Quinn Pitcock was an All-American defensive lineman at Ohio State and a third round draft pick by the Indianapolis Colts in 2007. Despite the early promise of his athletic career, he developed an addiction to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare‘s online multiplayer mode, which contributed to his decision to give up professional football. “I didn’t want football to be a part of my life,” he told the Orlando Sentinel. “It wasn’t just football. I felt like doing nothing.”

The next several years Pitcock indulged his shooter habit, letting the game dominate his life.

“I couldn’t put it down,” Pitcock said. “If I visited family or friends, I timed it down to the last second where I could still play another game.”

His addiction worsened after his retirement. For three months, Pitcock routinely played for 18 hours a day before seeking help.

“I broke about four games in half, burned them, microwaved them, put a torch to them, letting my aggression out to get rid of them,” he said. “But the next day, I was at Target buying another game.”

Pitcock is currently in recovery with friend and counsellor Kevin Roberts, author of the game addiction book Cyber Junkie: Escape the Gaming and Internet Trap. He currently plays with the Arena League team Orlando Predators and hopes to one day earn another chance at playing in the NFL.

[via Orlando Sentinel] [img]