Seau answers call to return to work

FOXBOROUGH -- After saying he wasn't retiring but graduating to another facet of life, Junior Seau took a phone call from the Patriots and decided to go back to school.

Grad school, the linebacker calls it, with a team that has Super Bowl memories and Super Bowl dreams. It amounts to one last shot at winning a title before heading to the Hall of Fame.

``When a championship team calls, you have to answer that call," Seau said last night on a conference call after the Patriots announced they had signed the 17-year veteran to a one-year contract.

Seau retired Monday but heard from the Patriots the next day. By Thursday night, he was flying cross-country from San Diego to take a physical and put his signature on a deal with a team that he says ``needs" him. A few other teams asked if he was interested in playing, but in his mind none gave him the opportunity to win as the Patriots do.

Yet he admits to being ``shocked" that his retirement lasted only four days.

``Obviously, we understand where their focus is -- to win championships," he said. ``It's something I'm missing in my career and I just feel that there is an opportunity I need to seize right now."

Seau will play one of the two inside linebacker spots in the Patriots' 3-4 defense. With Tedy Bruschi out with a broken wrist, and expected starter Monty Beisel losing favor with the coaching staff, the Patriots figured Seau would be a good fit. Chad Brown, who started alongside Beisel early last season while Bruschi recovered from a stroke, is injured as well, though he has spent most of training camp at outside linebacker.

The Patriots struggled against the run at times last year, and were not very good last week in an exhibition game against the Falcons, as Atlanta averaged 5.9 yards per carry. ``I felt that there was a great interest for them to even respect me enough to call," Seau said. ``There is a great fit here. I believe they have great plans here. There is a chance to win something big here and we're going to go for it."

Seau, chosen for the Pro Football Hall of Fame all-decade team for the 1990s, spent 13 seasons with the Chargers before joining the Dolphins three years ago. Limited to just 30 games in Miami because of injuries, he was released in March.

The fifth overall pick in the 1990 draft, Seau turned 37 in January, making him the oldest Patriot by a year and a half. (Brown and punter Josh Miller were born two days apart in July 1970). Seau has been to 12 Pro Bowls; the most by any Patriot is nine.

Seau said he will play in the final two exhibition games (at home against Washington Aug. 26 and at the Giants Aug. 31), and doesn't anticipate the pounding inside to be too taxing on his body.

``Taking on fullbacks is easier than chasing tight ends," said Seau, who plans to call Willie McGinest to see if it is OK if he wears No. 55.

In joining the Patriots, Seau reunites with safety Rodney Harrison, whom he played with for nine seasons before Harrison left for New England and Seau for Miami. They were on the Chargers' 1994 squad that advanced to the Super Bowl.

Harrison lobbied to have his friend join the team, and Seau said there was a tearful meeting with Harrison at team headquarters yesterday.

``We have a lot of respect for each other," Seau said. ``Throughout the years it grew to both of us loving each other as people and players."