Former Patriots [team stats] linebacker Junior Seau’s death — apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound — bears a haunting similarity to the suicide of another NFL Pro Bowler and comes as the league fights scores of lawsuits from players who say they were never warned about the long-term consequences of head trauma.
Police in Oceanside, Calif., said yesterday they are investigating Seau’s death as a suicide, after his girlfriend found him in a bedroom suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. That was the same fatal injury former Chicago Bears safety Dave Duerson inflicted on himself last year, saying in a suicide note that he wanted to preserve his brain so doctors could study it and assess the damage he sustained during his career. Doctors at Boston University said last year they found “indisputable” evidence of moderate brain damage.
“It’s definitely one of those things where you think, ‘Here we go again,’ ” said Garrett Webster, administrator of the Brain Injury Research Institute in California. “You put two and two together and think, there’s got to be some kind of correlation between the two.”
Webster’s father, Mike Webster, a Hall of Fame center for the Pittsburgh Steelers, had the first diagnosed case of the degenerative brain disorder CTE. He died of a heart attack.
“Mr. Seau played the same amount of years my dad played,” Webster said. “It’s all speculation of course, but this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this with football players.”
It was not clear last night whether Seau left a suicide note, and he was not known to be a plaintiff in any of the litigation the NFL faces.
Seau, 43, spent the final four seasons of his 20-year career with the Patriots, and he was known for his high-energy, hard-hitting play — a style that helped him amass 1,526 tackles and 56 sacks in his career.
“He had a legendary NFL career, and his unrivaled passion for the game quickly made him a fan favorite here in New England,” the Patriots said in a statement. “This is a sad day for the entire Patriots organization, our coaches and his many Patriots teammates. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to his family and his many friends who will mourn this loss.”
Noted sports neurologist Dr. Vernon Williams of Los Angeles, who told the Herald he did not know Seau personally, said football players face risks even after their careers are over.
“There is a lot of evidence coming out about changes in brain malfunctions years after athletes retire, and it manifests itself in erratic behavior and sometimes violent behavior,” he said.
Seau, a 12-time Pro Bowl linebacker, came out of retirement to play for Bill Belichick during the 2006-07 season, starting in 10 of the first 11 games before breaking his right arm against the Chicago Bears. Seau re-signed the following year and was named one of the team captains. He started in four games during the perfect 16-0 regular season and two of the playoff games prior to Super Bowl XLII loss against the New York Giants.
Police in Oceanside, Calif., said yesterday they are investigating Seau’s death as a suicide, after his girlfriend found him in a bedroom suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. That was the same fatal injury former Chicago Bears safety Dave Duerson inflicted on himself last year, saying in a suicide note that he wanted to preserve his brain so doctors could study it and assess the damage he sustained during his career. Doctors at Boston University said last year they found “indisputable” evidence of moderate brain damage.
Webster’s father, Mike Webster, a Hall of Fame center for the Pittsburgh Steelers, had the first diagnosed case of the degenerative brain disorder CTE. He died of a heart attack.
“Mr. Seau played the same amount of years my dad played,” Webster said. “It’s all speculation of course, but this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this with football players.”
It was not clear last night whether Seau left a suicide note, and he was not known to be a plaintiff in any of the litigation the NFL faces.
Seau, 43, spent the final four seasons of his 20-year career with the Patriots, and he was known for his high-energy, hard-hitting play — a style that helped him amass 1,526 tackles and 56 sacks in his career.
“He had a legendary NFL career, and his unrivaled passion for the game quickly made him a fan favorite here in New England,” the Patriots said in a statement. “This is a sad day for the entire Patriots organization, our coaches and his many Patriots teammates. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to his family and his many friends who will mourn this loss.”
Noted sports neurologist Dr. Vernon Williams of Los Angeles, who told the Herald he did not know Seau personally, said football players face risks even after their careers are over.
“There is a lot of evidence coming out about changes in brain malfunctions years after athletes retire, and it manifests itself in erratic behavior and sometimes violent behavior,” he said.
Seau, a 12-time Pro Bowl linebacker, came out of retirement to play for Bill Belichick during the 2006-07 season, starting in 10 of the first 11 games before breaking his right arm against the Chicago Bears. Seau re-signed the following year and was named one of the team captains. He started in four games during the perfect 16-0 regular season and two of the playoff games prior to Super Bowl XLII loss against the New York Giants.
-— john.zaremba@bostonherald.com
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