Ryan Day opens up on emotions of Avery Henry's medical retirement

Avery Henry, a 2022 Ohio State offensive lineman recruit, was forced to medically retire from football earlier this month. The announcement came several months after he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, which is a form of bone cancer.

Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day revealed the emotions that came with learning of Henry’s diagnosis, and how it has affected him and his family since learning the news. Luckily for Henry, he’s got all the care in the world in Columbus.

“It was something that was really fast when it happened and it was hard,” Day said of Henry. “It was really hard on him and his mom. But I think they felt like it was a blessing to be at Ohio State to have the James (Cancer Hospital and Research Institute) right there to be able to be in his dorm and go get his treatment.

“He’s a private person. So it’s not something that he wanted to kind of talk a lot about, but he had a whole team behind him. And he’s fought it.”

Day revealed that while Henry’s football career might be over — there are still ways he is able to benefit the football team. As of now, the only trend has been upward.

“He’s still part of the program,” Day said. “He’s still with the team, you know, just like we have a couple other guys like that. He’s got a whole team that’s gonna behind him. And it’s in remission, which is great. But, you know, there’s still a lot of things that come with that. And so, we’re very, very proud of him for fighting; for really living our culture of the fight.”

When Henry received his diagnosis, he was in the midst of his true freshman season, which he elected to redshirt. In high school, Henry was named to the Division Four All-state team by the Ohio prep sportswriters association. This followed a season where he helped Saint Clairsville (OH) earn a spot in the regional finals with a 13-2 record.

The 6-foot-6 offensive lineman was a three-star out of high school, per the 2022 On3 Industry Ranking, a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services. He was the No. 51 offensive tackle in the nation and the No. 23 overall prospect out of Ohio.

Now, his football career has been halted from out of nowhere — a morbid reminder of how life can change from one moment to the next. But that isn’t stopping Henry from being a part of the team, which is admirable.