Junior Seau 1969-2012

We continue to hear stories of players who have a hard time once their playing days are over. It came as a shock when the news came of the apparent suicide of former Past LB Junior Seau at his home outside of San Diego.

Seau,43, played four seasons with the Pats before finally retiring at the end of the 2009 season. He was a fan favorite and highly regarded by Coach Belichick. His future Hall of Fame career included 12 Pro Bowls and 10 All-Pro selections.

We could talk all day about his stellar performance throughout his career, but it really doesn't matter at this point. Why did he kill himself?

There was an incident last year where he apparently drove his car off a cliff. At the time, he said he was not trying to kill himself. Today, his body was found by a housekeeper with a wound to his chest.

Was he trying to be like former Chicago Bear's player Dave Duerson who committed suicide with a gunshot to his chest? Duerson left a note asking that his brain be donated for study to determine if he suffered from CTE. Duerson's brain was found to be damaged by repeated blows to the head.

I hope the autopsy is able to determine if Seau suffered from CTE. The post-football life of NFL players is filled with tragic stories. Just this morning, I hear d a report about former Pats RB Kevin Turner who suffers from a form of ALS.

Turner was a 3rd round pick out of Alabama in 1992. He played three seasons for the Pats, later going to the Eagles via free agency. Apparently, his condition has deteriorated to the point where he is unable to feed himself.

The NFL can never do enough to take care of its former players. Many times, it is too late.