Junior Seau Dead: Seau Is the Fifth NFL Player to Be Shot and Killed since 2007

TMZ is reporting that the shooting could have been suicide. Seau leaves behind an ex-wife and three children.

His playing career saw stretches in San Diego, New England and Miami, and spanned 20 years. He made 1800 tackles had 56.5 sacks and was a 10-time All-Pro and 12-time Pro-Bowl selection.

His death is just the latest in a string of high profile gun deaths to befall former NFL players. In 2007 both Broncos defensive back Darrent Williams and Redskins defensive back Sean Taylor were shot and killed.

In 2009, it was former Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Steve McNair who was shot and killed.

In 2008 Giants receiver Plaxico Burress accidentally shot himself in the leg in a New York City nightclub.

Though Seau's incident seems to be self-inflicted. The alarming trend of NFL players' lives ending in gun violence seems to be here to stay.

Though gun violence is a fact of life in America with approximately 7,000 homicides committed with a handgun each year, NFL players are becoming victims in increasing frequency.

Violence off the field could become another black eye that the league has to find a way to deal with, along with the violence that happens on the field.