The day before the 2015 Super Bowl, the NFL association announced the new class of players who will be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame this year.
The ceremony takes place in August, in Ohio, and the inductees includes Junior Seau, Jerome Bettis, Tim Brown, Charles Haley and Will Shields.
On Saturday the list of potential candidates was narrowed down from the initial 15 players nominated to the five listed above. The list also includes Bill Polian and Ron Wolf, contributors of the NFL, as well as Mick Tingelhoff who is the senior nominees.
One particular player was very emotional amongst the selection committee. Junior Seau, who last played as a linebacker for the New England Patriots was among the candidates chosen. This was the first year that Seau was eligible for the induction. Seau committed suicide in 2012, and many were distraught to learn the player took his life.
Researchers and autopsy specialists analyzed his brain and noticed that he showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a mental disease that occurs when the head is exposed to numerous head injuries, which includes concussions. His death drew a lot attention amongst the league because it was caused by normal injuries that players are subjected too.
Patriots Coach Bill Belichick stated, “I can’t imagine having a Professional Football Hall of Fame without Junior Seau in it.” The Patriots coach expressed how he loved having Seau on his roster.
Belichick went on and stated, “I’d say the one word that comes to me when I think about Junior and football is ‘passion.’ He was a very passionate guy. A lot of energy. Lot of enthusiasm. First guy in the building in the morning — watching film, lifting weights, ready for practice. Energy before the game, on the sideline, during the game. An emotional player, but a smart player.”
Photo Credit: AP
