Carroll Angeles

Colts lineman ‘Air Joe’ remains level-headed
By Phillip B. Wilson, Indy Star
August 17, 2011
(two pages)
Just before Joe Reitz came home to join the Indianapolis Colts last season, the former Hamilton
Southeastern High School two-sport star showed why football became his profession instead of basketball.
The offensive lineman was playing for Baltimore in a preseason game. Handed the football to celebrate a
touchdown, the 6-7, 320-pound blocker rose up with his left hand to "dunk" it, only to get rejected by the
goal-post crossbar.
It made ESPN's "Not Top 10" list and fans found the unflattering footage on the Internet. When the Colts
claimed Reitz off waivers in early September a year ago, one of the first questions he faced in the
offensive-line meeting room pertained to his dunk attempt.
"(Center) Jeff Saturday came up with the nickname 'Air Joe,' " Reitz said after a recent training-camp
practice at Anderson University. "A lot of the older guys haven't let me forget I'm 'Air Joe.' "
This preseason, Reitz's family is walking on air as he competes for a starting position at left guard. He
started Saturday's preseason opener at St. Louis and is alternating on the first team with second-year pro
Jacques McClendon.
"You don't want to get too high or too low," said his father, Dave Reitz, 52, Fishers. "Joe has used that
analogy. He's staying very focused.
"But the opportunity to be in your home city with your hometown team and getting a chance to play, it's
been surreal."
His mother, Jane, as well as two sisters and one brother, share the joy with many friends who have
followed his career.
"We're so excited he's been able to move back home," said Jane Reitz, 52.
It's beyond what Joe Reitz envisioned for himself. An all-state football player and Indianapolis Star Indiana
All-Star in basketball at HSE, he chose basketball and didn't play football at Western Michigan. He
departed from Kalamazoo, Mich., as the Broncos' third-leading career scorer and rebounder.
But he also knew his future wasn't the NBA.
"There's not a big market for 6-7 centers who can't jump very high, as people . . . saw from my goal-post
incident," Reitz said. "The whole ride I've had, from being able to start four years in college basketball to
now, to have a chance to be in the NFL, it's been beyond my wildest dream."
Undrafted out of college, Reitz joined the Ravens, who thought he could be a tight end but switched him to
the offensive line and started bulking him up from his 250-pound college weight. After two seasons on
Baltimore's practice squad -- the second cut short by injury -- he was let go at the outset of 2010, signed
with Miami, then was cut three days later and claimed by the Colts.
Reitz, 24, spent almost all of last season on the Colts' practice squad and was inactive for his only game on
the roster. But he was liked from day one.