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Seau's career appears over
By: STEVE SCHOLFIELD - Senior Sports Columnist
This has to be the strangest month Junior Seau has experienced.
For the first time in his adult life, Seau enters July without being part of a football team.
It's beginning to look more and more as though Seau's distinguished NFL career is coming to an end. The only person who has not come to grips with that fact is Seau.
When we talked recently, Seau cautioned me, "There is no story with me. I know you are champing at the bit, but there is no story."
I disagree.
It's news when a 16-year veteran, a 12-time Pro Bowl selection and one of the most popular players to ever step on the field is unemployed on the eve of training camps.
It either tells me that Seau should realize that his career is over or that his skills have rusted to the point where no one wants him.
I asked, "Are you ready to announce your retirement?" Seau replied, "Steve, don't go negative on me."
Seau said that his agent Marvin Demoff, "is doing everything he can" to help him find employment. When I contacted Demoff's office seeking comment he did not return the call.
Maybe, sadly, Demoff has nothing to report.
This has to be an emotional time for the sensitive Seau, who has such a passion for the game that he never figured R-day (retirement day) would come.
But it happens to all athletes.
Former Carlsbad resident Mike Haynes is a Hall of Fame cornerback who knows what Seau is going through.
"Junior is like me, from the old school," Haynes said. "He thinks he's going to come back every year until they say you can't play anymore."
If any teams think the 37-year-old Seau has anything left in his tank, they aren't calling.
The similarities between Haynes and Seau are striking.
Haynes, who retired in 1989, played for 14 years, was a nine-time Pro Bowler and is in the Hall of Fame. Seau will join him in the Hall some day. Both are quality athletes who have overcome aches and pains, surgeries and grueling offseason workouts to become elite athletes.
The past two years have been particularly frustrating for Seau, who was shown the door by the Chargers after the 2002 season and ended up signing a three-year-deal with the Miami Dolphins.
Injuries started taking their toll. Seau missed eight games in '04 because of a torn pectoral muscle, and an Achilles injury shut him down for the final nine games last season. The Dolphins officially released him March 6.
Haynes, the NFL's vice president of player and employee development, did offer a ray of hope for Seau based on his own experience.
If he doesn't get picked up, Haynes suggested that Seau stay in shape and be on-call.
Haynes explained that both the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers wanted to bring him in after he retired. Seattle had Tom Flores, who was Haynes' former coach.
Recalled Haynes: "Tom told me, 'Mike, we'll call you if we get into the playoffs.' I said, 'Why don't you sign me now and help you get into the playoffs?' "
The call never came.
"And the 49ers' situation was that Ronnie Lott got hurt and they were looking for somebody to play safety, but he came back from his injuries," Haynes said.
Haynes did offer Seau two other nuggets of wisdom ---- become a mentor to younger players and don't hassle over a contract.
"If someone wants to give Junior the league minimum, he should probably take it," Haynes said. "Outside of football, you will never find a job that is going to pay him that kind of money."
The league minimum for Seau is about $812,000, but only half of it would count toward the salary cap.
"If someone wants to bring him in to teach younger players about the right attitude and having a good work ethic, he should jump on it," Haynes said.
I think Seau would, if only the phone would ring.
By: STEVE SCHOLFIELD - Senior Sports Columnist
This has to be the strangest month Junior Seau has experienced.
For the first time in his adult life, Seau enters July without being part of a football team.
It's beginning to look more and more as though Seau's distinguished NFL career is coming to an end. The only person who has not come to grips with that fact is Seau.
When we talked recently, Seau cautioned me, "There is no story with me. I know you are champing at the bit, but there is no story."
I disagree.
It's news when a 16-year veteran, a 12-time Pro Bowl selection and one of the most popular players to ever step on the field is unemployed on the eve of training camps.
It either tells me that Seau should realize that his career is over or that his skills have rusted to the point where no one wants him.
I asked, "Are you ready to announce your retirement?" Seau replied, "Steve, don't go negative on me."
Seau said that his agent Marvin Demoff, "is doing everything he can" to help him find employment. When I contacted Demoff's office seeking comment he did not return the call.
Maybe, sadly, Demoff has nothing to report.
This has to be an emotional time for the sensitive Seau, who has such a passion for the game that he never figured R-day (retirement day) would come.
But it happens to all athletes.
Former Carlsbad resident Mike Haynes is a Hall of Fame cornerback who knows what Seau is going through.
"Junior is like me, from the old school," Haynes said. "He thinks he's going to come back every year until they say you can't play anymore."
If any teams think the 37-year-old Seau has anything left in his tank, they aren't calling.
The similarities between Haynes and Seau are striking.
Haynes, who retired in 1989, played for 14 years, was a nine-time Pro Bowler and is in the Hall of Fame. Seau will join him in the Hall some day. Both are quality athletes who have overcome aches and pains, surgeries and grueling offseason workouts to become elite athletes.
The past two years have been particularly frustrating for Seau, who was shown the door by the Chargers after the 2002 season and ended up signing a three-year-deal with the Miami Dolphins.
Injuries started taking their toll. Seau missed eight games in '04 because of a torn pectoral muscle, and an Achilles injury shut him down for the final nine games last season. The Dolphins officially released him March 6.
Haynes, the NFL's vice president of player and employee development, did offer a ray of hope for Seau based on his own experience.
If he doesn't get picked up, Haynes suggested that Seau stay in shape and be on-call.
Haynes explained that both the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers wanted to bring him in after he retired. Seattle had Tom Flores, who was Haynes' former coach.
Recalled Haynes: "Tom told me, 'Mike, we'll call you if we get into the playoffs.' I said, 'Why don't you sign me now and help you get into the playoffs?' "
The call never came.
"And the 49ers' situation was that Ronnie Lott got hurt and they were looking for somebody to play safety, but he came back from his injuries," Haynes said.
Haynes did offer Seau two other nuggets of wisdom ---- become a mentor to younger players and don't hassle over a contract.
"If someone wants to give Junior the league minimum, he should probably take it," Haynes said. "Outside of football, you will never find a job that is going to pay him that kind of money."
The league minimum for Seau is about $812,000, but only half of it would count toward the salary cap.
"If someone wants to bring him in to teach younger players about the right attitude and having a good work ethic, he should jump on it," Haynes said.
I think Seau would, if only the phone would ring.
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