Patriots Issue Statement On Seau's Death
BOSTON (CBS) - The New England Patriots issued the following statement on the passing of Junior Seau:
"We were shocked to hear of the initial reports regarding Junior Seau earlier today and are deeply saddened by the news of his death. We were fortunate to have had Junior join the Patriots in 2006 and are thankful for his many contributions to the team over the next four years. He had a legendary NFL career and his unrivaled passion for the game quickly made him a fan favorite here in New England. 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."
A 12-time Pro Bowler, Seau played four of his 20 NFL seasons with the Patriots. He first joined the team in August of 2006,and played through 2007 before having two separate stints with the team in 2008 and 2009.
Read: Patriots, Sports World Reacts To Seau's Death
Seau served as a team captain in 2007 and played in every regular season and playoff game that season. His three interceptions in 2007 were the highest total of his career.
In all, Seau played in 38 games with 16 starts for New England, totaling 161 tackles (100 solo), 4.5 sacks and three interceptions.
Seau was originally drafted by the San Diego Chargers with the fifth overall selection in the 1990 NFL Draft.
