In one of the most bittersweet moments in the history of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Junior Seau was inducted posthumously tonight, with his induction ceremony a wonderful reminder of his great career, and his absence a tragic reminder of his life cut short by suicide.
The Hall of Fame induction ceremony should be an opportunity to unite the football world and celebrate its greatest player, but Seau’s induction was shrouded in controversy. The Hall of Fame declined to allow Seau’s family to give a speech in his memory, citing a policy that has been in place for years that deceased Hall of Famers don’t have anyone speak on their behalf. But questions were raised about whether the Hall of Fame kept Seau’s family from speaking because it didn’t want anyone to mention the possibility that brain damage suffered on the football field contributed to the depression that led him to take his life.
Seau’s daughter, Sydney Seau, was not permitted to make a speech but did appear in a video played at the enshrinement ceremony.
“He was charismatic, he was a huge entertainer, always on, always fun, and just a passionate human being,” Sydney Seau said. “He was so gentle and loving and caring and just as passionate about his family as he was about the sport.”
Junior Seau raised a daughter who was capable of summing up what made him such a beloved player. It’s tragic that Seau isn’t with us to hear what his daughter had to say.