Breaking News:  Local Hero Found Dead

Former San Diego Charger and restaurant owner Junior Seau found dead outside his San Diego home, bullet through the chest - an apparent suicide.  Drafter in 1990, he played for the Chargers for 14 seasons and four years for other teams such as Miami and New England.

Beloved by San Diego, he returned during the San Diego fires to help people who had lost their homes.  Active in youth organizations, his annual golf tournament raised mille miions of dollars for at risk boys and girls.

His namesake restauraunt will be closed today - but will re-open to honor him

He was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame in 2011 and was a major presence in the Samoan charitable community.  Two of his nephews are currently playing college football.  He leaves an ex-wife and three children behind.

He will be missed.

Breaking - the news that it was an apparent suicide has been retracted by Fox News.

I think that was his 2nd or 3rd attempt.

in that Duerson also committed suicide, and shot himself in the chest. Duerson left a note asking that his brain be studied as a result of multiple concussions.

When you think of a self inflicted gunshot, you think of a gunshot to the head. Maybe this was Seau's way of allowing his brain to be studied as well.

One would think with the advancements in helmet technology there would be less concussions, considering helmets today versus 20, 30, 40 years ago. But today's athletes are so much more advanced with respect to speed and sheer strength, and the inherent violence of the sport, no wonder the number of concussions continue to increase.

I volunteer as an assistant high school football coach focusing on freshman football. These kids have already played 5 or 6 years of Pop Warner. Some of them at the age of 14 are already 6 feet and 200 lbs, especially the Samoan kids. We've got a few, and the intensity of hitting in high school is beyond anything I experienced when I played.