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Revisiting the Miami Dolphins trade with the Chargers for Junior Seau

By Brian Miller

Miami Dolphins Linebacker, Junior Seau, and the rest of the Dolphins prepare to take the field prior to the game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday November 20, 2005 at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. The Browns shutout the Dolphins 22-0. (Photo by Jamie Mullen/NFLPhotoLibrary)
Miami Dolphins Linebacker, Junior Seau, and the rest of the Dolphins prepare to take the field prior to the game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday November 20, 2005 at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. The Browns shutout the Dolphins 22-0. (Photo by Jamie Mullen/NFLPhotoLibrary) /
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Revisiting the Miami Dolphins trade with the Chargers for Junior Seau.

Junior Seau is a Hall of Fame player but the tragic ending to his life changed the way people viewed the violent sport of football and brain injuries.

As a player, Junior Seau was one of the best pure linebackers in NFL history. He was tough, quick, and hard-hitting. He played every play to win not only his match but the game because he was a game-changer.

By the time that Seau had made his way to South Florida, he had already established himself as a legend in the annal of NFL history. He was already considered to be a sure bet for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Now, he was being asked to take Dave Wannstedt’s defense to a new level.

Seau started 15 games after the Dolphins traded a 2004 5th round pick to the Chargers in 2003. He ended the 2003 season as one of the best defenders on the Dolphins roster. Not unexpected. Seau came to Miami with a lot of expectations and he wasn’t letting anyone down upon his arrival.

In 2004, his production dipped a bit and then he missed eight games with a torn pectoral muscle. IN 2005, he started five of seven games before tearing his Achilles tendon and was placed on injured reserve.

In his three seasons with Miami, he started all but two of the games he played in. He posted 189 combined tackles and five sacks. Despite making the Pro Bowl in 12 of his 13 seasons with the Chargers, he didn’t make any Pro Bowls after leaving the Chargers.

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In 2006, the Dolphins released Seau and he signed with the Patriots where he played four seasons but in those four seasons, he only started 16 of 38 contests and posted 178 total tackles and 4.5 sacks. Unfortunately, for Seau, the Patriots only made the Super Bowl in his final season and they lost to the Giants.

Seau’s legacy never really came to Miami outside of his name only but in that short time, Dolphins fans got an opportunity to watch greatness on the field and that alone was worth the 5th round draft pick they paid for him.

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