Junior Seau to be Inducted into Chargers Hall of Fame

Former San Diego Chargers Junior Seau will be the 35th member of the Chargers Hall of Fame, it was announced Wednesday.

Seau, a native San Diegan who was a Pro Bowl selection a team-record 12 times in his 13 seasons with the team, will be inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame at the team's Nov. 27 game against the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium.

"From the day we drafted Junior, we knew he was special,'' said Chargers Chairman of the Board-President Dean Spanos. "He's such an energized, charismatic person. He attacks life the same way he attacked ball carries. It's that passion that turned him into the Hall of Fame player he is. His athletic ability speaks for itself, but it's his passion and energy that separate him from the rest of the league."

Seau was a Chargers linebacker from 1990-2002, a six-time first- team All-Pro selection by The Associated Press and a second-team selection two other years. He was also named to the Pro Bowl for 12 consecutive seasons, the third- longest streak in NFL history.

The Oceanside High School grad also led Chargers in tackles for eight seasons and his 200 regular-season games played are tied for the second most in team history with tackle Russ Washington.

After leaving the Chargers, Seau played for the Miami Dolphins from 2003 to 2005 and the New England Patriots from 2006 to 2009.

The former Chargers player has also been praised for his work off the field. Seau established the Junior Seau Foundation in 1992, which supports child abuse prevention, drug and alcohol awareness, recreational opportunities, anti-juvenile delinquency efforts and educational programs. He also annually takes children on Christmas shopping sprees to buy gifts for relatives and friends.

Seau was born in San Diego on Jan. 19, 1969, graduated from Oceanside High School, where he was the San Diego Section Defensive Player of the Year as a senior in 1986. Seau played two seasons at USC, where he was an All-American in 1989 and the Chargers first-round choice in the 1990 NFL draft, the fifth player chosen overall.

City News Service contributed to this report.