Teammates, friends, fans mourn death of Junior Seau

Former NFL linebacker Junior Seau, who was named to 12 Pro Bowls with the San Diego Chargers, was found dead Wednesday at his Oceanside, Calif. home. A medical examination is expected to be released Thursday. The San Diego legend's death hit his former teammates hard, with Chargers, New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins players remembering him as an uplifting presence in the locker room. He will be eligible for the Hall of Fame starting in 2015 and is a near lock to make it to Canton, Ohio.

Here's what else to check out on Thursday:

Junior Seau dead at 43

Former NFL LB Junior Seau was found shot to death at his home Wednesday in what police are investigating as a possible suicide.

**More ...**

News:
•Community shocked by LB's death•Darlington: Stories define Seau
•ATL: Sad legacy of '94 Chargers
•Twitter responds to Seau's death

Video:
•Turner: LB 'will always be a Charger'
•McGinest: 'I'm just shocked'

•New Orleans Saints players involved in the team's "bounty" scandal learned of their punishment Wednesday, with linebacker Jonathan Vilma receiving a season-long suspension. NFL.com's Steve Wyche writes that the Saintscould be in trouble this season without their coach and defensive leader.

• Check out this photo essay of the NFL's longest suspensions to see how the Saints' punishments compare to some of the league's most severe bans.

•The latest edition of "The Top 100: Players of 2012" was sure to surprise some, and no move was more surprising than Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney's tumble down the list.

• First-year Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano helped fulfill the dreams of one of his former players when he signed paralyzed ex-Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand.

• Want to know how AFC North and NFC North teams fared in the draft? Bucky Brooks and Chad Reuter graded their performances. Check back later Thursday for draft grades for the NFC South and AFC South.

• Around the League's draft fallout series continues with looks at the Chargers and Patriots.

• Charley Casserly says it's not the end of the road for the newest rookie class in the NFL, and he has tips for the first-year players on how to make it in the NFL. Later Thursday, Casserly will divulge what he wants to see from six specific rookies in their first year.

• Take a look at the dates for organized team activities as well as rookie and veteran minicamps for all 32 NFL teams to see when your squad will be back in action.

• You could win $1 million with the all-new fantasy game from the NFL. Pre-register today.

Want to get NFL.com's top 10 headlines sent to your inbox daily? Click here for details.