Junior Seau, American football player (d. 2012)
Tiaina Baul "Junior" Seau Jr. (; SAY-ow; January 19, 1969 – May 2, 2012) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). Known for his passionate play, 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 Oceanside, California, Seau played college football for the USC Trojans. He was selected by the San Diego Chargers as the fifth overall pick of the 1990 NFL Draft. Seau played for the Chargers for 13 seasons and led them to Super Bowl XXIX before being traded to the Miami Dolphins where he spent three years, and spent his last four seasons with the New England Patriots. After his retirement, he was inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame and had his number 55 retired.
Seau committed suicide by shooting himself in the chest in 2012 at age 43. Later studies by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) concluded that Seau suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease that has also been found in other deceased former NFL players. It is believed to be caused by repetitive head trauma, and can lead to conditions such as dementia, rage, and depression.