THEY call him "Big Sey." But at 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds, it might be a safer bet to call Richard Seymour "Big Sey, sir."

In only five seasons, the New England Patriots All-Pro defensive lineman has risen to ranks of the NFL's elite, already winning three Super Bowls, and making four Pro Bowl appearances. He is considered by many to be the best defensive player in the league at any position. Last season, he led all defensive linemen in sacks and passes defended, even after missing four games due to injury.

Earlier this year, Seymour signed a four-year contract reportedly worth $30 million, making him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL. It was a bittersweet moment for the 26-year-old, who has seen his share of ups and downs, triumphs and tragedies, during his short pro football career.

His philosophy concerning football is simple: "Just continue to prove yourself and continue to get better," he says. "I never looked back at the things that I have done. Although I've been to Super Bowls and Pro Bowls, there are still a lot of things in football that I haven't accomplished. That keeps pushing me."

Seymour says he wants to be considered one of the best to ever play the game. "So I think about history, the guys who came before me and the guys who are going to come after me," he says. "When I look back I want to say that I left no stone unturned. If I could do it over again, I wouldn't do anything different."

He admits that his aggressive play during games surprises many people who know his soft-spoken demeanor off the field. "People say, 'Is that the same guy?"

Married to his high school sweetheart Tanya, the couple has three children, R.J., 4, Kayla, 3, and 2-year-old Kennedy. The family lives in a modest colonial-style home in a Boston suburb. Outside of the basement, which has a pool table, an arcade-style video game, and a theater room, one would never know it was the home of a multimillion-dollar NFL player. The kids have a small playroom they share, and an average-sized jungle gym in the backyard.

Tanya Seymour is a down-to-earth mother who drives a minivan, and Seymour credits her for keeping him grounded. "The mind-set I have now comes from her," he says. "I see a lot of guys who come into the NFL, and they think it's all about the cars and the jewelry, a lot of material things that have no substance. I've seen guys living over their means. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy nice things, but at the same time, it doesn't determine the type of person that I am. It's not about the cars, the money, the jewelry. To me it's more about the relationship, the character, the integrity, being humble about the things that you have. I feel like I have a responsibility on this football team and around the league to spread the message. Save your money and do a good job with it. Because the NFL stands for 'Not For Long.'"

He also wants his kids to know the value of money. "It's tough to do that because you are able to get them stuff, but at the same time you don't want to spoil them," says Seymour, who owns a home in South Carolina, and spends much of the off-season there.

In fact, Seymour says that the family is on a budget, one that sets aside a certain amount of money for bills, groceries and other living expenses. "Just because you have millions of dollars doesn't mean you have to spend like crazy," he says. "I live a nice lifestyle. It's not overextravagant. It doesn't matter if I can afford it. I want to live under what I can afford. That way, later in life, if I want to buy something expensive, I will be able to afford it. I like to have fun. But you want to keep everything in perspective."

His modesty may come from his Southern upbringing. He comes from Gadsboro, S.C., a small town outside of Columbia. It's a place where, he says, everybody knew everybody. Growing up in a loving family, he says that his father showed him tough love, while his morn was the nurturer. His father was a contractor. Seymour remembers going out to jobs with him as early as 6 years old. He says it was those early years that laid the groundwork for the type of person he is. "Nothing was handed to me. I had to go out and work for it. That Southern upbringing taught me that there is no substitution for hard work," he says. "When I had to earn money, I was more conservative with it because I knew what it took to get it."

Seymour recalls the endless days that he played with his many cousins, and the Sundays at his grandmother's house, where everyone gathered around the table to eat dinner and watch football. "We had a real big football family," he says.

Although he loved the game, Seymour didn't play football until he was in ninth grade. The reason? He was too big to play in the Pop Warner league with kids his age, so he didn't play until high school. "I realized I was bigger than the other kids when I was sitting in class in the first grade," he says. "I wasn't a bully. I was always pretty low-key."