CINCINNATI -- Former Georgia star David Pollack is leaning toward retirement.
Pollack, a first-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Bengals after his career with the Bulldogs, broke a bone in his neck while making a tackle during the 2006 season and went through months of difficult healing and rehabilitation.
Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis talked to Pollack earlier this month to get an idea of his plans.
``David has expressed to me: Where he's headed is retirement,'' Lewis said Tuesday. ``He is not completely comfortable (with) where he is medically.''
Pollack's decision isn't a surprise. He had said all along that he doubted he would return if there was a chance he could injure his neck again.
Drafted by the Bengals in 2005, Pollack hurt his neck in the second game of the 2006 season. He had surgery and has made a full recovery from the injury, but doesn't want to take the risk of hurting the neck again.
Another former Georgia player now with the Bengals, linebacker Odell Thurman, was reinstated by the NFL on Monday. He was suspended for the last two seasons after skipping a drug test and getting arrested for drunken driving.
Lewis said Thurman still must prove he can stay out of trouble.
``There's an opportunity, possibly, if we want, to keep him on the football team and have the opportunity for him to compete for a roster spot,'' the coach said. ``He's got to do things the right way constantly. That still remains to be seen, whether he can handle that kind of scrutiny day-in and day-out.''
Friday
April 25th, 2025
7:49PM
