Pats work out Seau

FOXBOROUGH -- The Patriots could be one step closer to bringing back Junior Seau for a 20th NFL season. The team reported to the NFL today that they had the 40-year-old linebacker in for a tryout.

Clarification (9:47 p.m): To be clear this report is saying that sources said Seau's workout was reported to the league today, which doesn't mean that it happened today. Sources didn't comment on the day of the workout.

On Monday during his weekly interview with WEEI-AM, Patriots coach Bill Belichick commented on reports that the Patriots were close to signing Seau, who came out of pseudo-retirement last year to play the final four games of the season for the Patriots after being with the team full-time in both 2006 and 2007.

Belichick said signing Seau was a possibility and admitted that Seau had a physical administered by the team.

"He did have a physical. We haven't done anything yet. Is it a possibility? Yes," Belichick told WEEI.

Belichick was asked about Seau's contention during a Sept. 17 radio interview that he only had six games in him this season.

"I don't know about all that," Belichick told WEEI. "If a player is playing he is playing whether it's four games, six games, eight games, or 10 games. That's what it is. I haven't talked to Junior about that. I don't really know anything about the four-game, six-game, 10-game thing."

When Seau was in town last week filming his Versus show "Sports Jobs with Junior Seau" he did a round of one-on-one interviews with local media, including the Globe, and said that he had been in touch with Belichick and that the Patriots were the only team he would come back for.

"The Pats are the team I'll answer a call for and the only team," Seau said to the Globe. "The reason being is the relationship between Belichick and I. Belichick if he does call, he doesn't call anyone without having a plan, and for me I believe in what he does, that's No. 1. No. 2, I know the system, so if I'm ever going to stick my neck out there in the gridiron I know that I have to have a chance to succeed, not only for myself but for the team and for the city."

If Seau were to sign this week, as reported initially by ESPN's Adam Schefter, then it would be the third time the Patriots coaxed the 12-time Pro Bowler out of hiatus.

Belichick convinced him to come back in 2006, after he had announced that he had graduated from the NFL, which was his way of announcing his retirement.

Last season, when the Patriots were thin at linebacker due to injuries Seau signed on in December.