Another NFL player commits suicide

Linebacker Junior Seau was found dead in his Oceanside home in California on Wednesday May 2^nd at age 43.

Seau played for the San Diego Chargers for 13 years until he retired at the age of 41.

Seau’s girlfriend found Seau unconscious with a bullet wound to the chest; he was unresponsive to life-saving efforts.

There was no suicide note, but law enforcement is investigating it as a suicide.

Seau was one of five NFL players to have committed or been suspected of having committed suicide within the last ten years.

The four others include Dave Duerson of the Chicago Bears, Jeff Alm of the Houston Oilers, Ray Easterling of the Atlanta Falcons, and Kenny McKinley of the Denver Broncos.

Dave Duerson, former defensive back, killed himself on February 17, 2011.

Duerson deliberately wrote in his suicide note that he shot himself in the chest because he wanted his brain to be studied.

Duerson’s family sued the National Football League for failing to properly treat or prevent concussions, which caused his brain damage.

Jeff Alm, former defensive end, allegedly killed himself with a shotgun in 1993. It is believed he took his own life after being in a car accident that killed his friend but left him unharmed.

Ray Easterling, safety for the Atlanta Falcons, was found with a self-inflected gunshot wound in his Virginia home in April of 2012.

After his years in the NFL, Easterling began to suffer from depression and insomnia. His dementia had begun to worsen, and he was unable to focus, organize thoughts, and relate to other people.

Kenny McKinley, former wide receiver for the Denver Broncos, was found dead on the second floor of his Colorado home in 2010.

It is suspected that he committed suicide because of two season-ending knee injuries.