Ryan Leaf is doing great now. If he progresses the way he is now, we’re going to have a quarterback that’s going to be reckoned with in the near future. And that’s not political.

Junior Seau’s remark is an emphatic vote of confidence in Ryan Leaf at a moment when Leaf’s performance or reputation evidently needed public reinforcement. Seau frames Leaf’s improvement as a trajectory (“if he progresses the way he is now”), projecting future credibility (“a quarterback…to be reckoned with”). The closing line—“And that’s not political”—signals Seau’s awareness of locker-room and media dynamics: praise for a struggling or controversial teammate can be read as diplomacy, leadership messaging, or organizational spin. Seau insists his assessment is grounded in observed play and work, not in public-relations calculation, positioning himself as a candid veteran speaking from competitive standards rather than sentiment.