Tiaina Baul "Junior" Seau is widely considered one of the best linebackers ever to play the game. A ten-time All-Pro and twelve-time Pro Bowl selection, Seau was picked for the NFL's "All-Decade Team" in the 1990's. His incredible career spanned two decades, during which time he played for the Chargers, Dolphins, and Patriots. A charismatic leader and competitor known for playing through injuries and leaving it all on the field, Seau started in almost 250 regular season games and electrified fans with his dynamic play. In 2012, at the age of forty-three, Seau committed suicide with a gunshot wound to the chest. News of his death sent shockwaves through the NFL. Later, studies concluded that Seau had been suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a type of brain damage. His tragic death opened the door to hundreds of inquiries about the trauma from NFL players and their families. Drawing on exclusive access to Seau's family and Seau's never-before-seen diaries and letters, veteran reporter Jim Trotter goes beyond the statistics to paint a moving portrait of a larger-than-life star whose towering achievements in the game came at a great cost. AUTHOR: Longtime NFL reporter Jim Trotter covers football for ESPN. Previously, he was a senior writer at Sports Illustrated. Trotter has appeared on CNN, Fox News, ESPN, NFL Network, and The Jim Rome Show. He is also a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee. REVIEWS: "Few people knew Junior Seau like Jim Trotter . . . he took a sports book and artistically crafted it into a lyrical narrative about dreams, love, and, ultimately, heart-wrenching loss."?Lars Anderson, author of The All Americans "Leave it to Jim Trotter, who knew Junior Seau better than anyone in our business, to capture his competitive essence and personal demons equally well. I had so many questions about why Seau's life ended the way it did. Jim answered them with depth and compassion in this thorough and important book."?Peter King, editor in chief, The MMQB b/w images
