DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Quinn Pitcock retires. At age 24 . . .

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3511536

One and surprisingly done: Colts' Pitcock retires at 24
Associated Press

Updated: July 30, 2008, 4:29 PM ET

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Quinn Pitcock spent a lifetime preparing to play pro football.

It took one year in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts for Pitcock to decide he wanted to do something else. The defensive tackle has decided to retire at age 24.

"After much deliberation and careful thought, Quinn resolved to retire from the NFL," agent Brad Leshnock said in an e-mail confirming Pitcock's decision.

Leshnock said Pitcock informed team officials of his intentions last week.

The former Ohio State player did not report with the rest of the Colts to Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology last Thursday and was placed on the Colts' did-not-report list.

The move still surprised the Colts, who expected the 2007 third-round pick to be a contributor in their regular defensive line rotation behind starting tackles Ed Johnson and Keyunta Dawson.

Coach Tony Dungy and team president Bill Polian even told Pitcock he could have more time to reconsider. Should he decide to come back later, Dungy said the Colts would welcome him back.

"We want to leave the door open for him because I have been aware of people changing their minds," Dungy said in a not-so-subtle reference to the ongoing saga between Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers. "We told him to take as much time as he needed."

Officially, the Colts have not announced the retirement because Polian said the team has not received the paperwork. But that now seems like a formality.

"Quinn is grateful for the opportunity the Colts gave him, and he wishes his teammates and the whole organization nothing but the best going forward," Leshnock said.

The 6-foot-2, 299-pound Pitcock was injured early in training camp last season, but was healthy enough to play in nine games. He made 30 tackles and became a bigger part of Indianapolis' defense after former league sacks champion Dwight Freeney went down with a season-ending foot injury in November. The Colts allowed the fewest points in the NFL (262).

Now they may try to fill the void left by Pitcock with players already on the roster, something the Colts have excelled at in recent years.

Last August, a season-ending knee injury to defensive tackle Anthony McFarland opened the door for Johnson, an undrafted rookie who won the job and started all 16 games. McFarland was waived in February.

And when starting linebacker Rob Morris underwent season-ending knee surgery in October, the Colts plugged in little-known Tyjuan Hagler, who started seven of 12 games and was the projected strong-side starter this season. But Hagler opened camp on the physically unable to perform list with a torn pectoral muscle and may not return until October.

Now second-year linebacker Clint Session has a chance to earn the starting job.

"It's pretty much raised the level of my game a lot," said Session, who has been practicing with the starters. "There are a lot of good players out there, Pro Bowl-type players like [safety] Antoine Bethea."

Injuries have already left the Colts short-handed. Six players, including Hagler, are on the physically unable to perform list. The others are Freeney, two-time league MVP Peyton Manning, 2007 NFL defensive player of the year Bob Sanders, starting guard Ryan Lilja and rookie tight end Tom Santi.

Manning had surgery July 14 to remove an infected bursa sac, and all except Hagler are expected to be healthy for the Sept. 7 regular-season opener against Chicago.

A handful of other veterans are practicing just once a day.

Still, with seven defensive tackles left on the Colts' 80-man training camp roster, including Johnson, Dawson and Raheem Brock, who has been getting more work at defensive end this summer, Dungy isn't fretting about the loss of Pitcock.

"It is a tough situation because we really felt Quinn had the things we were looking for," Dungy said. "But football is a tough game and if you're not into it 100 percent, it's tough to play. It's always an opportunity for someone and usually they come through, so we're hoping that's what happens."

I was shocked to see this. I expected him to be a quality player for years to come.

Anyone know why he's going to quit the game?

Maybe he realized his heart wasn't in it anymore or he thought he couldn't take the grind of the NFL. Very surprised to hear this.

Doesn't really matter. Some people lose their passion for the game, no matter how much they're making doing it. At least he isn't doing the Colts a disservice by going through the motions.

I always find it interesting when people check out from a successful, lucrative thing right when they're at the top or in the thick of it. My wife's uncle left behind a very successful career in medicine to open a plant nursery. Clearly this is guy who doesn't live for money and that much is pretty cool. You hope it's not something they'll regret later when the opportunity no longer exists. I hope for his sake he's leaving football FOR something else. I'm sure there's hundreds of guys floating around the fringes of the NFL without a contract that are quitely cursing his name. But fact is you better be able to find the love for what you do or it just won't work. Or.. he could be just joining that part of the world that doesn't love what they do but finds the fiber to give just the 51% neccessary to just keep drawing a check.

Dolts... Don't care... Best wishes to you young man & good luck in your future. Next...

He'll be back mid-season.

Wow,, didn't see that coming

Wow its always sad to see someone of his caliber leave the game we will see him in canton in 7 years.

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Wow its always sad to see someone of his caliber leave the game we will see him in canton in 7 years.

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Just say no....just say no.....

Yeah...those OSU kids just don't have the Heart to play against real competition day to day.

Just thought I'd roast a few...lol Frankly I don't know OSU players from a knot of wood, but understand the passion of a lot. So a burr or two can't hurt right

I've heard he talked about wanting to wrestle even before he was drafted. Wonder if he'll end up in the WWE or NWA...LMAO

Maybe Pitcock and Laraunitus (sp) will team up to form the new Road Warriors, LOL

Well, I think if Laraunitus does it then it would be because of his dad. However, I was just kidding, lol I think he'll continue to play football. Unless injury strikes, the type that won't allow him to play football but would still allow him to wrestle, i.e. The Rock.

Hopefully that does not happen but Rock played for Miami (Hurricanes) got a elbow or shoulder injury (can't remember which) and was not even drafted but went on to make millions AND MILLIONS of $$$$$'s LOL

Whatever Pitcock does, I wish him the best.

shocked to hear this, i thought he was a steal when the colts nabbed him in the 3rd round. But just like Anthony Munoz a few years ago, I guess his heart just wasn't into it.

On a side note, I'm alos kind of happy. He's from my hometown rival Piqua. Troy and Piqua each had one former player in the NFL. Theres being Pittcock, ours being Kris Dielman. Now we have one and they don't. Hoorah for in-state rivalries.

He blew out his knee before his senior year after being named a pre-season all american. He then went to the CFL and partly hated it and partly wasn't back to form. Thats when he turned to wrestling...

Well, on the bright side the move from Football to wrestling historically seems to be much easier than the reverse. Remember Brock Lesnar? No high level football experience and couldn’t cut it.

I guess he is in the UFC now after all the legal hassles with the WWE. He fights the 9th I heard.