Sydney Seau to speak at Hall ceremony
Sydney Seau will be able to speak about her father at his Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony, after all.
The Hall altered its stance after more than a week of controversy that boiled when it was learned Sydney would not be allowed to speak for Junior Seau as she had planned.
Sydney will be given the opportunity to participate in an interview after her father’s bust is unveiled.
It was already known that Sydney and her three brothers would unveil the bust after a video tribute was played at the Aug. 8 ceremony. Sydney will also accept on Thursday night the shield that would have adorned her father’s gold Hall of Famer’s jacket.
The Hall went to video speeches by presenters of both living and deceased enshrinees in 2010, and in 2011 there was no introduction for the posthumous induction of former Rams linebacker Les Richter. The policy change, which the Hall of Fame said was a matter of expediting the ceremony and to keep the focus on the enshrinees, was largely overlooked until it was applied to Seau.
“Our goal is to maintain our policy regarding Enshrinement speeches, but also show compassion and understanding,” Pro Football Hall of Fame President David Baker said in a statement.
Seau, the Chargers former Chargers linebacker who played 20 seasons in the NFL, killed himself on May 2, 2012 in his Oceanside home. A study of his brain showed he suffered from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), the degenerative brain disease linked to repeated concussions.
Junior Seau had long said he wanted Sydney to introduce him if he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. When he was voted in on his first year eligible in February, the family said Sydney would speak at the ceremony.
Messages left for Gina Seau have not been returned, and the family’s attorney said in an e-mail last week that “the family is focused on celebrating Junior’s achievements and legacy at the HOF.”
The Hall of Fame said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell lobbied for Sydney Seau to have opportunities to speak about her father during the weekend.
