Seau earns emotional send-off at Hall of Fame

The nine-time Pro Bowler was presented for induction by his brother Donald Kelly.

Seau was selected as the Chargers’ fifth choice in the 1990 NFL draft after playing at Oceanside High School and USC, and spent the first 13 seasons with the team.

But during the 90s, there wasn’t a more dominant, versatile defensive player in the NFL.

The Seau family, especially Junior’s mother, is still grieving about the loss of their pride and joy. He told his wife if he didn’t get in this year he may have to wait until he became eligible for the veteran’s committee. You guys are everything to him. So many people loved him.

“That’s when it clicked that he was more than just my dad”, Sydney said.

“He was such an energized, charismatic person”.

“I know at times it seemed like all the things you accomplished in life wasn’t enough, but today you are more than just enough, you are everything”, she said. It was a great thing. “But it is his passion and heart that make him truly legendary and deserving of this tremendous honor”.

After the unfortunate end to his life, teammate Marcellus Wiley was nearly speechless over losing his close friend, but shared just what type of man Seau was both on and off the field.

But this year there’s something just a little bit different happening. That spirit he had, it was infectious…

“Junior’s tenacity was unbelievable”, said Shields, one of the best blocking guards in NFL history.

You can see Sydney’s entire speech below. “Through all the conversations, Sydney has always been great”.

However, he also had the ability to cover up all of his problems for the simple sake of never looking weak around those he loved.

But I think what we tend to forget about our favorite invincible, unstoppable, indestructible superhumans is the minor detail that they are also human.

Junior Seau won’t be here Saturday to celebrate his induction. DeBartolo called the decision to trade Haley to Dallas in 1992 his biggest mistake during his tenure.

The scariest part is that this was something Junior was keeping to himself up until the very end of his life. He gave us his time.

The impact he left with so many people far and wide will leave a much stronger effect, and his death will only help with more awareness for other players dealing with CTE. “The other athletes [at the tournament] were laughing, but I got so upset I went back to the [hotel] room”.

It also has turned Junior Seau’s brain into a political football that is being kicked, punted and passed around.

Junior played linebacker in the NFL for 20 seasons, including a stretch from 2006-09 with the New England Patriots. Whatever it may be. “It didn’t help, so I changed my prayer”.

Now, according to a press release from the National Institutes of Health, Ms. Seau has another speaking engagement to consider: “The National Institutes of Health hereby formally extends an invitation to Ms. Sydney Seau to attend the induction ceremony welcoming her father into our NFL Hall of Shame on October 1, 2015”.