Bengals linebacker Pollack to retire

CINCINNATI, April 23 (UPI) -- Cincinnati Bengals linebacker David Pollack has decided to retire after a slow recovery from surgery on his fractured neck.

Pollack, a three-time All-American defensive end at Georgia, was the 17th overall pick by the Bengals in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft.

The 6-foot-2 inch, 255-pounder suffered the injury in the second game of the 2006 season against Cleveland, sat out the remainder of that season and missed the entire 2007 season.

"I think he's not completely comfortable where he is medically," Coach Marvin Lewis told the Atlanta Journal Constitution about the Snellville, Ga., native. "He has been released to play football (but) we're proceeding in the fashion that he's not going to be part of this football team. He spoke to me well over a week ago and that's where things are headed. It's been a tough, tough decision for him and his family."

In a 14-game NFL career, Pollack recorded 35 tackles and 4 1/2 sacks.