Seau to the Pats?!

[hawaiianbuckeye]

HAYN

[The Man]

That is what it sounds like. I hate when guys retire and then come right back with another team.

[hawaiianbuckeye]

Originally Posted by The Man

That is what it sounds like. I hate when guys retire and then come right back with another team.

Guess he's going for his "post graduate" degree!

HAYN

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

8/18/06

Seau considering quick un-retirement

JIMMY GOLEN

Associated Press

<!-- begin body-content -->FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Even as the San Diego Chargers were throwing him a lavish retirement party, Junior Seau couldn't commit to calling it a career.
Now it's clear that the 12-time Pro Bowl linebacker didn't really want to say goodbye.
The Chargers said Thursday that Seau was preparing to end his retirement after just three days, confirming a report that he may sign with the New England Patriots.
"Junior left a message for Chargers President Dean Spanos today alerting him that he may sign a contract and play for the New England Patriots," the Chargers said in a statement. "If, in fact, he chooses to continue his playing career, we wish him good health and the best of luck this season. Junior's place in the Chargers Hall of Fame awaits him when his career is over."
The San Diego Union-Tribune first reported on its Web site that Seau would try out for the Patriots and could sign by the end of the week. Seau's agent, Marvin Demoff, did not return several calls from The Associated Press.
Reached in Chicago, where the Chargers will play the Bears on Friday night, Spanos declined comment. The Patriots did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but coach Bill Belichick recalled Monday that he got to know Seau at the 1998 Pro Bowl.
"He's always been a very energetic, high-energy type of player that has made a lot of big plays through his career," Belichick said when asked to comment on Seau's retirement. "He's had a good career, 16 years he's been playing, pretty good."
The Patriots are looking for linebackers because Tedy Bruschi has a broken hand and Willie McGinest, another mainstay of their three Super Bowl titles, signed with the Cleveland Browns as a free agent. Chad Brown and Monte Beisel are also hurt.
Seau grew up in suburban San Diego and starred at Southern California before the Chargers took him fifth overall in the 1990 draft. He led San Diego to the 1995 Super Bowl - its only appearance in the NFL title game - but was cut loose in the spring of 2003.
He played three seasons in Miami before the Dolphins released him.
"It's pretty easy. When a team doesn't want you or need you, retire, buddy," he told a crowd of about 300 family, friends, players and team executives Monday at Chargers' headquarters.
"I'm not retiring. I am graduating. Today is my graduation day. Retirement means that you'll just go ahead and live on your laurels and surf all day in Oceanside. It ain't going to happen."
Even as he announced his retirement, Seau said he was healthy and still able to play. Asked if his decision was irreversible, Seau said: "I can't answer that. I really can't.
"What situation can get me out of it? I don't know," he said. "If there's a need team out there, I'm definitely going to look at it. But we're almost halfway through training camp. I'm 37 years old."

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

8/19/06

LB Junior Seau signs with Patriots

Associated Press

<!-- begin body-content -->The way Junior Seau looks at it, he's now in graduate school. Seau returned to the NFL on Friday after a four-day retirement, trading surfing in San Diego for a one-year contract with the New England Patriots that the 12-time Pro Bowl linebacker hopes will pay off with a long-sought Super Bowl ring.
"I'm going after my master's now," the jet-lagged Seau said in a conference call.
That was a reference to his lavish retirement ceremony Monday at the San Diego Chargers' headquarters when he said: "I'm not retiring. I am graduating."
The 37-year-old Seau said then that no teams wanted or needed him. But he didn't rule out coming back if the right situation came up.
Seau said the Patriots called on Tuesday. New England needed another linebacker because Tedy Bruschi has a broken wrist, although he's been out since July 31. Chad Brown and Monte Beisel also are hurt, and Willie McGinest, a mainstay of the Patriots' three Super Bowl titles in four seasons, signed with the Cleveland Browns as a free agent.
"When a championship team calls, you've definitely got to answer the call and definitely look into it," Seau said. "That's what I did.
"Obviously we understand where their focus is, to win championships," Seau said. "That's something that I'm missing in my career. I just felt it was an opportunity I needed to seize."
Seau made it to the Super Bowl in his fifth season, but the Chargers were humiliated by the San Francisco 49ers, 49-26. San Diego limped into the playoffs in 1995 before losing at home to Indianapolis in a wild-card game.
Seau hasn't been back to the postseason since.
He will be reunited with safety Rodney Harrison, his teammate for nine seasons in San Diego. The Chargers dumped Harrison after the 2002 season. He signed with New England and promptly won two Super Bowl rings.
"Rodney lobbed a couple of calls," Seau said. "He'll probably get a finder's fee."
Seau wasn't sure what role he'll have under coach Bill Belichick. But he's played both inside and outside linebacker, and he said he didn't go to New England to have a limited role.
"Wherever I fit is obviously going to be to their liking and mine," he said.
Last season at Miami, Seau played for Nick Saban, a Belichick protege.
"I've been through 16 years of this," Seau said. "I went through Nick Saban's playbook. There's some similarities. There's going to be some wrinkles and a learning curve. There's nothing that I won't be able to grasp."
Seau was asked about the prospects of the Chargers and Patriots meeting in the playoffs.
"I think that would be a delight for both Rodney and I," he said. "It would make for a great story, anyway.
"It was definitely a homecoming when I saw Rodney," Seau said. "Honestly there was a hug and some joyful cheers when we met. We have a lot of respect for each other. We've definitely seen each other grown up."
New England lost to Denver in the divisional playoffs last season.
The Chargers traded Seau to the Miami Dolphins in April 2003 for a fifth-round draft choice. In his first year with Miami, he started 15 games and finished second on the team with 133 tackles. But injuries cut short his last two seasons.
"Obviously leaving the last two years with injuries was not satisfying," he said.
Seau grew up in suburban San Diego and starred at Southern California before the Chargers took him fifth overall in the 1990 draft. He's played in 230 games - the most of any active NFL linebacker - with 227 starts and 1,724 career tackles.
Seau said his last piece of business will be to ask McGinest his permission to wear jersey No. 55.
"I definitely respect Willie and the franchise here," said Seau, who wore No. 55 at USC before McGinest did. "I'll definitely lob him a call and ask if I can wear his number. I'll respect him in that way."
Also Friday, the Patriots signed tight end Chris Luzar and released tight end Walter Rasby, an 11-year veteran.
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