Greg Johns of the SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER reports on the plight of new Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Quinn Pitcock.
Two years ago Pitcock was entering his second year in the league as a member of the Indianapolis Colts when - out of nowhere - he quit football.
Something wasn’t right. Something was missing. And a day later, that something missing was Pitcock himself, who went underground after never showing up at Colts’ camp.“I’m introverted. I cast myself away from everybody and became almost a hermit,” Pitcock said Thursday after his first practice with the Seahawks, who are giving him a chance at a comeback. “I was a hermit for a year. No one knew where I was at. I just sat in my apartment and did nothing.”
Actually, that isn’t a totally accurate description. Pitcock became addicted to video games.Pitcock:
“I got sucked into that. I’m going to be working soon starting some sort of charity to help kids who are addicted to video games because that turned into my way out and I got lost to the world. It took me awhile to get myself back and get my bearings and get back into society.“You always say, ‘I’m fine, I’m fine.’ Then finally you just have an awakening where you say, ‘What am I doing?’ I got to the point where I broke and burned many video games trying to quit. That was my outing. Once I got rid of that and realized I could slowly start eating healthy, exercising and doing all that, I got back on track.”With help from the NFL Players Association he began getting counseling and treatment for depression and anxiety this past year while continuing to live in Indianapolis.
The next step in Pitcock’s recovery was to start living life as a normal human instead of a contractually-obligated professional athlete:
He started working out. He hung out at the neighborhood pool “with 9-year-old kids doing gainers off the board” and the kind of things he’d been afraid to do for years because he couldn’t afford to get hurt and jeopardize his football pursuits.
This is one of the best stories I’ve seen in a long time because there are so many people in similar situations who may be inspired by what Pitcock went through. The older generation still can’t comprehend the pull video games can have on anyone. Not just kids.If video games can be so powerful that they ruin an NFL player’s career on a Super Bowl contender, it can happen to anybody. Perhaps Pitcock’s public plight will inspire others to admit their addiction and put their life back together.
11:09 pm on August 5th, 2010
Ah, working out and then hanging around the neighborhood pool with 9-year-old kids doesn’t sound exactly like a road to recovery..
8:51 am on August 6th, 2010
This guy sounds like he doesn’t want to grow up and be an adult. He seems afraid to move on to that next stage in life.
Its not the video games. The games are only an excuse. If he didn’t play games he would have gotten involved in something else just to avoid becoming an adult. he wants to hide from the real world.
why else would he mention swimming with 9 year olds as part of his recovery? He is having trouble taking that next step in life.
I agree that there has to be some depression/anxiety disorder going on. Many college graduates move back home and don’t work or get minimum wage jobs while sleeping in their old bedrooms as mom and dad do the laundry and make dinner. These “kids” are scared of what is next in life, that is taking care of themselves, becoming an adult, and saying goodbye to their childhood. happens often.
9:11 am on August 6th, 2010
“counseling and treatment for depression and anxiety this past year while continuing to live in Indianapolis”
Well there’s your problem right there Quinn
10:47 am on August 6th, 2010
Come on, a grown man addicted to video games? And his addiction just happens to take place right when he starts his NFL career? Sounds like he just wasn’t ready for the grind and demands of being an NFL player, and got scared.
I grew up with video games too, loved them. And I was a loner when I was in school. But I never lost sight of what was reality and what was the game. I don’t care how much of an introvert you are, at his age there is no excuse.
11:38 am on August 6th, 2010
I can relate. It bothers me how insensitive everyone is. I guess you just have to be a scared person who realizes that their faults put them at risk in life everyday to relate to this kids tragedy. He is addicted to the lies of the world. He needs spiritual help, human support, and encouragement. The judging thing is shortsighted. You all will be judged someday too. If you are in trouble, others will look down their noses at you and say “there is no excuse”. It is your fault. If you avoid this, remember God awaits you after that.
2:53 pm on August 6th, 2010
Quinn why didn’t you go to the Browns? I hope you finally got your head out of your a$$ because you were a special player for Ohio State.
5:01 pm on August 6th, 2010
What a loser. If I was him, my life would be set. I would be getting paid to work out and play my favorite sport all day. Then, when I got home at night, bruised and battered, I could chill out and play X-Box until I fell asleep. Rinse and repeat almost every day.
Sounds like a great life to me.
5:29 pm on August 6th, 2010
The people who are ripping this guy are very fortunate, I’m sure most if not all of them have never had mental or emotional issues before. Most people do at some points in their life - some instances are worse than others. In decades past people didn’t talk about problems having to do with addiction, abuse and other topics - they and sometimes their families just hid them away, embarrassed to admit anything. Fortunately science has shown these are real problems and slowly it’s becoming safer for people to admit to these problems without fear of being ridiculed, ostracized (sp,) etc. When I was in my 20’s I would have looked at this person as “weak” - I would not have had much respect for a person getting paid more money than I can imagine to play a sport I wish I was gifted enough to play at the professional level. Today however I know, these issues are real. If you can’t be supportive - do him and everyone else a favor and just say nothing at all until you’ve matured enough to make a positive contribution.
5:51 pm on August 6th, 2010
Understandable that playing a pro sport for a living can be very tough on the mind and body, you choose your own career so suck it up big boy ! Video games!!! come on , if your going to take a year off from your career you should atleast go out and try and get yourself a big old buck or catch some gills through the ice. Same time of year and you get a chance to have a few cold ones with family and friends.
6:02 pm on August 6th, 2010
Well said Ron. These people who post comments saying he is a loser and just can’t grow up obviously have no idea what it takes even to be an athlete at the collegiate level. In all likely hood he put in more hours training, studying, and playing in one week than they do at their jobs over two weeks. Depression and anxiety are serious problems that certainly amount to more than being weak or not being able to grow up. Frequently the individual suffering has no real idea what is even making them feel the way they do. I can’t imagine the amount of stress professional athletes are under on top of all that. It takes some serious nuts to be able to tell people that as a 300lb+ professional football player you break down and cry and can’t figure out why.. asking for help can be incredibly hard to do especially for someone in his professional position, for anyone with a serious depression problem for that matter, even more so for men given social stigmas. I have never heard of Pitcock before but I have mad respect for this man for addressing his condition publicly and seeking help for it. Its unbelievably difficult to understand what its like to be depressed until you’ve been there yourself. I’ll be praying for this man to recover fully and quickly.
11:06 am on August 9th, 2010
I wonder if he played as himself in Madden?