Harry Miller medically retires from Ohio State, details health battle

COLUMBUS — Harry Miller is retiring from football.

That decision for the Ohio State offensive lineman pales in comparison to the far more serious battle he fought last season.

A former five-star recruit, a one-time starter for the Buckeyes and a blocker penciled in as the lynchpin for the program heading into last season was unexpectedly unavailable just days before the opener. On Thursday afternoon, Miller revealed exactly why that was in a heartfelt letter posted on social media with details about an apparent suicide attempt.

“I am medically retiring,” Harry Miller posted on Twitter. “I would not usually share such information. However, because I have played football, I am no longer afforded the privilege of privacy, so I will share my story briefly …

“Prior to the season last year, I told [Ohio State] Coach [Ryan] Day of my intention to kill myself. He immediately had me in touch with Dr. Candice and Dr. Norman, and I received the support I needed. After a few weeks, I tried my luck at football once again with scars on my wrists and throat. Maybe the scars were hard to see with my wrists taped up. Maybe it was hard to see the scars through the bright colors of the television. Maybe the scars were hard to hear through all the talk shows and interviews. They are hard to see, and they are easy to hide, but they sure do hurt. There was a dead man on the television set, but nobody knew it.”

Harry Miller did return to action last year before a knee injury gave him another physical setback, ending his season with an unclear timeline on that return.

But Miller was clearly dealing with more pressing concerns than a rehabilitation on his knee. And he’s now stepping away from the game on a permanent basis to continue the healing process.

This is a breaking news story. It will continue to be updated by Lettermen Row as more information becomes available.