Colts DT Pitcock, 24, says he's retiring after one season

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.