DaytonDailyNews.com

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — Former Piqua High School and Ohio State standout Quinn Pitcock spent a lifetime preparing to play pro football.

It took the defensive tackle one year in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts to decide he wanted to do something else; the former Division II All-Ohio selection has decided to retire at age 24.

"After much deliberation and careful thought, Quinn resolved to retire from the NFL," agent Brad Leshnock announced Wednesday, July 30.

A bit stunning, sure, but there was evidence as far back as high school to suggest the marriage between Pitcock and football could be short.

"I'm not a football buff at all," he told the Dayton Daily News in a story published Aug. 9, 2003. "People think I am, and they'll start saying stuff. I'll start nodding my head and pretend I know."

Leshnock said Pitcock informed team officials of his intentions last week. Pitcock, a first-team All-America selection by The Associated Press in 2006, did not report to training camp last Thursday and was placed on the Colts' did not report list.

The retirement 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.

"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."

The 6-foot-2, 299-pound Pitcock was injured early in training camp last season, but played in nine games and made 30 tackles for a defense that allowed the fewest points in the NFL (262).