AP

Not many players get a chance to decide when they want to walk away, as the game retires them, and then lets them know.

But Colts backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck told Alex Marvez of FOX Sports that he intends to retire after the 2014 season.

The 38-year-old Hasselbeck has settled into a comfortable spot as Andrew Luck’s backup, and they clearly thought he was a good part to have around at a reasonable rate (he signed a two-year, $7.25 million deal).

He’s a perfect veteran sounding board for a young quarterback poised to be a star for years to come, and unless something happens to Luck, he should be all they need in a backup for the next year and a half.