else’s life.  To me, only our Great Creator owns that right.

    I’ll miss Junior Seau, and I forgive this case of poor judgement on his part.  The sad thing is that we can’t bring him back.  All we can do now is cherish the memories that he did bring to us during his public career.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/CZD5ADWJIETQQZMUK4HWHINFP4 A JM

    JUST PLAIN AWESOME !!!

  • LiMarie

    Thanks for the passion, the dedication, the awestruck appreciation from the fans of what it means to do it right and most importantly, for the great (on and off the field) memories, Junior!!!  You are truly incredible!

  • Matt

    Suicide is the cowardly way out. Can’t go to Heaven when you commit suicide.

  • Matt

    Is a role model to you in committing suicide?

  • Swflpatsfan

    If he suffered from severe depression as reported, he was sick, not a coward. If you had ever experienced the immense difficulty involved in leading a life with this illness, or seen the changes that it can make in one’s personality and judgement, I would hope you feel more compassion.  I only hope a well-known person having not gotten the help he needed can help at least one person when they need it. 

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