Junior Seau's Death Might Change Our Views of NFL

Junior Seau today joined the "disturbingly long list of NFL players who've taken their own lives," writes Josh Levin at Slate, but there's one key difference. Seau's name is so huge that it will be impossible for the NFL to avoid discussions about what's going on with these guys. Did Seau, like Dave Duerson before him, succumb to brain damage brought on by years of heavy hits? That's pure speculation until the autopsy comes out, and maybe even unfair to the league. Too bad, especially given the NFL's history of downplaying concussions.

"It’s too early to tell why exactly Junior Seau killed himself, but it’s much too late to sit back and take a wait-and-see approach to how the NFL deals with head injuries," writes Levin. "Ignore the NFL Draft. Ignore offseason mini-camps. Ignore the latest free agent signings. There’s only one thing worth talking about in pro football right now, and Junior Seau just reminded us what that is." Read the full column here. Click here for one author's view that college and pro football might be doomed. (More Junior Seau dead stories.)