Patriots linebacker Junior Seau takes down Seahawks running back Maurice Morris during the third quarter of Sunday’s game. Seau reported only a bit of soreness after his first game back.

The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — In some ways, it’s like Junior Seau has been with the New England Patriots all along this season.

The veteran linebacker, who left behind a life of surfing and hanging out at his kids’ athletic events, stepped right back into the fray with the Pats, both on the field and off.

Playing in roughly half of the defensive snaps against Seattle on Sunday, Seau knew he’d be sore come yesterday, and said in a conference call that he felt much like he expected.

“You definitely use different muscles surfing and packing coolers for volleyball games,” he said with a laugh. “There are some fast-twitch muscles that are kind of sore, but other than that I feel good.”

Seau said that getting back on the field for the first time since Super Bowl XLII in early February was like riding a bike. He said he felt “at peace” when he got into the game and back doing something that he loves, playing in an NFL game.

While admitting that he’s physically not the same — no one who’s knocking on 40 is — Seau knows his 19 years and guile can get him through.

“I’ll tell you what, my experience and my knowledge of the game is so much faster than my 40 time. It really is. And it’s been that way for a good six or seven years,” he said. “With me coming back, I wasn’t worried about the 40-yard dash or lifting weights. … It was basically just getting the momentum and the rhythm where calls were just second nature in terms of terminology. That’s basically what I did with the two days I had to [learn] the game plan.”

Seau also resumed his passionate pregame speeches, which to Seau there was never a question about.

“That will never change. That will never change,” he said. “I definitely love to share the experience from the years which I’ve had, and having been down that road and sharing it with the young guys. It was definitely something that the players were looking forward to. Hopefully I didn’t disappoint them.”

smanza@projo.com